Studying Shīʿī Hadith and History
Introduction One of the verses of the Qur’an which has caused much controversy is the one reproduced below: الرَّحْمَٰنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوَىٰ “The Beneficent Istawa over the throne” (20:5). The crux of the problem is how to interpret the verb underlined. In purely linguistic terms Istiwa can refer to: Settling upon something (الاستقرار والتمكن على … Continue reading God Above the Throne?
We read in the Gospel of Mathew Chapter 11 Verses 2 - 5: When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, "Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?" Jesus replied, "Go back and report to John … Continue reading The Blind Receive Sight
Introduction Were the Imams protected from sin? The common Shi'i position is to affirm their infallibility. How can the infallibility of the Imam be proven? Hisham's Argumentation One early attempt to ground this doctrine relying solely on logical argument is demonstrated below: حدثنا محمد بن علي ماجيلويه رضي الله عنه قال: حدثنا علي بن … Continue reading Hisham b. al-Hakam on Infallibility
The Way of the Samurai is found in death. Meditation on inevitable death should be performed daily [Hagakure] Most existential thinkers and psychologists agree that at the root of our angst lies the fear of death, that great destroyer which has the potential to crush our sense of self (the ego). If unchecked this fear can metastasize … Continue reading Conquering the Fear of Death
The Imam al-Sadiq uses a beautiful metaphor to describe how debates should be won. He likens it to the flight of a bird. One should majestically fly above his opponent on a higher plane of logic not allowing him to tie you down. This is when he is describing the prowess of the famous Hisham … Continue reading Taking Flight (How to Win in Debates)
Shiitic Studies 