Muslim Identities - An Introduction to Islam Second Edition - Aaron W. Hughes
5. Early Sectarianism and the Formation of Shiʿism
Muslim Identities - An Introduction to Islam Second Edition - Aaron W. Hughes
Aaron W. Hughes [+]
University of Rochester
Aaron W. Hughes is the Dean’s Professor of the Humanities and the Philip S. Bernstein Professor in the Department of Religion and Classics at the University of Rochester. His research and publications focus on both Jewish philosophy and Islamic Studies. He has authored numerous books, including Situating Islam: The Past and Future of an Academic Discipline (Equinox, 2007); Theorizing Islam: Disciplinary Deconstruction and Reconstruction (Equinox, 2012); Muslim Identities: An Introduction to Islam (Columbia, 2012); and Abrahamic Religions: On the Uses and Abuses of History (Oxford, 2012). He currently serves as the editor of the journal Method and Theory in the Study of Religion.
Description
This chapter traces the development of Shiʿism, beginning with the political grievances of the followers of Ali, the Prophet’s cousin and son-in-law, to its full-blown articulation as a major denomination within Islam. It explores this articulation by looking at major ideas such as the role of the Imams in general and that of the final Imam in particular. The chapter also discusses “sub-denominations” within Shiʿism.