Podcasts about ismaili studies

Hello and welcome to the second episode of our two-part series on The Ismailis, which features Dr Farhad Daftary, Director Emeritus of the Institute of Ismaili Studies. This episode continues the history of the community, from the collapse of the Fatimid Empire - the only time Ismailis led a state - all the way to the present day.    One topic that dominates this episode is the legends about the community. For hundreds of years Westerners have been fascinated by stories of the Assassins, their mysterious leader and their remote mountain stronghold at Alamut in Northern Iran. The legends first emerged in the 12th century when Crusaders in Syria came into contact with the Nizari Ismailis, who, at the behest of their leader Hasan bin Sabbah (mythologized as the "Old Man of the Mountain"), engaged in dangerous missions to kill their enemies. Elaborated over the years, the tales culminated in Marco Polo's claim that the "Old Man" controlled the behaviour of his self-sacrificing devotees through the use of hashish and a secret garden of paradise. So influential were these tales that the word "assassin" entered European languages as a common noun meaning "murderer".  Dr Daftary addresses in detail the assassins legend created this time by Muslim polemicists aiming to discredit the Ismaili movement. As such, this episode reveals an extraordinary programme of propaganda rooted in the medieval Muslim world and medieval Europe's ignorance of this world. Do subscribe to our YouTube channel, and follow us for more: https://www.instagram.com/muslimfootprints/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/muslim-footprints https://x.com/MFootprintsPod https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557285590197 http://www.youtube.com/@MuslimFootprints https://www.threads.net/@muslimfootprints

Hello again and welcome to our two-part series on The Ismailis, which features Dr Farhad Daftary, Director Emeritus of the Institute of Ismaili Studies.   The Ismailis, a branch of Shi'i Islam, emerged in 765 during the formative period of Islam. Today, the community spans more than 30 countries, embodying a global presence with rich cultural and intellectual contributions.   Dr Daftary provides insights into the community's formation, the challenges of documenting its history, and the esoteric doctrines that distinguish Ismailism. At the heart of Ismaili beliefs is its approach to religious scripture and an emphasis on both apparent and hidden meanings. In other words, while Sharia, or religious laws, evolve over time, the inner spiritual teachings remain constant. This adaptability has helped the Ismailis sustain their identity across centuries, allowing the community to thrive in diverse regions and political climates.   The first part of the series continues through the Fatimid period, when Ismailis wielded significant political power and influence.   Do subscribe to our YouTube channel, and follow us for more: https://www.instagram.com/muslimfootprints/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/muslim-footprints https://x.com/MFootprintsPod https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557285590197 http://www.youtube.com/@MuslimFootprints https://www.threads.net/@muslimfootprints

In their book Women, Households, and the Hereafter in the Qur'an: A Patronage of Piety (Oxford UP/Institute of Ismaili Studies, 2024), Karen Bauer and Feras Hamza make a compelling and thought-provoking argument about the role of everyday life in the Qur'an. They aptly demonstrate that the idea of households and women is integral to the salvific message of the Qur'an, to the Qur'an's understanding of piety and morality, and to Islamic theology. By doing this, the book also makes an important case for the limitations of applying modern ideals and frameworks to the Qur'an, given the 7th century context that sets the stage for the social structures in the text. For instance, the social arrangement of the 7th century community, of the broader society, was reciprocal and inherently set up certain people to be disadvantaged. But that set-up necessitated a focus on piety and morality that would ensure that the privileged protect the marginalized. Yet, the equality component is significant: as Feras Hamza explains in this interview, in the patronage of piety, currency is piety “and the payout is the reward in the afterlife, and once the currency is piety, not material, then everyone can participate.” In other words, since piety is available to everyone, it becomes emancipatory for everyone. What's unique about this book isn't simply that the authors make discoveries about the Qur'an's transformative and emancipatory message about people and communities who are marginalized and vulnerable, which many other scholars have already highlighted; but the main contribution of this book is the way that it shows the equal moral agency of women and men by narrating the developmental story of the Qur'an. Women aren't simply a separate subject, aside from the Qur'an, but are integral to the developmental story of the Qur'an. For instance, the authors highlight some of the major developments from the early to later Meccan surahs, where women become pious subjects in their own right, to early and later Medinan surahs, where women's moral agency comes to its fruition, as seen in linguistics shifts. This idea of the developmental narrative of the Qur'an is a key point in the book and in the interview: Bauer and Hamza consistently show that the moral thread of the Qur'an stays the same, which is that life is a moral test, but its specifics change, evolving from being less nuanced in early Meccan surahs to more so in Medinan ones. Women are related to the theology, to Muhammad, to morality, to ethics, to law. As the authors point out, the Qur'an's purpose of including so many verses on marriage and women is that these issues are clearly connected to larger questions of morality and especially moral agency. The subject of women and the everyday life therefore cannot be isolated from these other categories. The Qur'an is all daily life, and daily life is connected to the hereafter. In this interview, we discuss dissonances between the tradition and the Qur'an and the harms of taking Qur'anic verses in isolation. The authors explain why they believe that households and daily life haven't really been associated with Qur'anic piety and the sacred realm in the study of the Qur'an before. They discuss in detail the idea of the developmental narrative that emerges from their study. We end with the authors' idea that, to quote them, “women's agency did not undermine the Qur'anic patriarchy but was constructed from within it” (p 359), as they explain what this might mean for our world today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In their book Women, Households, and the Hereafter in the Qur'an: A Patronage of Piety (Oxford UP/Institute of Ismaili Studies, 2024), Karen Bauer and Feras Hamza make a compelling and thought-provoking argument about the role of everyday life in the Qur'an. They aptly demonstrate that the idea of households and women is integral to the salvific message of the Qur'an, to the Qur'an's understanding of piety and morality, and to Islamic theology. By doing this, the book also makes an important case for the limitations of applying modern ideals and frameworks to the Qur'an, given the 7th century context that sets the stage for the social structures in the text. For instance, the social arrangement of the 7th century community, of the broader society, was reciprocal and inherently set up certain people to be disadvantaged. But that set-up necessitated a focus on piety and morality that would ensure that the privileged protect the marginalized. Yet, the equality component is significant: as Feras Hamza explains in this interview, in the patronage of piety, currency is piety “and the payout is the reward in the afterlife, and once the currency is piety, not material, then everyone can participate.” In other words, since piety is available to everyone, it becomes emancipatory for everyone. What's unique about this book isn't simply that the authors make discoveries about the Qur'an's transformative and emancipatory message about people and communities who are marginalized and vulnerable, which many other scholars have already highlighted; but the main contribution of this book is the way that it shows the equal moral agency of women and men by narrating the developmental story of the Qur'an. Women aren't simply a separate subject, aside from the Qur'an, but are integral to the developmental story of the Qur'an. For instance, the authors highlight some of the major developments from the early to later Meccan surahs, where women become pious subjects in their own right, to early and later Medinan surahs, where women's moral agency comes to its fruition, as seen in linguistics shifts. This idea of the developmental narrative of the Qur'an is a key point in the book and in the interview: Bauer and Hamza consistently show that the moral thread of the Qur'an stays the same, which is that life is a moral test, but its specifics change, evolving from being less nuanced in early Meccan surahs to more so in Medinan ones. Women are related to the theology, to Muhammad, to morality, to ethics, to law. As the authors point out, the Qur'an's purpose of including so many verses on marriage and women is that these issues are clearly connected to larger questions of morality and especially moral agency. The subject of women and the everyday life therefore cannot be isolated from these other categories. The Qur'an is all daily life, and daily life is connected to the hereafter. In this interview, we discuss dissonances between the tradition and the Qur'an and the harms of taking Qur'anic verses in isolation. The authors explain why they believe that households and daily life haven't really been associated with Qur'anic piety and the sacred realm in the study of the Qur'an before. They discuss in detail the idea of the developmental narrative that emerges from their study. We end with the authors' idea that, to quote them, “women's agency did not undermine the Qur'anic patriarchy but was constructed from within it” (p 359), as they explain what this might mean for our world today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/gender-studies

In their book Women, Households, and the Hereafter in the Qur'an: A Patronage of Piety (Oxford UP/Institute of Ismaili Studies, 2024), Karen Bauer and Feras Hamza make a compelling and thought-provoking argument about the role of everyday life in the Qur'an. They aptly demonstrate that the idea of households and women is integral to the salvific message of the Qur'an, to the Qur'an's understanding of piety and morality, and to Islamic theology. By doing this, the book also makes an important case for the limitations of applying modern ideals and frameworks to the Qur'an, given the 7th century context that sets the stage for the social structures in the text. For instance, the social arrangement of the 7th century community, of the broader society, was reciprocal and inherently set up certain people to be disadvantaged. But that set-up necessitated a focus on piety and morality that would ensure that the privileged protect the marginalized. Yet, the equality component is significant: as Feras Hamza explains in this interview, in the patronage of piety, currency is piety “and the payout is the reward in the afterlife, and once the currency is piety, not material, then everyone can participate.” In other words, since piety is available to everyone, it becomes emancipatory for everyone. What's unique about this book isn't simply that the authors make discoveries about the Qur'an's transformative and emancipatory message about people and communities who are marginalized and vulnerable, which many other scholars have already highlighted; but the main contribution of this book is the way that it shows the equal moral agency of women and men by narrating the developmental story of the Qur'an. Women aren't simply a separate subject, aside from the Qur'an, but are integral to the developmental story of the Qur'an. For instance, the authors highlight some of the major developments from the early to later Meccan surahs, where women become pious subjects in their own right, to early and later Medinan surahs, where women's moral agency comes to its fruition, as seen in linguistics shifts. This idea of the developmental narrative of the Qur'an is a key point in the book and in the interview: Bauer and Hamza consistently show that the moral thread of the Qur'an stays the same, which is that life is a moral test, but its specifics change, evolving from being less nuanced in early Meccan surahs to more so in Medinan ones. Women are related to the theology, to Muhammad, to morality, to ethics, to law. As the authors point out, the Qur'an's purpose of including so many verses on marriage and women is that these issues are clearly connected to larger questions of morality and especially moral agency. The subject of women and the everyday life therefore cannot be isolated from these other categories. The Qur'an is all daily life, and daily life is connected to the hereafter. In this interview, we discuss dissonances between the tradition and the Qur'an and the harms of taking Qur'anic verses in isolation. The authors explain why they believe that households and daily life haven't really been associated with Qur'anic piety and the sacred realm in the study of the Qur'an before. They discuss in detail the idea of the developmental narrative that emerges from their study. We end with the authors' idea that, to quote them, “women's agency did not undermine the Qur'anic patriarchy but was constructed from within it” (p 359), as they explain what this might mean for our world today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/islamic-studies

In their book Women, Households, and the Hereafter in the Qur'an: A Patronage of Piety (Oxford UP/Institute of Ismaili Studies, 2024), Karen Bauer and Feras Hamza make a compelling and thought-provoking argument about the role of everyday life in the Qur'an. They aptly demonstrate that the idea of households and women is integral to the salvific message of the Qur'an, to the Qur'an's understanding of piety and morality, and to Islamic theology. By doing this, the book also makes an important case for the limitations of applying modern ideals and frameworks to the Qur'an, given the 7th century context that sets the stage for the social structures in the text. For instance, the social arrangement of the 7th century community, of the broader society, was reciprocal and inherently set up certain people to be disadvantaged. But that set-up necessitated a focus on piety and morality that would ensure that the privileged protect the marginalized. Yet, the equality component is significant: as Feras Hamza explains in this interview, in the patronage of piety, currency is piety “and the payout is the reward in the afterlife, and once the currency is piety, not material, then everyone can participate.” In other words, since piety is available to everyone, it becomes emancipatory for everyone. What's unique about this book isn't simply that the authors make discoveries about the Qur'an's transformative and emancipatory message about people and communities who are marginalized and vulnerable, which many other scholars have already highlighted; but the main contribution of this book is the way that it shows the equal moral agency of women and men by narrating the developmental story of the Qur'an. Women aren't simply a separate subject, aside from the Qur'an, but are integral to the developmental story of the Qur'an. For instance, the authors highlight some of the major developments from the early to later Meccan surahs, where women become pious subjects in their own right, to early and later Medinan surahs, where women's moral agency comes to its fruition, as seen in linguistics shifts. This idea of the developmental narrative of the Qur'an is a key point in the book and in the interview: Bauer and Hamza consistently show that the moral thread of the Qur'an stays the same, which is that life is a moral test, but its specifics change, evolving from being less nuanced in early Meccan surahs to more so in Medinan ones. Women are related to the theology, to Muhammad, to morality, to ethics, to law. As the authors point out, the Qur'an's purpose of including so many verses on marriage and women is that these issues are clearly connected to larger questions of morality and especially moral agency. The subject of women and the everyday life therefore cannot be isolated from these other categories. The Qur'an is all daily life, and daily life is connected to the hereafter. In this interview, we discuss dissonances between the tradition and the Qur'an and the harms of taking Qur'anic verses in isolation. The authors explain why they believe that households and daily life haven't really been associated with Qur'anic piety and the sacred realm in the study of the Qur'an before. They discuss in detail the idea of the developmental narrative that emerges from their study. We end with the authors' idea that, to quote them, “women's agency did not undermine the Qur'anic patriarchy but was constructed from within it” (p 359), as they explain what this might mean for our world today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/middle-eastern-studies

In their book Women, Households, and the Hereafter in the Qur'an: A Patronage of Piety (Oxford UP/Institute of Ismaili Studies, 2024), Karen Bauer and Feras Hamza make a compelling and thought-provoking argument about the role of everyday life in the Qur'an. They aptly demonstrate that the idea of households and women is integral to the salvific message of the Qur'an, to the Qur'an's understanding of piety and morality, and to Islamic theology. By doing this, the book also makes an important case for the limitations of applying modern ideals and frameworks to the Qur'an, given the 7th century context that sets the stage for the social structures in the text. For instance, the social arrangement of the 7th century community, of the broader society, was reciprocal and inherently set up certain people to be disadvantaged. But that set-up necessitated a focus on piety and morality that would ensure that the privileged protect the marginalized. Yet, the equality component is significant: as Feras Hamza explains in this interview, in the patronage of piety, currency is piety “and the payout is the reward in the afterlife, and once the currency is piety, not material, then everyone can participate.” In other words, since piety is available to everyone, it becomes emancipatory for everyone. What's unique about this book isn't simply that the authors make discoveries about the Qur'an's transformative and emancipatory message about people and communities who are marginalized and vulnerable, which many other scholars have already highlighted; but the main contribution of this book is the way that it shows the equal moral agency of women and men by narrating the developmental story of the Qur'an. Women aren't simply a separate subject, aside from the Qur'an, but are integral to the developmental story of the Qur'an. For instance, the authors highlight some of the major developments from the early to later Meccan surahs, where women become pious subjects in their own right, to early and later Medinan surahs, where women's moral agency comes to its fruition, as seen in linguistics shifts. This idea of the developmental narrative of the Qur'an is a key point in the book and in the interview: Bauer and Hamza consistently show that the moral thread of the Qur'an stays the same, which is that life is a moral test, but its specifics change, evolving from being less nuanced in early Meccan surahs to more so in Medinan ones. Women are related to the theology, to Muhammad, to morality, to ethics, to law. As the authors point out, the Qur'an's purpose of including so many verses on marriage and women is that these issues are clearly connected to larger questions of morality and especially moral agency. The subject of women and the everyday life therefore cannot be isolated from these other categories. The Qur'an is all daily life, and daily life is connected to the hereafter. In this interview, we discuss dissonances between the tradition and the Qur'an and the harms of taking Qur'anic verses in isolation. The authors explain why they believe that households and daily life haven't really been associated with Qur'anic piety and the sacred realm in the study of the Qur'an before. They discuss in detail the idea of the developmental narrative that emerges from their study. We end with the authors' idea that, to quote them, “women's agency did not undermine the Qur'anic patriarchy but was constructed from within it” (p 359), as they explain what this might mean for our world today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In their book Women, Households, and the Hereafter in the Qur'an: A Patronage of Piety (Oxford UP/Institute of Ismaili Studies, 2024), Karen Bauer and Feras Hamza make a compelling and thought-provoking argument about the role of everyday life in the Qur'an. They aptly demonstrate that the idea of households and women is integral to the salvific message of the Qur'an, to the Qur'an's understanding of piety and morality, and to Islamic theology. By doing this, the book also makes an important case for the limitations of applying modern ideals and frameworks to the Qur'an, given the 7th century context that sets the stage for the social structures in the text. For instance, the social arrangement of the 7th century community, of the broader society, was reciprocal and inherently set up certain people to be disadvantaged. But that set-up necessitated a focus on piety and morality that would ensure that the privileged protect the marginalized. Yet, the equality component is significant: as Feras Hamza explains in this interview, in the patronage of piety, currency is piety “and the payout is the reward in the afterlife, and once the currency is piety, not material, then everyone can participate.” In other words, since piety is available to everyone, it becomes emancipatory for everyone. What's unique about this book isn't simply that the authors make discoveries about the Qur'an's transformative and emancipatory message about people and communities who are marginalized and vulnerable, which many other scholars have already highlighted; but the main contribution of this book is the way that it shows the equal moral agency of women and men by narrating the developmental story of the Qur'an. Women aren't simply a separate subject, aside from the Qur'an, but are integral to the developmental story of the Qur'an. For instance, the authors highlight some of the major developments from the early to later Meccan surahs, where women become pious subjects in their own right, to early and later Medinan surahs, where women's moral agency comes to its fruition, as seen in linguistics shifts. This idea of the developmental narrative of the Qur'an is a key point in the book and in the interview: Bauer and Hamza consistently show that the moral thread of the Qur'an stays the same, which is that life is a moral test, but its specifics change, evolving from being less nuanced in early Meccan surahs to more so in Medinan ones. Women are related to the theology, to Muhammad, to morality, to ethics, to law. As the authors point out, the Qur'an's purpose of including so many verses on marriage and women is that these issues are clearly connected to larger questions of morality and especially moral agency. The subject of women and the everyday life therefore cannot be isolated from these other categories. The Qur'an is all daily life, and daily life is connected to the hereafter. In this interview, we discuss dissonances between the tradition and the Qur'an and the harms of taking Qur'anic verses in isolation. The authors explain why they believe that households and daily life haven't really been associated with Qur'anic piety and the sacred realm in the study of the Qur'an before. They discuss in detail the idea of the developmental narrative that emerges from their study. We end with the authors' idea that, to quote them, “women's agency did not undermine the Qur'anic patriarchy but was constructed from within it” (p 359), as they explain what this might mean for our world today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/religion

In her poem 'God's Garden', Dorothy Frances Gurney writes:'One is nearer God's heart in a garden Than anywhere else on earth.'Join Giles Fraser and a panel of green-fingered guests as they gather together at the Aga Khan Centre in Kings Cross to reflect on the theological significance of gardens and gardening.From Eden and Gethsemane, to the ancient Islamic gardens of Andalusia, to the Japanese Gardens of Zen Buddhism; temples to churchyards, these sacred zones have been places of solace and reflection for millennia; places of life and death, of peace and tranquillity. Here, even non-religious gardeners find common ground with their religious counterparts: on their knees, often in silence, hands in the earth. For many, gardening is the answer. We hear from Jill Smith - lay minister and trustee of 'The Quiet Garden Movement', who tells us how her garden is a place of healing.Our panellists are Dr Omar Ali de Unzaga - Head of Ismaili Studies at the Aga Khan Centre, Revd Lucy Winkett - Rector at St James' Church in Piccadilly, and Ai Hishii - Director of Japanese garden architects, Momiji Design.*You can visit the Islamic Gardens at the Aga Khan Centre for free - book online.Presenter: Giles Fraser Producers: James Leesley and Bara'atu Ibrahim Editor: Tim Pemberton

Gurdofarid Miskinzoda is the Head of the Shiʿi Studies Unit in the Department of Academic Research and Publication at The Institute of Ismaili Studies. She is also the Managing Editor of the Shiʿi Heritage Series. Miskinzoda's academic background is in the fields of the history of the Near and Middle East and of Islam, Islamic Studies, philology and the study of Arabic and Persian literatures. She is the editor (with Farhad Daftary) of The Study of Shiʿi Islam: History, Theology and Law (London, 2014). Having completed her doctoral studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in 2007, with a dissertation on medieval accounts of the Prophet Muhammad's life, Miskinzoda joined the Institute of Ismaili Studies as a Research Associate. Most recently in 2019, Miskinzoda completed an MBA in Higher Education Management at the IOE, UCL. Miskinzoda is a Senior Fellow of the Hider Education Academy, UK.

The Fatimids were an Ismaili dynasty that reigned over a diverse religious and ethnic population for about 200 years, emerging from the vibrant 10th century world of the Mediterranean. At its height, the Fatimid Empire stretched across the length of the southern Mediterranean and down the Red Sea coast – what we know as Algeria today all the way to the Levant, and along the west coast of Arabia – and included the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, as well as Jerusalem, Damascus, and even Sicily. The authority of its Imam-Caliphs was recognised as far as present-day Iran, Central Asia, Yemen, and India. The story of how the dynasty came about, is as remarkable as some of its achievements.  Dr Shainool Jiwa is Senior Research Fellow at The Institute of Ismaili Studies, and has lectured and published on Fatimid Studies for over three decades. She has published The Fatimids 1: The Rise of a Muslim Empire (2018) and co-edited The Shi'i World: Pathways in Tradition and Modernity (2015) and The Fatimid Caliphate: Diversity of Traditions (2017) as well as translating key medieval Arabic texts relating to Fatimid history. She holds a PhD from the University of Edinburgh, UK.   Listen now to this episode, and subscribe to Muslim Footprints.

Hazrat Ali ibn Abi Talib is one of the most important spiritual and intellectual authorities in Islam after the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). He was the son-in-law and cousin of the Prophet, the fourth of the four ‘rightly guided caliphs' who led the nascent Muslim community, and the first Shi'i spiritual leader, or Imam. Considering his importance in the elaboration of intellectual, ethical, spiritual, legal and political traditions in Islam, there is a dearth of literature in Western languages on his life and thought. In this episode, author and researcher Dr Reza Shah Kazemi tells us about Imam Ali's life, his spirituality, and his guidance for behaving justly. Reza Shah-Kazemi is a research associate at The Institute of Ismaili Studies in London, where he specialises in Sufism, Shi'ism, and comparative mysticism.  Listen now to this episode, and subscribe to Muslim Footprints.

Dr. Ali Asani is Murray A. Albertson Professor of Middle Eastern Studies and Professor of Indo-Muslim and Islamic Religion and Cultures at Harvard University. He has also served as the Chair of the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations and Director of the Prince Alwaleed Islamic Studies Program. A specialist on Muslim traditions and communities in South Asia, Professor Asani's research focuses on Shia and Sufi devotional traditions in the region. He has been particularly active post-Sept 11 in improving the understanding of Islam and its role in Muslim societies by emphasizing the role of the arts aspedagogic bridges to foster a better understandings of Islam and Muslim cultures globally.The author of many articles and several books, he has been a recipient of awards foroutstanding teaching. In 2020 he was recognized as Faculty of the Year by the Harvard Foundation and also appointed to the Board of Governors of the Institute of Ismaili Studies.

Taushif Kara (Cambridge) as part of the Conference - Expulsion: Uganda's Asians and the Remaking of Nationality The partition of the subcontinent in 1947 presented a unique problem for its diaspora. Trading communities in places like Gwadar often found themselves forced to choose between Indian and Pakistani citizenship but desiring neither, while in colonial Tanganyika many sought British nationality. But attached to the persistent problem of nationality there was also the question of naming, as the once porous category of Indian was now linked to a specific post-colonial state. These communities were often described for the first time as “Asian” as a way to elide this problem. This paper explores the unique genealogy and debates over this novel term amongst the communities in Uganda who considered it for themselves. I focus, however, on the groups that ultimately rejected it and instead decided to claim the name “African” instead, showing that it was at precisely this moment that they were expelled. Taushif Kara is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Centre of Islamic Studies and Jesus College, Cambridge. He obtained his PhD from the Faculty of History at Cambridge in 2021 with a thesis on the Khoja diaspora around the Indian Ocean world. Kara previously studied Islamic history and philosophy at the Institute of Ismaili Studies in London and served as a Teaching Fellow in the Department of Religions and Philosophies at SOAS.

My guest in this episode is Dr. Yahia Baiza who is a research associate at the Institute of Ismaili Studies in London. Yahia works on the intersection of history and education in Afghanistan. We discussed the history of Afghanistan, issues around identity and state formation, the Cold War and its implications in Afghanistan and how those shifts were reflected in the education system in the country.

Anar Amin is a regional academic lead for ITREB who oversees 20 Jamat Khanas in the U.S and has spent over a decade in the Secondary Teacher Education Program (STEP). She went into the STEP system after a personal tragedy put her on a path of rediscovering her faith. On this episode, we learn more about Anar's childhood and upbringing, her travels teaching in different cities and countries—from Los Angeles to Germany, and her advice for aspiring educators.  Connect with Anar Amin on LinkedIn Learn more about STEP For those interested in learning more about Muslim Societies and Civilizations or aspiring to be STEP educators, you can pick up any of the Secondary Curriculums published by The Institute of Ismaili Studies here. STEP educators also teach these modules in Religious Education Classes worldwide.  Daughters of Abraham book club Read the transcript here. Books Mentioned:  The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle Braving the Wilderness by Brené Brown No God But God by Reza Aslan A Short History of Ismailis by Dr. Farhad Daftry The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho  

Episode 2, with Dr Faisal Devji, (St Antony's College, Oxford), talks with Joshua Craze (University of Chicago) and writer Aaron Tugendhaft about Aaron's new book The Idols of ISIS: From Assyria to the Internet, University of Chicago Press 2020. Aaron Tugendhaft is an author and educator based in Berlin. He studied art history, political philosophy, and the history of religion at the University of Chicago, New York University, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and the Sorbonne, and has taught humanities to diverse audiences on four continents. In 2013, he was awarded the Jonas C. Greenfield Prize by the American Oriental Society. Joshua Craze is a fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science and a writer-in-residence at the Embassy of Foreign Artists, Geneva, where he is finishing a book on displacement and grief. He has taught political philosophy and anthropology at Sciences-Po, Paris, the University of Chicago, and the University of California, Berkeley. He has published essays and fiction in the Guardian, N+1, Cabinet, and Foreign Policy, amongst other venues, and was the 2014 UNESCO Artist Laureate in Creative Writing. His work is available at https://www.joshuacraze.com/ Abstract from the book In 2015, the Islamic State released a video of men smashing sculptures in Iraq's Mosul Museum as part of a mission to cleanse the world of idolatry. This book unpacks three key facets of that event: the status and power of images, the political importance of museums, and the efficacy of videos in furthering an ideological agenda through the internet. Beginning with the Islamic State's claim that the smashed objects were idols of the "age of ignorance," Aaron Tugendhaft questions whether there can be any political life without idolatry. He then explores the various roles Mesopotamian sculpture has played in European imperial competition, the development of artistic modernism, and the formation of Iraqi national identity, showing how this history reverberates in the choice of the Mosul Museum as performance stage. Finally, he compares the Islamic State's production of images to the ways in which images circulated in ancient Assyria and asks how digitization has transformed politics in the age of social media. An elegant and accessibly written introduction to the complexities of such events, The Idols of ISIS is ideal for students and readers seeking a richer cultural perspective than the media usually provides. Episode chaired by Dr Faisal Devji, St Antony's College. Faisal has held faculty positions at the New School in New York, Yale University and the University of Chicago, from where he also received his PhD in Intellectual History. Devji was Junior Fellow at the Society of Fellows, Harvard University, and Head of Graduate Studies at the Institute of Ismaili Studies in London, from where he directed post-graduate courses in the Near East and Central Asia.

In this episode, Ayso Milikbekov reflects on how poetry provides a mean to communicate with the Divine. Poetry provides space and mean to experience and express the Divine. Presenter Details Ayso Milikbekov MA student in Islamic Studies and Humanities, The Institute of Ismaili Studies, School of Oriental and African Studies.

In this episode, Ayso Milikbekov reflects on how poetry provides a mean to communicate with the Divine. Poetry provides space and mean to experience and express the Divine. Presenter Details Ayso Milikbekov MA student in Islamic Studies and Humanities, The Institute of Ismaili Studies, School of Oriental and African Studies.

Sahil interviews Shainool Jiwa -- the Head of Constituency Studies at the Institute of Ismaili Studies and a specialist of the Fatimid Empire -- on lessons from the Fatimids for today. 

Ryan Makhani and Shaida Adatia, Sufi meditation Wedensday, June 7, 2017 Ryan Makhani and Shaida Adatia discussed and led participants through a diverse range of Sufi meditative traditions with an emphasis on spiritual and mystical practices from around the world, highlighting the ideas of compassion and prayer. Participants were exposed to Islamic traditions from countries as far ranging as Turkey, Tajikistan, India, Indonesia, Iran and Morocco. The meditation was in three parts: -An introduction and brief on the richness of poetry and the oral tradition in Mecca in the 7th century. -Islamic Music as sung and played in public places or private devotions. Due to Islam being a multi-ethnic religion, the musical expression of its adherents is vastly diverse. The indigenous musical styles of these areas have shaped the devotional music enjoyed by contemporary Muslims. -The esoteric form of prayer known as Dikr, which is a Quranic term used for remembrance of Allah or repeating His name. About the meditation leaders: For the last decade, Ryan Makhani has served as a Religious Education Teacher for Ismaili Muslim youth focusing on ethics and humanities. Inspired by students in his Ethical Pathways to Human Development course, he founded BuildMyIdea.org, which aims to enable young people to be innovative leaders. As a teacher educator, Ryan has led sessions on mindfulness, self-awareness and servant leadership. He completed a Masters in Teaching and Masters in Muslim Societies and Civilizations from University of London's Institute of Education and the Institute of Ismaili Studies. Ryan has a keen interest in Sufism and mysticism. Shaida Adatia is a professional educator with more than two decades of experience in Central Africa, Canada and the United States. She is involved in work around the world that promotes empowerment in youth through education. She is also involved in Houston’s interfaith community circles focusing on bridge building. In her spare time she loves to read about and research various faith traditions. The Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims, generally known as the Ismailis, belong to the Shia branch of Islam. The Shia form one of the two major branches of Islam, the Sunni being the other. The Ismailis live in over 25 different countries, mainly in Central and South Asia, Africa and the Middle East, as well as in Europe, North America and Australia. About Twelve Moments series: Twelve Moments: Experiencing Spiritual and Faith Traditions is a monthly series presented in partnership with Ligmincha Texas Institute, The Jung Center of Houston, MD Anderson Cancer Center, and the Rothko Chapel. Since September 2005, on the first Wednesday of each month from 12-1pm, the Rothko Chapel hosts a meditation or contemplative practice focusing on a different spiritual or faith tradition featuring teachers and religious leaders from throughout the greater Houston community. This series provides opportunities for visitors to learn more about a specific spiritual or faith tradition, and experience a related meditation or contemplative practice, such as prayer, chanting, etc.

Muslim debates regarding the translation of the Qur’an are very old. However, during the modern period they became heated because local communities around the globe were rethinking their relationship to scripture in new social and political settings. M. Brett Wilson, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Macalester College, provides a rich history of how this conversation unfolding with the late Ottoman period and Republic of Turkey in Translating the Qur’an in an Age of Nationalism: Print Culture and Modern Islam in Turkey (Oxford University Press in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies, 2014). The Qur’an’s translatability is contested from various perspectives (both old and new) but emerging print technologies, shifting political authority, and changing economies of knowledge production offer contemporary challenges that mark the demand for Turkish translations. Wilson narrates the production of vernacular interpretations and commentaries, unofficial translations, and a state-sponsored project. In many cases, translation was viewed as a tool of progress, modernization, and Turkish nationalism. For others, it led to vernacular ritual practice and the disharmony of the global Muslim community. He also investigates the role of religious authorities, lay community members, publishers, calligraphers, Protestant missionaries, Arab neighbors, and the government in the creation and rejection of Turkish translations of the Qur’an. In our conversation we discuss print technologies, vernacular commentaries, shipping and trade, Ottoman politics, secularism, Arab nationalism, everyday ritual worship,  and arguments about the Qur’an’s translatability. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Muslim debates regarding the translation of the Qur’an are very old. However, during the modern period they became heated because local communities around the globe were rethinking their relationship to scripture in new social and political settings. M. Brett Wilson, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Macalester College, provides a rich history of how this conversation unfolding with the late Ottoman period and Republic of Turkey in Translating the Qur’an in an Age of Nationalism: Print Culture and Modern Islam in Turkey (Oxford University Press in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies, 2014). The Qur’an’s translatability is contested from various perspectives (both old and new) but emerging print technologies, shifting political authority, and changing economies of knowledge production offer contemporary challenges that mark the demand for Turkish translations. Wilson narrates the production of vernacular interpretations and commentaries, unofficial translations, and a state-sponsored project. In many cases, translation was viewed as a tool of progress, modernization, and Turkish nationalism. For others, it led to vernacular ritual practice and the disharmony of the global Muslim community. He also investigates the role of religious authorities, lay community members, publishers, calligraphers, Protestant missionaries, Arab neighbors, and the government in the creation and rejection of Turkish translations of the Qur’an. In our conversation we discuss print technologies, vernacular commentaries, shipping and trade, Ottoman politics, secularism, Arab nationalism, everyday ritual worship,  and arguments about the Qur’an’s translatability. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Muslim debates regarding the translation of the Qur’an are very old. However, during the modern period they became heated because local communities around the globe were rethinking their relationship to scripture in new social and political settings. M. Brett Wilson, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Macalester College, provides a rich history of how this conversation unfolding with the late Ottoman period and Republic of Turkey in Translating the Qur’an in an Age of Nationalism: Print Culture and Modern Islam in Turkey (Oxford University Press in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies, 2014). The Qur’an’s translatability is contested from various perspectives (both old and new) but emerging print technologies, shifting political authority, and changing economies of knowledge production offer contemporary challenges that mark the demand for Turkish translations. Wilson narrates the production of vernacular interpretations and commentaries, unofficial translations, and a state-sponsored project. In many cases, translation was viewed as a tool of progress, modernization, and Turkish nationalism. For others, it led to vernacular ritual practice and the disharmony of the global Muslim community. He also investigates the role of religious authorities, lay community members, publishers, calligraphers, Protestant missionaries, Arab neighbors, and the government in the creation and rejection of Turkish translations of the Qur’an. In our conversation we discuss print technologies, vernacular commentaries, shipping and trade, Ottoman politics, secularism, Arab nationalism, everyday ritual worship,  and arguments about the Qur’an’s translatability. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Muslim debates regarding the translation of the Qur’an are very old. However, during the modern period they became heated because local communities around the globe were rethinking their relationship to scripture in new social and political settings. M. Brett Wilson, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Macalester College, provides a rich history of how this conversation unfolding with the late Ottoman period and Republic of Turkey in Translating the Qur’an in an Age of Nationalism: Print Culture and Modern Islam in Turkey (Oxford University Press in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies, 2014). The Qur’an’s translatability is contested from various perspectives (both old and new) but emerging print technologies, shifting political authority, and changing economies of knowledge production offer contemporary challenges that mark the demand for Turkish translations. Wilson narrates the production of vernacular interpretations and commentaries, unofficial translations, and a state-sponsored project. In many cases, translation was viewed as a tool of progress, modernization, and Turkish nationalism. For others, it led to vernacular ritual practice and the disharmony of the global Muslim community. He also investigates the role of religious authorities, lay community members, publishers, calligraphers, Protestant missionaries, Arab neighbors, and the government in the creation and rejection of Turkish translations of the Qur’an. In our conversation we discuss print technologies, vernacular commentaries, shipping and trade, Ottoman politics, secularism, Arab nationalism, everyday ritual worship,  and arguments about the Qur’an’s translatability. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Muslim debates regarding the translation of the Qur’an are very old. However, during the modern period they became heated because local communities around the globe were rethinking their relationship to scripture in new social and political settings. M. Brett Wilson, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Macalester College, provides a rich history of how this conversation unfolding with the late Ottoman period and Republic of Turkey in Translating the Qur’an in an Age of Nationalism: Print Culture and Modern Islam in Turkey (Oxford University Press in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies, 2014). The Qur’an’s translatability is contested from various perspectives (both old and new) but emerging print technologies, shifting political authority, and changing economies of knowledge production offer contemporary challenges that mark the demand for Turkish translations. Wilson narrates the production of vernacular interpretations and commentaries, unofficial translations, and a state-sponsored project. In many cases, translation was viewed as a tool of progress, modernization, and Turkish nationalism. For others, it led to vernacular ritual practice and the disharmony of the global Muslim community. He also investigates the role of religious authorities, lay community members, publishers, calligraphers, Protestant missionaries, Arab neighbors, and the government in the creation and rejection of Turkish translations of the Qur’an. In our conversation we discuss print technologies, vernacular commentaries, shipping and trade, Ottoman politics, secularism, Arab nationalism, everyday ritual worship,  and arguments about the Qur’an’s translatability. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Around the first millennium of the Christian era, a small group of Ismaili Shi’i Muslims established a dynasty that rapidly conquered North Africa from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea. At the height of their power they conquered Egypt, where they founded the city of Cairo, and their Imam-Caliphs had their names read out in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, rivaling the Abbasid caliph in Baghdad. And yet, despite three centuries of rule by a powerful Shi’i empire, North Africa remained—and remains—Sunni with nary a trace of its Shi’ite past. In this episode, guest Shainool Jiwa from the Institute of Ismaili Studies in London illuminates an often overlooked chapter in the history of Islamic sectarianism, one in which religious differences were used to unify diverse populations under the rule of a minority government, rather than to divide and alienate them.

A lecture by Dr. Omar Ali-de-Unzaga, Research Associate, The Institute of Ismaili Studies, London. Part of the conference "Reflections on Ismaili Studies: Standing on Poonawala's Shoulders."

A lecture by Dr. Sumaiya Hamdani, Associate Professor, History and Art History Dept., George Mason University. Part of the conference "Reflections on Ismaili Studies: Standing on Poonawala's Shoulders."

The famous Abu’l-Qasim al-Qushayri (d. 465/1072) is well known as one of the most influential figures in the formative period of Sufism. He was part of a network of prominent Sufis in Nishapur that were shaping the competing forms of spirituality during the eleventh century. Due to this noteworthy role in Sufism al-Qushayri’s work has rarely been examined within the contexts of the concurrent and intimately connected traditions with which he was also engaged. Martin Nguyen, Assistant Professor in the Religious Studies Department at Fairfield University and founder of the great site Islamicana, has meticulously reconstructed the nexus of al-Qushayri’s intellectual field through a close examination of his Qur’an commentary, Lata’if al-isharat (Subtleties of the Signs). In Sufi Master and Qur’an Scholar: Abu’l-Qasim al-Qushayri and the Lata’if al-isharat (Oxford University Press, 2012), part of the Oxford Qur’an series in association with The Institute of Ismaili Studies, Nguyen draws al-Qushayri’s legal training in the Shafi’i madhhab and his theological positioning the Ash’ari school to the surface. He also demonstrates that al-Qushayri had a continuing exegetical corpus and was long committed to Qur’anic commentary. As the final iteration of his tafsir, the Lata’if points to al-Qushayri’s alignment with a Nishapuri collective of exegetical hermeneutics. Some of the various issues Nguyen’s close reading explores include muhkam and mutashabih (clear and ambiguous) Qur’an verses, naskh (abrogation), the ascension narrative (Q. 53.1-18) comparing al-Qushayri’s Kitab al-Mi’raj and the Lata’if, the disconnected letters in the Qur’an (al-huruf al-muqatta’a), the narrative of Job, anthropomorphism, and the Master and aspirant (Shaykh and murid) relationship. In our conversation we also discussed the notion of tradition, exploring archives and manuscripts, composition and audience, attribution, exoteric versus esoteric commentaries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The famous Abu’l-Qasim al-Qushayri (d. 465/1072) is well known as one of the most influential figures in the formative period of Sufism. He was part of a network of prominent Sufis in Nishapur that were shaping the competing forms of spirituality during the eleventh century. Due to this noteworthy role in Sufism al-Qushayri’s work has rarely been examined within the contexts of the concurrent and intimately connected traditions with which he was also engaged. Martin Nguyen, Assistant Professor in the Religious Studies Department at Fairfield University and founder of the great site Islamicana, has meticulously reconstructed the nexus of al-Qushayri’s intellectual field through a close examination of his Qur’an commentary, Lata’if al-isharat (Subtleties of the Signs). In Sufi Master and Qur’an Scholar: Abu’l-Qasim al-Qushayri and the Lata’if al-isharat (Oxford University Press, 2012), part of the Oxford Qur’an series in association with The Institute of Ismaili Studies, Nguyen draws al-Qushayri’s legal training in the Shafi’i madhhab and his theological positioning the Ash’ari school to the surface. He also demonstrates that al-Qushayri had a continuing exegetical corpus and was long committed to Qur’anic commentary. As the final iteration of his tafsir, the Lata’if points to al-Qushayri’s alignment with a Nishapuri collective of exegetical hermeneutics. Some of the various issues Nguyen’s close reading explores include muhkam and mutashabih (clear and ambiguous) Qur’an verses, naskh (abrogation), the ascension narrative (Q. 53.1-18) comparing al-Qushayri’s Kitab al-Mi’raj and the Lata’if, the disconnected letters in the Qur’an (al-huruf al-muqatta’a), the narrative of Job, anthropomorphism, and the Master and aspirant (Shaykh and murid) relationship. In our conversation we also discussed the notion of tradition, exploring archives and manuscripts, composition and audience, attribution, exoteric versus esoteric commentaries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The famous Abu’l-Qasim al-Qushayri (d. 465/1072) is well known as one of the most influential figures in the formative period of Sufism. He was part of a network of prominent Sufis in Nishapur that were shaping the competing forms of spirituality during the eleventh century. Due to this noteworthy role in Sufism al-Qushayri’s work has rarely been examined within the contexts of the concurrent and intimately connected traditions with which he was also engaged. Martin Nguyen, Assistant Professor in the Religious Studies Department at Fairfield University and founder of the great site Islamicana, has meticulously reconstructed the nexus of al-Qushayri’s intellectual field through a close examination of his Qur’an commentary, Lata’if al-isharat (Subtleties of the Signs). In Sufi Master and Qur’an Scholar: Abu’l-Qasim al-Qushayri and the Lata’if al-isharat (Oxford University Press, 2012), part of the Oxford Qur’an series in association with The Institute of Ismaili Studies, Nguyen draws al-Qushayri’s legal training in the Shafi’i madhhab and his theological positioning the Ash’ari school to the surface. He also demonstrates that al-Qushayri had a continuing exegetical corpus and was long committed to Qur’anic commentary. As the final iteration of his tafsir, the Lata’if points to al-Qushayri’s alignment with a Nishapuri collective of exegetical hermeneutics. Some of the various issues Nguyen’s close reading explores include muhkam and mutashabih (clear and ambiguous) Qur’an verses, naskh (abrogation), the ascension narrative (Q. 53.1-18) comparing al-Qushayri’s Kitab al-Mi’raj and the Lata’if, the disconnected letters in the Qur’an (al-huruf al-muqatta’a), the narrative of Job, anthropomorphism, and the Master and aspirant (Shaykh and murid) relationship. In our conversation we also discussed the notion of tradition, exploring archives and manuscripts, composition and audience, attribution, exoteric versus esoteric commentaries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The famous Abu’l-Qasim al-Qushayri (d. 465/1072) is well known as one of the most influential figures in the formative period of Sufism. He was part of a network of prominent Sufis in Nishapur that were shaping the competing forms of spirituality during the eleventh century. Due to this noteworthy role in Sufism al-Qushayri’s work has rarely been examined within the contexts of the concurrent and intimately connected traditions with which he was also engaged. Martin Nguyen, Assistant Professor in the Religious Studies Department at Fairfield University and founder of the great site Islamicana, has meticulously reconstructed the nexus of al-Qushayri’s intellectual field through a close examination of his Qur’an commentary, Lata’if al-isharat (Subtleties of the Signs). In Sufi Master and Qur’an Scholar: Abu’l-Qasim al-Qushayri and the Lata’if al-isharat (Oxford University Press, 2012), part of the Oxford Qur’an series in association with The Institute of Ismaili Studies, Nguyen draws al-Qushayri’s legal training in the Shafi’i madhhab and his theological positioning the Ash’ari school to the surface. He also demonstrates that al-Qushayri had a continuing exegetical corpus and was long committed to Qur’anic commentary. As the final iteration of his tafsir, the Lata’if points to al-Qushayri’s alignment with a Nishapuri collective of exegetical hermeneutics. Some of the various issues Nguyen’s close reading explores include muhkam and mutashabih (clear and ambiguous) Qur’an verses, naskh (abrogation), the ascension narrative (Q. 53.1-18) comparing al-Qushayri’s Kitab al-Mi’raj and the Lata’if, the disconnected letters in the Qur’an (al-huruf al-muqatta’a), the narrative of Job, anthropomorphism, and the Master and aspirant (Shaykh and murid) relationship. In our conversation we also discussed the notion of tradition, exploring archives and manuscripts, composition and audience, attribution, exoteric versus esoteric commentaries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

James Morris Two Conversations about Ibn 'Arabi Join Michael Lerner in conversation with Islamic and religious studies scholar James Morris in The New School at Commonweal’s ongoing series on the great Sufi poet Ibn ‘Arabi. James Morris, PhD James is currently professor of Theology at Boston College, and has previously taught Islamic and religious studies at the University of Exeter, Princeton, Oberlin, the Sorbonne (EPHE), and the Institute of Ismaili Studies in Paris and London. His field research and exploration of living spiritual traditions have taken him to Iran, Afghanistan, Morocco, Egypt, Turkey, and Southeast Asia. Professor Morris has published widely on many areas of religious thought and practice, including the Islamic humanities (poetry and music), Islamic philosophy, Sufism, the Qur’an, Shiite thought, and the use of cinema in spiritual teaching. His most recent books include The Master and the Disciple (2001); Orientations: Islamic Thought in a World Civilisation (2004); The Reflective Heart: Discovering Spiritual Intelligence in Ibn ‘Arabi’s ‘Meccan Illuminations’ (2005); Ostad Elahi’s Knowing the Spirit (SUNY, 2007); and Openings: From the Qur’an to the Islamic Humanities (forthcoming). Find out more about The New School at tns.commonweal.org.

James Morris Two Conversations about Ibn 'Arabi Join Michael Lerner in conversation with Islamic and religious studies scholar James Morris in The New School at Commonweal’s ongoing series on the great Sufi poet Ibn ‘Arabi. James Morris, PhD James is currently professor of Theology at Boston College, and has previously taught Islamic and religious studies at the University of Exeter, Princeton, Oberlin, the Sorbonne (EPHE), and the Institute of Ismaili Studies in Paris and London. His field research and exploration of living spiritual traditions have taken him to Iran, Afghanistan, Morocco, Egypt, Turkey, and Southeast Asia. Professor Morris has published widely on many areas of religious thought and practice, including the Islamic humanities (poetry and music), Islamic philosophy, Sufism, the Qur’an, Shiite thought, and the use of cinema in spiritual teaching. His most recent books include The Master and the Disciple (2001); Orientations: Islamic Thought in a World Civilisation (2004); The Reflective Heart: Discovering Spiritual Intelligence in Ibn ‘Arabi’s ‘Meccan Illuminations’ (2005); Ostad Elahi’s Knowing the Spirit (SUNY, 2007); and Openings: From the Qur’an to the Islamic Humanities (forthcoming). Find out more about The New School at tns.commonweal.org.

Dr Farhad Daftary, from the Institute of Ismaili Studies in London, discusses the history of Iranian Ismailis. (October 08, 2009)