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Philosophy & Mysticism

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…

Sayyid Ali · June 7, 2026 · 24 min read

Philosophy & Mysticism

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…

Sayyid Ali · April 21, 2026 · 31 min read

Pedagogy & Curriculum

The Evolution of Child Educational Studies in the Past Century of the Qom Seminary

The Evolution of Child Educational Studies in the Past Century of the Qom Seminary By: Hasan Najafī – Assistant Professor, Department of…

Sayyid Ali · February 22, 2026 · 34 min read

Philosophy & Mysticism

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…

Sayyid Ali · January 25, 2026 · 64 min read

History

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…

Sadiq Meghjee · December 30, 2025 · 36 min read

History

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…

Sayyid Ali · November 17, 2025 · 51 min read

History

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…

Sadiq Meghjee · November 16, 2025 · 37 min read

Ethics & Psychology

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…

Sayyid Ali · October 26, 2025 · 38 min read

Legal Theory

(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…

Sayyid Ali · September 25, 2025 · 21 min read

Theology

(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…

Sayyid Ali · September 4, 2025 · 43 min read

Theology

(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…

Sayyid Ali · July 24, 2025 · 38 min read

Philosophy & Mysticism

(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…

Sayyid Ali · July 15, 2025 · 35 min read

Jurisprudence

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…

Sayyid Ali · July 8, 2025 · 33 min read

Pedagogy & Curriculum

A Progressive & Leading Seminary: Ayatullah Khamenei’s Message on the 100th Year Anniversary of the Establishment of the Qom Seminary

In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful All praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and…

Sayyid Ali · May 12, 2025 · 33 min read

History

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…

Sayyid Ali · March 15, 2025 · 47 min read

Pedagogy & Curriculum

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…

Sayyid Ali · March 15, 2025 · 26 min read

Theology

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…

Sayyid Ali · February 28, 2025 · 20 min read

Theology

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…

Sayyid Ali · February 27, 2025 · 6 min read

Theology

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…

Sayyid Ali · February 27, 2025 · 5 min read

Theology

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…

Sayyid Ali · February 26, 2025 · 8 min read

History

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…

Sayyid Ali · February 8, 2025 · 33 min read

History

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…

Sayyid Ali · January 18, 2025 · 38 min read

Philosophy & Mysticism

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…

Sadiq Meghjee · December 30, 2024 · 18 min read

Jurisprudence

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…

Sayyid Ali · December 30, 2024 · 24 min read

Ethics & Psychology

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…

Sayyid Ali · December 10, 2024 · 8 min read

Miscellaneous

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…

Sayyid Ali · November 17, 2024 · 2 min read

History

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.…

Sayyid Ali · November 13, 2024 · 65 min read

History

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…

Sayyid Ali · November 7, 2024 · 68 min read

History

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…

Sayyid Ali · September 14, 2024 · 103 min read

Legal Theory

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…

Sayyid Ali · August 31, 2024 · 13 min read

Legal Theory

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),…

Sayyid Ali · August 30, 2024 · 18 min read

History

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…

Sayyid Ali · August 21, 2024 · 31 min read

Theology

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…

Sayyid Ali · August 18, 2024 · 13 min read

Theology

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…

Sayyid Ali · August 13, 2024 · 15 min read

Theology

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…

Sayyid Ali · August 13, 2024 · 16 min read

Pedagogy & Curriculum

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…

Sayyid Ali · July 25, 2024 · 43 min read

History

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…

Sayyid Burair · July 5, 2024 · 43 min read

Jurisprudence

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…

Abu Dujana · June 15, 2024 · 10 min read

History

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…

Sayyid Ali · May 15, 2024 · 44 min read

Ethics & Psychology

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…

Sayyid Ali · March 29, 2024 · 27 min read

History

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…

Sayyid Ali · March 18, 2024 · 51 min read

History

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…

Sayyid Ali · December 22, 2023 · 10 min read

Pedagogy & Curriculum

Integrating Game-Design Elements to Teach Propositional Logic & Logical Fallacies

The Philosophy for Children Co-operative (P4C) is a pedagogic approach developed by Mathew Lipman that centres on teaching thinking skills and the…

Sayyid Ali · November 12, 2023 · 6 min read

Pedagogy & Curriculum

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…

Sayyid Ali · November 5, 2023 · 43 min read

Philosophy & Mysticism

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…

Sayyid Ali · September 17, 2023 · 59 min read

Pedagogy & Curriculum

Systematic Hadith Studies Program: Seven Valleys, Forty Stations

By Sayyid Mohammad Kazem Tabatabai Abstract: Hadith studies or the study of Hadith literature is one of the essential requirements for an…

Sayyid Ali · September 10, 2023 · 36 min read

History

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…

Sayyid Ali · August 29, 2023 · 47 min read

History

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…

Muhammad Jaffer · August 24, 2023 · 23 min read

History

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…

Muhammad Jaffer · August 8, 2023 · 29 min read

Tafsir & Hadith

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…

Muhammad Jaffer · July 5, 2023 · 72 min read

Tafsir & Hadith

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…

Muhammad Jaffer · June 22, 2023 · 35 min read

Tafsir & Hadith

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…

Muhammad Jaffer · June 22, 2023 · 33 min read

Tafsir & Hadith

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…

Muhammad Jaffer · May 30, 2023 · 15 min read

Tafsir & Hadith

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…

Muhammad Jaffer · May 28, 2023 · 17 min read

Jurisprudence

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…

Sayyid Ali · April 21, 2023 · 24 min read

Theology

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…

Abu Dujana · April 16, 2023 · 24 min read

Tafsir & Hadith

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…

Sayyid Ali · April 7, 2023 · 3 min read

Pedagogy & Curriculum

The Hegemony of Knowledge and Academic Terrorism vs. Desire of the Aspirant In the Etiquettes of the Teacher and Student

Translation & Editing: Sayyid Burair Abbas Proofreading & Review: Dr. Muhammad Jaffer Introduction Some Western researchers have adopted an interesting academic perspective…

Sayyid Burair · February 25, 2023 · 26 min read

History

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…

Sayyid Burair · February 6, 2023 · 15 min read

Tafsir & Hadith

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…

Guest Post · January 28, 2023 · 17 min read

Jurisprudence

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…

Sayyid Ali · December 18, 2022 · 41 min read

Philosophy & Mysticism

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.…

Sayyid Ali · December 16, 2022 · 41 min read

Legal Theory

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…

Sayyid Ali · December 6, 2022 · 8 min read

Tafsir & Hadith

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…

Sayyid Ali · December 4, 2022 · 7 min read

Tafsir & Hadith

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…

Sayyid Ali · November 28, 2022 · 13 min read

Theology

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…

Muhammad Jaffer · November 6, 2022 · 33 min read

Theology

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…

Guest Post · November 3, 2022 · 37 min read

Theology

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…

Muhammad Jaffer · October 7, 2022 · 33 min read

Ethics & Psychology

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…

Sayyid Burair · September 26, 2022 · 24 min read

Theology

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 Burair · August 8, 2022 · 13 min read

History

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…

Sayyid Ali · August 3, 2022 · 32 min read

Jurisprudence

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…

Hadi Rizvi · July 21, 2022 · 27 min read

Ethics & Psychology

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…

Muhammad Jaffer · June 12, 2022 · 18 min read

History

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…

Muhammad Jaffer · June 6, 2022 · 24 min read

History

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).…

Ali Safdari · June 4, 2022 · 15 min read

Tafsir & Hadith

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…

Ammaar Muslim · May 30, 2022 · 38 min read

History

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…

Ali Safdari · May 23, 2022 · 11 min read

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Founded in 2009 by Sayyid Ali Imran, Iqra Online publishes scholarly articles, translations, and courses drawing on the traditions of the Qom seminary and contemporary Islamic academic thought.

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