Agents of the Hidden Imam

Rezensionen / Stimmen

'This book studies a crucial yet poorly understood period in the history of Imami Shi?sim. Hayes has produced a compelling historical narrative out of a difficult and fragmentary record. Significantly, he reminds us that doctrine is never sui generis, and that to understand doctrinal history, we must keep in mind the social and the political.' Mushegh Asatryan, University of Calgary 'An innovative study - the first of its kind - in which the relationship between the Imam and the community is examined in terms of institutional structures and networks, and not purely as a matter of doctrine. For the first time, we have a history of early Imami Shi'ism which incorporates developments in religious doctrine with political structures, religious institutions and the practices of early Imami believers. The work provides us with a clear and detailed account of the Imam's practical as well as doctrinal authority in early Shi'ism. The finding have implications beyond Shi'i studies with implications for our understanding of the development of institutional religion in the Umayyad and Abbasid periods.' Robert Gleave, University of Exeter 'A path-breaking study of the pivotal moment in the formation of Twelver Shi`ism - the transition of leadership from the Imams to the envoys. By inserting social, political, and institutional dimensions into his analysis and narrative, Hayes offers a new approach to the writing of Shi`i history.' Nimrod Hurvitz, Ben Gurion University of the Negev 'An exciting, path-breaking book that examines the emergence of Twelver Shi?ism through the lens of the forgotten actors at the heart of the story: the agents of the imams. Part social history, part history of religion, this is essential reading for anyone interested in the many different kinds of Islam that developed in the early period.' Christian C. Sahner, University of Oxford 'A vividly coherent narrative of a sensitive historical period.' Hussein Ali Abdulsater, JAOS