Ali Safdari

Answering Objections: Zayd and Imamah

A reply was written by Muhammad Sharifi, a Zaydi brother, to my recent article on Zayd b. Ali (peace be upon them). I am happy to see intellectual exchange take place, but etiquette should always be observed. Offensive language against figures of the Imamī tradition, highly respected companions such as ‘The Believer of al-Ṭāq’ (al-Aḥwal), … Read more

Did Zayd b. Ali Not Know of His Father’s Imamah?

Zayd, the son of Imam al Sajjād (peace be upon them), is a landmark figure in Islamic history. He led an uprising against the government to avenge the blood of his grandfather, Imam al-Husayn (p). A theological school known as the Zaydiah separate from other Shīʿī denominations by their belief in the Imamah of Zayd. … Read more

A Period Of Regress & Imitation Or Clarification & Solidification?

Translation from Mohammad Baqir Malekian with my comments at the end. Books written about the history of Shīʿī Fiqh (which generally face various problems with respect to their structure, content and historical outlook) usually regard the 100-year period after Shaykh Ṭūsī until the time of Ibn Idrīs Ḥillī, as the period of regress of Shīʿī jurpiprudence … Read more

Understanding Repentance And Intercession In The Context Of Embodiment Of Deeds And Psychological Punishment

How can repentance (tawbah) and intercession (shafāʿah) be understood in the context of the theory of embodiment of deeds (tajassum al aʿmāl) and psychological punishment? 1 Introduction What does Hell look like? Why does God punish? These are questions that puzzle the mind of every person who has thought about hell and punishment. Amongst the different answers given, … Read more

The History of Adam & the Case for Prehistoric Humans in the Scripture and Hadīth

Originally posted on Mind In Momentum بسمه تعالى Current scientific literature dates the appearance of modern human species, namely the Homosapiens, to anywhere between 65,000[1]-300,000[2] years ago.[3] Do these findings contradict religious teachings about the creation of Adam (p)? In answering this question, I will present two potential scenarios: Adam as the first member of … Read more

Answering Some Objections: On Holding the Beard and Swaying the Finger in the Supplication of Rajab (2)

Originally posted on Mind In Momentum بسمه تعالى My good friend, Sayyid Ali Imran, produced an article providing new insights into the supplication of Rajab as well comments and observations on some of the arguments I made in my earlier writing about this matter. In this piece – with the help of God – I … Read more

Is God Unjust for Placing People in Different Families & Environments?

(The main ideas of this writing are derived from a lecture given by Sayyid Munīr al-Khabbāz with additions and deletions. The last section was produced after critical remarks brought forth by TheMuslimTheist). Originally published on Mind in Momentum. Why does God place some people in believing families and communities and others in disbelieving ones? More … Read more

Salvation of Non-Muslims in the View of Contemporary Imami Scholars

Originally posted on Mind in Momentum. In this writing, I will present the views of Imam Khomeini, Shahid Mutaharri and Sayyid Munir al-Khabbaz on this matter. Imam Khomeini (d. 1989): Deficient disbelievers (qāṣir) are those who did not subscribe to God’s religion because external factors outside their control prevented them from doing so. These factors … Read more

The Fixed and Changeable in Islamic Legislation (2)

[Originally posted on Mind in Momentum] Click for part 1. The Authority of Reason in Deducing Religious Laws This is a translation of lessons given by Ayatullah Sayyid Munīr al-Khabbāz attended in the year 2019-20. For the sake of comprehensibility, there has been additions, removals and paraphrases. Original transcripts can be found here. 1 Introduction and Recap … Read more

The Fixed and Changeable in Islamic Legislation (1)

[Originally posted on Mind in Momentum]. This is a translation of lessons given by Ayatullah Sayyid Munīr al-Khabbāz attended in the year 2019-20. For the sake of comprehensibility, there have been additions, removals and paraphrases. Original transcripts can be found here. I will also include comments and questions that have struck my incapable mind along … Read more