Product Information
During the formative period of Islam, in the first centuries after Muhammad's death, two particular intellectual traditions emerged, Sunnism and Shi'ism. Sunni Muslims endorsed the historical caliphate, while Shi'i Muslims, supporters of 'Ali, cousin of the Prophet and the fourth caliph, articulated their own distinctive doctrines. The Sunni-Shi'i schism is often framed as a dispute over the identity of the successor to Muhammad, whereas in reality, Sunni and Shi'i Muslims also differ on a number of seminal theological doctrines concerning the nature of God and legitimate political and religious authority. This book examines the development of Shi'i Islam through the lenses of belief, narrative, and memory. It also covers a wide range of Shi'i communities from the demographically predominant Twelvers to the transnational Isma'ilis to the scholar-activist Zaydis. The portrait of Shi'ism that emerges is that of a distinctive and vibrant community of Muslims with a remarkable capacity for reinvention and adaptation, grounded in a unique theological interpretation of Islam.Product Identifiers
PublisherCambridge University Press
ISBN-139781107625785
eBay Product ID (ePID)209395876
Product Key Features
Book TitleShi'i Islam: an Introduction
AuthorNajam Haider
FormatPaperback
LanguageEnglish
TopicIslam
Publication Year2014
Dimensions
Item Height226mm
Item Width150mm
Additional Product Features
Title_AuthorNajam Haider
Series TitleIntroduction to Religion
Country/Region of ManufactureUnited Kingdom