Twelver Shi’ite Islam: Conceptual and Practical Aspects
Recent political events surrounding the Iranian “nuclear crisis”, as well as the still unsettled fate of Iraq have resulted in a renewed interest in the Shi’ite dimension of Islam among political observers. This paper attempts to present an outline of some of the “essential features” of Twelver Shi’...
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| Format: | Working Paper |
| Language: | English |
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2016
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/82382 http://hdl.handle.net/10220/39966 |
| _version_ | 1826126087074086912 |
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| author | Christoph, Marcinkowski |
| author2 | S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies |
| author_facet | S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies Christoph, Marcinkowski |
| author_sort | Christoph, Marcinkowski |
| collection | NTU |
| description | Recent political events surrounding the Iranian “nuclear crisis”, as well as the still unsettled fate of Iraq have resulted in a renewed interest in the Shi’ite dimension of Islam among political observers. This paper attempts to present an outline of some of the “essential features” of Twelver Shi’ite Islam as it distinguishes itself today from majority Sunnism. In particular, the different approaches of Sunnite and Shi’ite Muslims towards the issue of religious and political authority - resulting in history often in violent clashes - have been highlighted. Moreover, throughout their history, Shi’ites had put high emphasis on intellectual pursuit and reasoning, on philosophy and science. Although the paper focuses of the “Twelver Shi’ites” (today numerically and politically the strongest Shi’ite group), the today rather un-political Ismā‘īlīs or “Sevener” Shi’ites, too, shall be referred to briefly, as they have also some pockets in Singapore among the Indian Muslim community. Of special interest to the political observer of contemporary Islam shall be the status of Shi’ite clerics (Arab. ‘ulamā’) vis-à-vis their Sunnite colleagues. |
| first_indexed | 2024-10-01T06:47:00Z |
| format | Working Paper |
| id | ntu-10356/82382 |
| institution | Nanyang Technological University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-10-01T06:47:00Z |
| publishDate | 2016 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | ntu-10356/823822020-11-01T08:47:43Z Twelver Shi’ite Islam: Conceptual and Practical Aspects Christoph, Marcinkowski S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies DRNTU::Social sciences::Political science Recent political events surrounding the Iranian “nuclear crisis”, as well as the still unsettled fate of Iraq have resulted in a renewed interest in the Shi’ite dimension of Islam among political observers. This paper attempts to present an outline of some of the “essential features” of Twelver Shi’ite Islam as it distinguishes itself today from majority Sunnism. In particular, the different approaches of Sunnite and Shi’ite Muslims towards the issue of religious and political authority - resulting in history often in violent clashes - have been highlighted. Moreover, throughout their history, Shi’ites had put high emphasis on intellectual pursuit and reasoning, on philosophy and science. Although the paper focuses of the “Twelver Shi’ites” (today numerically and politically the strongest Shi’ite group), the today rather un-political Ismā‘īlīs or “Sevener” Shi’ites, too, shall be referred to briefly, as they have also some pockets in Singapore among the Indian Muslim community. Of special interest to the political observer of contemporary Islam shall be the status of Shi’ite clerics (Arab. ‘ulamā’) vis-à-vis their Sunnite colleagues. 2016-02-11T04:28:26Z 2019-12-06T14:54:32Z 2016-02-11T04:28:26Z 2019-12-06T14:54:32Z 2006 Working Paper Christoph, M. (2006). Twelver Shi’ite Islam: Conceptual and Practical Aspects. (RSIS Working Paper, No. 114). Singapore: Nanyang Technological University. https://hdl.handle.net/10356/82382 http://hdl.handle.net/10220/39966 en RSIS Working Papers, 114-06 Nanyang Technological University 49 p. application/pdf |
| spellingShingle | DRNTU::Social sciences::Political science Christoph, Marcinkowski Twelver Shi’ite Islam: Conceptual and Practical Aspects |
| title | Twelver Shi’ite Islam: Conceptual and Practical Aspects |
| title_full | Twelver Shi’ite Islam: Conceptual and Practical Aspects |
| title_fullStr | Twelver Shi’ite Islam: Conceptual and Practical Aspects |
| title_full_unstemmed | Twelver Shi’ite Islam: Conceptual and Practical Aspects |
| title_short | Twelver Shi’ite Islam: Conceptual and Practical Aspects |
| title_sort | twelver shi ite islam conceptual and practical aspects |
| topic | DRNTU::Social sciences::Political science |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/82382 http://hdl.handle.net/10220/39966 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT christophmarcinkowski twelvershiiteislamconceptualandpracticalaspects |