(Part 2) Top products from r/shia
We found 22 product mentions on r/shia. We ranked the 79 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the products ranked 21-40. You can also go back to the previous section.
23. Al-Kafi, Volume 1 of 8: English Translation
Sentiment score: 2
Number of reviews: 1
24. Shi'i Scholars of Nineteenth-Century Iraq: The 'Ulama' of Najaf and Karbala' (Cambridge Middle East Studies)
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 1
Used Book in Good Condition
26. The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 1
Oxford University Press, USA
27. The Venture of Islam, Volume 1: The Classical Age of Islam (His The venture of Islam ; v. 1)
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 1
28. The Martyrs of Karbala: Shi'i Symbols and Rituals in Modern Iran
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 1
29. After the Prophet: The Epic Story of the Shia-Sunni Split in Islam
Sentiment score: -1
Number of reviews: 1
Anchor Books
30. The Formative Period of Twelver Shicism (Culture and Civilization in the Middle East)
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 1
31. Religion and State in Iran 1785-1906 : The Role of the Ulama in the Qajar Period.
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 1
32. God's Caliph (University of Cambridge Oriental Publications)
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 1
Used Book in Good Condition
33. The Charismatic Community: Shi'ite Identity in Early Islam (SUNY series in Islam)
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 1
Used Book in Good Condition
34. The Thread of Mu'awiya: The Making of a Marja' Taqlid
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 1
35. The Mantle of the Prophet: Religion and Politics in Iran
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 1
Used Book in Good Condition
36. Evolution: The First Four Billion Years
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 1
Used Book in Good Condition
37. Twelve Infallible Men: The Imams and the Making of Shi’ism
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 1
Here's a list of the key books in the field that I'm familiar with (by name and general contents, I've only actually read a few of them). I'm mainly focusing on what is relevant to the study of Twelver Shi'ism; there aren't many English language books on Zaidism, as far as I'm aware, and for Isma'ilism you can start with the works of Farhad Daftary.
I'll start with important works providing an overview of the area, and then give a rough breakdown by "era" (I may be a bit off regarding the era, and many of these books straddle two or more eras, so be warned). This list does not emphasize geographic studies of Shi'ism in various areas and countries, and rather traces the "core narrative" of the development of Shi'i intellectual history, which is typically thought of as happening in what is now modern day Iran, Iraq, and (especially in the post-Mongol/pre-Safavid era) Lebanon, and to a lesser extent in Bahrain. Once you've read the initial works, you should have a good idea about what's going on in each era, and you can pick and choose what to read based on your interests.
If you have no background in general Islamic history, you should first pick up a book on that subject. Tamim Ansary's Destiny Disrupted is an accessible non-academic book on general Islamic history (with an entertaining audiobook read by the author). If you want something heavier and more academic, Marshall G.S. Hodgson's The Venture of Islam is the classic three-volume reference in the field of Islamic studies, although it's a bit dated, especially in the third volume (covering the so-called "Gunpowder Empires"). Note that the standard introductory text on Shi'ism has long been Moojan Momen's book An Introduction to Shi'i Islam: The History and Doctrines of Twelver Shi'ism, but this book is now a bit dated. Heinz Halm also has some surveys, but I'm less familiar with these; likewise for the surveys of Farhad Daftary (who is better known for his work on Isma'ilism than general Shi'ism).
Surveys, Background, and Introduction
The Succession and the so-called "Rashidun" Era
The Imams and Early Shi'is in the Ummayid and `Abbasid Eras
The Buyid, Seljuq, and Mongol Eras
The Safavid Era and the Scholars of Jabal Amil
The Iranian Interregnum Era
The Qajar Era
The Contemporary Era / Miscellaneous
I too am an English speaker, and read translations primarily. I hope to learn Arabic, Insha Allah, that I may read Qur'an in the original language. Not only do I believe it has more benefits (per se), but I understand that the miracle of Qur'an is only ascertained when read in Arabic. This is because it is the most illustrious and multifaceted example of Arabic poetry (which in itself is complex, I'm sure).
So, I would suggest definitely trying to learn Arabic. Continue reading translations as well though, as Allah (swt) surely speaks to us through His Word according to the knowledge we have, and what we have available.
An english translation that best exhibits the poetic nature of the Qur'an is the classic translation by Arthur J. Arberry. This version has received a lot of good commentary on both sides.
I thought A Bundle of Flowers is a very good collection of hadiths from different books covering a wide range of topics to get one started.
I also very much recommend the first volume of Al-Kafi by Al-Kulayni. I thought the chapters on the intellect, knowledge and most of all, the Oneness of God had some absolute gems in them.
https://www.amazon.com/Quran-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199535957/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_img_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=56Q46TDRFH3P9756CZEH
This is the one I use... I have tried the classical poetry english ones, and I found them difficult to comprehend. But I'm glad you enjoy that version! (:
I don't know about from an Islamic perspective, but "Evolution: The First Four Billion Years" is a great series of essays about evolutionary theory. It also has an encyclopedia in the back for reference.
Jumu'ah Mubarak
Today's Ayat for Friday, 2017-01-13 / 15 Rabi` al-thani 1438
By the glorious morning light;
and by the night when it darkens,
your Lord has not forsaken you, nor is He displeased with you,
-- ad-Dhuha 93:1-3 as rendered by Wahiduddin Khan
وَالضُّحَىٰ
وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا سَجَىٰ
مَا وَدَّعَكَ رَبُّكَ وَمَا قَلَىٰ
http://www.islamawakened.com/quran/93/1/-93/3/
(please share)
IslamAwakened is also a Facebook Page
In terms of academic works, a few more to take a look at would be The Charismatic Community: Shi'ite Identity in Early Islam by Maria Massi Dakake, God's Caliph: Religious Authority in the First Centuries of Islam by Patricia Crone and Martin Hinds, The Succession to Muhammad: A Study of the Early Caliphate by Wilferd Madelung, and The Origins of the Shī'a: Identity, Ritual, and Sacred Space in Eighth-Century Kūfa by Najam Haider. None of these I would give my 100% approval too, but they are interesting historical takes on the topic in a more critical fashion than you'll often find.
One of the more popular Shi'a tafsir of the Qur'an has a rather lengthy section in the introduction about how this is nonsense. There is also a volume called "Commentary on the Holy Qur'an" which is just the introduction from SV Mir Ahmed Ali published on it's own that has officially signed fatwas from a dozen scholars and leading men that all support the fact that the Shi'a do NOT believe the Qur'an was altered. It's actually kind of ridiculously thorough in debunking this.
I wish I could find a PDF of this online, but I cannot. I am not sure why.
I wouldn't consider myself Shia nor Sunni; just simply a Muslim. But, I am fairly clued up about both sides through going to countries, mosques and engaging in conversations as well as reading books.
I think Shias curse Aisha because of her alleged role in Ali's (the first Shia Imam, son-in-law and cousin of the Prophet) so called Dust & Thornes tribulation. She, alongside her half brothers Zubayr and [cant remember] waged the first civil war in Islam (called fitna).
Also, according to Shia lore, every time something turbulent/weird [for lack of a better word] happened, Aisha was either in the middle of it or nowhere in sight. Shia accounts also document the tension and perhaps rivalry between Aisha and Ali - and may ultimately blame Aisha for Ali and his sons' suffering or just fall in line back chose Ali's side.
Of course, this is all my opinion and represents what I believe in the moment in time only. There are so many varying accounts on what happened within the first century of the Prophet's death, and it just so depends on what 'story' you side with.
I'd recommend you to read a book called After the Prophet which i am reading right now and it gives a very good account (from the author's particular bias and perspective obviously) of Aisha and Ali's relationship after Muhammad pbuh.
Peace