Shiʿite Islam

Seyyed Hossein Nasr is Professor of the History of Science and Philosophy at Tehran University. Among his many books are Ideals and Realities of Islam, The Encounter of Man and Nature and Sufi Essays.

• PREFACE Seyyed Hossein NasrThe Study of Shi'ismFundamental ELements of Shi'ismPresent State of Shi'ite StudiesThe Present BookThe AuthorINTRODUCTION 'Allamah Tabataba'i PART 1: THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF SHI'ISM I. The Origin and Growth of Shi'ism The Cause of the Separation of the Shi'ite Minority from the Sunni MajorityThe Two Problems of Succession and Authority in Religious SciencesThe Political Method of the Selection of the Caliph by Vote and Its Disagreement with the Shi'ite ViewThe Termination of the Caliphate of 'Ali Amir al-mu'minin and His Method of RuleThe Benefit That the Shi'ah Derived from the Caliphate of 'AliThe Transfer of the Caliphate to Mu'awiyah and Its Transformation into a Hereditary MonarchyThe Bleakest Days of Shi'ismThe Establishment of Umayyad RuleShi'ism During the 2nd/8th CenturyShi'ism in the 3rd/9th CenturyShi'ism in the 4th/10th CenturyShi'ism from the 5th/11th to the 9th/15th CenturiesShi'ism in the 10th/16th and 11th/17th CenturiesShi'ism from the 12th/18th to the 14th/20th Centuries NOTES: CHAPTER I II. Divisions within Shi'ism Zaydism and Its BranchesIsma'ilism and Its BranchesThe BatinisThe Nizaris, Musta'lis, Druzes, and Muqanna'ahThe NizarisThe Musta'lisThe DruzesThe Muqanna'ahDifferences Between Twelve-Imam Shi'ism and Isma'ilism and ZaydismSummary of the History of Twelve-Imam Shi'ism NOTES: CHAPTER IIPART II: SHI'ITE RELIGIOUS THOUGHT III. Three Methods of Religious Thought First Method: The Formal Aspect of ReligionDifferent Facets of the Formal ApsectTraditions of the CompanionsThe Book and TraditionThe Outward and Inward Apsects of the QuranThe Principles of Interpretation of the QuranHadithThe Method of Shi'ism in Authenticating the HadithThe Method of Shi'ism in Following the HadithLearning and Teaching in IslamShi'ism and the Transmitted SciencesSecond Method: The Way of Intellection and Intellectual ReasoningPhilosophical and Theological Thought in Shi'ismShi'ite Initiative in Islamic Philosophy and KalamShi'ite Contributions in Philosophy and Intellectual SciencesOutstanding Intellectual Figures of Shi'ismThird Method: Intellectual Intuition or Mystical UnveilingMan and Gnostic ComprehensionAppearance of Gnosis (Sufism) in IslamGuidance Provided by the Quran and Sunnah for Gnostic Knowledge NOTES: CHAPTER III PART III: ISLAMIC BELIEFS FROM THE SHI'ITE POINT OF VIEW IV. On the Knowledge of God The World Seen from the Point of View of Being and Reality: The Necessity of GodAnother Point of View Concerning the Relation Between Man and the UniverseThe Divine Essence and QualitiesThe Meaning of the Divine QualitiesFurther Explanations Concerning the QualitiesQualities of ActionDestiny and ProvidenceMan and Free Will NOTES: CHAPTER IV V. On the Knowledge of the Prophet Toward the Goal: General GuidanceSpecial GuidanceReason and LawThat Mysterious Wisdom and Consciousness Called RevelationThe Prophets - Inerrancy of ProphecyThe Prophets and Revealed ReligionThe Prophets and Proof of Revelation and ProphecyThe Number of the Prophets of GodThe Prophets Who are Bringers of Divine LawThe Prophecy of MuhammadThe Prophet and the Quran NOTES: CHAPTER V VI. Eschatology Man is Composed of Spirit and BodyA Discussion of Spirit from Another PerspectiveDeath from the Islamic Point of ViewPurgatoryThe Day of Judgment - ResurrectionAnother ExplanationThe Continuity and Succession of Creation NOTES: CHAPTER VI VII. On the Knowledge of the Imam (Imamology) The Meaning of ImamThe Imamate and SuccessionAffirmation of the Previous SectionThe Imamate and Its Role in the Exposition of the Divine SciencesThe Difference Between Prophet and ImamThe Imamate and Its Role in the Esoteric Dimension of ReligionThe Imams and Leaders of IslamA Brief History of the Lives of the Twelve ImamsThe First Imam - 'Ali ibn Abi TalibThe Second Imam - Hasan ibn 'AliThe Third Imam - Husayn ibn 'AliThe Fourth Imam - 'Ali ibn HusaynThe Fifth Imam - Muhammad ibn 'AliThe Sixth Imam - Ja'far ibn MuhammadThe Seventh Imam - Musa ibn Ja'farThe Eighth Imam - 'Ali ibn MusaThe Ninth Imam - Muhammad ibn 'AliThen Tenth Imam - 'Ali ibn MuhammadThe Eleventh Imam - Hasan ibn 'AliThe Twelfth Imam - MahdiOn the Appearance of the Mahdi The Spiritual Message of Shi'ismNOTES: CHAPTER VII APPENDIX I. Taqiyah or DissimulationII. Mut'ah or Temporary MarriageIII. Ritual Practices in Shi'ismIV. A Note on the Jinn BIBLIOGRAPHYINDEX