Shi‘i Islam

Abstract

In this detailed study of Shi‘i Islam, Najam Haider provides a uniquely newapproach, one that excels all other scholarly works available to date on the subject.This book is not just a description of differences between the two majorbranches of Islam, concluding with the natural outcome of the split within thecommunity – Sunnis (roughly 80 percent) and Shi‘is (20 percent) – as the historicalconclusion of two interpretations of Islam. The Sunni interpretation isthat immediately after the Prophet’s death the Muslims elected his father-inlawand elderly Companion Abu Bakr as the community’s political leader, followedby Umar, Uthman, and Ali. The Shi‘i interpretation argues the Prophet’sintention had always been for his son-in-law Ali to succeed him and that thiswas the wish of the Divine. This, they said, was their strongest claim maintainedBook Reviews 131through various interpretations of the Qur’anic verses and through several incidentsfrom the Prophet’s actions and sermons. In this regard, they prove theirclaim through the theological tenets proving the necessity of the Imamate,namely, the divinely appointed leadership of the community.Keeping all of this in mind, the author shows that the study of Shi‘i Islamdoes not stop with this early controversy, but has in fact been a dynamic andevolving stream of thought down to our our own time. Within this evolutionhe includes the Twelver Shi‘is, the Isma‘ilis, and the Zaydis. The author doesnot dwell upon the minor differences between Shi‘is and Sunnis; rather, hedemonstrates a more detailed critical thinking and comprehensive look at theformer’s belief and the prophetic narrations (aḥādīth) concerning Ali’s appointmentas not just the community’s political head, but also as the legitimateauthority who would have complete leadership in political as well asreligious issues. In that sense, the book reveals the clear dichotomy betweenthe political authority possessed by Abu Bakr against the total legitimacypossessed by Ali.Unlike other books on the subject, Haider does not end his thesis by maintainingthat Abu Bakr’s election was the main reason for the split and the ensuingintra-community violence. The author looks at Islam’s completehistorical record and shows that the main difference was a gradual development.The Shi‘ah were influenced by the theological beliefs of groups like theMu‘tazilah, which engendered discussions and debates about the nature ofGod and where legitimate authority lies. Based on this new approach, one thatincludes the Shi‘i renaissance in the Middle East in the aftermath of 9/11, hisbook opens up a new dimension in the scholarship that is only now beginningto learn about the Shi‘i history of Islam not only from the traditional Sunnisources. The book enables scholars and political leaders to look at Islam’scomplete history through Shi‘i sources ...