This book is based on a series of 30 lectures delivered by the author on Islamic Ethics in Qum in winter 2012. The series was delivered as a course for a correspondence degree on the subject. Each lecture was around 25 minutes and was recorded in a studio. Thanks to God, the series has been used by correspondence students from the academic year 2012-2013 till now. Due to the importance of the subject on the one hand, and need for more texts on the subject in English on the other, it was decided to publish it as a book as well. After preparing the transcripts, the text was edited and references were added. Some parts which were more philosophical were removed. We are now pleased to present this humble book to our dear readers. It is hoped that they will find it useful for their study of Islamic morals and find it of help in their personal moral development. At the same time, I admit that 6 more work needs to be done on this in order to make it more precise and concise.
The well-known invocation called Tasbih of Lady Fatimah (a) is a common practice among believers as it is recommended to recite it frequently, especially after the daily prayers. As a result of its common practice, there is great need to know more about its significance and meaning. In this book, we are going to reflect on the performance, the merits, history, and meaning of the Tasbiḥ of Lady Fatimah (a), particularly in light of a more general discussion on tasbih, or glorification of Allah (swt), to enable us to benefit more from it in our life journey. There are many references to this tasbih. For example, when recommended supplications after the daily ritual prayer (ta‘qībāt) are brought up in our major hadith compilations, this tasbih is highlighted. Moreover, this tasbih is also studied in the field of jurisprudence (fiqh) in association with daily prayers, and in the books on early history of Islam in association with the events of the life of Lady Fatimah (a) and Imam Ali (a). The present work was initially conceived of as a series of three lectures delivered in Feb 2019 in London on the occasion of the demise anniversary of Lady Fatimah. The lectures were 6 later organised and revised with references checked and bibliographical data added.
The present work is a summarized version of Shi‘i Islam: Origins, Faith and Practices (2003, ICAS Press) by the same author. This shorter version aims to briefly address main issues related to Islam in general, and Shi‘i Islam in particular. These two works represent a modest attempt to fill some of the gaps that exist in the field of Islamic studies in general, and Shi‘i studies in particular. Though simply and clearly written, they are outcomes of more than twenty years of involvement in Islamic studies, and based to some extent on two series of lectures about Shi‘i Islam delivered to English-speaking audiences: a first set of some fifty lectures delivered at Jami‘at al-Zahra (a prominent Islamic seminary for women) in Qum, Iran in 1995 and 1996, and a second set of some thirty lectures delivered at the Manchester Islamic Institute and the Shi‘a Welfare Centre in Manchester, England in 1998 and 1999. The first chapter begins by expounding both the literal and technical meanings of the term “Shi‘a”, and references are made to statements of famous scholars in this regard. Then it proceeds to study the origins of Shi‘i Islam and how it became established. The second chapter studies the sources of Shi‘i thought, i.e. the Qur’an, the Sunnah, reason and consensus. Discussing 6 the status of the Qur’an, the chapter goes on to establish that the Shi‘a like other Muslims believe that the Qur’an which is present today is an embodiment of divine revelation to the Prophet Muhammad. The chapter continues by explaining the second most important source, i.e. the Sunnah, which includes the sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad. The Qur’an itself asks Muslims to take the Prophet as their role model, to refer to him to judge and settle their conflicts, and speaks of the Prophet as the one who recites, teaches and explains the Qur’an. In this chapter there is also a discussion about the household of the Prophet (Ahlul Bayt) and their role in presenting the Sunnah. Then there follows a discussion about the importance of reason and its role in understanding Islamic beliefs, values and practical laws. Finally there is a discussion about legal consensus and how it is viewed with respect to the Sunnah in the Shi‘i teachings. The third chapter studies fundamental doctrines of the Shi‘i faith. Along with Unity of God, prophethood and resurrection which constitute the principles of religion for Islam and other divine religions, some important additional doctrines such as divine justice and imamate are studied. These doctrines may partly be shared by other Muslims, but the Shi‘a are those who believe in all of them. The fourth chapter is a very brief account of Shi‘i practices along with brief references to the objectives and principles underlying them. These practices are in principle shared by all Muslims, though there may be some differences in particulars among different Islamic schools. The fifth and final chapter is a short discussion about the Shi‘a world today. This chapter starts with a brief account of 7 the latest statistics about the present Muslim and Shi‘i population of the world. There is also a breakdown of religious affiliations of some countries with a long history of Shi‘i presence. Although there are no accurate and approved statistics on the current Shi‘a population in the world, efforts have been made here to collect the best available.
This book is one of the many Islamic publications distributed by Talee throughout the world in different languages with the aim of conveying the message of Islam to the people of the world. Talee (www.talee.org) is a registered Organization that operates and is sustained through collaborative efforts of volunteers in many countries around the world, and it welcomes your involvement and support. Its objectives are numerous, yet its main goal is to spread the truth about the Islamic faith in general and the Shi`a School of Thought in particular due to the latter being misrepresented, misunderstood and its tenets often assaulted by many ignorant folks, Muslims and non-Muslims.Organization's purpose is to facilitate the dissemination of knowledge through a global medium, the Internet, to locations where such resources are not commonly or easily accessible or are resented, resisted and fought! In addition, Talee aims at encouraging scholarship, research and enquiry through the use of technological facilitates.For a complete list of our published books please refer to our website (www.talee.org) or send us an email to info@talee.org
Today the issue of relativism is not only an academic subject, it has become a vital concern in sociology and politics, along with the issue of globalisation. This book studies ethical relativism in its most profound and recent forms, and argues that a non-relativist account of morality is capable of validating our moral experiences without undesirable implications. The author demonstrates that unlike during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, support for ethical relativism is now in decline. He proposes that the most promising strategy is first to settle the issue of the foundations of morality, and then to develop a new theory of morality based on self-love, moral ideas and the process of decision-making. This book brings a fresh perspective to the on-going debate on post-modernism and relativism, and should be of interest to all who study philosophy, theology and cultural studies, and those interested in spirituality.
This is a second, updated edition of the first edition, which was published in 2017. It is based on four lectures delivered in the shrine of Lady Maʿsumah in March and I The Second Fatimah 6 April 2012. The first lecture was on the historical role of Lady Maʿsumah; the second on her spiritual position; and the last two were reflections on her ziyārah. Sister Shahnaze Safieddine transcribed, organized, and edited the lectures. I would like to take this opportunity to thank her and pray for her success. I would also like to thank Dr Amina Inloes for editing the book. Last but not least, I would like to express my deep gratitude to God for granting this great mother, guide, teacher, comforter and intercessor of all lovers of Ahl al-Bayt, especially the residents of, students of, and visitors to Qum.
This book is based on a series of 30 lectures delivered by the author on Islamic Ethics in Qum in winter 2012. The series was delivered as a course for a correspondence degree on the subject. Each lecture was around 25 minutes and was recorded in a studio. Thanks to God, the series has been used by correspondence students from the academic year 2012-2013 till now. Due to the importance of the subject on the one hand, and need for more texts on the subject in English on the other, it was decided to publish it as a book as well. After preparing the transcripts, the text was edited and references were added. Some parts which were more philosophical were removed. We are now pleased to present this humble book to our dear readers. It is hoped that they will find it useful for their study of Islamic morals and find it of help in their personal moral development. At the same time, I admit that 6 more work needs to be done on this in order to make it more precise and concise.
The well-known invocation called Tasbih of Lady Fatimah (a) is a common practice among believers as it is recommended to recite it frequently, especially after the daily prayers. As a result of its common practice, there is great need to know more about its significance and meaning. In this book, we are going to reflect on the performance, the merits, history, and meaning of the Tasbiḥ of Lady Fatimah (a), particularly in light of a more general discussion on tasbih, or glorification of Allah (swt), to enable us to benefit more from it in our life journey. There are many references to this tasbih. For example, when recommended supplications after the daily ritual prayer (ta‘qībāt) are brought up in our major hadith compilations, this tasbih is highlighted. Moreover, this tasbih is also studied in the field of jurisprudence (fiqh) in association with daily prayers, and in the books on early history of Islam in association with the events of the life of Lady Fatimah (a) and Imam Ali (a). The present work was initially conceived of as a series of three lectures delivered in Feb 2019 in London on the occasion of the demise anniversary of Lady Fatimah. The lectures were 6 later organised and revised with references checked and bibliographical data added.
This is a second, updated edition of the first edition, which was published in 2017. It is based on four lectures delivered in the shrine of Lady Maʿsumah in March and I The Second Fatimah 6 April 2012. The first lecture was on the historical role of Lady Maʿsumah; the second on her spiritual position; and the last two were reflections on her ziyārah. Sister Shahnaze Safieddine transcribed, organized, and edited the lectures. I would like to take this opportunity to thank her and pray for her success. I would also like to thank Dr Amina Inloes for editing the book. Last but not least, I would like to express my deep gratitude to God for granting this great mother, guide, teacher, comforter and intercessor of all lovers of Ahl al-Bayt, especially the residents of, students of, and visitors to Qum.
The present work is a summarized version of Shi‘i Islam: Origins, Faith and Practices (2003, ICAS Press) by the same author. This shorter version aims to briefly address main issues related to Islam in general, and Shi‘i Islam in particular. These two works represent a modest attempt to fill some of the gaps that exist in the field of Islamic studies in general, and Shi‘i studies in particular. Though simply and clearly written, they are outcomes of more than twenty years of involvement in Islamic studies, and based to some extent on two series of lectures about Shi‘i Islam delivered to English-speaking audiences: a first set of some fifty lectures delivered at Jami‘at al-Zahra (a prominent Islamic seminary for women) in Qum, Iran in 1995 and 1996, and a second set of some thirty lectures delivered at the Manchester Islamic Institute and the Shi‘a Welfare Centre in Manchester, England in 1998 and 1999. The first chapter begins by expounding both the literal and technical meanings of the term “Shi‘a”, and references are made to statements of famous scholars in this regard. Then it proceeds to study the origins of Shi‘i Islam and how it became established. The second chapter studies the sources of Shi‘i thought, i.e. the Qur’an, the Sunnah, reason and consensus. Discussing 6 the status of the Qur’an, the chapter goes on to establish that the Shi‘a like other Muslims believe that the Qur’an which is present today is an embodiment of divine revelation to the Prophet Muhammad. The chapter continues by explaining the second most important source, i.e. the Sunnah, which includes the sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad. The Qur’an itself asks Muslims to take the Prophet as their role model, to refer to him to judge and settle their conflicts, and speaks of the Prophet as the one who recites, teaches and explains the Qur’an. In this chapter there is also a discussion about the household of the Prophet (Ahlul Bayt) and their role in presenting the Sunnah. Then there follows a discussion about the importance of reason and its role in understanding Islamic beliefs, values and practical laws. Finally there is a discussion about legal consensus and how it is viewed with respect to the Sunnah in the Shi‘i teachings. The third chapter studies fundamental doctrines of the Shi‘i faith. Along with Unity of God, prophethood and resurrection which constitute the principles of religion for Islam and other divine religions, some important additional doctrines such as divine justice and imamate are studied. These doctrines may partly be shared by other Muslims, but the Shi‘a are those who believe in all of them. The fourth chapter is a very brief account of Shi‘i practices along with brief references to the objectives and principles underlying them. These practices are in principle shared by all Muslims, though there may be some differences in particulars among different Islamic schools. The fifth and final chapter is a short discussion about the Shi‘a world today. This chapter starts with a brief account of 7 the latest statistics about the present Muslim and Shi‘i population of the world. There is also a breakdown of religious affiliations of some countries with a long history of Shi‘i presence. Although there are no accurate and approved statistics on the current Shi‘a population in the world, efforts have been made here to collect the best available.
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