(4) Taqlid: Rational Objections to Taqlid and Their Responses
Lesson #4 is from June 27, 2026 In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. All praise belongs to…
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A Treatise of Arbitrations – Risalah al-Muhakamat (Part 3)
Third lecture by Ustad Soroush Mahallati on this treatise written by ‘Allamah Tabataba’i, delivered on June 17th, 2026. In the Name of…
A Step Toward Rational Governance
In this article, Ustad Taqi Sobhani examines the thought and governing experience of Shaheed Dr. Ali Larijani through the lens of applied…
(3) Taqlid: Is Following a Jurist Like Consulting a Physician?
Lesson #3 is from June 14, 2026. In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. All praise belongs to…
The Priority of Preserving the Islamic Republic over Preserving the Imam of the Age (a)
This lecture was delivered by Ustad Soroush Mahallati on Wednesday, June 3, 2026 on the topic of: The Priority of Preserving the…
A Treatise of Arbitrations – Risalah al-Muhakamat (Part 2)
Second lecture by Ustad Soroush Mahallati on this treatise written by ‘Allamah Tabataba’i. Below is the translation of the 2nd class delivered…
(2) Taqlid: Taqlid, Expertise, and Social Necessity
Lesson #2 is from June 7, 2025. In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. All praise belongs to…
(1) Taqlid: The Concept of Taqlid and Its Rational Foundations
Ustad Soroush Mahallati is covering several unique topics during the Hawzah summer break in a weekly series of lessons. One of them…
A Treatise of Arbitrations – Risalah al-Muhakamat (Part 1)
Ustad Soroush Mahallati is covering several unique topics during the hawzah summer breaks on a weekly basis. One of them is this…
Surah of the Homeland – Ustad Muhaqqiq Damad
This series of short talks on Surah al-Balad – translated as Watan – was delivered by Sayyid Mustafa Muhaqqiq Damad and originally…
Message of Ayatullah Sayyid Mojtaba Khamenei on the Occasion of Workers’ and Teachers’ Day
The Responsibility of Teachers and Workers in the Nation’s Progress The 11th and 12th of Ordibehesht (April 30th and May 1st) are…
Concern for Reason in a Religious Government
Concern for Reason in a Religious Government In memory of a thinker who was concerned about the fate of reason within a…
Technology and Divine Practice of Allah
This is a translation of a lecture delivered by Agha Mohammad-Reza Abedini. Agha Abedini is a prominent scholar based in the seminary…
The First Message of Ayatullah Sayyid Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei
The First Message of His Eminence Ayatullah Sayyid Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei, Leader of the Islamic Revolution In the Name of God, the…
Assessing the Possibility of Multiple Real Rulings (Ahkam Waqi’iyyah) – Sayyid Mujtaba Khamenei
Assessing the Possibility of Multiple Real Rulings: Theological, Hadith-Based, and Usuli Approaches – Views of Sayyid Mujtaba Khamenei By Seyyed Mehdi Husseini, translated…
An Excerpt from the Tafsir of [46:20] by Sayyid Mojtaba Khamenei
This transcript and translation are being published for the first time. It is from one of the Tafsir classes of Sayyid Mojtaba…
Ritual Inflation – A Book Not Only About Rituals, But About Iran
Mohsen Hesam Mazaheri is an Iranian sociologist who has been pursuing a long-term research program on the study of Shi‘i rituals. Recently,…
The People’s Main Message to the Scholars
The People’s Main Message to the Scholars This is a translation of a special note written by the Editor-in-Chief of The Islamic…
The Prophetic Mission and the Descent of the Qur’an – Laylat al-Qadr and the Imam
The Relationship Between the Prophetic Mission and the Descent of the Qur’an – The Relationship Between Laylat al-Qadr and the Imam By…
The Theory of Self-Evidence in Islamic Philosophy
By Abdul Husayn Khusro-Panah. I began translating this paper originally in 2016, in the city of Qom, but never got around to…
The Caravan of Husayn – A Poem
The Caravan of Husayn by R. David Coolidge peace be upon you my Imam how many are thinking about you right now…
The Ahl al-Bayt’s Position on the Islamic Conquests – Part 2
Part 2 (Click for Part 1) By Shaykh Haider Hobbollah In our previous session, we spoke about the first viewpoint, the viewpoint…
An Unknown Page from the Rational Culture of Shi’ism in the Fourth Islamic Century
By Rasul Jafariyan | Translated by Sayyid Ali Imran Al-Burhan fi Wujuh al-Bayan, written by Ishaq ibn Ibrahim ibn Sulayman ibn Wahb…
The Natural World through Hadith in Early Islam: A Hadith-Based Epistemology from Ibn Abi al-Dunya
By Rasul Jafariyan, translated by Sayyid Ali Imran Once Again On the Concept of Knowledge Among Muslims In the third century after…
The Death of Paper Books?
Iranian Book News Agency (IBNA) – Culture and Publishing Desk The question of why science has been historically “closed off” in Iran…
Astral Judgments and Intellectual-Cognitive Disorder in Islamic Civilization
By Shaykh Rasul Jafariyan, Translated by Sayyid Ali Imran Article Summary We all know there is a significant difference between the science…
The Ahl al-Bayt’s Position on the Islamic Conquests – Part 1
Translator’s Introduction The following is the translation of Shaykh Hobbollah’s discussion on the Ahl al-Bayt’s Position on the Islamic Conquests (both parts…
Oral History of the Alavi Qard al-Hasana Fund of Qom
The 476th session of the Qom Studies Foundation (Bonyad Qom-pajouhi) was held on the evening of Tuesday, October 5th, 2025 with the…
Fiqh on the Scale of Rationality: Rethinking Rulings Through the Lens of Custom and Contemporary Conditions
Book Introduction: The Alignment of Jurists with the Rational People (ʿUqalāʾ) Author: Mehdi Montazir Qa’imPublisher: Nashr-e NeyYear: 1403 (2024–2025 CE) Overview The…
Revisiting Imam Khomeini’s Declaration Against Capitulation – In the National Archives of Iran
Revisiting Imam Khomeini’s Declaration Against Capitulation – In the National Archives of Iran On the occasion of 13 Aban (November 4th), marking…
An Analysis of Celebrity Culture and Its Critique from the Perspective of Islam
By Sayyid Husayn Sharafuddin – a professor and faculty member at the Imam Khomeini Educational and Research Institute. He is also a…
Book Review Session: “A Jurisprudential Analysis of Tashabbuh bil-Kuffar: With Emphasis on Symbolic Dress from Foreign Cultures”
Book Review Session: “A Jurisprudential Analysis of Tashabbuh bil-Kuffar: With Emphasis on Symbolic Dress from Foreign Cultures” This article presents a summary…
Cultural and Social Changes Reflected in the Inquiries Posed to Shaykh Haeri Yazdi During the First Pahlavi Period
Cultural and Social Changes Reflected in the Inquiries Posed to Shaykh Haeri Yazdi During the First Pahlavi Period By Shaykh Rasul Jafariyan…
From the Shia of Ali (a) to the Religion of Ali (a)
From the Shia of Ali (a) to the Religion of Ali (a) By Rasul Jafarian | Translated by Sayyid Ali Imran Introduction…
The Path to Saving Iranian Historiography
In recent decades, historiography in Iran and the broader Islamic world has shifted from traditional, passive narration toward a more critical and…
The Jurisprudence of Social Systems: A Strategic Proposal for Making Fiqh Applicable in Society
By Hujjat al-Islam Ali Mirzaei Qasabeh, Senior Instructor and Member of the Ijtihadi Circle for Family Jurisprudence at the Higher Seminary of…
(4) Explanation and Analysis of al-Farabi’s Theory Based on Kitab al-Millah | The Views and Actions of the Virtuous Religion
By Ustad Soroush Mahallati – Translated by Sayyid Ali Imran These are translations of classes delivered by Ustad Soroush Mahallati during the…
The Imamate of al-Kazim (as) in Light of Hisham’s Confusion
By Shaykh ‘Ali Ḥusayn Ya’qūb Translated by: Sayyid Burair Abbas – Edited and Footnoted by: Muhammad Jaffer Abstract This article[1] treats a…
(1) I’tibariyyat (Conventional Realities) in Usul al-Fiqh | Advanced Lessons in Legal Theory
This academic year in the seminary, Ustad Soroush Mahallati is giving his Bahth al-Kharij of Usul al-Fiqh on the topic of I’tibariyyat…
(3) Explanation and Analysis of al-Farabi’s Theory Based on Kitab al-Millah | Revelation and Governance
By Ustad Soroush Mahallati – Translated by Sayyid Ali Imran These are translations of classes delivered by Ustad Soroush Mahallati during the…
Yazid’s Caliphate: Dismantling Sunni Political Theory
Written in Urdu by Sayyid Mohsin Kashmiri | Translated by Sayyid Burair Abbas and Muhammad Jaffer We recently had the privilege to…
(2) Explanation and Analysis of al-Farabi’s Theory Based on Kitab al-Millah | The Types of Rule and Governance
By Ustad Soroush Mahallati – Translated by Sayyid Ali Imran These are translations of classes delivered by Ustad Soroush Mahallati during the…
Religious Belief and the Question of “Birth Luck”
By: Reza Naqavi | Translated by Sayyid Ali Imran Abstract The issue of “birth luck” is one of the important questions that…
(1) Explanation and Analysis of al-Farabi’s Theory Based on Kitab al-Millah
By Ustad Soroush Mahallati – Translated by Sayyid Ali Imran These are translations of classes delivered by Ustad Soroush Mahallati during the…
The Martyr in the Eyes of the Jurist
This is a translation of a lecture delivered by Ustad Soroush Mahallati at the Fahim Institute in Qom, on the night of…
The Sacred Struggle: Writing for the Salvation of the Youth From 1965 to 1978
The Sacred Struggle: Writing for the Salvation of the Youth From 1965 to 1978 By Shaykh Rasul Jafariyan | Translated by Sayyid…
Launch of the Book “Year Thirty” by Shaykh Rasul Jafariyan
30th Anniversary of the Specialized Library of the History of Islam and Iran and the Launch of the Book Year Thirty The…
Hajj Travelogue by Hajj Abbas Mirza in 1901
By Rasul Jafraiyan | Translated by Sayyid Ali Imran This travelogue was written by Ḥājj ʿAbbās Mīrzā, son of Ḥājj Ḥasan—a simple…
A One-Page Hajj Travelogue From the Year 1247 AH / 1831 CE
A One-Page Hajj Travelogue From the Year 1247 AH / 1831 CE By Abul-Qāsim ibn ʿAlī Rizā Shīrāzī Edited by Rasūl Jafariyān,…
Genealogy of Islamic Civilization Thought from the Constitutional Revolution to the Islamic Revolution
Genealogy of Islamic Civilization Thought from the Constitutional Revolution to the Islamic Revolution By Shaykh Rasul Jafariyan | Translate by Sayyid Ali…
Religiosity & Civilization – An Elementary School Book From 1912
This analysis is written by Shaykh Rasul Jafariyan and translated by Sayyid Ali Imran A book titled Tadayyun va Tamaddon (Religiosity and…
A Century of Knowledge and Purity – A Century of Refinement and Detachment
By Sayyid Zia Murtadhavi | Translated by Sayyid Ali Imran [Source] On the 8th of the blessed month of Ramadan 1446 AH,…
Theological Principle: God’s Acts Are Conditioned to Objectives | Part 1
These transcripts are from the Khaarij classes in theology delivered by Ustad Reza Brinjkar in 2022, focusing on the principle of af‘āl…
Commentary on Tajrid al-I’tiqad of Khwaja Nasir al-Din Tusi | Part 3
This is the continuation of transcriptions of lessons given by Shaykh Muhammad Taqi Sobhani on the book Tajrīd al-I‘tiqād, a seminal work…
Commentary on Tajrid al-I’tiqad of Khwaja Nasir al-Din Tusi | Part 2
The following posts will be based on transcribed notes I was making several years ago while I was in Qom, based on…
Commentary on Tajrid al-I’tiqad of Khwaja Nasir al-Din Tusi | Part 1
The following posts will be based on transcribed notes I was making several years ago while I was in Qom, based on…
Allama Iqbal Lahori in the Words of Ayatullah Khamenei
Allama Muhammad Iqbal (1877-1938), more commonly known to people of the subcontinent as the spiritual architect of Pakistan, was a philosopher, thinker,…
The Woman’s Veil: Between Legislation & Administration
By Shaykh Ḥusayn al-Khechin[1] Translated by: Sayyid Burair Abbas | Reviewed, Edited, & Annotated by: Muhammad Jaffer Introduction Some contemporary scholars[2] and…
The First Writings on Islamic Civilization: How the Discourse on Islamic Civilization Began Among Us
By Shaykh Rasul Jafariyan Abstract The history of civilization is a relatively new branch within the field of history. In the historical…
The Intra-Imami Dispute Over Fadak: Shaykh Muntazari’s Political Interpretation
The Intra-Imami Dispute Over Fadak: A Brief Overview of Shaykh Muntazari’s Political Interpretation and the Debates Surrounding It By Shaykh Haider Hobbollah;…
A Different Imam Among the Imams – Passing of Karim Aga Khan
By Mohsen Hesam Mazaheri Shah Karim al-Husseini (1936–2025), popularly known as Karim Aga Khan or Aga Khan IV, the 49th Imam of…
Astarabad, Mir Damad, and the Safavid State
By Shaykh Rasul Jafariyan Translated by Sayyid Ali Imran With the ascension of Shah Abbas I in 996 AH (1588 CE), two…
Official State Recognition of 13th of Rajab
Who Officially Recognized the 13th of Rajab? By Shaykh Rasul Jafariyan As we know, there are differing opinions regarding the birth and…
Linguistic Kufriyat (Blasphemy) in Farsi in the Hanafi School (Part 4)
One hundred and fifty-six words authored by the scholars of Balkh Translation: Abu al-Fadl Muhammad ibn Ishaq ibn Abi Nasr Additionally: One…
Linguistic Kufriyat (Blasphemy) in Farsi in the Hanafi School (Part 3)
This is part three of a series of posts on the topic of language, speech, words and utterances, and their relation to…
Linguistic Kufriyat (Blasphemy) in Farsi in the Hanafi School (Part 2)
This is part two of a series of posts on the topic of language, speech, words and utterances, and their relation to…
Linguistic Kufriyat (Blasphemy) in Farsi in the Hanafi School (Part 1)
What follows is a series of posts on a topic pertaining to language, speech, words and utterences, and their relation to blasphemy…
The Hadith and Intellectual Traditions of the Nusayris: From Al-Khasibi to Al-Tabarani
This is the text of a lecture delivered by Dr. Hassan Ansari, which will eventually be published in a more complete and…
A Newly Discovered and Significant Text Regarding the Beliefs of the Nusayris
This article is from almost ten years ago, written by Dr. Hassan Ansari. Among the manuscripts I have examined in one of…
Husayn ibn Hamdan al-Khasibi and the Nusayri Doctrine
Original post by Dr. Hassan Ansari References for this article are published in the printed version. Imami Shi’ism, during the rule of…
A Valuable Mamluk Era Document on the Beliefs of Various Islamic Sects
Original post by Dr. Hassan Ansari Ibn Fadl Allah al-Umari (d. 749 AH) in his valuable book al-Ta‘rif bil-Mustalah al-Sharif includes the…
The Faith of Pharaoh – Comparing the Views of Ibn Arabi and Imam Khomeini
The following is a translation of an article titled Repentance and Faith of Pharaoh: From the Perspectives of Imam Khomeini and Ibn…
Utilizing the Capacity of Fiqh in New Circumstances and the Necessity of Transferring the Experience of Innovative Ijtihad to the Intellectual Generation
Utilizing the Capacity of Fiqh in New Circumstances and the Necessity of Transferring the Experience of Innovative Ijtihad to the Intellectual Generation…
A Religious Perspective on the Phenomenon of Migration and Brain Drain
A Religious Perspective on the Phenomenon of Migration and Human Capital Flight (Brain Drain) This is a summary of a speech delivered…
Religious Awareness and Social Awareness by Shaheed Mutahhari
This is an excerpt from Shaheed Mutahhari’s speech titled Oratory and the Pulpit, delivered around the year 1380 AH / 1959 CE…
The Higher You Climb, the Harder You Fall
The friend could not distinguish from the foe, Blindly he played the dice, not knowing where to go. Your enemy is none…
One Year Anniversary for Iqra Online Members’ Portal
One Year Anniversary for Iqra Online Members’ Portal Alhamdulillah, it has already been a year today since I launched the Members Only…
The Path to Civilization Passes Through the Gateway of Rationality
This is an interview conducted with Dr. Ghasem Pourhasan Darzi is an associate professor in the Philosophy Department at Allamah Tabataba’i University.…
Confrontation of the Ahl ul-Bayt with Cursing and Insults | Academic Seminar
Source: https://fa.abna24.com/story/1492997 The Ahl al-Bayt News Agency (ABNA) recently organized an academic discussion, critiquing the book “Cursing and Condemnation in the History…
The Beautiful Effort of Historians
By Shaykh Rasul Jafariyan The publication of a collection of correspondence from the Secretariat of the Custodian of Qom — Seyyed Mohammad…
From the Signs of the Laity
Reflections & Thoughts | For those interested in this new format called “Reflections & Thoughts”, please read the first two paragraphs in this post.…
Treatise in Refutation of Declaring a Believer an Unbeliever
By Shaykh Rasul Jafariyan In the late 12th century AH, one of the Ottoman scholars issued a fatwa declaring smoking forbidden, going…
Sectarianism in Islam: Centered Around the Concepts of Disbelief (Kufr) and Faith (Iman)
By Shaykh Rasul Jafariyan Introduction When we browse the introductory sections of books on Milal wa Nihal (the study of religions and…
Practical Code of Conduct for Muslims | An Overview of the Book Nasirean Ethics
By Mehdi Kohan Khwaja Nasir al-Din Tusi wrote Nasirean Ethics (Akhlāq-i Nāsirī) while residing in Qohestan, serving the ruler of the region,…
History of Shi’i Usul al-Fiqh | Sayyid Alam al-Hoda | Lesson 2
Third Stage: From the Early Minor Occultation to the Early Major Occultation Contrary to what might be expected, with the end of…
History of Shi’i Usul al-Fiqh | Sayyid Alam al-Hoda | Lesson 1
Important Points in the History of Usul al-Fiqh Before discussing the history and stages of the science of Usul al-Fiqh (legal theory),…
The Secrets of the East’s Backwardness | Critical Works on Western Civilization in Qom (1962-1978)
Below is a selected translation of a much lengthier paper discussing the genre of anti-Western civilization literature produced in Qom between 1962…
An Introduction to Theological Issues of Governance in Iran | Part 3
This is lesson 4 of the series on “An Introduction to Theological Issues of Governance in Iran”, by the renowned theologian, Shaykh…
An Introduction to Theological Issues of Governance in Iran | Part 2
This is lesson 3 of the series on “An Introduction to Theological Issues of Governance in Iran”, by the renowned theologian, Shaykh…
An Introduction to Theological Issues of Governance in Iran | Part 1
This is a transcript of a series of lessons given by the prominent and renowned Iranian theologian, Shaykh Muhammad Taqi Subhani in…
Division of Sciences From the Perspective of Pre-Modern Scholars
[Source – By Dr. Maryam Kiyani Farid] It may be as important and fundamental to understand human knowledge and its place in…
Some Remarks on Prophet Nuh’s Age
There was a series of short articles written by Amir Torkashvand a few years back, which have remained on my to-read list.…
The Age of Exploration That Could Have Been: An Expedition to Discover the Wall of Gog and Magog
By Rasul Jafariyan | Translated by Sayyid Burair Abbas Around the year 230 AH (845 CE), Wathiq the Abbasid caliph dispatched an…
Reclaiming an Imamite Poet: Abu Tammam and His Ode for Imam Ali (as)
Ḥabīb ibn Aws al-Tā’ī (188-231 AH), better known by his nickname Abū Tammām, is widely regarded as one of the most celebrated…
He Became Despised by the Ignorance of This Era!
By Rasul Jafariyan | Translated by Sayyid Ali Imran The following poems express the sentiments of a poet from the late Qajar…
Discovery of a New Book by Sheikh Bahai
By Ahmed al-Hilli al-Najafi Sheikh Bahāʾī (r) has a commentary on al-Ṣaḥīfah al-Sajjādiyyah, titled Ḥadāʾiq al-Ṣāliḥīn. In this work, he gave each…
The On-Time Prayers of Those Present in Arafat
By Sayyid Amin Mortzevi | Short posts published by Imam Muhammad Baqir Fiqh Institute It is best to perform each prayer at…
Is Animal Sacrifice An Ethical Act?
Is animal sacrifice an ethical act? The issue of sacrificing and being sacrificed in the way of God The below is a…
Stages of Human Growth – A Poem
By Ustad Husayn Norozi; translated by Sayyid Ali Imran I went over this poem with our middle school students at the end…
A Detailed Analysis of Ayah al-Tabligh
Download Here Abstract By Muhammad Jaffer and Sayyid Burair Abbas Ayah al-Tablīgh has long been argued for the declaration of the Wilayah…
The Role of the Shi’a in the Fall of the Abbasids
By Shaykh Rasul Jafariyan | Translated by Sayyid Ali Imran | Edited & annotated by Sayyid Burair Abbas The doubt that will…
The Story of the Martyrdom of Shahid Thani by a Witness
The Story of the Martyrdom of Shahid Thani by a Witness, Qutb al-Din Muhammad Nahrawali (917-990 AH) Qutb al-Din Nahrawali is one…
Law & Ethics – Determining the Differences
This was a single lecture delivered by Ustad Soroush Mahallati at Muassaseh Miftah-e Keramat on Wednesday, December 6th, 2023. The topic of…
The Historical Reading of Religious Thought
By Shaykh Haider Hobbollah The traditional mindset was accustomed to eliminating the distinction between thought and reality in a sense, between the…
How the Quranic Recital of Hafs from Asim Became Mainstream
By Muhammad Sunni The Quranic recital (qira’ah) that is widespread today in most of the Islamic world, except the Islamic Maghreb, Somalia,…
The Nail in the Door & the Conference of Baghdad’s Scholars
By Shaykh Mahdi Masaeli The ‘nail in the door’ detail in eulogies recited during Fatimiyyah has become popular in the last hundred…
Superstition Creators, Accepters, and Assumers
By Shaykh Muhammad Andalib Hamedani The history of superstition creation and removal goes back to the past of human culture and civilization.…
A Beautiful Ode for Lady Zaynab (as)
Below we have translated a beautiful qaṣīdah by the poet—Ibrāhīm ibn Yaḥyā al-‘Āmilī (1154-1214 AH)—in honor of Lady Zaynab.[1] The poet was…
Why Teachers Need to Learn Philosophy of Training & Education
This is an abridged translation of a paper published in 2008 by Dr. Shaheen Irwani, Dr. Mohammed-Reza Sharafi and Murad-Yari Dehnawi, from…
Betrayed from Within: When Our Weakness Assists a Genocidal Regime
Senior Muslim Clerics of the UK, including the likes Abdal Hakim Murad, Qari Asim, Arif Hussain, Ali-Reza Bhojani released a statement condemning…
The Importance of Progress in Our Lifestyle
This is a partial translation of a speech delivered by Sayyid Khamenei to the youth in Northern Khorasan province on September 14th,…
The Jurisprudence of Ashura (Part 3)
By Muhammad Jaffer[1] [2] The prerogative to rationalize Imam Ḥusayn’s movement primarily emerged from theological-polemical exigencies and thereby entered the domain of…
God of Mysticism and the God of Philosophy
By professor Abolghasem Fanaei This paper aims to comparatively study mystical theology and philosophical theology in Islamic culture. The main claim of…
The Qasidah Muhammadiyyah of Imam al-Busiri
On the commemoration of the demise of our Holy Prophet Muḥammad (saw), we present this humble translation of a famous qaṣīdah written…
Let’s Return Back to a Balanced and Principled (Usuli) Shia’ism
By Dr. Hassan Ansari From the very beginning, Shi’ism has always experienced two dimensions or perspectives: one is an emotional and epic…
In Service and Betrayal of Rituals: A Discussion on Shi’i Rituals and the Phenomenon of Ritual Inflation
By Mohsen-Hesam Mazaheri The author has studied sociology at the University of Tehran and is a prolific writer and researcher of sociology…
Confrontation with Orientalism: Origins, Trends, and Outcomes
By Rasul Jafariyan The selection of this title is due to the noteworthy attention given to scholarly exchanges among researchers, both domestic…
The Jurisprudence of Ashura (Part 2)
In the previous article, we made some prefunctory remarks regarding the challenges of extracting jurisprudential discussions from the tragedy of Karbalā. We…
Without History of Thought, We Can Never & Should Never Form Civilizational Opinions
By Rasul Jafariyan From one perspective, a distinction must be made between two groups: one that considers itself reformist and speaks of…
The Jurisprudence of Ashura (Part 1)
By Muhammad Jaffer[1] Despite the relatively short span of time in which its events transpired, the fateful tragedy of Karbalā is arguably…
A Brief Overview of Faqir Dehlavi’s Treatise “Rajm al-Shayatin”
There has unfortunately been a dearth of literature regarding the intellectual contributions of Shī’ah scholars of the Indian subcontinent. Although still extant,…
Exegetical Trends of the Shi’a During Imam Baqir’s Era – Exploring the Dialectical of Exoteric vs Esoteric (Zahir & Batin) and Revelation vs Interpretation (Tanzil & Ta’wil)
Exegetical Trends of the Shi’a During Imam Baqir’s Era – Exploring the Dialectical of Exoteric vs Esoteric (Ẓāhir & Bāṭin) and Revelation…
The Jurisprudential Views of Imam Khumayni Regarding Music
Recently I taught a module on Music in Islamic Law, Culture and Society. During the module, I made a very quick reference…
The Theory of Quranic Interiors (Butun al-Quran): A Study and Analysis (Part 2)
By Shaykh Ḥaydar Ḥubbullāh and transcribed by Muḥammad Ṭarrāf Translated by Muhammad Jaffer[1] II. The Proposed Postulates for Understanding the Quranic Interior…
The Theory of Quranic Interiors (Butun al-Quran): A Study and Analysis (Part 1)
By Shaykh Ḥaydar Ḥubbullāh and transcribed by Muḥammad Ṭarrāf Translated by Muhammad Jaffer[1] In the previous two articles, we discussed the various…
The Poem of Shaykh Ahmad al-Wa’ili for Imam al-Jawad
One of the most illustrious of Shī’ah poets, orators, and scholars of the past century was the Iraqi Shaykh Aḥmad al-Wā’ilī (1928-2003).…
Al-Dawani’s Contested Mystical Praise of the Prophet (saw)
While I was unpacking a box of books I came across an interesting set of seven treatises written by various philosophers. One…
The Language of the Quran (Part 2): Between The Vernacular (al-lughah al-urfiyyah) and Transcendental (ma fawq al-urfiyyah)
By Shaykh Ḥaydar Ḥubbullāh[1] Transcribed by Muhammad Jaffer In the previous article, we explained the vernacular theory of Qurānic language as espoused…
The Language of the Quran (Part 1): Between The Vernacular (al-lughah al-urfiyyah) and Transcendental (ma fawq al-urfiyyah)
By Shaykh Ḥaydar Ḥubbullāh[1] Transcribed by Muhammad Jaffer I. Introduction What is meant when we discuss the vernacular and common rational language…
The Poem for Imam Husayn (a) that Made Imam al-Sadiq (a) Cry
One of the most well-grounded traditions of the Shī’ah is the composition of poetry for the Ahl al-Bayt. This practice was generally…
Born Through the Dua of the Imam
Originally published on Shiitic Studies Introduction Unlike Kulaynī and Ṭūsī, whose fathers were not known for scholarship and remain obscure figures only…
The Use of Sirah al-Mutasharri’ah (Custom of Religious People) as Evidence for the Impermissibility of Shaving the Beard
A couple of months back whilst studying the jurisprudential discussion surrounding the impermissibility of completely shaving the beard in Sheikh Anṣāri’s Makāsib…
Birth of the Moon: An Alternative Position on Marking the Start of the Lunar Month
In 2017 I shared a short writeup from one of my teachers Ustad Sayyid Rafipour that explains the four positions on moon…
Ibn Muljam Kushan – A Cultural Festival of Iranian Shi’i Laity
An interesting excerpt I read today from a recently published book: Jashn-haye Islami-Shi’i Dar Iran (Shi’i-Islamic Commemorations in Iran) Mohsen Hesam Mazaheri.…
Unprincipled Hadith Affinities
By Dr. Hassan Ansari Despite recent research in hadith studies and textual criticism that has shed light on the nature and characteristics…
Quranic Evidence for the Impermissibility of Tawassul Through the Awliya – An Overview and Critique
The topic of Tawassul is something that has been constantly debated since the time of Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728/1328) who seems to…
An Ode Comparing the Shrines of Imam Ali and Muawiyah
It is said that one of the famous Sunni poets and literarians of Syria, Muhammad Majdhoob (d 1999 CE), visited al-Najaf al-Ashraf…
A Concise Explanation of Intricate and Complex (sa’ab wa mustasa’ab) Narrations and Religious Secrecy (kitman)
Annotated by:- Muhammad Jaffer & Sayyid Burair Abbas Question: What is your interpretation for obscurity in some of the narrations of the…
Some Remarks on the Authenticity of Supplications in Shi’a Hadith Literature
By Dr. Hassan Ansari Questions and doubts occasionally arise regarding the authenticity of certain supplication or ziyarat texts in the Shi’a hadith…
Theology for Muslim Educators – Lesson 2
This is an abridged transcript of the second lesson on Theology for Muslim Educators. If you are interested in watching the recordings…
The Banu Hashim’s Share in Khums
By Shaykh Haider Hobbollah Translated by Faisal H and Sayyid Burair Abbas What is well-known, rather which may even be a consensus…
Walad al-Zina (Child Born Out of Wedlock) in Imami Law
By Shaykh Haider Hobbollah The question of an illegitimate child (al-ibn ghayr al-shar’ī) or a child born out of illicit relations (walad…
The Conference that Left Us Hanging & a Lone Afghan Soldier
On Tuesday November 24th, 2015 at 4 PM a seminar was being held at one of the smaller institutes in Qom. The…
Financial Struggles and Splitting Book Costs
By end of 2013, I had already visited and sat in the open gatherings of Ayatullah Sayyid Shubayri Zanjani, which would take…
Appreciating a Scholar – a Century Later
One of the scholars of the 19th century that I came across during my readings in 2014 and have always been fascinated…
An Unanswered Curiosity Regarding Shaykh Tusi
Was recently reading something related to Shaykh Tusi (d. 460/1067), and it reminded me of a point about his biography that I…
Intermarriages between Ahl ul-Bayt (a) and Companions & Caliphs
Translated & Edited by:- Sayyid Burair Abbas Annotated by:- Dr. Muhammad Jaffer Q: How do the Muslims explain the widespread phenomenon of…
Theology for Muslim Educators – Lesson 1
This is an abridged transcript of the first lesson on Theology for Muslim Educators. If you are interested in watching the recordings…
A Translation and Commentary on the Epic Ode of Sayyid al-Himyari for Imam Ali (as)
Before you lies our humble endeavor to translate the legendary panegyric by al-Sayyid al-Ḥimyarī (may God have mercy on his soul; 105-173…
A Study of Matn Criticism Amongst the Imamiyyah
Originally written in Arabic by Shaykh Dr. Haider Hobbollah, to read the original click here. Translated by Salim Salhab From the very first…
Lady Narjis: A New Reading of Her Identity
The famous scholar, Sheikh Ahmed Salman, recently authored a fascinating book entitled ‘Sayyidat al-imā’ – Qirā’tun jadīdatun fi huwīyatihā wa sīratihā’ (The…
Martyrdom of Sayyidah Fatimah (s): An Ideological Belief?
Some scholars say that the story of Sulaymān and his death, which Allah has eternalized in the Holy Qur’ān, does not have…
Women in the Holy Prophet’s Life: An Analysis
Below we have translated an excerpt from an excellent work by Shaykh Ḥusayn al-Khechin entitled “Al-Mar’ah fī al-Naṣṣ al-Dīnī: Qirā’ah Naqdiyyah fī…
Principle of Human Sacredness (Hurmah) & Nobility (Karamah)
These are edited transcripts of khārij lessons given between December 15th 2018 to December 29th 2018, on the topic of Citizenship Law…
Interview with Ghulam Reza Fayyazi | Theologian or Philosopher? | Critique of Sadrian Philosophy | Philosophy and Religious Texts
Below is an interview conducted by Hadi Al Lawati on his show Hira (حَيْرَة) with contemporary Iranian philosopher Ustad Ghulam Reza Fayyazi.…
On A Forged Hadith: If it weren’t for Fatima, I would not have created you two
“And if it weren’t for Fāṭimah, I would not have created you two [Muḥammad and ʿAlī] On A Forged Ḥadīth Many of…
New Book Launch: A Memorandum on Intersectarian Harmony in Islam
Purchase Here We are happy to announce the release of the translation of Shaykh Haider’s book Risalah Salam Madhhabi – A Memorandum on…
Does the Maqasid-Based Framework for Ijtihad Result in Secularism?
This is a transcript of lesson 103, March 3rd, 2020 from Shaykh Haider Hobollah’s classes on legal theory. Maqāṣid-Based Ijtihād and Secularism…
Naskh – Abrogation in the Quran (2)
This is a transcription from lesson 3 of the Uṣūl lessons of Shaykh Haider Hobbollah on the topic of Naskh al-Quran, delivered…
Four Idols of the Mind
In our lives, we encounter people who no matter what you say to them, will interpret you through their own minds. You…
Naskh – Abrogation in the Quran (1)
This is a transcription from the first 2 Uṣūl lessons of Shaykh Haider Hobbollah on the topic of Naskh al-Quran, delivered in…
Occultation and Mahdawiyyat in the Writings of Shaykh al-Mufid (Part 2)
Originally written in Arabic by Sayyid Muḥammad Riḍā Ḥusaynī al-Jalālī and translated into Persian by Dr. Jūyā Jahānbakhsh[1] Click Here for Part…
Allamah al-Hilli on Reward, Punishment and Intercession in his Kashf Al-Murad
Translated by Ali Retha Translators Introduction: Allamah al-Hilli (d. 726Hijri / 1325 C), one of the most famous scholars and prolific writers…
Have the Shi’a Forgotten the Prophet (p)?
Reflections & Thoughts | For those interested in this new format called “Reflections & Thoughts”, please read the first two paragraphs in…
Occultation and Mahdawiyyat in the Writings of Shaykh al-Mufid (Part 1)
Originally written in Arabic by Sayyid Muḥammad Riḍā Ḥusaynī al-Jalālī and translated into Persian by Dr. Jūyā Jahānbakhsh[1] Translated and Annotated into…
Analyzing the Disparagement of Unorthodox Scholars (Part 2)
Translated by Sayyid Burair Abbas Edited and annotated by Muhammad Jaffer As a continuation of the previous discussion regarding the delegitimization of…
The Phenomenon of Scholarly Epithets
Question: What is your opinion regarding scholarly epithets such as ‘Ayatullah’ or ‘Ayatullah al-ʿUẓma’? Originally written in Arabic by Shaykh Dr. Haider…
Analyzing the Disparagement of Unorthodox Scholars (Part 1)
Translated by Muhammad Jaffer and edited by Sayyid Burair Abbas Unfortunately, a trend that has been becoming increasingly prevalent within the…
Abu Rayhan Biruni – The Greatest Scientist of the Islamic World
By Rasul Jafarian Without overexaggerating – something which is very common amongst our people – we can say Abū Rayḥān Bīrūnī (d.…
Tahrif or Not? A Shi’i Perspective on the Seven Ahruf Reports (Pt. III)
Introduction The first two parts of this series were devoted to setting out the nature of the ‘Seven Aḥruf’ problem and tracing…
Ayatullah Sayyid Kazim Hairi’s Resignation from Marja‘iyyah
Ayatullah Sayyid Kāẓim Ḥā’irī, one of the greatest students of Shahīd Bāqir al-Ṣadr and an esteemed Marja‘ of our time, resigned from…
Ibn Abi al-Hadid’s Ode for Imam Husayn (as)
Below we have translated a famous eulogy composed by the Mu’tazilite Shāfi’ī commentator of Nahj al-Balāghah, ‘Abd al-Ḥamīd ibn Abī al-Ḥadīd (d.…
Ahl al-Bayt: The Guardians of the Sira
The following translation is part of a talk given by Dr. Sayyid Hossein Modarressi Tabataba’i in 1977, which was later published as…
Ashura and Myth
By Dr. Jūyā Jahānbakhsh The following is a translation of an essay written by Dr. Jūyā Jahānbakhsh on his blog site.[1] Dr.…
The Poem of Imam al-Shafi’i for Imam Husayn (as)
Below we have translated a famous qaṣīdah attributed to the founder of the Shāfi’ī madhhab—Muḥammad bin Idrīs al-Shāfi’ī (d. 204 AH)—in mourning…
A Name List of Those Who Were Killed With al-Husayn b. Ali From Among His Children, Brothers, Family, and Followers
A Name List of Those Who Were Killed With al-Ḥusayn b. ʿAlī From Among His Children, Brothers, Family, and Followers By: al-Faḍīl…
The Foreknowledge of Imam Husayn (as) Regarding His Death: Was it Suicide?
Translated by Sayyid Burair Abbas & reviewed, annotated, and edited by Muhammad Jaffer One of the major questions that has come up…
Sayyid Rida al-Hindi’s Tragic Poetry Regarding Karbala
Below we have translated two famous qaṣīdahs regarding Imām al-Ḥusayn (as) composed by the famous poet and jurist, al-Marḥūm al-Sayyid Riḍā’ ibn…
From the Narration of Ghadir to Eid of Ghadir
By Rasul Jafarian The ḥadīth of Ghadīr or the day of Ghadīr is a reference to an event that took place in…
The Qur’anic Poem of Shaykh Salih al-Kawwaz for Imam Husayn (as)
The below poem is composed by the illustrious Iraqi poet al-Marḥūm al-Shaykh Ṣāliḥ ibn Mahdī al-Kawwāz al-Ḥillī (d. 1290 AH). Although al-Kawwāz…
Fraternity Contract on Eid al-Ghadir
One of the most sacred and revered days for Shi’as is ‘Eid al-Ghadīr wherein like other auspicious days, there are some ‘amāl…
Abortion: An Overview of Considerations in Ja’fari Fiqh
Abortion – prematurely and proactively ending a pregnancy – is an extremely sensitive issue in the religious sphere. Approaching it theoretically requires…
Cosmetic Surgery in Imami Jurisprudence | Part 4 & 5
This is the fourth and fifth short lesson delivered by Ustādh Rafī’pūr – a teacher of khārij – in the city of…
Shaykh Ahmad al-Wa’ili’s Famous Qasidah for Imam ‘Ali (as)
Below we have translated into rhymed English verse the famous al-Qaṣīdah al-Nūniyyah of the illustrious Iraqi scholar and poet Shaykh Aḥmad al-Wā’ilī…
Human Purity: Brief Overview
By Shaykh Haider Translated by Sayyid Burair Abbas Among the most crucial matters in Islam is the issue of purity of oneself…
Al-Zahra: Between Universality and Compartmentalization of Her Tragedy
Translated by Muhammad Jaffer and edited by Sayyid Burair Abbas In the context of the recent film released in the UK regarding…
Bid‘ah & the Principle of Religious Wariness: A Study on Newer Perspectives and Applications of the Concept
By Shaykh Haider Hobbollah Translated by Muhammad Jaffer, Sayyid Burair Abbas, and Sayyid Ali Imran Edited by Sayyid Burair Abbas Introduction Muslims…
The Crisis of Spiritual Decline: Analyzing its Reasons and Proposing Solutions
Translated by Muhammad Jaffer and edited by Sayyid Burair Abbas In the current materialistic age, one of the major causes of estrangement…
Cosmetic Surgery in Imami Jurisprudence | Part 3
This is the third of five short lessons delivered by Ustādh Rafī’pūr – a teacher of khārij – in the city of…
Tahrif or Not? A Shi’i Perspective on the Seven Ahruf Reports (Pt. II)
What Dialects? It is al-Ṭabarī (d. 310) who comes closest to deciphering the meaning of ‘the Qur’an was sent down per Seven…
Cosmetic Surgery in Imami Jurisprudence | Part 2
This is the second of five short lessons delivered by Ustādh Rafī’pūr – a teacher of khārij – in the city of…
Cosmetic Surgery in Imami Jurisprudence | Part 1
This is the first of five short lessons delivered by Ustādh Rafī’pūr – a teacher of khārij – in the city of…
Advanced Jurisprudential Discussions on Musical Instruments | Lesson 7
f) The last contextual indicator we can cite is by employing another principle from legal theory on the narrations themselves. We have…
A Critical Analysis of Religious Discourse Today: Rescuing Our Youth
Translated by Muhammad Jaffer and edited by Sayyid Burair Abbas Religious adherents of Islām today struggle to maintain a strong sense of…
An Abridged History Regarding the Shrines of the Imams at Jannat al-Baqi’
The following is a translation of an originally Persian article written by Dr. Aḥmad Khāmehyār regarding the history of Jannat al-Baqī’. The…
Advanced Jurisprudential Discussions on Musical Instruments | Lesson 6
We have been discussing whether these narrations are considering musical instruments on their own prohibited in an absolute manner, or are they…
Advanced Jurisprudential Discussions on Musical Instruments | Lesson 5
The question we have been trying to answer regarding the narrations is whether they are addressing musical instruments from the perspective of…
Answering Objections: Zayd and Imamah
A reply was written by Muhammad Sharifi, a Zaydi brother, to my recent article on Zayd b. Ali (peace be upon them).…
Tahrif or Not? A Shi’i Perspective on the Seven Ahruf Reports (Pt. I)
Originally posted on Shiitic Studies. Introduction Did the companions all recite the Qur’an in the same way? If not, did this variation…
Praying for Non-Muslims
Below is a brief summary – not containing any argumentation – of an opinion of Shaykh Haider Hobbollah on the topic of…
Advanced Jurisprudential Discussions on Musical Instruments | Lesson 4
In this lesson, we will look at just a few reports jurists entertain when discussing the subject of musical instruments. We will…
Did Zayd b. Ali Not Know of His Father’s Imamah?
Zayd, the son of Imam al Sajjād (peace be upon them), is a landmark figure in Islamic history. He led an uprising…
The Poet-Knight Abu Firas al-Hamadani and his Famous Poem Lampooning the Abbasids
Below we have translated the legendary Qaṣīdah al-Mīmīyyah of the Arabian poet-knight al-Amīr Abū Firās al-Ḥamadānī (may God have mercy on him);…
Qiyas: Another Perspective
By Hamid Reza Tamaddon Abstract: In the first centuries of Islam, one of the meanings of the term qiyās is the evaluation…
A Detailed Analysis on the Verse of al-Mawaddah fi al-Qurba
The following is an abridged translation of an excellent article written by a researcher in Qum, Shaykh Rūḥullāh Malekiān, linguistically analyzing Sūrah…
On Islamic Irfan (Mysticism): Analyzing its Epistemology and Pedagogic Dimensions
The following is a translation of Shaykh Ḥaydar Ḥubbullāh’s epistemic analysis of mysticism.[1] We found this piece particularly important to translate, especially…
Obedience (ta‘abbud) and Intellection (ta‘aqqul) in Religion
Between March 20th – April 18th 2020 (lesson 118 – 131) in the advanced lessons on legal theory, Shaykh Haider Hobollah addressed…
Advanced Jurisprudential Discussions on Musical Instruments | Lesson 3
In our previous lesson, we said that the intellect does not directly comment or give a judgement on specific musical instruments. However,…
On Contemporary Shi’ah Religious Thought
The following is a translation of some excerpts from an interview that Shaykh Ḥaydar Ḥubbullāh had with the Baḥrainī newspaper al-Ayyām about…
The Legendary Ode Inscribed into the Golden Cage of Imam Ali (as)
The following is a translation of al-Qaṣīdah al-‘Ayniyyah of ‘Abd al-Ḥamīd ibn Abī al-Ḥadīd al-Mu’tazilī (586-656 A.H.). Ibn Abī al-Ḥadīd is widely…
Advanced Jurisprudential Discussions on Musical Instruments | Lesson 2
Our jurists generally begin their discussions based on the narrations, whereas we have reiterated many times that a discussion should begin with…
The Famous Poem of Ahmad al-Wa’ili for Imam Hasan (as)
Below is a famous Arabic poem in eulogy of our dearest al-Imām al-Ḥasan ibn ‘Alī (may peace be upon him) composed by…
An In-Depth Analysis of the Verse of Tathir: Who are the Ahl al-Bayt? (Part 2)
Part 2: Answering Certain Contentions About the Verse of Purification Given the theological implications of interpreting the verse as we have sought…
An In-Depth Analysis of the Verse of Tathir: Who are the Ahl al-Bayt? (Part 1)
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ وَقَرْنَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ وَلَا تَبَرَّجْنَ تَبَرُّجَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ الْأُولَىٰ ۖ وَأَقِمْنَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتِينَ الزَّكَاةَ وَأَطِعْنَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ ۚ إِنَّمَا…
Advanced Jurisprudential Discussions on Musical Instruments | Lesson 1
These are transcripts from 12 advanced jurisprudence lessons given on singing (al-ghinā’) by Ustad Soroush Mahallati. These lessons were given during the…
Abdul-Qadir Jilani bin Salim’s Ode in Praise of Sayyidah Khadija
Below is an Arabic poem by the Sunni Shāfi’ī modern-day scholar and poet ‘Abdul-Qādir Jilānī bin Sālim bin ‘Alawī Khirad regarding Sayyidah…
Questions & Answers on Pressing Matters in the Quran (With a Focus on Women)
Questions & Answers on Pressing Matters in the Quran (With a Focus on Women) Compiled, translated and edited by Naseem Meghjee Selected…
Ayatullah Jaffer Subhani on Women Visiting Graves (ziyarat al-qubur)
The below is a translation of a treatise authored by Ayatullah Jaffer Subhani on the topic of whether Islam permits women from…
The Importance of Pilgrimage (Ziyarah) in Shi’ism and Catholicism: Comparing and Contrasting
Below is a precis of an article in the Arabic journal al-Nuṣūs al-Mu’āṣirah (Contemporary Texts), written by Muḥammad Folādī, Muḥammad Jawād Nawrūzī,…
Answering the Seven Cascading Contentions of Satan
The following is a translation of a philosophical rebuttal by the grand luminary Shaykh Muḥammad Husayn al-Khorasānī (1336-1406 AH; may God have…
On Approaching Atheism
The below piece is a translation and summary of a lecture given by the contemporary Saudi Shī’a scholar and polemicist, Shaykh Aḥmad…
Humans in the Era of Awaiting
What is the nature of humans in the era of awaiting (intiẓār), or what ought to be their nature? If we were…
Shaykh al-Islam al-Baha’i’s Ode in Praise of the Twelfth Imam (as)
Below, we have translated the famous Arabic qaṣīdah for the Twelfth Imām al-Mahdī (may Allah hasten his reappearance) composed by the Safavid…
The Famous Ode of Ibn ‘Arandas Reputed to Summon the Twelfth Imam (as)
Below is a translation of the famous al-Qaṣīdah al-Rā’iyyah by the illustrious Imāmī Shī’a scholar, jurist, and poet, Sāliḥ ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhāb…
The Superiority of Imam Ali (a) in the Sirah
Shaykh Muhammad Hadi Yusufi Gharawi underlines the unparalleled virtue and station of Imam ʿAli (a) in reference to the historical moments before…
Farazdaq’s Legendary Panegyric for Imam Zayn al-Abidin (as)
It is narrated in Ibn Khallikān’s Wafayāt al-A’yān that one day, the Umayyad Caliph Hishām ibn ‘Abd al-Malik was at Ḥajj performing…
The Eulogy Immortalized in Golden Ink at the Gate of Imam Husayn (as)
Below is a translation of the legendary al-Qaṣīdah al-‘Aynīyyah of the Iraqi poet Muḥammad Mahdī al-Jawāhirī (1899-1997)—may God have mercy on him.…
Syntactic and Morphological Principles | al-Usul al-Nahwiyyah wa al-Sarfiyyah
Below are notes I made from an advanced class on Arabic grammar taught by Shaykh ‘Abid Husayn in Madrassah Imam al-Hadi (a)…
Mulla Sadra on Spiritual Realisation
While reading through Ṣadrā’s commentary on Uṣūl al-Kāfī, I came across this beautiful explanation of the methods different groups use to attain…
The Legendary Poem Inscribed into the Golden Dome of Imam ‘Ali’s Shrine
The following panegyric for Imām ‘Alī (as) is written by a famous 19th century Arab poet and the Sunnī Ḥanafī governor of…
Familiarity with the Tradition: A Prerequisite for Reform
A recent public exchange with Shaykh Arif on the topic of Ziyārat ‘Āshūrā’ left me thinking about the importance of familiarity with…
Imam al-Hadi’s Poem in the Court of Mutawakkil
It is narrated by Al-Mas’ūdī in Murūj al-Dhahab that al-Imām ‘Alī ibn Muḥammad al-Hādī (as) was called into the court of the…
Tawassul and Istighatha: A Holistic Overview
By Shaykh Haider Hobbollah Translated by: Faisal H, Moussa al-Rufayie, Shayan Question: I have a great deal of confusion regarding the issue…
Kumayt’s Panegyric
Translated by Br. Muhammed Jaffer. Al-Kumayt ibn Zayd al-Asadi (may God be pleased with him) was among the staunchest in his love…
Umm al-Baneen – From Demise to Martyrdom
This post is a rough translation of a post written by an Iranian researcher and scholar Mahdi Masaeli. 13 Jumada al-Thani is…
Abu Talib’s Panegyric
Translated by Br. Muhammed Jaffer. خليليَّ ما أُذْني لأوَّلِ عاذلِ بِصَغْواءَ في حقٍّ ولا عندَ باطل خليليَّ إنَّ الرأيَ ليسَ بِشِركة ٍ…
Imitating the Infallibles (i)
Reflections & Thoughts | For those interested in this new format called “Reflections & Thoughts”, please read the first two paragraphs in this post.…
The Perseverance of Fatima (s)
Imam ‘Alī (a) said: A lady came in the presence of Fāṭima al-Ṣiddīqa (s) and said, “I have an elderly mother, and…
“La Uqsimu” in the Quran: I Swear or I Do Not Swear?
In a number of places in the Qurān the phrase lā uqsimu has been used. Consider the following verses: 1) Surah Wāqi‘ah…
What is the Islamic Proof for Ilm al-Rijal as the Criterion for the Authenticity of Hadith?
Originally posted on Thaqalay.blog | This is a translation of a Q&A posed to Shaykh Hobbollah, original Arabic here. Question: I kindly…
Role of Tribes in the Prophetic Seerah
Reflections & Thoughts | To know more about this format called “Reflections & Thoughts”, please read the first two paragraphs in this post.…
Completion of Religion & Teachings of the Imams
Back in my mid-to-late teenage years, a question would often boggle my mind. If the religion of Islam was completed on the…
Mutahhar b. Tahir al-Maqdisi Commenting on the Impact of Storytellers
Storytellers (al-Quṣṣāṣ) have always remained an important segment of any society. Stories are an excellent way to sway people to a certain…
Part 2: Halo and Horn Effect & Insincerity in Our Critiques
Building off of a previous post regarding the halo and horn effect in the way we observe and interpret historical personalities, another…
Film Review: The Lady of Heaven
Alert: there are tons of spoilers in the post. Got an opportunity to watch the recently released film The Lady of Heaven.…
The Scope of ʿAql in Political Fiqh
The following is a speech delivered by Ustad Mohammad Soroush Mahallati at a conference in commemoration of the late Dr. Davoud Feyrahi…
Revisiting Abu al-Khattab and the Khattabiyya (A Response)
كان أبو الخطاب أحمق فكنت أحدثه فكان لا يحفظ، و كان يزيد من عنده Abu al-Khattab was a fool – I would…
Specification of the Majority – Takhsis al-Akthar
In the Fiqh class of Food & Drinks, lessons 115-117 on March 21st – 23rd of 2020, the principle of Takhṣīṣ al-Akthar…
Sayyid Sistani: What Is Ijtihad?
Translated by Shayan The following is a partial translation of Sayyid Sīstānī’s lectures on al-Ijtihād wa al-Taqlīd wa al-Iḥtiyāṭ, as transcribed by…
Refutation of Sayyid Murtada’s Treatise on an Imam’s Ghusl al-Mayyit by Sayyid Abdullah Shubbar
This is a response to Sayyid Murtaḍa’s treatise on Who is Responsible for an Imam’s Ghusl al-Mayyit by Sayyid ‘Abdullah Shubbar (1188/1774…
Sayyid Murtada’s Treatise on Who is Responsible for an Imam’s Ghusl al-Mayyit
What follows is the translation of a very short treatise written by Sayyid Murtaḍa (d. 436/1044) on who is responsible for an…
Conflicts Between Jurists and Ghulat in the time of Imam al-Sadiq (a)
By Muhammad Baqir Malekian Among the Shīʿa, two currents of thought are most prominent. One is the maʿārifī (gnostic) current, which is…
A Brief Study of the Principle of Lutf – Development and Challenges
Introduction As Muslims we believe that every aspect of our life has been governed by God and that He has not left…
A Period Of Regress & Imitation Or Clarification & Solidification?
Translation from Mohammad Baqir Malekian with my comments at the end. Books written about the history of Shīʿī Fiqh (which generally face various…
Understanding Repentance And Intercession In The Context Of Embodiment Of Deeds And Psychological Punishment
How can repentance (tawbah) and intercession (shafāʿah) be understood in the context of the theory of embodiment of deeds (tajassum al aʿmāl) and psychological punishment?…
The Moderate Shi’i Line vs. The Line of Ghuluw
By Dr. Hassan Ansari Contrary to their appearances, bāṭinī (esoteric) movements have generally been political projects; a kind of opposition and rebellion…
Reports and Counter-reports: The Case of Mufaddal b. Umar (Pt. II)
Originally posted on Shiitic Studies. Read Part I here. Cursed or Not? The most important report concerning Mufaḍḍal b. ʿUmar is the…
The Shia, Rafida, and the Martyrdom of Lady Fatima in 2nd Century Hijri
From: Early Ibadi Theology: New Material on Rational Thought in Islam from the Pen of Al-Fazārī (2nd/8th Century) Al-Fazārī’s writings are a…
Did the Early Shia Believe In Tahrif? Insights from a 2nd Century Hijri Work
By Dr. Hassan Ansari In the important work Kitāb al-Rudūd by ʿAbdallāh b. Yazīd al-Fazārī—one of the prominent and influential Ibāḍī theologians…
Reflections on Mutawatir Ma’nawi
Reflections on Mutawātir Maʿnawī By Muhammad Baqir Malekian In the terminology of ḥadīth scholars, a mutawātir report is a narration whose chain…
Shaykh al-Ishraq’s Attitude Towards Mantiq (Logic)
One of the areas in Illuminationist philosophy that has yet to be extensively studied by scholars is the views and attitude of…
Madhaq al-Shari‘ah (Taste of Shari‘ah) and Ruh al-Shari‘ah (Spirit of the Law)
Madhāq al-Sharī‘ah (Taste of Sharī‘ah) and Rūḥ al-Sharī‘ah (Spirit of the Law) These are transcriptions of lessons 63 to 68 held between…
Istiqbal wa Istidbar al-Qibla
This paper seeks to investigate the legal ruling on using the toilet while facing the qiblah or with your back towards it…
Sufficing With a Woman’s Adhan
One of the popular rulings within Islamic law is that if a woman gives the adhan, it does not suffice for a…
Ayatullah Borujerdi & 9th of Rabi’ al-Awwal
Source: Memoirs of Ayatullah Montazeri, vol. 1, pg. 155. Ayatullah Montazeri (d. 2009) writes: ‘I remember when Ayatullah Amini (d. 1970) –…
Rivalry between Companions: The Case of Mufaddal b. Umar (Pt. I)
فلما انصرفت إلى الكوفة أقبلت علي الشيعة فمزقوني كل ممزق، يأكلون لحمي ويشتمون عرضي، حتى أن بعضهم استقبلني فوثب في وجهي، وبعضهم…
Ibn Abi al-Hadid and the Prophet’s Demise
Reflections & Thoughts | For those interested in this new format called “Reflections & Thoughts”, please read the first two paragraphs in…
Shahadah and Halakah
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The Injunction for Salatul Layl: A Case Study for Abrogation (Naskh) As a Changing Concept in Shi’i Literature
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The First Creation
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The Reality of Revelation & Religious Experience | Part 13
These are transcripts of lessons on “Reality of Revelation and Religious Experience” delivered by Shaykh Haider Hobbollah once a week in 2021.…
The Reality of Revelation & Religious Experience | Part 12
These are transcripts of lessons on “Reality of Revelation and Religious Experience” delivered by Shaykh Haider Hobbollah once a week in 2021.…
The Reality of Revelation & Religious Experience | Part 11
These are transcripts of lessons on “Reality of Revelation and Religious Experience” delivered by Shaykh Haider Hobbollah once a week in 2021.…
Principle of al-Ilzam and the Practice of the Commoners (Sirah al-Uqala)
The last few weeks, Ustad Soroush Mahallati was briefly covering the qā‘idah al-ilzām (QI) and summarized the evidence for and against it…
Netflix’s Messiah: A Review
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These are transcripts of lessons on “Reality of Revelation and Religious Experience” delivered by Shaykh Haider Hobbollah once a week in 2021.…
The Quran – A Compendium of Reliable Shia Hadiths
Download Here Introduction All praise belongs to Allah! I am immensely pleased to announce the publication of my booklet on the Faḍāʾil al-Qurʾān in…
A Critical Analysis of Dr Hossein Modaressi’s View on the Life of Imam al-Sadiq
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Review of “The Crisis of the Imāmate and the Institution of Occultation in Twelver Shiism” by Saïd Amir Arjomand
Crises of succession in the institution of Imāmate were the prime source of division in the early Shiite community, and their affects…
The Reality of Revelation & Religious Experience | Part 9
These are transcripts of lessons on “Reality of Revelation and Religious Experience” delivered by Shaykh Haider Hobbollah once a week in 2021.…
The Reality of Revelation & Religious Experience | Part 8
These are transcripts of lessons on “Reality of Revelation and Religious Experience” delivered by Shaykh Haider Hobbollah once a week in 2021.…
The Reality of Revelation & Religious Experience | Part 7
These are transcripts of lessons on “Reality of Revelation and Religious Experience” delivered by Shaykh Haider Hobbollah once a week in 2021.…
Discussions on the Use of Ahadith in Tafasir | The Authority of Akhbar al-Ahad (Solitary Narrations)
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Advanced Jurisprudential Discussions on Ghina – Singing
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The Reality of Revelation & Religious Experience | Part 6
These are transcripts of lessons on “Reality of Revelation and Religious Experience” delivered by Shaykh Haider Hobbollah once a week in 2021.…
The Reality of Revelation & Religious Experience | Part 5
These are transcripts of lessons on “Reality of Revelation and Religious Experience” delivered by Shaykh Haider Hobbollah once a week in 2021.…
Reliance on Taqiyya in Fiqh from Tusi till Ardabili: Transformation from a Cognitive to Themantic Method
This post was originally published on Shiism and Islamic History blog. Written by Sayyid Muhammad Kazim Madadi al-Musawi – Postgraduate and researcher…
The Uprising of Abu al-Khattab in Nusayri Sources
This is an abridged and amalgamated translation of two of four entries written by Ustad Baqir Malekian on the Nuṣāyrīs. Introduction Our…
The Reality of Revelation & Religious Experience | Part 4
These are transcripts of lessons on “Reality of Revelation and Religious Experience” delivered by Shaykh Haider Hobbollah once a week in 2021.…
Nahj al-Balagha – From Tashayyu‘ to Tasannun
By Dr. Hassan Ansari | Originally published on his Telegram channel Unlike what is commonly assumed, Shī‘ī scholars did not pay as…
The Night of Qadr – The Night of Value
The land on which a mosque is built is no different than any other piece of land before it is dedicated for…
The Reality of Revelation & Religious Experience | Part 3
These are transcripts of lessons on “Reality of Revelation and Religious Experience” delivered by Shaykh Haider Hobbollah once a week in 2021.…
The Reality of Revelation & Religious Experience | Part 2
These are transcripts of lessons on “Reality of Revelation and Religious Experience” delivered by Shaykh Haider Hobbollah once a week in 2021.…
The Reality of Revelation & Religious Experience | Part 1
These are transcripts of lessons on “Reality of Revelation and Religious Experience” delivered by Shaykh Haider Hobbollah in the month of Ramadhan…
The History of Adam & the Case for Prehistoric Humans in the Scripture and Hadīth
Originally posted on Mind In Momentum بسمه تعالى Current scientific literature dates the appearance of modern human species, namely the Homosapiens, to…
The Historicity of Ziyārat al-Jāmiʿa al-Kabīra
A “visitation text” (ziyāra) is an Islamic liturgy that is recited in dedication to a deceased saint. It can be recited both…
Role of a Cause (‘Illah) in Altering the Apparent Meaning of an Obligatory Command & Prohibition
One of the most important disputes in contemporary legal theory discussions revolves around the nature of cause (‘illah) and wisdom (ḥikmah) behind…
The Layman and the Principle of Innocence
Reading Level: Intermediate The following is a translation of a section of a lesson from Ay. Shahidīpour’s advanced jurisprudence classes (link here).…
Perennial Impacts of the Akhbari School on the Usulis
By Muhammad Baqir Malakiyan [Source] Abstract Centuries have passed since the downfall of the Akhbari school, yet we find effects and opinions…
Another Perspective on the Human Dimensions of the Prophet’s (s) Personality
By Hamid Reza Tamaddon Translated by Shayan The various dimensions of the Prophet’s (s) personality have always been a subject of consideration…
Ali b. Yaqtin: The Imam’s Secret Agent
“He had a great status with Abi al-Hasan Musa b. Ja’far, peace be upon them. A great standing in the Ta’ifa (sect…
Answering Some Objections: On Holding the Beard and Swaying the Finger in the Supplication of Rajab (2)
Originally posted on Mind In Momentum بسمه تعالى My good friend, Sayyid Ali Imran, produced an article providing new insights into the…
Reconciling Divine Justice with Eternal Punishment: An Analysis of 3 Responses from the Shi’i Tradition
The question of divine justice with regards to the punishment of the hereafter is one that has been debated for decades. It…
Further Observations on the Supplication of Rajab and Swaying the Finger
I was in the middle of writing an article on the supplication of Rajab when my good colleague from the seminary Ali…
On Holding the Beard and Swaying the Finger in the Supplication of Rajab
Originally posted on Mind In Momentum In this writing, I will discuss: whether swaying the finger is part of the supplication of…
Qiyas & The Mysterious Case of Ibn al-Junayd
These are transcripts written over the course of 5 lessons (lesson 118-122 – April 8th to April 14th 2019) from the advanced…
The Halo and Horn Effect in Studying Islamic Personalities & Events
In the middle of one of my Muharram lectures a few years ago as I was making some point, I made a…
Criticism – Basis, Legitimacy and Supportive Environment
By Shaykh Haydar Hobbollah – article here, video here. Introduction What I would like to briefly discuss is the culture of criticism…
Reason and Sharia in Sayyid Sistani’s Thought
By Hamid Reza Tamaddon | Translated by Shayan Ayatullah Sistani is one of the few jurists who has attracted the attention of…
Further Thoughts on “The Halal of Muhammad Will be Halal Until the Day of Judgement”
Originally published on Mind in Momentum. Introduction Statements and laws issued by the Prophet (and for that matter any another of the…
Dala’il al-Imama: A Fabricated Shi’i Text Attributed to Muhammad b. Jarar al-Tabari
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Congregational Prayers and the Community in the Prophet’s (p) Sirah
Introduction In a paper published by the recently launched Ayaan Institute, titled Creating a New Civilisation of Islam written by Jahangir Mohammed,…
Is God Unjust for Placing People in Different Families & Environments?
(The main ideas of this writing are derived from a lecture given by Sayyid Munīr al-Khabbāz with additions and deletions. The last…
Abdallah b. Saba – Man or Myth?
Originally posted on Shiitic Studies. Introduction Whether a man called Abdallah b. Saba existed historically or not has become a fraught question…
Extent of the Concept of ‘Never To Humiliation!’ in Communal and Individual Life
Translator’s note: This is a response by Shaykh Haidar Hobbollah to a question posed to him which can be found in his…
A Cursory Glance at Sayyid Sistani’s Unique Ideas in Ijtihad
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The Reasons for the Conversion of Persia to Islam
By Shaykh Rasul Ja’fariyan [Source] Persia converted to Islam much more easily compared to other regions, although naturally it still took some…
The Historicity or Eternality of the Sharia: Observations on a Narration
Hamid Reza Tamaddon [Source] | Translated by Shayan The issue of whether legal rulings (aḥkām) are permanent or temporary has always been…
Reflections on the Religious Culture of Precaution
By Shaykh Haydar Hobollah [Source]. Question: The idea of precaution that is found within the religion is based on a number of…
The Concept of Superstitions (Khurafa) in Islamic Civilization
By Shaykh Rasul Jafariyan [Source] Kharaf (خرف) linguistically means ‘corruption of the ‘aql (reason) due to old age.’ However, the word has…
The Theme of Salvation & Quranic Stories
The following is a summarized transcription of a lecture given by Dr. Ahmad Pakatchi on December 5th, 2020 for Shahid Beheshti University,…
Tasting the Mercy of God
One reason that causes many Muslims today to be so untuned with Islam altogether is their distance from classical Arabic. Perhaps some…
Consuming the Meat of the People of the Book (2)
[To read the other translation in this series, click here. Note: MPB is the abbreviation for meat of the people of the…
Consuming the Meat of the People of the Book (1)
Translators note: The following is the translation of the advanced jurisprudential classes of Ayatollah Mohallāti which started on 14th November 2020. The…
Reasons for the Different Opinions on Ibn ‘Arabi
Question: How do we explain and understand the contradiction and different opinions our scholars have over the school (madhab) of Ibn ‘Arabi?…
The Shi’a Community and the Sultan During Imam Rida’s Imamate
The belief that the caliph and anyone who holds a position on behalf of the caliph is essentially maintaining a role they…
The Muhammadan Personality – Have We Neglected It? What is Our Duty Towards It?
By Shaykh Haidar Hobbollah | Translated by Shayan and Moussa Al-Rufayie The Prophet Muḥammad b. ʿAbdullāh ﷺ symbolises the greatest personality in…
The Worldview of the Ghulat (Pt. II)
“Be on the lookout over your children so that the Ghulat do not corrupt them … the Ghali returns to us (i.e.…
The Principles of Philosophy and the Method of Realism | Summary of Article 3 [Knowledge and Perception]
Preliminaries 1. The subject-matter of this article is the identification of the substance of knowledge and the soul from the perspective of…
The Biographies of the Infallibles and Theological Presuppositions
This is a summary of a presentation given by Dr. Ahmad Pakatchi on January 25th, 2017 at a workshop organized by the…
The Worldview of the Ghulat (Pt. I)
A group from our Shia will love us until they will say about us that which the Jews said about Uzayr and…
The Principle of Justice (Part 2) – Critical Observations on Shaykh Yousef Saanei
Click for Part One. Second Argument: One of the most important arguments for the principle of justice is the intellect itself. The…
The Principle of Justice (Part 1) – Critical Observations on Shaykh Yousef Saanei
What follows are transcriptions of 7 lessons from the khārij of Fiqh classes on Jurisprudence of Citizenship Law and Religious Minorities, given…
Qom, the Qaim and Applying Eschatological Traditions on External Phenomenon
Updated December 23rd, 2020 – a 7th observation has been added to the list of critiques. A number of people have been…
What is the Meaning of Cursing (La’n) in the Quran?
By Shaykh Haidar Hobbollah | Translated by Shayan Question[1]: Many people say that cursing (laʿn) has been mentioned in tens of verses…
Salvation of Non-Muslims in the View of Contemporary Imami Scholars
Originally posted on Mind in Momentum. In this writing, I will present the views of Imam Khomeini, Shahid Mutaharri and Sayyid Munir…
The Imams Against the Ghulat
Originally posted on Shiitic Studies. “We have woken up (i.e. a time has reached) and there is no one who is more…
Stipulation of Choice (Shart al-Khiyar) in the Marriage Contract
By Ustādh Rafi‘īpūr – teacher of baḥth al-khārij in Qom Translated by Sayyid Ali Introduction One of the discussions alluded to in…
Book Summary (Part 2): Comprehensiveness of the Shariah
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Book Summary (Part 1): Comprehensiveness of the Shariah
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Someone Save Ashura from Us!
Someone Save ʿĀshūrāʾ from Us! By Rasūl Jaʿfarīyān Translated by Shayan These days, we are witness to an abundance of different socio-political…
Di’bil’s Ode for Imam al-Rida (a)
Translated by Br. Muhammed Jaffer. Regarding the life of Di’bil, click here. This is the famous 120 stanza Taa’iyyah of Di’bil al-Khuzaa’i’s…
The Fixed and Changeable in Islamic Legislation (3)
[Originally posted on Mind in Momentum] Click for Part 1 | Click for part 2. Can We Use Reason to Deduce Religious…
Sayyid Abu al-Hasan Isfahani and Banning a Racist Preacher
Āyatullah Sayyid Shubayrī Zanjānī (Jura’ay-ī az Daryā, vol. 3, pg. 442-444): There was a very famous Iraqi preacher known for his excellence,…
The Significance of Watering the Graves of Deceased Muslims
About two years ago, a renowned elderly gentleman from the local community, who had served the community in various capacities, and who…
Prophethood and Leadership from a Theological Perspective
Preface The purpose for this paper is to introduce the reader with the Kalāmī or theological perspective of Shiism on the theory…
The Fixed and Changeable in Islamic Legislation (2)
[Originally posted on Mind in Momentum] Click for part 1. The Authority of Reason in Deducing Religious Laws This is a translation of…
Ma’idah al-Khamr – A Jurisprudential Discussion
What follows is a transcript from lessons 107 & 108 – March 9th and 10th 2020 – of last year’s advanced jurisprudence…
Commentary on Surah al-Zalzalah – Part 2
This is a transcript of four lessons given by Shaykh Haider Hobbollah on the commentary on Sūrah al-Zalzalah. Click for Part 1.…
Commentary on Surah al-Zalzalah – Part 1
This is a transcript of four lessons given by Shaykh Haider Hobbollah on the commentary on Sūrah al-Zalzalah. Click for Part 2.…
Sayyid Sīstānī on Why Shīʿa Ḥadīth Contradict (Pt. I)
Originally posted on Shiitic Studies. Introduction The presence of contradictions between Ḥadīth (reports) attributed to the Imams within the Shīʿa corpus is an undeniable…
Jilsah al-Istirāḥa – A Jurisprudential Discussion
Introduction This paper seeks to investigate the legal ruling on an individual sitting for a brief moment (jilsah al-istirāḥa) after performing the…
Differing Perspectives Regarding Knowledge of the Unseen
By Shaykh Haidar Hobbollah Translated by Shayan Question[1]: Is there any rational evidence that proves the necessity of the Imām to know…
The Fixed and Changeable in Islamic Legislation (1)
[Originally posted on Mind in Momentum]. This is a translation of lessons given by Ayatullah Sayyid Munīr al-Khabbāz attended in the year…
Three Contemporary Approaches to Understanding the Imamah
This is a translation of a response by Shaykh Haidar Hobbollah to a question posed to him which can be found in…
The German Orientalist & the Prophetic Hadith
I recently came across a book in Urdu called ‘Islāmi Dāstānein’ which is a translation of the Farsi original written by Ali…
A Study of the Five Realms in Islamic Mysticism: The Quran and Narrations
Preface Islamic mysticism is an esoteric approach to the Qur’an and the sunna of the Prophet. However, this statement does not mean…
An In-Depth Study of the Noetic Realm
Abstract The Noetic Realm is one of the realms mentioned in Islamic philosophy and mysticism. This realm is the highest and most…
Introduction to the Forties Podcast
This podcast series is brought to you by Mizan Institute | Follow Mizan Institute on Facebook This podcast series is based on…
How was the Qur’an Descended on the Night of Qadr?
Originally published on Mind in Momentum. Was the Qur’ān sent down gradually over the span of the Prophet’s mission of twenty three…
From Taqleedi Ilm al-Rijal to Ijtihadi Ilm al-Rijal
What follows is a translation of some of the conclusions reached by Sheikh Haider Hobbollah in his Rijāli discussions whereby he discusses…
Divisions of a Day – A Reconstructed Narration
One of the most famous traditions in both Shī‘ī and Sunni books is the ḥadīth of dividing one’s day into multiple parts…
Evaluating the Impact of Taqiyya (Dissimulation) On Shi’i Narrations
Below is a partial translation of the transcripts of Ayatullah Syed Ali Hussaini al-Sīstānī’s bahth al-khārij discussions on the topic of conflicting…
Sayyid Sīstānī on Why Shīʿa and Sunni Ḥadīth Differ
Originally published on Shiitic Studies What follows is a translation of a small part of the notes of Sayyid ʿAlī al-Sīstānīʾs Baḥth al-Khārij (advance…
Religious Coexistence During the Occultation
The original transcript of the lecture given by Ustad Mahallati in Farsi can be found here. — The discussions relating to Imam…
Our Century of Tragedy | Shahid Mutahhari
The following is a translation of the last page in Shahīd Mutahhari’s article titled Ilhāmī az Shaykh al-Tā’ifa, (Inspirations from the Shaykh…
Mystical Sainthood and the Perfect Man (al-Wilayah al-Irfaniyyah wa al-Insan al-Kamil)
This is an English transcription of three introductory talks given by Shaykh Haider Hobbollah at Jami’at al-Zahra – one of the largest…
Islam – The Religion of Ease
This is a transcript of a lecture given on the role of ease in Islam and Prophetic practice by Shaykh Mahallāti. The…
Memorandum of Religious Peacemaking: The Companions of the Prophet (p)
This is a translation of pages 83-101 of the book Risālah Salām Madhhabī (Memorandum of Religious Peacemaking) written by Shaykh Haider Hobbollah.…
Shaykh Lutfullah al-Maysi and his Treatise on Iʿtikāf
وَإِذْ جَعَلْنَا الْبَيْتَ مَثَابَةً لِّلنَّاسِ وَأَمْنًا وَاتَّخِذُوا مِن مَّقَامِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ مُصَلًّى ۖ وَعَهِدْنَا إِلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ أَن طَهِّرَا بَيْتِيَ لِلطَّائِفِينَ وَالْعَاكِفِينَ وَالرُّكَّعِ…
Identifying the Legislator of Islamic Law | Sayyid Ali al-Sistani – Part 2
Click for Part 1. As for the narrations that indicate specific instances of laws that have been legislated by the Prophet (s),…
Identifying the Legislator of Islamic Law | Sayyid Ali al-Sistani – Part 1
Below is a translation of an extract from the book Ikhtilāf al-Ḥadīth which is a compendium of lessons given by Ayatullah Syed…
The Relevancy of 5:103 Today
At first sight, the 103rd verse of Sura Maidah seems to be talking about a phenomenon limited to the time of the…
The First Revealed Verses
According to the popular opinion within the Islamic tradition, the first five verses of the 96th chapter (Surah Alaq) of the Qur’an,…
Principle of Prohibition of Khaba’ith and Permissibility of Tayyibat
One of the principles covered in our advance jurisprudence classes with Shaykh Haider Hobbollah on the topic of Food and Drinks was…
Monopolizing and the Spirit of the Quranic Community
A millennium and some centuries after its compilation, the Qur’an continues to occupy a unique status for a significant number of the…
Brief Overview of the Relationship Between Rationality and Revelation
https://youtu.be/oeEhgEYwWJk Below is a summary of a talk delivered by Shaykh Haider Hobbollah in Kuwait on 6th March 2017. Translated by…
Supplications of Imam Sajjad (a) and Independence from People
It is reported that one day Imam Sajjād (a) – ʿAlī b. al-Ḥusayn (a) – passed by a man who was sitting…
Seyyid Abd al-Azim al-Hasani
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Biʿthat and Guidance
وَإِنَّكَ لَتَهْدِي إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ [42:52] …and indeed you guide to a straight path The 27th of Rajab is considered to be…
A New Approach to Authenticating Shia Hadith – The Bahth al-Fihristi
Originally posted on Shiitic Studies. What is Fihrist? Why Fihrist? Most readers will possess a rudimentary understanding of Rijal (or Ilm al-Rijal), the discipline in which the…
What Islamic Medicine?
Since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, proponents of the so-called Ṭibb Islāmī (Islamic medicine – not to be confused with “traditional”…
Viruses and Certain Religious Beliefs: What is Deadlier?
It was almost impossible to predict how the events of the coronavirus pandemic would unfold. To many, what began as propaganda or…
Plague and Pestilence in Safavid and Qajar Iran
The recent Covid-19 outbreak has caused a lot of discussion and debate amongst Iranians and non-Iranians on the nature of the disease…
Tusi and the Tahdhibayn (Pt. I)
Originally posted on Shiitic Studies. Introduction Shaykh Tusi (d. 460) stands out among that famous trio (the other two being Kulayni and…
Commentary on Surah al-Nasr – Part 2
This is a transcript of the second and third lesson of the commentary on Sūrah al-Naṣr given by Shaykh Haider Hobbollah. Click…
Commentary on Surah al-Nasr – Part 1
This is a transcript of the first lesson of the commentary on Sūrah al-Naṣr given by Shaykh Haider Hobbollah. Click here for…
Shaykh al-Hurr al-Amili’s Dreams and Miracles of the Mahdi (a)
One of the lengthiest and most significant works on the transmitted proofs of Imamate is Ithbāt al-Hudāt bil-Nuṣūṣ wa al-Mu’jizāt, written by…
Did the Imams Recite Q. 5:95 in a Different Way?
A key verse setting out the prohibition on hunting during the Hajj and its attendant penalty is given below: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا…
19th Century Iranian Reactions to the Phenomenon of Unveiling
Critiques against the hijab in Muslim countries all occurred subsequent to Muslims getting introduced and exposed to Western culture and civilization. The…
The Principles of Philosophy and the Method of Realism | Summary of Article 2 [Philosophy and Sophistry]
Before a summary of the second article in The Principles of Philosophy and the Method of Realism (Usul-i falsafeh va ravesh-i ri’alism)…
The Principles of Philosophy and the Method of Realism | Summary of Article 1 [What is Philosophy?]
The Principles of Philosophy and the Method of Realism (Usul-i falsafeh va ravesh-i ri’alism) is one of ‘Allāmah Ṭabāṭabā’ī’s most important works.…
Kulayni and al-Kafi (Pt. II)
Originally posted on Shiitic Studies. Does He Have a Methodology? Kulayni does not give us the Manhaj (methodology) he follows when selecting reports for…
The Grudge that Stole Christmas
وَنَزَعْنَا مَا فِى صُدُورِهِم مِّنْ غِلٍّ إِخْوَٰنًا عَلَىٰ سُرُرٍ مُّتَقَـٰبِلِينَ [15:47] We will remove whatever rancour there is in their breasts; [intimate…
Kulayni and al-Kafi (Pt. I)
Originally posted on Shiitic Studies. Introduction The Four Books (i.e. al-Kafi, Man La Yahdhuruhu al-Faqih, Tahdhib al-Ahkam, al-Istibsar fi ma-khtalafa min al-Akhbar) are rightly considered to…
Dialogue with Believers
An epidemic harming our communities is the general inability, hesitance & fear of engaging in dialogue with one another. In fact, in…
When Apologies Becomes Unethical
There is no doubt that apologizing and seeking forgiveness for having done something wrong is an ethical act. It is something we…
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you
The Golden Rule is an ethical principle dictating how one should behave towards others. Most proponents of the principle say this ethical…
Commentary on Surah al-Fil – Part 3
This is a transcript of the fourth, fifth and sixth lesson of the commentary on Sūrah al-Fīl given by Shaykh Haider Hobbollah.…
Imam ‘Askari (a) and the Wakalah System
The 11th Imam (a) was able to remain in contact with the general Shī’ī community over a large geographical area through the…
Nurturing Our Best Selves
Many Muslim theologians in their discussions on the Problem of Evil have argued that existence in the material realm and the systems…
Reconciliation of Contradictory Traditions Regarding Someone Who Intends to Sin
In his discussion on tajarrī (temerity to commit a crime, or false obedience) Shaykh Anṣārī (1781-1864) briefly deals with two sets of…
Disobedience of Allah (swt) is Foolishness
إِنَّمَا التَّوْبَةُ عَلَى اللَّهِ لِلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السُّوءَ بِجَهَالَةٍ ثُمَّ يَتُوبُونَ مِن قَرِيبٍ فَأُولَٰئِكَ يَتُوبُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا [4:17]…
What is the First thing that is Wajib on Humans? The View of an Akhbari Scholar
Originally posted on Shiitic Studies. Introduction Not everyone in the Shi’i scholarly tradition has been on-board with the direction of travel of…
Zad al-Salik (Provisions for the Traveller) by Mulla Fayd Kashani
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Originally posted on Shiitic Studies. Introduction There are reports which indicate that all the companions were destroyed except three, these were then joined by…
Are Shia Hadiths Reliable?
Originally posted on Shiitic Studies. Introduction One of the claims made by those seeking to weaken confidence in our Hadith corpus is…
Riya – A Journey towards the Self; Ikhlas – A Journey towards Allah (swt)
When you do an act that falls under the domain of worship (‘ibādah), you can either perform this action for Allah (swt),…
Repulsing the Basis of Moral Vices
There are numerous ways to encourage one’s self to behave ethically. Scholars of all religions and ideologies have debated and offered different…
Fasad and Expectations for the Ūlū Baqīyatin
1400 years ago the Umayyads seized complete power of the Muslim world, ruling for 90 years and came to be recognized as…
Commentary on Surah al-Fil – Part 2
This is a transcript of the second and third lesson of the commentary on Sūrah al-Fīl given by Shaykh Haider Hobbollah over…
Commentary on Surah al-Fil – Part 1
This is a transcript of the first lesson of the commentary on Sūrah al-Fīl given by Shaykh Haider Hobbollah over six lessons.…
Divine and Pharaonic Leaders
It is reported that on the 1st of Safar 61 AH, the head of Imam Husayn (a) was brought into Syria. …
Removing One’s Dependency on Cruel Individuals
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A Righteous Act
مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحاً مِنْ ذَکَرٍ أوْ اُنْثَی وَ هُوَ مُؤمِنٌ فَلَنُحْیِیَنَّهُ حَیَاةً طَیِّبَةً [16:97] Whoever acts righteously, [whether] male or female,…
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This is a transcript of a commentary on Sūrah al-Kawthar given by Shaykh Haider Hobbollah over four lessons. Click for Part 1.…
Commentary on Surah al-Kawthar – Part 1
This is a transcript of a commentary on Sūrah al-Kawthar given by Shaykh Haider Hobbollah over four lessons. The transcripts will be…
Early Shi’i ‘Ilal Works Were Not Maqasid-Based Ijtihad
During 2018-2019 academic year’s lessons on legal theory by Shaykh Haider Hobollah, a brief discussion was opened up over two sessions (lesson…
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Two Distinct Interpretations of a Tradition on the Necessity of a Divine Authority
قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ الْكُلَيْنِيُّ مُصَنِّفُ هَذَا الْكِتَابِ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ عُمَرَ…
Is Dua Samat a Jewish Supplication?
Originally posted on Shiitic Studies. Introduction Any casual reciter of Dua Samat knows that there is something different about this Dua. It…
The Grandson of George and Temporary Marriage
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Three Interpretations of the word “Kaaffah” in Verse 28 of Surat Saba
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا كَافَّةً لِّلنَّاسِ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ – 34:28 Shaykh Adnan Ibrahim, in his daily classes of…
Did the Imams praise Abu Bakr and Umar?
Originally posted on Shiitic Studies. ما على وجه الارض شئ أحب إلي من التقية There is nothing on the face of the…
Salman and the Mileu of Ghulu
Originally posted on Shiitic Studies. Introduction It is not hard to account for the presence of Ghulati reports in the Imami corpus…
An Overview: Jurisprudence of Citizenship Law and Religious Minorities
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The Quranic Emphasis on Intentions and the Moral Worth of an Act
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Al-Fakhr al-Razi on Why Sabeans in Surat al-Maida is not in the Accusative State
There is a common grammatical question raised as to why the word ‘Sabeans’ in two very similar verses appears in two different…
Surat al-Inshirah: An Introductory Exegesis of the Meanings and Messages Contained Within
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Commentary on Surah al-Masad (al-Lahab) – Part 2
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Commentary on Surah al-Masad (al-Lahab) – Part 1
By Ali Jabbar ed. Ali Imran This is a transcript of a commentary on Sūrah al-Masad given by Shaykh Haider Hobbollah over…
Ethical Observations on Hadith of Istishab
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Commentary on Surah al-Kafirun – Part 2
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Commentary on Surah al-Kafirun – Part 1
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Some Notes on the Status of Salman in Early Shi’ism (Pt. 2)
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Reburial of Shahid Ayatullah Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr
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Commentary on Surah al-Nas
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Reflections on Munajaat Sha’baniyyah
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Brief Commentary on Surah al-Takathur
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Some Notes on the Status of Salman in Early Shi’ism (Pt. 1)
By Ammaar Muslim – Originally posted on Shiitic Studies. أدرك سلمان العلم الاول والعلم الاخر، وهو بحر لا ينزح، وهو منّا أهل…
Salat Has Four-Thousand Limits
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Ṣalat al-Duha: Debates about the Validity and Origin of a Peculiar Muslim Ritual Prayer
By Afzal Sumar – a researcher in Islamic studies with a particular focus on Shi’ism. He also translates Arabic religious texts into…
The Intention of a Believer is Better Than His Action
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The World is a Prison for the Believer and Paradise for the Disbeliever
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Muhammad b. Abi Umayr: The Trial of Faith
By Ammaar Muslim – Originally posted on Shiitic Studies. كان واحد أهل زمانه في الأشياء كلّها He (Ibn Abi Umayr) was the Unique…
Reflections on the Daily Du’a of Rajab – Part 4
Click to read part three The third call in the supplication says: يَا مَنْ يُعْطِي مَنْ سَأَلَهُ O one who always bestows…
Reflections on the Daily Du’a of Rajab – Part 3
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Reflections on the Daily Du’a of Rajab – Part 2
Click to read part one. On the side of hope, there is the sense of immunity from Allah’s punishment and wrath from…
Reflections on the Daily Du’a of Rajab – Part 1
Sayyid Ibn Ta’us in his Iqbal al-A’mal records the popular du’a of Rajab – generally recited after each prayer as follows: يَا…
A Shi’a Theological View of Judgement Day
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Shaykh Hurr al-‘Amili’s Will to His Son
This manuscript was shared by Ahmad Ali al-Hilli al-Najafi and is available at the Al-Hakeem Library. It is a will written…
Satan – An Angel or Not? A Grammatical Analysis of Quran 7:11
In the Islamic tradition, Satan was known to a be a pious and obedient believer of God. During this phase we find…
The Correct Method for Studying Philosophy – Ayatullah Ramazani
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Muhammad b. Sinan: A Controversial Narrator (II)
By Ammaar Muslim – Originally posted on Shiitic Studies Was he Praised by the Imam? There exist narrations in which Muhammad b.…
A Study of the Fixed Entities in Islamic Mysticism
By Sayyid Waḥῑd ‘Alawῑ The discussion of The Fixed Entities, A’yān ath Thābita, is one of the most important topics in mysticism.…
Muhammad b. Sinan: A Controversial Narrator (I)
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Why Scientism is Not Only Unscientific But Also The Enemy Of Science
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The Martyrdom of Lady Zahra (s) and Maintaining Respect on Both the First and Second Fatimiyyah
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Does Sheer Quantity of Hadith on a Subject Indicate Its Importance?
The following is an expanded transcript from advance lessons on Expediency (al-maṣlaḥa) and Purposes of Islamic Law (al-maqāṣid al-sharʿīyyah) being delivered by…
Yunus b. Abd al-Rahman: The Salman al-Farsi of his Times (I)
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Legal Age of Bulugh for Girls
What follows is a summary of a number of discussions held by me and three other seminarians, where arguments of numerous jurists…
The Realm of Barzakh (Mithāl) – The Imaginal Realm
By Sayyid Waḥῑd ‘Alawῑ Abstract Questions that are put forth here is what the Imaginal Realm is? What role and necessity does it…
Does Some of the Ambiguity in Religious Texts Result From Our Questions?
By Shaykh Haidar Hobbollah Translated by Ali Jabbar A dear friend of mine asked me: Do you not think that some of…
Looking at a Woman Being Sought For Marriage
Recently a thread on the popular forum ShiaChat blew up into half-a-dozen pages, as a member posted up this ruling of Sayyid…
Did Imam Khomeini Have the Same View as Imam Tufi?
One of the classes I’m attending this year are lessons on legal theory focusing on Expediency (al-maṣlaḥa) and Purposes of Islamic Law…
Intellectual Spheres and Their Impact on the Type of Hypotheses Entertained in a Study
By Shaykh Haider Hobbollah / Translated by Ali Jabbar Original Source For every intellectual framework, there are hypotheses which are considered possible…
The Principle of “Laws are Subordinate to Benefits & Harms” in Imami Shi’i Legal Theory and its Implications in Non-Ritualistic Law
The Principle of “Laws are Subordinate to Benefits & Harms” in Imāmī Shī’ī Legal Theory and its Implications in Non-Ritualistic Law Click…
Syed Khamena’i on Syed Ni’matullah Jaza’iri and a Scholar’s Need for Humour
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Quranic Wisdom – Between Abstract Theory and Practical Conduct
The following is an abridged translation of an article written by Shaykh Ḥaider Ḥobollah on 23rd of April, 2012. The complete Arabic…
Muhammad Amin Astarabadi’s Argument Against Probativity of Intellect in Non-Necessary Matters of Religion
In a previous post we looked at the general critique Shaykh Anṣārī (d. 1864) hurls at the Akhbārīs, in his treatise on certainty (qaṭ’).…
Shaykh Kulayni, Shaykh Saduq’s & Shaykh Tusi’s Paths to Zurarah b. A’yun & Hisham b. Hakam – Part 2
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Authentication of the Four Canonical Books
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The Two Different Approaches to Living with Sunnis
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Shaykh Kulayni and Shaykh Tusi’s Paths to Sahl b. Ziyad – Part 1
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Concerning Probativity of Certainty Acquired Through Intellectual Premises – Shaykh Ansari’s Response to the Akhbaris
Translation of the words of Shaykh Anṣāri (d. 1864): You are aware that there is no difference in certain knowledge which is…
Analysis of Traditions on the Birth of the Mahdi (a) – 2
The following are notes from a mubāḥatha (study-session) between Br. Yusuf Alsalahi and myself. عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدٌ وَ الْحَسَنُ ابْنَا…
The Ijazat of Fathers to Their Sons
By Sayyid Muhammad Mehdi Rafipour Translated by Hadi Rizvi Among the contemporary jurists, there are cases where jurists who were fathers, attested…
Is Abu Lulu Buried in Kashan?
Fīrūz Abū Lulu was an Iranian captured in the expansion wars after the demise of the Prophet (p). He was enslaved by…
Analysis of Traditions on the Birth of the Mahdi (a) – 1
The following are notes from a mubāḥatha (study-session) with Br. Yusuf Alsalhi and myself. الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْأَشْعَرِيُّ، عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ…
We Are a Repeat of the Safavids – Rasul Ja’fariyan
This post was written by Rasul Ja’fariyan and originally published on both his Instagram and Telegram accounts. In the discussions leading up…
Approaches to Interpreting & Establishing a Historical Event
A people’s history plays a significant role in their current state of affairs. What occurred, how later generations studied and interpreted what…
The New World Religion
By Bilal Muhammad – Originally posted on his official Facebook page. The New World Religion, being preached to you and your kids…
Popular – Unreliable – Accounts Related to Ashura
Recently a booklet of around 50 pages was published, researched and written by Muḥammad Tehrānī (researcher and teacher at the Hawzah) in…
Levels of God-Awareness | Part 3 – From God-Awareness to Self-Awareness & Its Psychological Effects
Chapter 2 – Levels of God-Awareness & its Psychological Effects Awareness is one of the most sophisticated, elevated, and complex concepts within…
Book of Intellect and Knowledge – Mu’jam al-Ahadith al-Mu’tabara | Ayatullah Asif Muhsini
Download PDF The first section (The Book of Intellect and Knowledge) of volume 1 of Ayatullah Muhammad Asif Muhsini’s 8-volume work Mu’jam…
The Issue of Slavery in Contemporary Islam
Download PDF Translators’ Note Ever since the abolition of slavery in the 20th century, numerous Muslim scholars have addressed accusations against the…
Is Knowledge of God Gifted Knowledge or Earned Knowledge – Remarks of ‘Allamah Majlisi & ‘Allamah Tabatabai
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Principle of Istishab and Its Types
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What is the Meaning of Anti-Wilayat al-Faqih?
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Why Al-Nawbakhti is Not the Author of Firaq al-Shi’a
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Introduction to Procedural Principles (Usul Amaliyyah)
This article was published on the Shiapedia, a website that was run by Shaykh Abd al-Hakeem Carney (d. 2007). After his demise,…
Introduction to General Legal Principles
This article was written by Shaykh Abd al-Hakeem Carney (d. 2007) and was originally published on a website he was running called Shiapedia.…
The Legal Value of Reason in Islamic Law
This article was written by Shaykh Abd al-Hakeem Carney (d. 2007) and was originally published on a website he was running called Shiapedia.…
Introduction to The Position of Theological Foundations in Ijtihad
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Faydh Kashani and Commanding the Good
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What Have We Learned from Ghadir and Wilayat
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Slandering in The Name of Religion
The tradition being discussed in the article translated below is as follows: مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ…
The Presence of Metaphors in the Qur’an: Observations on the Linguistic Theory of Ruh al-Ma’ani
Written for the module: Sources of Islamic Knowledge, taken at The Islamic College for a MA in Islamic Studies with professor Amina Inloes. Originally…
To Say or Not to Say: Justification for a Formless Marriage Contract (Nikah Mu’atat)
Written for the module: Islamic Family Law, taken at The Islamic College for a MA in Islamic Studies with professor Ali al-Hakim. Originally…
Mental Existence, View of Shabah, and Corroboration with Extra-Mental Reality
Written for the module: Islamic Philosophy, taken at The Islamic College for a MA in Islamic Studies with professor Latimah Parvin Peerwani. Originally submitted…
“Be you spurned apes” (Qur’an 2:65): The Dilemma of a Literal and Figurative Reading
Written for the module: Methods and Perspectives in Islamic Studies, taken at The Islamic College for a MA in Islamic Studies with professor Ali…
The Apostasy Ruling and its Justification in Twelver Shi’i Jurisprudence
Written for the module: Human Rights in Islam, taken at The Islamic College for a MA in Islamic Studies with professor Mahboubeh Sadeghinia. Originally…
The Principle of Leniency in Evidences for Non-Obligatory Acts and its Jurisdiction
The Principle of Leniency in Evidences for Non-Obligatory Acts and its Jurisdiction – The View of Shi’a Jurists from the Occultation to…
Syed Khomeinī, Chess and Musical Instruments
Syed Khomeinī is a figure widely remembered as the pioneer in bringing about the Islamic Revolution in 1979 yet what is often…
History and Eras of Shi’i Imami Law (4)
The Occultation of the Imām (a) Towards and during the minor occultation we find certain reports that seem to indicate that the…
The Need for ‘Ilm al-Rijal – Shaykh al-Suwaydan
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Problems and Solutions in Da`wa
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Blood on Hisham b. al-Hakam’s Hands
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Ayatollah Ishaq Fayyadh and the Role of Women in Society
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Music and Musical Instruments (4) – Ayatullah Sayyid Ali Khamenei
Source: Syed Khamenei, Risāleh yeh Amῡzeshī (v.2), Ahkām e Mu’āmilāt, p. 120 – 127 Definition: Music in the general sense has two…
The Rulings Pertaining to Singing (3) – Ayatullah Sayyid Ali Khamenei
Source: Syed Khamenei, Risāleh yeh Amῡzeshī (v.2), Ahkām e Mu’āmilāt, p. 117 – 119 Third Discussion: The rulings pertaining to singing 1.…
Meaning of Singing (1) – Ayatullah Sayyid Ali Khamenei
Source: Ayatullah Sayyid Ali Khamenei, Risāleh yeh Amῡzeshī (v.2), Ahkām e Mu’āmilāt, p. 106 – 110 The (purpose of bringing the) discussion…
The Prohibition of Singing (2) – Ayatullah Sayyid Ali Khamenei
Source: Syed Khamenei, Risāleh yeh Amῡzeshī (v.2), Ahkām e Mu’āmilāt, p. 111 – 116 Second Discussion: The ḥurmat (prohibition/impermissibility) of Singing Singing,…
History and Eras of Shi’i Imami Law (3)
Within Shī’ī Imāmī theology, when it comes to jurisprudence there is no real difference between the Prophet’s (p) time and the time…
History and Eras of Shī’ī Imāmī Law (2)
Structure of the Discussion Ustādh Maḥmūd Shahābī, who was a student of Muḥaqqiq Iṣfahānī, divides up the eras of Fiqh into two…
History and Eras of Shī’ī Imāmī Law (1)
The upcoming series of posts are based on lecture notes taken in classes given by our respected teacher, Ustādh Rafī’īpūr, in the…
‘Allāmah Ṭabāṭabā’ī’s Treatment of Different Readings of the Qurān
One of the most extensive and important discussions within Qurānic studies is regarding its variant readings (qirā’āt). The readings are generally discussed…
Assisting an ‘Alawīyyah
Chapter 115, volume 42 of ‘Allāmah Majlisī’s Biḥār al-Anwār is regarding dreams and miracles related to Imām ‘Alī (a) and while the…
The Deserted Quran
وَقَالَ الرَّسُولُ يَا رَبِّ إِنَّ قَوْمِي اتَّخَذُوا هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنَ مَهْجُورًا [25:30] And the Apostle will say, ‘O my Lord! Indeed my people…
Two Rulings Regarding Yawm al-Shakk
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Miraculousness of the Quran – Doctrine of al-Sarfah – A Historical Overview (Part 6)
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Imam Khomeini’s Fearless Attack on Muhaddith Nuri’s Scholarship
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A Dream Fabricated by the Akhbaris against the Usulis
Āyatullah Sayyid Muḥammad Mujāhid (1180 – 1242 AH / 1801-1863 CE) – one of the greatest scholars during the time of Fatḥ-‘Alī…
A Prophetic Hadīth Narrated on the Authority of a Muslim Jinn
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Some Thoughts on Practical Atheism – Dr. Mohsen Javadi
This is a partial translation of a very lengthy interview given by Dr. Mohsen Javadi, that was published two years ago in…
Hisham b. al-Hakam: God = A Body Unlike Other Bodies? – Part 4
By Br. Ammaar كان من غلمان أبي شاكر الزنديق، وهو جسمي ردي He was a student of Abi Shakir the Zindiq and a…
Hisham b. al-Hakam: God is a Body? – Part 3
By Ammaar Hussein Click for Part 2 وأول من عرف في الإسلام أنه قال إن الله جسم هو هشام بن الحكم The…
Repeated Chains of Narrations in al-Kafi
By Mohsin Jaffery The original research was conducted by Muhammad Qurbani and published in a 24-page paper titled Asnād Pur-Tikrār Nishānī az Manābi’…
Personal Testimony of Dhiya Farajallah Regarding the Killing of al-Shaheed al-Sadr
Translated by Ali Jabbar Click for original post by Dhiya Farajallah My personal testimony regarding the killing of al-Imam al-Shaheed al-Sadr I…
The Need for a Contemporary Shaykh Baha’i
Source: Shaykh Bahā’ī barāyeh zamān mā by Rasῡl Ja’fariyān in Majmῡ’ eh maqālāt tārīkh islām va īrān, p. 1002 to 1004 400…
Solemn Intention to Insult Philosophy
Āyatullah Mīrzā Mahdī Iṣfahāni (d. 1945) is considered to be the founder of Maktab-e Tafkīk (although the term for the movement was…
22nd of Rajab and Kūnḍay
Ibn Ṭāūs in his work al-Iqbāl, cites a tradition reported on the authority of the Prophet (p) he comes across in a…
Ayatollah Jahangir Qashqa’i – From Musician to Philosopher
Jahāngīr Qashqā’ī was a 19th century Shī’ī philosopher, jurist and mystic. He was born in 1243 in the village of Dehāqān, Isfahān.…
Miraculousness of the Quran – Doctrine of al-Sarfah – A Historical Overview (Part 5)
From the beginning of revelation up until the end of the 2nd century, the issue of i’jāz (miraculousness) of the Qurān was…
Fudayl ibn ‘Iyad – The Reformed Ascetic
In the book Safīna al-Bihār the story of Fuḍayl ibn ‘Iyāḍ is mentioned which shows how one verse of the Qur’ān completely…
Maintaining the Rights of the Believers
Muḥaddith Urmawī (d. 1979) in his introduction to al-Fayḍ Kashānī’s al-‘Irfān wa al-Sulūk ‘ind Ahl al-Bayt (a) writes: There is a strong emphasis placed on…
Allamah Ṭabataba’i and the Policemen – A memory from Aḥmad Ahmadi
It was Sunday afternoon, one day before I was meant to return back to Iran and Shahīd Muṭahharī had stayed over with…
Ahl al-Sunnah & the Merits of Imam ‘Alī (a)
By Hassan Ansari (Original source in Farsi: https://t.me/barrasihayetarikhi/1012) Other than the ‘Uthmāni Shī’as and some movements within the Murji’a and early Mu’tazalīs, the…
Ibn Abi al-Hadid – Commentator of Nahj al-Balagha – Left in Awe
While commenting on sermon 91 of Imām ‘Alī (a) – as recorded in Nahj al-Balāgha – the Mu’tazlī scholar Ibn Abī al-Ḥadīd…
The Fate of Mirza Muhammad Akhbari
Below is a translation of an article written by Professor Hassan Ansari (Source: http://ansari.kateban.com/post/1877 ) regarding al-Mīrzā Muḥammad b. ‘Abd a-Nabī b. ‘Abd al-Ṣāni’…
Ayatollah Durche’i – the Marj’a of Moderation
Below is a translation of Rasul Ja’fariyan’s book review on the life and views of Ayatollah Durche’i, the teacher of many well…
The Movement of Ghuluw – Ayatollah Madadi
Source: Nigāhī beh daryā by Ayatollah Madadī, p. 126 to 131 At this stage of the school of Kufa the appearance and…
Muhaqqiq Karaki and Shah Isma’il
Muhaqqiq Karakī travelled to Iran twice. One time during the time of Shāh Ismā’īl and the other during the time of Shāh…
Muqaddas Ardabīlī and Shaykh Baha’i
It is reported from Shaykh Bahā’ī: I was blessed with the opportunity to visit the city of Najaf and I had hoped…
Mulla Mahdi Naraqi and Bahr ul-Ulum
There is a remarkable story narrated in regards to Mulla Mahdi Narāqi, the author of Jāmi’ al-Sa’ādāt. It is narrated that after…
Miraculousness of the Quran – A Historical Overview (Part 4)
Intellectual-Rational In this approach, the criterion used to establish the miraculousness of the Qurān is intellectualization and reason. One of the things…
Akhund Khorasāni and His Former Student
Translated by Sadiq Meghjee It is narrated[1] that when Khorasāni declared supporting the Consitutional Revolution a religious obligation one of his best…
Revisiting Traditional Fiqh in Respect to New Daily Occurrences
Location: Madreseh Fiqhi Imam Baqir (institute of Ayatollah Shubayri Zanjāni) Date: 7th March 2018 Speaker: Ayatollah Dr. Muhaqqiq Damad Transcribed by Sadiq…
Approaching the Quran
This post is taken from the Light of the Furqan blog. The following is based on a talk I gave at UTSC…
Miraculousness of the Quran – A Historical Overview (Part 3)
Semantic – Philological Most Muslim scholars agree that the Qurān was not revealed in the Arabic language without any wisdom.[1] [26:193-195] This…
Miraculousness of the Quran – A Historical Overview (Part 2)
In this post, we will begin looking into six different approaches scholars have put forth to explain how the miraculous nature of…
Miraculousness of the Quran – A Historical Overview (Part 1)
What follows is the first of a series of posts going over the discussion on the miraculousness of the Qurān. I will…
Shī’ī Ruling on Praying in Congregation Behind a Sunnī Imām
The importance of prayers is acknowledged by both the Shī’a and Sunnīs, who consider it to be one of the major pillars…
Hisham b. al-Hakam: Founder of a Theological School – Part 2
By Ammaar Hussein Click for Part 1 دعا له الصادق عليه السلام فقال: أقول لك ما قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه…
Hisham b. al-Hakam: Defender of the Madhhab – Part 1
By Ammaar Hussein Click for Part 2 ورفعه الصادق عليه السلام في الشيوخ وهو غلام. وقال: هذا ناصرنا بقلبه ولسانه ويده al-Sadiq عليه…
How Shaykh Yūsuf al-Baḥrānī Argued for a Flat-Earth
One of the greatest Akhbārī scholars to ever live was the 17th century Shaykh Yūsuf al-Baḥrānī (1695 – 1772). He held a…
Some Opinions on Imam Husayn’s (a) Movement
Roughly three-four years ago as I was going through some parts of Insān 250-Sāleh, a work based on the speeches of Sayyid ‘Alī…
Difference Between al-Shubha al-Ḥukmīyyah and al-Shubha al-Mawḍū’īyyah
Jurists and scholars of legal theory divide uncertainty into two: 1) those that concern a law (al-shubha al-ḥukmīyyah), and 2) those that…
FAQ Related to Sayyida Fatima (a) Answered by Ayatullah Khushvaqt (q)
Translated & Edited by Saiyid Hasan Ali Rizvi Is Hadhrat Fatima al-Zahra’s (a) position and station higher than the other ma’soomeen…
Dealing with Seemingly Contradictory Ethical Verses & Traditions
The fact that many youth seem to see apparently contradictory ethical and moral admonitions in the Qur’ānic verses and traditions, often becomes…
God-Awareness & its Role in Man’s Life | Part 2 – From God-Awareness to Self-Awareness & Its Psychological Effects
Read Part 1 here. God-Awareness & its Role in Man’s Life The Importance of God-Awareness in Man’s life Human beings have an…
Verse 1 – Surat al-Saff | Grammatical Analysis
Originally written and posted by the author of the Light of the Furqan blog. Introduction I and a couple of other students,…
History of Sciences Related to the Arabic Language
Originally posted on the Light of the Furqan blog. The following is a table that documents some of the major scholars and…
Choosing Between Two Equally Knowledgeable Jurisconsults – Sayyid ‘Alam al-Hoda | Lesson 7
Click for previous lesson. Our discussion on a’lamiyyah reached its conclusion in the last lesson, and we said it is only one…
From God-Awareness to Self-Awareness & Its Psychological Effects | Part 1
By Mas’ūd Nūr ‘Alīzādeh Edited by Saiyid Hasan Ali Rizvi The following is the 1st part of a series of translations of…
Taqlid of the Most-Learned – Sayyid ‘Alam al-Hoda | Lesson 6
Click for previous lesson. Our discussion is on the obligation of doing taqlīd of the most-learned. The conclusion we arrived at is…
Taqlid of the Most-Learned – Sayyid ‘Alam al-Hoda | Lesson 5
Click for previous lesson. We went through some of the evidence for those who believe it is not permissible to refer to…
Taqlid of the Most-Learned – Sayyid ‘Alam al-Hoda | Lesson 4
Click for previous lesson. Our discussion is regarding imitating a jurisconsult who is not the most-learned. In other words, if there is…
Prophet Muhammad (p) in Light of Nahj al-Balagha | Ayatullah Misbah Yazdi – Lecture 1
This is the translation and transcript of the first of 10 lectures given by Āyatullah Miṣbāḥ Yazdī in the city of Qom, in…
Al-Itqān: Meccan and Medinan Chapters
Originally posted on the Light of the Furqān blog. In a previous post I introduced “Al-Itqān fī ‘Ulūm al-Qurān” by al-Suyūṭī. I…
“Al-Raḥmān” in the Quran
Originally posted on the Light of the Furqan Blog الرحمن على العرش استوى The All-beneficent, settled on the Throne1 I was recently…
Taqlid of the Most-Learned – Sayyid ‘Alam al-Hoda | Lesson 3
Click for previous lesson. We are discussing the necessity of following the most-learned juristconsult. Sayyid Kho’ī says that a verdict of a…
Taqlid of the Most-Learned – Sayyid ‘Alam al-Hoda | Lesson 2
Click for previous lesson. In some areas of the text and in the footnotes, I have made use of the work A…
The Need for Intellectual Sciences | Ayatullah Ghulam Reza Fayyazi
Translated by Saiyid Hasan Ali Rizvi Religion is not just [a set of] rules. The rulings themselves are only useful for someone who…
Knowledge by Presence | Introduction to Islamic Epistemology – Part 2
Read Part 1 The Definition of Presential Knowledge* and Acquired Knowledge There are different ways to understand and recognize pain. You’ve no…
Concepts and General Principles | Introduction to Islamic Epistemology – Part 1
Compiled by Saiyid Hasan Ali Rizvi and Sayyid Ali Imran God Willing, we will be posting up a series of posts introducing the…
Tafsir Noor al-Thaqalayn: The Verse of Purification (33:33)
Return to Table of Contents for Tafsir Noor al-Thaqalayn في تفسير علي بن إبراهيم وفى رواية أبى الجارود عن أبي جعفر عليه…
Tafsir Noor al-Thaqalayn: Surat al-Fil
Return to Table of Contents for Tafsir Noor al-Thaqalayn في كتاب ثواب الأعمال باسناده عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: من…
Tafsir Noor al-Thaqalayn: Surat ash-Shams
Return to Table of Contents for Tafsir Noor al-Thaqalayn في كتاب ثواب الأعمال باسناده عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: من…
Tafsir Noor al-Thaqalayn: Surat al-Kawthar
Return to Table of Contents for Tafsir Noor al-Thaqalayn في كتاب ثواب الأعمال باسناده عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: من…
Tafsir Noor al-Thaqalayn: Surat Quraysh
Return to Table of Contents for Tafsir Noor al-Thaqalayn في كتاب ثواب الأعمال باسناده عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال من…
Taqlīd of the Most-Learned – Sayyid ‘Alam al-Hoda | Lesson 1
These are class-notes taken from Sayyid Muhammad Sadiq ‘Alam al-Hoda’s Bahth al-Khārij on al-Ijtihād wa al-Taqlīd which began on October 11th, 2017 in…
Chronology of Events on the Day of ‘Ashura
Chronology of Events on the Day of ‘Ashura In accordance with the interview held with the deceased Doctor Ahmad Birshak in Gashimari-ye…
How to do Tawheed Better
By Saiyid Hasan Ali Rizvi The way Tawheed exists in the minds of Muslims can be broken down into 2 types. The…
Most Narrations on Islamic Medicine Have No Chains
⚡️ 85% narrations on Ṭibb do not have a chain of narration ⚡️From 6000 narrations, only 60 have to do with treatments…
Kitab al-Sawm III – Niyyah (Intention) | al-Fiqh al-Istidlali
We find Shaykh Ṭūsi in his al-Mabsūṭ[1] writing: نيّة القربة أن ينوي أنّه يصوم فقط متقرّبا به إلى اللّٰه تعالى، و نية…
Kitab al-Sawm II – Niyyah (Intention) | al-Fiqh al-Istidlali
In our previous post, we showed briefly how jurists have argued that Ṣawm is a worship that is ta’abbudi. All ta’abbudi acts…
Kitab al-Sawm I – Preliminaries | al-Fiqh al-Istidlali
In this series of posts, we will be going over a few rulings pertaining to fasting, generally found in Kitāb al-Ṣawm (Book…
Tafsir Noor al-Thaqalayn: Surat al-Fatiha
Return to Table of Contents for Tafsir Noor al-Thaqalayn في مجمع البيان روى جعفر بن محمد عن أبيه عن آبائه عن النبي…
Tafsir Noor al-Thaqalayn: Surat al-Ikhlas
Return to Table of Contents for Tafsir Noor al-Thaqalayn في كتاب ثواب الأعمال باسناده عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: من…
Tafsir Noor al-Thaqalayn: Surat Yusuf
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Tafsir Noor al-Thaqalayn: Surat al-Falaq
Return to Table of Contents for Tafsir Noor al-Thaqalayn في كتاب ثواب الأعمال باسناده عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: من أوتر…
Tafsir Noor al-Thaqalayn: Surat al-Kafirun
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Tafsir Noor al-Thaqalayn: Surat an-Nasr
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Tafsir Noor al-Thaqalayn: Surat al-Masad
Return to Table of Contents for Tafsir Noor al-Thaqalayn في كتاب ثواب الأعمال باسناده إلى علي بن شجرة عن بعض أصحاب أبي…
Tafsir Noor al-Thaqalayn: Surat an-Nas
Return to Table of Contents for Tafsir Noor al-Thaqalayn في كتاب ثواب الأعمال باسناده عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: من أوتر…
Tafsir Noor al-Thaqalayn: Surat al-Fajr
Return to Table of Contents for Tafsir Noor al-Thaqalayn في كتاب ثواب الأعمال باسناده عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: اقرؤوا…
Tafsir Noor al-Thaqalayn: Surat al-‘Asr
Return to Table of Contents for Tafsir Noor al-Thaqalayn في كتاب ثواب الأعمال باسناده عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: من…
Grammatically Understanding Surat al-Tawhid
In the previous term, I had the opportunity to spend some time on focused exegetical discussions on sūrat al-Tawḥīd with some…
Four Methodologies for Sighting the New Moon
A lesson given by Agha Rafi’pour (a jurist and teacher in the Hawzah of Qom), transcribed by Sayyid Husayni and translated by myself…
Supplication for the Beginning of the month of Ramaḍān
Attached below is a brief study carried out by Br. Yasar Ebrahim [a student at the Hawzah in Qom], which may benefit…
Introduction to Fiqh al-Lughat
By Aswad Anwar The following is a summary along with some added sources of a class I attended on introducing a method…
Creation, Eternity, and Modern Cosmology: A Critique of Dr. Hawking’s Views
Compiled by: Saiyid Hasan Ali Rizvi [Hasan.A.Rizvi@gmail.com] When we enter college or the workplace, or any place in the modern world, we…
The Transfer of Kufa’s Hadith Heritage to Qom | History of Imami Shi’i Theology (5)
During the Imamate of Imam Baqir (s) and Sadiq (s), there was a lot of encouragement from the Imams to their students…
The Ash’ari Family II | History of Imami Shi’i Theology (4)
In this post we will continue with the list of scholars from the Ash’ari family who have been categorized into the second…
The Ash’ari Family | History of Imami Shi’i Theology (3)
With the decline of intellectual theological discourse in Kufa, Qom had become the base for the Shi’as and would remain influential during…
The Traditionalist-Theologian Phenomenon | History of Shi’i Imami Theology (2)
The earliest distinct Shi’i Imami school was that of Kufa’s, which began taking form in the beginning of the 2nd century Hijri…
History of Shi’i Imami Theology (1)
This is intended to be the first of many posts on the history of the development of Shi’i Imami theology. There are various…
Time Concepts in the Qur’an – a Historical Perspective
This is based on my understanding of a recorded lecture posted online a few days ago, of Dr. Ahmad Pakatchi speaking at The International Conference…
Preliminaries of Reflection by Shahid Qadhi Tabatabai
Preliminaries of Reflection by Shahīd Qadhi Ṭabāṭabāī (d. 1979) Source: اللّوامع الإلهیة في المباحث الکلامیة by Jamal ul-Din Miqdad bin ‘Abdillah al-Asadi…
Chronology of events leading up to the death of the Prophet (s)
Chronology of events leading up to the death of the Prophet (s) and immediately after – according to the research of Ayatullah…
The Suspension of Revelation
This is a guest post that has been taken from the Light of the Furqan blog. ص و القرآن ذي الذكر By the…
Don’t Give Your Enemies an Excuse
Below is a translation from an excerpt taken from a book published last month, called The Messenger of Allah and Management of…
Tafsir of Surah al-Falaq – Lecture 3
We were discussing whether Surah al-Falaq & al-Naas are part of the Qur’an, and we went over what is attributed to Abdullah…
Tafsir of Surah al-Falaq – Lecture 2
In the previous lesson we covered the name of this chapter, its merits, whether it is Makki or Madani chapter, and briefly…
Tafsir of Surah al-Falaq – Lecture 1
Shaykh Haider Hobbollah is a Lebanese scholar residing in Qom. He has been doing Tafsir sessions in Qom and many of his videos…
Sources of Nu’mani’s al-Ghaybah – Part 3
Click for Part 2 We previously mentioned that al-Ghaybah of Nu’mani was written before the month of Dhi al-Hijjah 342 Hijri, which was…
Ayatullah Jawadi on The Disjointed Letters (hurūf al-muqatt’āt)
This is a guest post that has been taken from the Light of the Furqan blog. ن و القلم و ما يسطرون Nun.…
Sources of Nu’mani’s al-Ghaybah – Part 2
Click for Part 3 Teachers of Nu’mani Before we begin our discussion[1], it is important to mention that what we mean by the…
Sources of Nu’mani’s al-Ghaybah – Part 1
Click for Part 2 The Ghaybah (Occultation) of the 12th Imam is one of the most fundamental theological beliefs of the Twelver…
The Revelation of the Qurān
This is a guest post that has been taken from the Light of the Furqan blog. انا انزلناه في ليلة القدر Indeed We…
Satanic Verses Part 2
This is a guest post that has been taken from the Light of the Furqan blog. و كلمة الله هي العليا And the…
Satanic Verses Part 1
This is a guest post that has been taken from the Light of the Furqan blog. و ما ينطق عن الهوى ان هو…
The Phenomenon of Revelation
This is a guest post that has been taken from the Light of the Furqan blog. اقرأ باسم ربك الذي خلق Read in…
The Sources for Qurānic Research
This is a guest post that has been taken from the Light of the Furqan blog. This post is the first in a…
An Introduction to the Sciences of the Qurān
This is a guest post that has been taken from the Light of the Furqan blog. سبحانک لا علم لنا الا ما علمتنا…
The Role of Arabic Grammar in Deriving Rulings
These are notes taken from a seminar that took place on 24th December, 2015, at Muassaseh Fiqhi Aimmah Athar of Ayatullah Fazel Lankarani…
Sulaym bin Qays: The Thin Line Between a Fictitious Name & a Loyal Companion
Sulaym bin Qays al-Hilali or Abu Sadiq Sulaym bin Qays al-Amiri al-Hilali al-Kufi (allegedly born 2 years before Hijri – died in…
Brief Look at the Development of Arabic Grammar
Given the role Arabic grammar has to play in Qur’anic and Hadith sciences, it is important for one to not just study…
Ithbat al-Raj’a of Fadhl bin Shadhan
This is a translated summary of an article written by Hasan Ansari, called Huviyyat-e Waqa’iee-ye Kitab-e Ithbat al-Raj’a Mansub beh Fadhl bin…
Celebrating 9th Rabi’ al-Awwal – What For?
Update 21st December/2015: There was a minor factual mistake in the section of Mukhtar & ‘Umar ibn Sa’ad which has now been…
Book Review: The Lives of Muhammad by Kecia Ali
The Lives of Muhammad by Kecia Ali, is essentially a historiography describing how the life of the Prophet Muhammad [pbuh] has been…
[Book Summary] Required and Sufficient Knowledge in Religion – Chapter Three
Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three Chapter Three: Degree of Knowledge Required by Religion In his attempt to determine whether…
[Book Summary] Required and Sufficient Knowledge in Religion – Chapter Two
Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three Chapter Two: Possibility of Attaining Certainty In Religious Beliefs Continuing on with where he (Hussain…
[Book Summary] Required and Sufficient Knowledge in Religion – Chapter One
Muhammad Hussain Zadeh is a renowned scholar of epistemology (and other subjects) in the city of Qom, Iran. He has written numerous…
Relationship Between Imam Khomeini and Ayatullah Khoei
This is a translation from the third volume of the book titled Jurayee az Darya [A Drop from the Sea], page 672-673…
5th Hijri Shi’i Inscriptions In Northern Syria
The contents of this article were published in the magazine Payam-e Baharistan, in spring of the Iranian year 1390, on pages 781-786.…
Sincerity (al-Ikhlaas): A Pre-Requisite for Religious Speakers
Below is a foreword from a book that was partially translated recently. Details about the translation can be read in the PDF file…
Regarding the Rules for Affirming or Weakening Someone [From Buhuth fi Ilm al-Rijal by Muhammad Asif Muhsini]
This post is a paraphrased (incomplete) translation, with my personal comments and notes, of the chapter pertaining to the rules of weakening…
Types of Hadith – [From Durus Tamhidiyah fi al-Qawaid al-Rijaliyah of Baqir Irwani]
This post is a paraphrased (incomplete) translation, with my personal comments and notes, of the chapter regarding the Types of Hadith [page…
Introduction to Ilm ul-Rijal – [Chapter 1 from Fawaid al-Rijaliyah of Syed Ali al-Hussaini al-Sadr]
This post is a paraphrased translation (not an actual and complete translation) mixed with my own supplementary notes, of Chapter 1 of the book Fawaid al-Rijaliyah by Syed Ali…
How to Better Understand and Study Hadith
Narrations (ahadith) make up one of the most important sources of Islamic knowledge and are subsequently greatly utilized in various different Islamic…
List of Important Arabic Dictionaries for Qur’an and Hadith Studies
Previously I had compiled a list of some of the most famous and well-known Qurʼānic Exegeses that have been written throughout history.…
Self-Conceit (‘Ujb) – Details on Curing It [Part 4 of 4]
This will be the last and the lengthiest post in this series on ‘Ujb (self-conceit). We will further explore how it effects us…
Self-Conceit (‘Ujb) – Effects & Cure [Part 3 of 4]
In the third part of our series on `Ujb, we will be expanding on the subject a bit more. In this post…
Self-Conceit (‘Ujb) – Narrations [Part 2 of 4]
Continuing our series on ‘Ujb, in this part, we will be going over a number of narrations that deal with the subject matter. In…
Self-Conceit (‘Ujb) – What Is It? [Part 1 of 4]
I will be publishing a 4-part series on the concept of ‘Ujb (self-conceit). The content will essentially be relying on the book Jami…
Self-Conceit in a Flawed Opinion that Appears to be Correct
This is a paragraph translated from the book Jami al-Sadaat by Ayatullah Muhammad Mahdi Naraqi. In the chapter of ‘Ujb (self-conceit), the author goes…
The Devil’s Double [Book Review]
This non-fiction book by Latif Yahia is actually a really old one, published originally in 1992 in Arabic and later published in…
Imam Ali [a] Describing the Caliphate
In the famous sermon of Shiqshiqiyah, Imam Ali (as) describes the difficult situation he was in with regards to the caliphate. In…
Resource: List of Famous Qur’anic Tafasir Works – Shi’a, Sunni and Zaydi
Below is a list of some of the most famous and well known Qurʼānic Exegeses (Tafāsīr) that have been written throughout history.…
Ayatullah Fazel Sharbiaani & Muhammad Hassan Mamqani
The next set of stories are quoted by Ayatullah Shubeyri Zanjani in his book a Drop From The Sea regarding two scholars.…
Everything Has Accountability
Another story quoted by Ayatullah Shubeyri Zanjani in his book A Drop From The Sea – Volume 2 [page 675]. The previous…
Fearlessness of Ayatullah Khomeini
Translated from the book A Drop from the Sea, Volume 2 – Page 675-676, by Ayatullah Shubeyri Zanjani. — Ayatullah Sheikh Muhammad…
Kiss The Hands of Sheikh Hadi Tehrani
Sheikh Hadi Tehrani was born on 20th of the month of Ramadhan, 1253 Hijri (December 18th, 1837), in Tehran. His father’s name…
The Announcement of Mullah Ali Qaarpuz Abadi’s Death
Mullah Ali Qazwini Qaarpuz Abadi Zanjani (ملاعلی قزوینی قارپوز آبادی زنجانی) was born in Qazwin in the year 1209 Hijri (around 1794) and…
Syed Ali Tabatabaee and the Attack of Wahhabis on Karbala
Another translation from the book A Drop From the Sea – A collection of Papers and Discourses on Shiite Personalities and their…
Titles of Allamah Baqir Majlisi
This has been translated from Volume 2 of the book A Drop From the Sea – A collection of Papers and Discourses…
Praise of Ali ibn Babawayh by Imam al-Askari (a)
Translation of an article, composed off of a talk Ayatullah Shubeyri Zanjani gave. The letter that is being referred to in the…
Palace of Akhund Lutfallah Mazandarani in Paradise
This passage has been translated from the book A Drop from the Sea and are the words of Ayatullah Shobeyri Zanjani. This passage is…
Supererogatory Acts Performed by Ayatullah Zanjani
This post has been translated from a book titled: A Drop[1] from the Sea which is a collection of papers and discourses…
Wishing To Be Present In Karbala Sincerely
There is a book written by Ayatullah Mirza Jawad Maliki Tabrizi (d. 1924) titled المراقبات اعمال السنه (Al-Muraqabaatu ‘amaal il-sanah – Observation of the…
The Secret of Ashura’s Immortality
This is a translated summary of a speech given by Ayatullah Misbah Yazdi. — اَلْحَمْدُلِلّهِ رَبِّ الْعالَمين وَ الصَّلاةُ وَ السَّلامُ عَلي؛…
Hitting, Swearing, Cursing and Taunting
In this day and age when obscenity, vulgarity and lewdness are becoming more and more a part of one’s life and persona,…
Holding the Qur’an on the Head During Night of Qadr
This is one of my first ever translated works; translated from: مراسم قرآن به سر گرفتن — Question: Salam and Greetings, Holding the…
When we get, we give to others; when we do not get, we thank Allah [Tawakkul]
A few personal notes I took from a Dars-e-Akhlaq held by Ayatullah Misbah Yazdi on February 27th, 2013 on the topic of…
Income and Expenditures of the Imam Reza Shrine 1885 C.E
This was an interesting table I came across while reading an essay titled The Economic Rule of the Ulama in Qajar Persia by…
The Army of Imam al-Hasan ibn Ali
Imam Hasan ibn Ali (as) is known to have had some of the most troublesome companions. Many of them gave him problems…
250 Year Old Human by Ayatullah Khamenei [Part 7]
Here is the seventh part of the Introduction from the book titled 250 Year Old Human by Ayatullah Khamenei. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part…
250 Year Old Human by Ayatullah Khamenei [Part 6]
Here is the sixth part of the Introduction from the book titled 250 Year Old Human by Ayatullah Khamenei. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part…
250 Year Old Human by Ayatullah Khamenei [Part 5]
Here is the fifth part of the Introduction from the book titled 250 Year Old Human by Ayatullah Khamenei. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part…
250 Year Old Human by Ayatullah Khamenei [Part 4]
Here is the fourth part of the Introduction from the book titled 250 Year Old Human by Ayatullah Khamenei. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part…
Words of Praise by an Unknown Man Regarding Imam Ali (as)
A narration from Usool al-Kafi, about a man who comes and praises Imam Ali (as) after he was martyred. If anyone is…
250 Year Old Human by Ayatullah Khamenei [Part 3]
This is the third part of the Introduction from the book titled 250 Year Old Human by Ayatullah Khamenei. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part…
A Poem by Abu Muhammad al-Barqi
This is a poem by Abu Muhammad Abdullah ibn Ammar al-Barqi who was from the poets of the Ahl ul-Bayt (as). This…
The Periodic Table of Islam [Infographic]
Recently at work, creating information graphics (infographics) has been a fun way to do some marketing for our clients. Infographics are visual…
250 Year Old Human by Ayatullah Khamenei [Part 2]
This is the second part of the Introduction from the book titled 250 Year Old Human by Ayatullah Khamenei. Part 3 of…
250 Year Old Human by Ayatullah Khamenei [Part 1]
This post is the initial translation of the Introduction of a book written by Ayatullah Khamenei titled Insaane 250 Saale (انسان 250…
Qur’anic Verses About the Rise of Imam al-Mahdi (as)
A while back I was gifted an English copy of volume 51 (which is volume 13 old edition) of Bihar al-Anwar by…
Ni’mah (Bounty) Always Refers to Wilayah (Guardianship)
This is an excerpt from the book Shining Sun: In Memory of Allamah Tabataba’i; page 127-131. The book was written by a…
Imam Ali and the Caliphs – Part 2
Imam Ali and the Caliphs: Their Relationship and Interaction – Part 2 of 2 [Click Here for Part 1] By Abd al-Karim…
Imam Ali and the Caliphs – Part 1
Imam Ali and the Caliphs: Their Relationship and Interaction – Part 1 of 2 Click for Part 2 By Abd al-Karim Bi-Azar…