Imams

Pir Sadr al-Din (Sadardin in Indic languages) played a key role in systematizing and consolidating the Nizari Ismaili da'wa in South Asia from the late 8th/14th century. He is chiefly associated with Uchch in southern Sind. Those who accepted his preaching and expressed allegiance to the Imam were granted the title of Khwaja or Khoja after entering the Ismaili fold. His shrine is in Jetpur, near Uchch. The compositions of Pir Sadr al-Din, known as Ginans, represent a substantial portion of the tradition. These works continue to have great importance for the Ismailis.

With the prophetic mission of Prophet Muhammad (s), the seal of the prophets, the last and the most perfect divine religion was conveyed to humanity and prophethood came to an end.
The religion of Islam emerged in Mecca but after twenty three years of arduous efforts made by the Messenger Allah (s) and a handful of his loyal companions it spread all over the Arabian Peninsula.
The continuation of this divine mission was a task that was entrusted publicly on Dhul Hijja, the eighteenth, by Allah, the Glorious, to Ali (a.s), the commander of the faithful and the first personality after the Holy Prophet (a) in the world of Islam.
ith the proclamation of Hazrat Ali’s guardianship and succession on this day, divine blessings were completed and the religion of Islam was perfected, being announced as the only religion chosen by Allah. That was how unbelievers and pagans got disappointed from destroying Islam.
Soon after [the demise of the Messenger of Allah (s)], some of the companions of the Holy Prophet (s) based on their pre-hatched conspiracies, brought deviation in the course of guidance and leadership. They closed the gate of the city of knowledge putting Muslims in perplexity. From the very beginning of their rule, they placed the truths of Islam – that were like shinning sun – behind the dark clouds of doubt and skepticism by putting a ban on recording prophetic narrations, spreading fabricated narrations, casting doubts and using hypocrisy and deception.
Obviously, in spite of all conspiracies hatched by the enemies of Islam, the truths of Islam and noble sayings of the Messenger of Allah (s) were promulgated by the Commander of the Faithful, Ali (a.s.), his successors and a few of his devout companions and those truths kept flowing and manifesting themselves in one way or the other in the course of history. By explaining the truths, they did away with the doubts, hesitation, illusions, and unfounded beliefs inculcated by the enemies of Islam, making truths clear to all.
In this respect, great scholars and men of knowledge such as Sheikh Mufid, Sayyid Murtadha, Khaja Nasir, Allamah Hilli, Qadhi Nurullah, Mir Hamid Husain, Sayyid Sharafuddin, Allamah Amini etc. are like shining stars for they are the ones who defended Islamic truths, explained the realities of the school of Ahlulbayt (a.s.) and dealt with spurious arguments using their tongues and pens.
In our era, one of the of the scholars and researchers who has, with his eloquent pen and expressive writing, explained the truths of the religion of Islam and astutely defended the leadership and wilayah (guardianship) of the Commander of the Faithful, Ali (a.s.) is Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Husaini Milani.
The Islamic Truths Center is proud to embark on reviving the fruitful and precious works of that great researcher by reviewing, translating and publishing them in a bid to make them available to students, scientific figures and those who are in search for Islamic truths.
The book in your hand is a translation of one of his works, intended to acquaint the English audience with Islamic truths. It is expected that this humble effort will earn the pleasure of the Remnant of Allah, the Imam of Time [the twelfth Shiite Imam] may Allah hasten his reappearance.
islamic Truths Center

The concept of Imamah is an integral part of the  Shia Islam, the belief that Allah(ST) appoints and sends certain individuals as “Imams” for mankind. The Shias assert that, among Muslims, it refers to certain individuals from the lineage of the Prophet(SAW) who are leaders and guides of the ummah. Their claim is based on Hadith ath-thaqalain (Hadith of the two weighty things, the Quran and the Itrat). The Hadeeth of twelve is also accepted by Sunnis, but the difference lies over the method used to appoint an Imam. They believe that this refers to the twelve Khalifah who appeared after the Prophet(SAW).
The objective of this paper was to understand the two terms, ‘Imamah’ and ‘Khilafah’, mentioned in the reports, from the Quranic perspective. An exploration of how the term ‘Imam’ has been used in the Quran, suggests that the term ‘Imam’ from the Quranic perspective is the one who leads. It could be a highway, a book, or a person. As far as persons are concerned, it is the person who leads his followers. However, there could be good as well as bad Imams. The bad Imams will lead their followers to hell on the Day of Judgement. The righteous Imams are appointed by Allah(ST) . It is a non-administrative, non-political, advisory position in which they are responsible for guiding the righteous people under the command of Allah(ST). The  Quran tells us that the Imamah for the righteous people was bestowed upon Ibraheem(AS) and his righteous progeny. It is probably in the fulfillment of this promise that a series of Imams appeared from among the Israelites. After the appearance of Musa(AS), Haroon(AS) and his descendants were formally ordained as Imams (priests).
Considering the newly designated status of Muslims, in place of Israelites,  as the preferred nation, the Imamate is now expected to continue among the progeny of Ismaeel(AS). According to the teachings of the Prophet(SAW), the believers are advised to pray that the ProphetSAW and his progeny (aal) be bestowed with the same blessings that were bestowed upon Ibraheem(AS) and his progeny (aal). Since the award of Imamate was one of the blessings bestowed upon Ibraheem(AS) and his progeny, the same should be applicable to the Prophet(SAW) and his progeny. As such the Imamate should be limited to the progeny of the Prophet(SAW). Considering the trend among the Israelites, this Imamate may not be limited to one family or one chain of descendants. The only condition seems to be the condition of being from among the descendants of the Prophet(SAW). In addition they need to exhibit the characteristics of Ibad-ur-Rahman: they must always be truthful, they must exhibit decency and humility,  they must be regular in Tahajjud prayer, they must be moderate in spending, and they must respect life.. However, the position of Imamate is only an advisory position in nature. It entails guiding the righteous people under the command of Allah(ST). It is neither political, nor administrative.
The term ‘Khilafah’ from the Quranic perspective refers to the authority ( dominion or superpower) Allah(ST) grants to nations to establish and maintain justice in their domain. It is a performance based authority. When a nation fails to live up to this responsibility, it is replaced by another nation by Allah(ST).

In the mid-90s, Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement and the Iranian Ayatollah Khamene’i both banned bloody forms of self-flagellation such as tatbir (cutting the forehead with a sword), calling them backward and un-Islamic. They argued that Shi‘a Muslims ought to imitate Husayn by actively fighting against oppressors rather than passively mourning Husayn’s martyrdom. This prohibition has not been unanimously applied in all Muslim
countries, including Syria, where such practices persisted until the Arab Spring (when virtually all Shi‘a Muslims left the shrine-town where these practices were performed). By closely reading the linguistic, conceptual, and juridical discourses that circulated in Syria in order to justify this position, the paper shows that the performers of tatbir conceived of these rituals in revolutionary, rather than reactionary, terms. By examining the performance and reception of flagellation processions in terms of differing modalities of affect, the paper opens up spaces for rethinking ‘revolution’ and ‘redemption’ in contemporary Twelver Shi‘ism.

Khwaja Muhammad Rida b. Sultan Husayn was a native of the village of Ghuriyan,
a dependency of Herat in present-day Afghanistan. He lived in the 10th/16th
century and commonly referred to himself as ‘Khayrkhwah,’ the ‘Well-wisher.’ The
following is an extract from the beginning of one of his works, entitled simply "The
Epistle" (Risala). The passage delves into the importance of spiritual edification, or
ta'lim, and the role of the Ismaili hierarchy, the hudud-i din, in leading the adepts
to a recognition of the divine. It also elaborates the existence of three categories
among creatures. In the spiritual world, those of the first category testified with
knowledge and conviction to God's sovereignty over them; the second category
also testified to God’s sovereignty, but only in imitation of the first category; and
the third category denied the sovereignty of God altogether. The physical world
was created so that those of the second category could attain true recognition and
certainty. Meanwhile, the first category manifested in the world as the hujjat or
'proof'’ of the imam so as to nurture the souls of the second category and to lead
them to God by spiritual edification (ta'lim), while the third was manifested to
nurture the physical life of the second category.

Nizari Ismailis revere Aga Khan IV as their current hereditary Imam descended from Ali ibn Abi Talib. The Imam’s position as an ever-present spiritual guide is important to this small transnational Shia group’s beliefs. Ismailis are historically significant for producing notable individuals, states, institutions, literature, ideas, and practices and are currently at the forefront of Islamic engagements with modernity. The search for truth is a consistent theme that runs through the centuries-long history of the movement that has called itself ahl al-haqq (people of truth), al-da‘wat al-haqq (the invitation to truth), and satpanth (path of truth). These terms more emphatically express its adherents’ spiritual aspirations, unlike the names “Ismaili” and “Nizari” that resulted from succession disputes. The group sought knowledge from a variety of Muslim and non-Muslim sources in a pluralist pursuit of universal truth. It experienced polemical attacks and massacres in the course of history, and its members have been targeted by contemporary extremist organizations. The group continues to face occasional vilification but is also recognized for endeavors to improve the quality of the lives of Muslims and others. Its nondenominational institutions have grown to become one of the world’s largest civil society networks. The group promotes the importance of ethics and pluralism in contemporary societies. However, its current conceptualization of these ideas appears to be of a lesser order than that based on the earlier quest for universal truth.

The conception of the ahl al-bayt, "people of the house," "family," or "household" of the Prophet Muhammad plays a vital role in Islamic thought and piety. In the tashahhud portion of the ritual prayers, Muslims of all persuasions supplicate daily, "O God! Bless Muhammad and his family (al), as you blessed Abraham and his family." This article examines the notion of the ahl al-bayt in the Quran, the Prophetic tradition, and in Muslim thought spanning many geographical regions and time periods.

Bu bildiride Belçika'nın Mons şehrinin Hensies ilçesinde 1989 yılında faaliyete başlayarak gelişim ve oluşumunu tamamlayan İbn-i Sina Enstitüsü ve Kız İmam Hatip Lisesi'nin tanıtımı yapılarak nasıl bir model olabileceği tartışılacaktır. Avrupa'ya Göç Süreci ve İnsanımızın karşılaştığı Zorluklar 1963'ten sonra Türkiye'den Belçika'ya başlayan göç hikâyeleri çeşitli vesilelerle televizyon ve radyolarda anlatılmış, bazı yazarlar tarafında da kaleme alınmıştır. Kırsal kesimlerde yaşayan hatta birçoğu okuma yazma bilmeyen ve ekonomik durumu iyi olmayan insanımız, göç etmekten başka çare bulamadığı için Avrupa'nın çeşitli ülkelerine ve Belçika'ya göç etmiştir. Önceleri kısa bir zaman kalıp geri döneceklerini düşünürken, kalmak biraz uzayınca çocuklarını da yanlarına almış buna rağmen hala geri dönme fikri-ni hep içinde yaşatmıştır. Tek amaçları vardı bu insanların, para kazanıp kendi ülkelerinde daha rahat yaşayabilecekleri bir ortam oluşturmak. 50 yıl oldu bu ülkelere gele-li, biraz çalışıp geri döneceğiz şeklinde gelinen topraklar şimdilerde vatan oldu. Bu insanların birçoğu bir daha geri dönemediler. Aileleriyle Belçika'da bir düzen kurdular ve artık geçici geldikleri ülkelerin vatandaşları oldular.

The notion of the days of creation, culminating in the hallowed seventh day, or Sabbath, is found in all three Abrahamic faiths. While some believers held to a literal understanding of these days, others insisted that the doctrine had profound esoteric import.  In the Islamic tradition, those who championed the role of intellect in understanding faith and scripture advocated the use of symbolic interpretation (ta'wil).  The Arabic word ta'wil means to cause something to return to its origin or source.  Among the most ardent advocates of symbolic interpretation were the Ismailis, one of the two major branches of Shi'i Islam.  This article explores how Hakim Nasir-i Khusraw, the famous Persian poet and Ismaili dignitary, understood the days of creation and their relationship to a hierarchy of religion (hudud-i din) who led believers to ultimate salvation.

Why is this the earliest commentary on the Quran? Most historians have said that the first commentary on the Quran was made by Ali’s paternal first cousin, Abdullah Ibn Abbas (619-687CE). Yet Abdullah Ibn Abbas claims to have learned the science of interpretation from his older first cousin, Ali.
Once the Sermons, Letters and Sayings were compiled in the Nahj al-Balagha (Path of Eloquence), it should have been recognized as the earliest commentary on the Quran as the Commentary here shows. Ali tells us:
Not a single verse of the Quran was revealed to the Messenger of God which he did not proceed to dictate tome and make me recite. I would write it with my own hand, and he would instruct me as to its tafsir (the literal explanation) and the ta'wil (the spiritual exegesis), the nasikh (the verse which abrogates) and the mansukh(the abrogatedverse), the muhkamand the mutashabih (the fixed and the ambiguous), the particular and the general. He would pray to God to increase my understanding and my memory. Then he would lay his hand on my breast and ask God to fill my heart with knowledge and understanding, with judgement and illumination.

Khwajah Qasim Tushtari's recently discovered Recognizing God (Ma'rifat-i Khuday ta'ala) is one of the only texts known to have survived from the early Alamut period of Ismaili Muslim history. This article analyses the work in the context of the "new Invitation" (da'wat-i jadid) to the Ismaili faith that al-Shahrastani (d. 548/1153) tells us was inaugurated by the Fatimid Imam al-Mustansir billah (d. 487/1094) and championed by Hasan-i Sabbah (d. 518/1124). The text emphasises that the ultimate purpose of human existence is to know God, and that the path to this knowledge is through the Imam of the Time. The concepts of the 'true teacher' (mu'allim-i sadiq) and 'sage' (hakim) are examined and the literary culture fostered at the Ismaili fortresses, particularly Girdkuh, is explored. Significantly, the article draws attention to the position of Sana'i Ghaznawi (d. circa 525/1131) in Persian Ismaili literature and to the very early development of pious, devotional and homiletic poetry as well as the "mathnawi metre" in Ismaili environments, which may have helped set the stage for some of the most significant poetic achievements of mystical Islam: the writings of Farid al-Din 'Attar (d. circa 618/1221) and Jalal al-Din Rumi (d. 672/1273).

Fascinating Discourses of Fourteen Infallibles(a.s): Including 560 Hadiths of the fourteen Infallibles, Forty Hadiths from each one/Compiled and revised Muhammad Muhammadi Eshtehardi; Comilation Islamic Propagation Organisation (International Relations, Deptt Trukey.); Translated by Javed Iqbal Qazilbash.- Qum: Ansariyan, 2007 .

Khwajah Qasim Tushtari's recently discovered Recognizing God (Ma'rifat-i Khuday ta'ala) is one of the only texts known to have survived from the early Alamut period of Ismaili Muslim history. It preserves evidence of the "new Invitation" (da'wat-i jadid) to the Ismaili faith that al-Shahrastani (d. 548/1153) tells us was inaugurated by the Fatimid Imam al-Mustansir billah (d. 487/1094) and championed by Hasan-i Sabbah (d. 518/1124). The text emphasizes that the ultimate purpose of human existence is to know God, and that the path to this knowledge is through the Imam of the Time. Likely composed between 525/1131 and 533/1139, the text contains near-contemporary references to Sana'i Ghaznawi (d. ca. 525/1131) and points to the very early development of homiletic Persian pious, devotional and homiletic poetry as well as the "mathnawi metre" in Ismaili environments. This metre was later famously used by Farid al-Din 'Attar (d. ca. 618/1221) and Jalal al-Din Rumi (d. 672/1273) in their mystical compositions. The article includes an introduction, critical edition and annotated translation to Qasim Tushtari's Recognizing God.

The contributions in this book explore Muslim religious leadership in multiple forms and settings. While traditional authority is usually correlated with theology and piety, as in the case of classically trained ulema, the public advocacy of Muslim community concerns is often headed by those with professionalized skillsets and civic experience. In an increasingly digital world, both women and men exercise leadership in novel ways, and sites of authority are refracted from traditional loci, such as mosques and seminaries, to new and unexpected places. This collection provides systematic focus on a topic that has hitherto been given rather diffuse consideration. It complements historical work on community leadership as well as more contemporary discussion on the training and role of Islamic religious authorities. It will be of interest to scholars in Religious Studies, Sociology, Political Science, History, and Islamic Studies.

Traduction, introduite et annotée, d'Ibn Taymiyya, « Minhâj al-sunnat al-nabawiyya », édition M. R. SÂLIM, t. VI, p. 382-442, section (faṣl) dans laquelle l'auteur entend réfuter la thèse de la nécessité d'un imâm infaillible avancée par al-Ḥillî dans son « Minhâj al-karâma ».

The catastrophic Mongol incursions into the heart of the Muslim world during the thirteenth century left a path of death and destruction in their wake. Though the assaults succeeded in vanquishing Baghdad, toppling the Muslim caliph himself, it is notable that the famous contemporary historian, 'Ata-Malik Juwayni, does not describe this as the pinnacle of Mongol conquest. Rather, for this Sunni historian, the zenith and culmination of the Mongol invasion is the obliteration of the tiny rival enclave of the Ismailis, a Shi'i sect centered at the mountain fortress of Alamut. It is to this singular event that Juwayni dedicates the concluding one-third of his History of the World Conqueror. The Mongols sought a complete destruction of Alamut and the extermination of the Ismailis. Many of the Persian historians, led by Juwayni, believed that they were successful in this endeavor. Until recently, the complete extermination of the Ismailis in the face of the Mongol behemoth was also accepted as fact in Western scholarship. In this article it is maintained that Ismaili activity in the region in the aftermath of the Mongol invasions was even greater than previously suspected. Inconsistencies and exaggerations in Juwayni's testimony; a correction of his narrative based on other historians, including Rashid al-Din; and the evidence of regional histories, geographical tomes and inscriptions clearly point to sustained Ismaili presence in the region. This evidence is further supported by the fifteenth-century Nasa'ih-i Shah-rukhi, a hostile Khurasani source that clearly indicates that Alamut was a center of the Ismaili da'wa to which community funds were sent. The testimony of the Nasa'ih is supported by that of the da'wa literature of the Indian subcontinent, which provides very suggestive evidence that the residence of the Imam Islam Shah was Alamut. From this, it becomes clear that the south Caspian region continued, perhaps sporadically, as an important center of the Ismaili community for over a century after the Mongol irruption. The eagle had, so to speak, returned.

Le vendredi 27 mars 2015, le souverain du Maroc inaugurait l'Institut Mohammed-VI pour la formation des imams, morchidines et morchi-dates. Ce complexe est destiné à former non seulement les imams du royaume chérifien, mais aussi ceux de nombreux pays d'Afrique sub-saharienne et sahélienne, à la recherche d'un encadrement religieux pondéré ; celui d'un islam du « juste milieu » (al wasatiyya) dont le Maroc a voulu faire sa ligne directrice. Cet article se propose d'étudier les (re)présentations officielles de cet « islam du juste milieu » et les objectifs auxquels il répond dans le contexte politique et religieux africain actuel, avant de donner la parole à des personnes qui gravitent autour ou à l'intérieur de cet institut.

The current study is an attempt to analyze mystical diagrams from Ḥaydar Āmulī’s commentary of the Fuṣūṣ al-ḥikam, and explore the importance of the number 19 and its esoteric significance, which is defined by Āmulī as representing the ‘spiritual friends of God’ (awliyāʾ), including 7 prophets plus 12 Imāms.

The Epistle of the Right Path (Risala-yi Sirat al-Mustaqim) is an anonymous treatise, possibly dating to the late fourteenth or early fifteenth century. It may be the earliest Persian Ismaili prose work of the post-Mongol period to come to light, and is here introduced, discussed, edited and translated. A clearly articulated, philosophically inclined treatment of numerous themes in Ismaili thought, the text draws frequently from Nasir al-Din Tusi’s spiritual autobiography, The Voyage (Sayr wa-Suluk). Its subject matter includes the correspondence between the exoteric and esoteric worlds, the concept of the divine command through which creation attains perfection, the role of the Imam and the esoteric hierarchy, and the fact that esoteric exegesis (ta'wil) of divine revelation must be compatible with the principles of the intellect.

Black Banners from the East tells the story of the first revolution in Islam which caused not merely the change of dynasties, but the end of the formative period of Islamic civilization. It is the story of a messianic movement striving and succeeding in establishing the throne of its Caliph-Messiah. The two volumes of Black banners from the East describe the two stages of the revolution from its early Shī‘ī roots to the major military victories over the Umayyad army and the establishment of the ‘Abbāsid state. While the two volumes form a coherent study, each one of them is independent and can be read on its own.

Volume I, The establishment of the ‘Abbāsid state - Incubation of a revolt, describes the clandestine activity of the movement that began after the collapse of al-Mukhtār's venture. It describes the methods, ideology, and system of activity which the members of the movement followed in order to prepare the hearts and minds and create the wide popular support for its goals. The mechanism of the incubation of this revolt is a fascinating story, describing in detail the development of a pure Shī’ī movement, the Hāshimiyya, into an ‘Abbāsī propaganda machine which prepared the revolt.

This study examines the educational pathways of imams working in Switzerland through literature and expert consultations. Imams are understood to be individuals who, through regular activities (sermons, lectures, lessons) over a certain period of time, are active as religious experts in Islamic communities and are essentially responsible for the interpretation of Islam in these communities. Educational offers in Muslim countries as well as in other European countries are examined. https://www3.unifr.ch/szig/de/forschung/szig/csis-studies-d.htm

Based on qualitative and quantitative analyses of Dutch newspapers, radio and television programs, this article offers a long-term genealogy of the present-day discourse on Islam and homosexuality in the Netherlands. It argues that this discourse dates from well before 2001 and even before 1989, without being a mere continuation of 19 th century Orientalism. A major turning point were the 1970s, when 'foreign workers' and 'homophiles' were regarded as companions in societal misfortune. From the mid-1980s onwards, however, 'Muslims and gays' appeared to be odd bed-fellows. Notwithstanding the political functions and effects of the present-day discourse, ascribing its emergence solely to (nationalist, populist or neoliberal) politicians and 'the media' ignores the agency of others, such as Muslim institutions and organizations – including the 'minority-within-the-minority' self-organizations that sprung up in the 1990s.

Imams have an important role in community leadership and development and they accordingly need appropriate education and training to enable them to effectively perform their role. This is not only required to prepare them in providing leadership in religious matters but also in terms of positively impacting the overall direction of community in accordance with broader national interests. This literature review paper reviews the various perspectives related to Islamic studies tertiary education options for Australian Imams in local universities. The study notes that ‘Islamic studies’ as a discipline has evolved over the decades in Australia and internationally and there are a number of different approaches towards Islamic studies education. While reviewing the course structures and scopes of courses, it is identified that most of the current courses are not suitable to meet the needs of training the Imams. Accordingly, students go to other avenues for meeting their educational needs. In order to ensure better integration with local culture, values, and national priorities, existing university programs need to be explored and other options, including supplementary courses for foreign qualified Imams, may need to be explored. The paper concludes with suggestions regarding future research which can evolve the current body of knowledge on ‘Islamic studies’ education and local training options for Imams.

This one-day conference brings together academics and activists to explore issues of leadership, authority and representation in British Muslim communities.  Who speaks for British Muslims?  How is authority construed, constructed and exercised in an age of mass media and the Internet?  What internal and external factors shape leadership structures and modalities of representation for British Muslims living as a minority in a culturally Christian but largely secular social context?  Where do leaders come from in a decentralised religious tradition lacking a priestly hierarchy?  How do government discourses and media representations impact upon dynamics of leadership and authority in British Muslim communities?

This conference has been organised in conjunction with a special issue of the international journal Religions jointly edited by Professor Sophie Gilliat-Ray and Dr Riyaz Timol.  Delegates may be invited to submit a paper for publication, subject to normal peer-review procedures, after the event.  The deadline for final paper submissions is 25 April 2019.

The inclusion of Islam and Muslim communities within European religious and societal landscapeshas been an ongoing and multifaceted concern for most Western European societies following the increase of their Muslim populations since the 1960s. In this context, the role of Muslim religious leaders (imams and chaplains, in particular) in facilitating the adjustment of their co-religionists in matters of norms, values, ethics and behaviours has become a core issue. Indeed, several imams, due to their training in non-European contexts, have lacked the understanding or discernment to formulate relevant guidance, which has stirred public conversationson the importance of training imams in Europe. The series of terrorist operations over the last six years has further catalysed this debate. For example, the report of the Belgian parliamentary inquiry into the bombing on 22 March 2016 and that of the European Parliament’s Special Committee on Terrorism have also called for due attention to be focused on the importance of training imams in Europe.
Interestingly, far from navigating uncharted territories, a number of academic reports have explored this issue in various national contexts,3 while there is also a breadth of practical experience available at the European level.

This article analyses an ongoing conflict between two groups (Bargil and Kardal) over the management of a mosque located in an area near London. Based on fourteen months of intensive fieldwork, including participant observation, informal chats and semi-structured interviews, this article offers an in-depth and original account of the transformations taking place in mosques concerning the role of imams and mosque committee members. By analysing the object of conflict, the organisational structure, the dynamic of the groups and its leaders, as well as the process of bureaucratisation of mosques as a material condition, I intend to scrutinise the role and status of the imam and mosque committee members. The primary aim of this article is to reexamine and challenge the narrative of decline in religious authority (in Western mosques) propounded by some scholars as being the result of individualisation and the rise of new religious figures outside traditional institutions. I suggest that rather than experiencing a decline in imams' religious authority, mosques have become controlled by the bureaucratic authority of the committee members. In other words, imams' religious authority is still exercised, yet only within the bureaucratic framework set by the committee members.

A review article published in the American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences on the following books: Diana Steigerwald, Imamology in Ismaili Gnosis (New Delhi: Manohar, 2015), Otambek Mastibekov, Leadership and Authority in Central Asia: An Ismaili Community in Tajikistan (Abingdon: Routledge, UK, 2014), and Daryoush Mohammad Poor, Authority without Territory: The Aga Khan Development Network and the Ismaili Imamate (Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan, 2014).

This work looks at the origins of the institution of wilayat al-faqih. Scholarship on this topic traces the institution’s origins to the tenth century when the twelfth Imam went into his complete occultation. This is because the ‘disappearance’ of the Imam put the leading figures of the Twelver community into power and allowed them to create a centralized system claiming to work on behalf of the hidden Imam. This work argues that the origins of the institution should be traced back to the eighth and early ninth centuries when the Imams were still alive. This is because Shi’ite historical sources strongly suggest that the Imam’s were forced to depend on representatives to lead the community and that these representatives became power figures in the community. Moreover, they sometimes acted in the name of Imam while disseminating their own teachings in areas ranging from theology to law.

A version of this paper was originally published in *International Journal of Decision Ethics*, Volume 1, Issue 2, pp. 125-149. Published in 2006, this paper is based on ideas developed several years earlier. It represents an early stab at developing the *philosophical* potential latent within the teaching of the Imams of the AhlulBayt (S) in the context of more contemporary philosophical concerns; in this case via a comparison and contrast with Kant's theory of the "good will". Among other things, this paper contains a rebuttal to C. D. Broad's claim that Kant's argument on the intrinsic goodness of the good will is fallacious.

There are some things the author would change in this paper if it were to be rewritten. For one, the ideas in this article were developed at a time when the perspective of its author (on, e.g. a framework of comparative philosophy, Shīʿī sources) was more under the influence of Henry Corbin. For example, the author's use of 'prophetic', as in 'prophetic sources', has its roots in Corbin. There are other obvious influences as well, each of which needs to be critically revisited and reevaluated.

Corbin was one of the only philosophers to attempt to tap the philosophical potential latent in the teachings of the Imams and to place them in a wider philosophical context. As seminal as his work was and remains, Corbin's framework (one of Meta-Gnosticism) is significantly flawed in certain respects for purposes of situating the thought of the Imams (S). This author is currently working on an alternative philosophical framework.

Much work remains to be done for the research presented in this paper to reach any authoritative conclusions. As the afore-mentioned framework for situating the philosophical intentions of the AhlulBayt (S) becomes more mature, the author may revisit this discussion and bring it up to date. *Inshā Allāh*.

The focus of this research paper is on the effect a targeted curriculum on newcomer students. I have been in my position at South for the past three years and noticed that several Somali girl students display mental health symptoms for anxiety, depression and eating disorder that might negatively impact their grades. Though they could benefit from using mental health services available at the school based clinic or outside of school more often than not the Somali girl students do not seek such help. I needed to help Somali students understand that alike their physical health, their mental health can impede their chance for success. Being a therapist in training (I am currently working on my LICSW) and Somali American, I am deeply interested in students’ mental health and want to make sure Somali students see past the stigma associated with mental health in our community and get the help they need to succeed in school and in life. My hope is that Somali students realize that minimizing the degradation of one’s mental health is counterproductive to learning and that seeking help for mental health is just as “normal” as seeking help for a broken leg. One of the major themes of the ProPay course was the promotion of supportive services therefore, by implementing a culturally appropriate strategy to reduce stigma toward receiving mental health services I wanted to change Somali students’ perception of overall mental health and encourage them to use the school based clinic and collocated service as resources for their mental health needs.

Bu çalışmada Imam Âsim biyografisi onun kıraataki hocaları ve Hz. Peygamber'e ‫ﷺ‬ uzanan senedi inceleyeceğiz. Asıl adı, Ebû Bekir Âsım bin Behdele Ebû Necûd el-Esedî el-Kûfî'dir. Tabiîn devrinde yetişen kırâat âlimlerinden. O "Kırâat-ı Seb'a" adı verilen yedi büyük kırâat âliminin beşincisidir. Allahin kelâmı olan Kur'ân-ı kerîmin kırâatini, okunuşunu bildiren âlimlerdendirdi. İmâm-ı Âsım, Kûfe'de "şeyhu'l-kurrâ" idi. Imam Âsim Kur'ân-ı kerîmi, Efendimizden ‫ﷺ‬ öğrenildiği şekilde en güzel okuyan âlimlerin başıydı.

Osmanlı Devleti'nde imamlar, Müslüman topluma hizmet veren kadrolar içerisinde en geniş yeri tutmakla birlikte üstlendikleri dinî, toplumsal ve resmi görevlerle oldukça önemli bir konumdaydılar. Bu sebeple imamlık, Osmanlı İslam toplumunun önde gelen kurumlarındandır ve geçirdiği değişim ve dönüşümlerle birlikte günümüzde de büyük bir ehemmiyeti haizdir. Mezkûr öneme istinaden bu çalışmada, şimdiye kadar herhangi bir araştırmaya konu edilmemiş olan Osmanlı toplumunda imamların mesleki hayatlarında karşılaştıkları sorunlar ele alınmıştır. Araştırmanın amacı, 18. yüzyıl Diyarbekir ahkâm defterleri ve yine Diyarbekir (Âmid) şer'iyye sicilleri çerçevesinde ilgili dönemde imamların mesleki hayatlarında karşılaştıkları sorunları ortaya koymaktır. Araştırma neticesinde ilgili dönemde imamların mesleki hayatlarında karşılaştıkları sorunların toplam 60 farklı belgeye yansıdığı tespit edilmiştir. Yapılan tasnife göre bu sorunların en sık rastlanılanı vakıflarla ilgilidir. Bunu sırasıyla usulsüz vergi tahsili meselesi, görevlerine yönelik usulsüz müdahaleler, nikâh kıyma ve gasil meseleleri ve sosyal hayatta karşılaşılan az sayıdaki diğer bazı sorunlar takip etmektedir. Bu sorunlar içerisinde özellikle vakıflar, usulsüz imamlık beratları ve vergilere dair meselelerin dikkate değer bir ciddiyette olduğu ve ilgili kurumların işleyişinde birtakım bozulmaların meydana geldiği gözlenmiştir.


Abstract: Imams in Ottoman State were in quite an important position due to their religious, social and official duties since they occupied the largest place among the institutions serving the Muslim community. For this reason, the profession of imam is the most prominent institution of Ottoman Islam community; and it displays a great importance with the transformations and changes it has experienced. Based on the abovementioned importance, the problems that imams of Ottoman community faced in their professional life have been handled in this study, which has not been the subject of any studies so far. The aim of the study is to reveal the problems that the imams faced in their professional life in the related period within the context of XVIII century Diyarbekir Ahkam Books and also Diyarbekir (Amid) Sharia Registry Books. As a result of the investigation, it was established that the problems that imams faced in their professional life were recorded in a total of 60 different records. According to classification, one of the most frequently faced problems was about foundations. Problems related to illegal tax collection, improper interferences in imams due to their duties, performing marriage contract and dead washing and few problems that are faced in social life are the subsequent problems.