| No. |
Subject/occasion and
lecturer/reciter |
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Venue |
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Date |
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Duration/file size |
| 1 |
Qur'an:
The Foundational Document of Shi'i Islam
Shi'a Islam: Class 1
Dr. Hamid Algar |
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Univ. of
California, Berkeley, USA |
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4th
September, 2001 |
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75 min. 32
sec.
18 MB |
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MP3 Format; Discussion of the importance of the
Qur'an in Shi'ism, beginning with the use of the Hadith of
Thaqalayn to show the special relationship between the Qur'an and
the Ahlul Bayt. A general outline of beliefs about the Qur'an that
are shared by all Islamic schools of thought follows, including
the revelation, Divine and miraculous nature, preservation and
purpose of the Qur'an. More specifically then, the Qur'an in
Shi'ism is discussed, as is the role of the Prophet and the Imams
as instructors in understanding the Qur'an. Also, a definition of
Muhkam (firm) and Mutashabih (metaphorical) verses of the Qur'an,
and the differences in Shi'i and Sunni beliefs in the
interpretation of Mutashabih verses. Also includes an introduction
to specific Qur'anic verses relevant to Shi'ism, beginning with
verse 5:55.
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| 2 |
Specific
Qur'anic Ayaat and Ahadith of the Prophet (s) relevant to Shi'ism
Shi'a Islam: Class 2
Dr. Hamid Algar |
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Univ. of
California, Berkeley, USA |
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6th
September, 2001 |
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72 min. 39
sec.
13 MB |
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MP3 Format
- explanation of the word 'wali', its meanings and implications -
discussion on two ayaat 5:70 and 5:3, relating to the incident of
Ghadir - Ayat of Purification (Tathir), 33:33. Whom does it refer
to? What is meant by purification? - "holders of
authority" in ayat 4:59, and "love for family" in
42:23
- incident of calling to the near kin (Da'wate Dhul 'Ashira)
- various ahadith of the Prophet (s) including the prediction of
12 righteous Khulafa, relationship of Imam Ali (a) and the Prophet
(s), knowledge of Imam Ali (a), Hadith of the Ark, and importance
of recognizing one's Imam of the time. |
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| 3 |
Brief
history of the Prophet (s) and his daughter Fatima (a), the
confluence of two lights
Shi'a Islam: Class 3
Dr. Hamid Algar |
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Univ. of
California, Berkeley, USA |
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11th
September, 2001 |
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71 min. 13
sec.
12 MB |
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MP3 Format;
- brief outline of the events in the life of the Prophet before
and after Hijrah, the battles fought by the Muslims, and their
return to Makkah in 10 AH
- Qur'anic verses about the Prophet : the Prophet is the seal of
the Messengers, love for and obedience to him is mandatory
- functions of the Prophet (s) in light of verses from the Qur'an
- property of 'isma (inerrancy) in the Prophet and his successors
- brief outline of events in the life of Bibi Fatima (a)
- discussion of Sura al-Kawthar
- relationship between the Prophet and his daughter, and its
importance
- denial of Fadak to Fatima (a) |
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| 4 |
Imam
'Ali b. Abi Talib (a), Part I
Shi'a Islam: Class 4
Dr. Hamid Algar |
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Univ. of
California, Berkeley, USA |
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13th
September, 2001 |
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75 min. 34
sec.
13 MB |
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MP3 format; recording quality is low, but we hope to
improve on it for the next lecture insha'Allah.
- early history
- close relationship with the Prophet (s)
- migration to Madinah (Hijra), and participation in battles
- role of the Imam during the life time of the Prophet (s), as a
warrior, protector, and scribe
- death of the Prophet, and the event of Saqifa
- election of Abu Bakr, and the controversy that surrounded it
- refusal of Imam Ali (a) to accept Abu Bakr as the first Khalifa,
as well as his complete removal from political life in the years
that followed
- discussion on why the nomination of Imam Ali (a) by the Prophet
(s) was ignored
- elections of Umar and Uthman, and Imam Ali's refusal to accept
the actions of first two Khalifas as binding
- discussion of the election method, and its lack of uniformity |
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| 5 |
Imam
'Ali b. Abi Talib (a), Part II
Shi'a Islam: Class 5
Dr. Hamid Algar |
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Univ. of
California, Berkeley, USA |
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18th
September, 2001 |
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66 min. 9
sec.
11 MB |
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MP3 format;
- Opponents of `Uthman and circumstances around his murder.
- Reluctant acceptance by Imam Ali (a) of the Caliphate
- Demand of the Umayyads to seek the murders of `Uthman
- refusal of Mu`awiyah, A`isha, Talha and Zubair to pay allegiance
to Imam (a)
- Battle of Jamal: causes, outcome, hostility of `Aisha to Imam
(a)
- Battle of Siffeen: tricks of `Amr ibn `Aas, dissension in Imam's
(a) army, demands for arbitration
- Rise of the Kharijites
- Sunnite view of Mu`awiyah
- Death of Imam (a) |
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| 6 |
Legacy
of Imam Ali (a) & Life of Imam Hasan (a)
Shi'a Islam: Class 6
Dr. Hamid Algar |
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Univ. of
California, Berkeley, USA |
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25th
September, 2001 |
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74 min 55
sec.
13.4 MB |
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MP3 format;
- Imam Ali (a) as narrator of ahadith
- written legacy of the Imam, Nahj al-Balagh: content, importance,
and authenticity
- Sufism and the Imam
- Najaf, a center of learning
- early history of Imam Hasan (a), and the Prophet's love for him
- caliphate of Imam Hasan (a), and the situation which led to the
signing of a treaty with Muawiyah
- terms and outcome of the treaty |
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| 7 |
Imam
Husayn (a) and the events at Karabala
Shi'a Islam: Class 7
Dr. Hamid Algar |
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Univ. of
California, Berkeley, USA |
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27th
September, 2001 |
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HTML notes only. Unfortunately, this lecture is not
available in audio format.;
- early life of the Imam, and close relationship with the Prophet
(s)
- Events in the life of the Imam between the death of his brother
Imam Hasan (a) and the death of Muawiyah
- caliphate and personality of Yazid
- refusal of Imam to give allegiance to Yazid
- journey of Imam from Madinah to Makkah to Karbala
- events in Kufa, and the martyrdom of Muslim b. Aqeel
- the fateful day of Ashura
- conclusions that can be drawn from the tragic events, including
the different views of Sunni and Shi'i historians on the first
century of Islam
- importance of Ashura |
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| 8 |
Long
term effects of the events of Karbala, and Imam Zayn al-Abidin (a)
Shi'a Islam: Class 8
Dr. Hamid Algar |
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Univ. of
California, Berkeley, USA |
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2nd
October, 2001 |
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74 min 38
sec.
13.4 MB |
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MP3 Format;
- Martyrdom of Imam Husayn (a), a turning point in Shi'i history
- ziyara, a rememberance of the Imams incorporating ideas of
tawalla', and tabarra', and the modern usage of ziyara
- poetry and ta'ziya, additional methods of rememberance
- the movement of the tawwabun
- Mukhtar, his movement, and attempts to bestow Imamate on
Muhammad b. al- Hanafiya
- life of Imam Zayn al-Abidin (a)
- al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiya, the legacy of the 4th Imam
- divisions in the Shi'a community, the 4th Imam, Muhammad b. al-Hanafiya,
Zayd, and Imam Baqir (a) |
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| 9 |
Midterm
review and Imam Muhammad Baqir (a)
Shi'a Islam: Class 9
Dr. Hamid Algar |
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Univ. of
California, Berkeley, USA |
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4th
October, 2001 |
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75 min 15
sec.
13.3 MB |
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MP3 Format;
- review of possible essay questions on the midterm
- the necessity of Imamate to be from the line of Imam Ali (a) and
Bibi Fatima (a)
- life of Imam Baqir (a), and a discussion on the name 'Baqir'
- importance of the cultivation/transmission of knowledge by the
Imams
- continuation of the movement of Mukhtar, even after his death,
now called the Kaysaniya
- beliefs of the Kaysaniya, raj'a and ghayba
- rise in popularity of Zayd, the half brother of Imam Baqir (a),
and his belief in the 'Imamate of the less virtuous'
- development of seperate fiqh for the different madhahib,
including differences in furu' (eg. mut'ah and adhan), and 'usul (eg.
ra'y, 'aql, and qiyas) |
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| 10 |
Imam
Ja'far as-Sadiq (a)
Shi'a Islam: Class 10
Dr. Hamid Algar |
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Univ. of
California, Berkeley, USA |
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11th
October, 2001 |
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76 min 4
sec.
13.6 MB |
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MP3 Format;
First couple of minutes are spent at blackboard;
- introduction to and early life of Imam Ja'far
- his influence on non-Shi'a madhhahib
- rival claims to the Imamate; Muhammad b. al-Hanafiya, Zayd, and
Muhammad al-nafs al-Zakiya
- transition of power from the Umayyad to the Abbasid dynasties,
and the claims of the Abbasid caliphs
- development of Shi'i theology by the Imam; principle of nass,
and the transition of knowledge from the Prophet to the Imams |
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| 11 |
Imam
Ja'far As-Sadiq (a) Part II
Shi'a Islam: Class 11
Dr. Hamid Algar |
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Univ. of
California, Berkeley, USA |
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16th
October, 2001 |
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77 min 17
sec.
13.9 MB |
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MP3 Format;
- importance of the cultivation of knowledge during the time of
the 6th Imam
- what constitutes the knowledge of the Imams?
inner knowledge: inherited books, supreme name of God (al-ism al-a'zam),
ta'wil - esoteric interpretation of the Qur'an
outer knowledge: transmission of hadith, development of fiqh and
kalam, appointment of mufti,
occult knowledge: alchemy, science of the letters,
- doctrine of taqiya
- introduction to the life of Imam Musa al-Kazim, and the many
claims to the Imamate after the death of his father Imam Ja'far
as-Sadiq |
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| 12 |
Imam
Musa al-Kadhim (a)
Shi'a Islam: Class 12
Dr. Hamid Algar |
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Univ. of
California, Berkeley, USA |
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18th
October, 2001 |
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78 min 44
sec.
14.2 MB |
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MP3 Format;
- the science of hadith, and the unique difficulty facing Shi'i
scholars, as a result of the infiltration of Ghulat tendencies
among the followers of the Imam, and those hadith of the Imams
narrated while in Taqiyya
- early life of Imam Musa al-Kazim
- the African heritage of the Imams
- persecution if the Imam by the Abbasid caliphs
- meeting between the nephew of the 7th Imam, and caliph Harun
ar-Rashid, and its dire consequences for the Imam
- Khums, and its importance for the Shi'i community
- Iraq, Madina, Central Iran, North Africa : areas where Shi'i
communities existed during the time of the Imam
- poisoning and martyrdom of Imam Musa al-Kazim
- legacy of the Imam, and the migration of his numerous offspring |
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| 13 |
Imam
'Ali Ar-Rida (a)
Shi'a Islam: Class 13
Dr. Hamid Algar |
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Univ. of
California, Berkeley, USA |
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23rd
October, 2001 |
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78 min 57
sec.
14.2 MB |
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MP3 Format;
- name and kuniya of Imam ar-Rida
- early life history of the Imam
- knowledge of the Imam, specifically in the areas of hadith, law,
and medicine
- Imam's appeal and influence outside his immediate following of
Shi'is, to the extent that he was considered al-mujadid 'the
renewer' by many Sunnis
- the Caliphate during the of the 8th Imam; Ma'mun ar-Rashid and
his attempts to unite the institution of caliphate with Imamate
- Imam's appointment as the successor to Ma'mun, his journey to
Iran, and his subsequent death
- a general look at Shi'i/Sunni relations during this time, and at
the question 'what would have happened if the Imam had succeeded
Ma'mun as caliph?' |
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| 14 |
Imam
Muhammad al-Jawad al-Taqi (a) and Imam 'Ali al-Hadi (a)
Shi'a Islam: Class 14
Dr. Hamid Algar |
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Univ. of
California, Berkeley, USA |
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25th
October, 2001 |
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74 min 13
sec.
13.4 MB |
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MP3 Format;
- anticipation of occultation of the 12th Imam during the periods
of the 9th, 10th and 11th Imams
- historical background during the times of 9th and 10th Imams,
and the rise of Buwayhid and Hamdani dynasties
- early life of Imam Muhammad al-Taqi, and his attainment of
Imamate at a very young age
- the institution of wikala (name representatives of the Imam)
- the early death of the 9th Imam at the hands of the Abbasid
caliph
- early life history of Imam 'Ali al-Hadi
- the rise of the mu'tazili school of theology
- the forced migration to Samarra by the Imam under the orders of
the caliph Mutawakkil, and the subsequent death of the 10th Imam
- written works and miracles of the Imam
- the city of Samarra, and its place in sacred Shi'i geography |
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| 15 |
Imam
Hasan al-'Askari (a) and the birth of his son, the 12th Imam (a)
Shi'a Islam: Class 15
Dr. Hamid Algar |
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Univ. of
California, Berkeley, USA |
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30th
October, 2001 |
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79 min 29
sec.
14.3 MB |
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MP3 Format;
- the increase in persecution of Shi'as during the period of the
9th, 10th and 11th Imams
- life history of the 11th Imam, and the importance of the
institution of wikala (name representatives of the Imam) during
his time
- written works of the Imam
- the death of the Imam, and the widespread confusion that
resulted among the Shi'i community
- did the 11th Imam have a son? proof of the existence of the 12th
Imam in ahadith of the Prophet and earlier Imams
- birth of the 12th Imam and the miracles associated with it
- the numerous groups that arose among the Shi'as at the death of
the 11th Imam |
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| 16 |
Al-Ghayba
(Occultation)
Shi'a Islam: Class 16
Dr. Hamid Algar |
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Univ. of
California, Berkeley, USA |
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1st
November, 2001 |
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78 min 18
sec.
14.1 MB |
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MP3 Format;
- the meaning of the term occultation
- the two stages of occultation, lesser and greater
- the roles of the named representatives during the lesser
occultation, including confirmation of the existence of the 12th
Imam along with concealment of his whereabouts, the collection of
khums, and communication with the Imam (called tawqi'at)
- the four named representatives |
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| 17 |
12th
Imam (a) (cont'd)
Shi'a Islam: Class 17
Dr. Hamid Algar |
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Univ. of
California, Berkeley, USA |
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6th
November, 2001 |
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74 min 17
sec.
13.3 MB |
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MP3 Format;
- doubts within the Shi'i community in the beginning years of
occultation
- occultation in the ahadith of earlier Imams
- difficulties faced by Shi'i scholars in the initial stages of
the major occultation
- discussion of the longevity of the Imam; comparisions with
Prophet 'Isa (a), and Dajjal
- discussion of the purpose and necessity of the Imam while he is
in occultation
- titles of the Imam; al-qaim, mahdi al-anam, al-hujja, sahib al-amr/sahib
al-zaman, and baqiyatullah |
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| 18 |
12th
Imam (a) (cont'd)
Shi'a Islam: Class 18
Dr. Hamid Algar |
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Univ. of
California, Berkeley, USA |
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8th
November, 2001 |
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82 min 22
sec.
14.8 MB |
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MP3 Format;
- common metaphors used to show purpose of the Imam while in
occultation
- communication with the Imam through ruq'a (writings by the
Imam), 'arida (writings from believers to the Imam), and visions
- role of the 12th Imam in Shi'i Sufi orders
- the signs preceding the re-emergence of the Imam, and the
details of his reappearance
- the appearance of As-Sufyani and his eventual defeat
- different Shi'i opinions on raja' (the partial resurrection of a
few during the re-emergence of the 12th Imam) |
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| 19 |
12th
Imam (a) (cont'd) & Shi'I Tafseer of Qur'an
Shi'a Islam: Class 19
Dr. Hamid Algar |
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Univ. of
California, Berkeley, USA |
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13th
November, 2001 |
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75 min. 57
sec.
12.4 MB |
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MP3 Format;
- continuation of the discussion about the events that will likely
occur during the reappearance of the 12th Imam; dajjal, P. Isa (a)
- Shi'i doctrines and scholarly roles during the major occultation
- Tafsir (exegesis of the Qur'an); the Qur'an in the ahadith of
the Imams, dimensions in the meaning of the Qur'an, tahrif of the
Qur'an (distortion)
- stages in the development of Shi'i exegesis of the Qur'an, and
their unique characteristics |
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| 20 |
Scholarship
and Hadith
Shi'a Islam: Class 20
Dr. Hamid Algar |
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Univ. of
California, Berkeley, USA |
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15th
November, 2001 |
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77 min. 19
sec
13.6 MB |
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MP3 Format;
- scholarly roles and intellectual growth among the Shi'i
community
- geographical distribution of scholarship
- development of the discipline of Hadith, and its stages of
growth in the Shi'i community; the period of the Imams,
formalization of modes of transmission, major collections of Shi'i
hadith
- 7 categories of Hadith, and the science of Hadith |
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| 21 |
Principles
of Law (Fiqh)
Shi'a Islam: Class 21
Dr. Hamid Algar |
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Univ. of
California, Berkeley, USA |
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20th
November, 2001 |
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69 min. 12
sec
11.8 MB |
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MP3 Format;
- the 4 main Shi'i books of Hadith and the scholars that compiled
them
- the discipline of Law (Fiqh)
- usul al-fiqh (principles of law): Qur'an, Sunnah, ijma', and 'aql
- historical development of the discipline of fiqh
- discussion of Qiyas (analogical reasoning) and Ra'y (personal
opinion)
- debate between the akhbaris (traditionalists) and the usulis
(rationalists) |
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| 22 |
Theology
(Kalam)
Shi'a Islam: Class 22
Dr. Hamid Algar |
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Univ. of
California, Berkeley, USA |
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27th
November, 2001 |
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80 min. 45
sec.
14.2 MB |
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MP3 Format;
- review of akhbari (traditionalist) and 'usuli (rationalist)
schools of thought
- review of concept of taqlid, ijtihad, and role of the scholar in
the shi'i community
- discipline of kalam (theology): definition, origins, and early
development
- branches of kalam; burhani (demonstrative) and jadali
(dialectic)
- discussion of the viewpoints of the mu'tazili vs. ash'ari
schools of kalam
- encouragement of development of kalam by the Imams
- topics in kalam distinctive to Shi'ism; usul ad-din (tawhid, adl,
nubuwwa, imama, ma'ad) and taklif (obligation) vs. lutf (favor) |
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| 23 |
Theology
(Kalam) & Mysticism (Irfan)
Shi'a Islam: Class 23 (Final class)
Dr. Hamid Algar |
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Univ. of
California, Berkeley, USA |
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29th
November, 2001 |
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80 min. 8
sec.
14.4 MB |
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MP3 Format;
- purpose of taklif (obligation), necessity of lutf (Divine favor)
- question of free will vs. predestination
- special importance of lutf in Shi'i thought
- Irfan (experiential knowledge, mysticism), definition,
differences from other principles of law
- differences between Irfan and Tasawwuf (Sufism)
- principles of Irfan; sayr wa suluk, stages on the path
- theoretical Irfan and the oneness of reality
- relationship of Irfan with Kalam |
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