A Luminous Intellect

A Luminous Intellect-a nod to the expression al-?aql al-munawwar, used by the Persian poet Jami-is a tribute to the vast scholarly output of one of the pioneers of Islamic studies, Hamid Algar. In an era of rapid cultural, intellectual, and political change, Algar's scholarship brought fresh perspectives to the study of Shi?ism, Sufism, and Islamic intellectual history, bridging worlds of language, thought, and spirituality and combining acute analyses of contemporary events with a respect for tradition.

This festschrift features essays by leading scholars who engage with the themes of Algar's intellectual legacy. From Shi?i theology and Qur'anic exegesis, to the poetics of ?afi? and the metaphysics of Ibn ?Arabi; from the untold stories of Naqshbandi shaykhs and the evolution of Islamic knowledge in Qom, to the early history of Islam and Arabic literature in the Americas, these chapters offer both tribute and fresh scholarship.
At once a celebration and a scholarly contribution in its own right, A Luminous Intellect is a unique volume featuring original, innovative pieces for anyone interested in the living legacy of Islamic thought.