Shiʿite Islam

Book bought for someone and he received it within several days. Not one problem.

This book is an excellent complement to Dr. Momen's work An Introduction to Shi`i Islam: The History and Doctrines of Twelver Shi`ism but not a substitute therefor. It is written from a more esoteric, albeit still theological, perspective. In the section "Man and Gnostic Comprehension" Prof. Dr. Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Tabatabai states: "The polytheistic religions and Judaism, Christianity, Zoroastrianism, and Islam all have believers who are gnostics." This statement alone is worth at least one star and will be felt quite shocking for some more zahiri (exoteric) Muslims. The preface and notes by Prof. Dr. Seyyed Hossein Nasr are extremely worthwhile in themselves and provide considerable additional insight into the subject matter. The title of the book should have been: "Twelver Shi'ite Islam" as the other 2 significantly extant branches of Shi'ite Islam, Zaydi and Ismaili, are discussed only in a very summary manner. Modesty is a becoming virtue. In Chapter VI Eschatology the first section is entitled "Man is Composed of Spirit and Body". This is rather disappointing especially in view of the Quranic triad of spirit (Ar-Ruh), soul or mind (An-Nafs) and body (Al-Jism).

Even though the book dates from the seventies, I dare say that the book is still considered a valuable reference and an introduction to the thoughts and principles of Shi'a Islam. Forwarded by Nasr, the translator. I highly recommend reading the books of Nasr, if you seek books on Shia that are of a more recent date. But this book is well written manual, with an excellent authorship and translator.

Shi'ite Islam by Tabatabai. Translated into English by Seyyed Hossein Nasr. Shia Institute of Pakistan Pub.; Karachi, Pakistan; May 1971, paperback; 253 pgs. The author was born in 1321 A.H./1903 C.E. The translator noted: "Only Sufism or gnosis can reach that Unity which embraces these two facets [Sunni & Shiite] of Islam and yet transcends their outward differences....The distinctive institution of Shi'ism is the Imamate and the question of the Imamate is inseparable from that of walayat, or the esoteric function of interpreting the inner mysteries of the Holy Quran and the Shari'ah. According to the Shi'ite view the successor of the Prophet of Islam must be one who not only rules over the community in justice but also is able to interpret the Divine law and its esoteric meaning. Hence he must be free from error and sin and he must be chosen from on high by divine decree (nass) through the Prophet. The whole ethos of Shi'ism revolves around the basic notion of walayat, which is intimately connected with the notion of sancitity (wilayah) in Sufism." [p.10] The author presents a pro-Shi'ism analysis in this book. Contents include: The cause of the separation of the Shi'ite minority from the Sunni majority; the political method of the selection of the caliph by vote and its disagreement with the Shi'ite view; the termination of the caliphate of Ali Amir al-muminin; the benefit that the shiah derived from the caliphate of Ali; the bleakest days of Shiism; Shiism between the 2nd and 20th centuries; Divisions within Shism (Zaydism, Ismailism, Batinis, Nizaris, Druzes, Muqannaah, Twelve-Imam Shiism, Zaydism); Three methods of religious thought (Shiism and the transmitted sciences; the way of intellection and intellectual reasoning; Mystical unveiling [Sufism]); Islamic beliefs from the Shiite point of view (the necessity of God; divine essence and qualities; destiny and providence; man and free will); the prophets and proof of revelation and prophecy; Eschatology; The meaning of Imam and succession; the Imamate and its role in the esoteric dimension of religion; a brief history of the lives of the twelve imams; the spiritual message of Shiism; Mutah (pro-temporary marriage); ritual practices in Shiism; and a note on the Jinn. Unlike many Islamic books from Pakistan, this is a very, very well written book in both analyzing and explaining Shi'ism. Because it lacks critical self-analysis, however, I rate it only 4 stars. Yet, it is far superior to the typical religious tract. As the editor, Nasr, opined: "The reader must therefore always remember that the arguments presented in this book are not addressed by Allamah Tabatabai to a mind that begins with doubt, but to one that is grounded in certainty and is moreover immersed in the world of faith and religious dedication."