Contemporary Reformist Responses to Traditional Shi'a Discourses

Studies the transformation of Shiʿa thought in theological, social and political spheres

• Provides a historical account of the development of Shiʿa thought from the early and pre-modern period to the contemporary era
• Links theory and practice to discuss case studies of the ideas of prominent Shiʿa reformist scholars with a seminarian background, mainly from Iran, but occasionally from Iraq and Lebanon
• Brings together materials from a range of disciplinary areas such as History, Gender Studies, Politics, and Islamic and Quranic studies

Based on Persian and Arabic primary sources such as seminal jurisprudential works, fatwas, articles and interviews, this book explores how contemporary Shiʿism has broken away from traditional religious discourses. Ali Akbar examines how prominent scholars from Iran, Iraq and Lebanon who operate from within Shiʿa tradition have paved the way for new interpretations of Islam in general and of Shiʿism in particular.

The book investigates the extent to which reformist Shiʿa scholarship has shifted towards post-Islamist discourses in response to four key areas encompassing theological, social and political issues: relationships between Muslims and people of other faiths, with an emphasis on the concept of ritual purity; freedom of religion; women’s rights; and state-religion relationship and democratic norms. Akbar offers an up-to-date and interdisciplinary examination of contemporary Shiʿa scholars’ use of tools and strategies to instigate reform.