فصلنامه شیعه پژوهی
پیاپی 25 (پاییز و زمستان 1402)

The issue of the Ashura uprising, including its inception, underlying causes, and objectives, evokes diverse viewpoints among Sunni scholars. These perspectives can generally be categorized into three distinct approaches: opposition, agreement, and non-partialism towards the event. Research indicates that the opposition to the Ashura uprising is primarily espoused by a minority within the Sunni community. This minority perceives the uprising through the lens of Yazīd's caliphate legitimacy, contending that since he was the recognized caliph, the Imam's initiation of the uprising lacked legitimacy. They argue that the Imam's actions led to divisions and discord among Muslims, contrary to the teachings of Prophet Muhammad's companions. Furthermore, they interpret hadiths forbidding uprisings as evidence of the illegitimacy of the Imam's actions. This study critically examines and scrutinizes the oppositional stance towards the Ashura uprising. Employing a descriptive-analytical methodology, we demonstrate that this viewpoint is divergent and held by a minority within the Sunni tradition.

The hadiths from the Prophet’s Household concerning the occultation (ghayba) of Imam al-Mahdi, the twelfth Shiite Imam, present various aspects that, given the circumstances of their transmission, may appear contradictory, especially to non-Shias. However, within the tenets of hadith sciences lies holism, where each hadith derives its meaning alongside similar ones. Fawāz ibn Aḥmad, a Sunni author, penned an article titled “Contradictory Significances of Hadiths Transmitted by Rāfiḍa, Imamate as an Example,” wherein the third section, titled “Contradictions in the Significance of Hadiths Regarding the Time of the Imam’s Uprising,” scrutinizes these hadiths. He claims that Shiite hadiths concerning the Imam's uprising are contradictory, using this assertion to cast doubt not only on the principle of Mahdism but also on the entire Shiite denomination. This article aims to address his concerns. It begins by challenging his foundational premises and then, supported by similar hadiths, historical evidence, and rational analysis, concludes that there is no inherent conflict within these hadiths.

Al-ʿAllāma al-Ḥillī, a prominent early Shiite scholar, drew upon Quranic verses pertaining to the imamate and authority of Ahl al-Bayt (the Prophet’s Household), as well as hadiths cited within Sunni sources, to affirm the imamate and authority of Amīr al-Muʾminīn ʿAlī and other Shiite Imams in his work, Minhāj al-kirāma. Certain Sunni scholars, notably Ibn Taymiyya in his Minhāj al-sunna, sought to challenge al-ʿAllāma al-Ḥillī’s citations and arguments. This research scrutinizes al-Ḥillī’s reference to verse 124 of Surah al-Baqara regarding the immediate caliphate and Imamate of Amīr al-Muʾminīn ʿAlī, followed by Ibn Taymiyya's objections to al-Ḥillī’s position. The study aims to assess these objections against al-Ḥillī’s utilization of a hadith transmitted under verse 124 of Surah al-Baqara to establish the caliphate and Imamate of Imam ʿAlī, employing an analytical methodology. Findings indicate that none of the five objections raised by Ibn Taymiyya against this hadith under verse 124 of Surah al-Baqara hold validity.

The life and teachings (sīra) or the tradition of the Infallibles hold a position of paramount importance, second only to the noble Quran. Given this significance, the compilation of their life and teachings represents a monumental undertaking. Despite the prohibition on transmitting hadiths and documenting sīra during the first Islamic century, it is imperative to undertake this task, irrespective of the inclusion of both reliable and unreliable narratives within sīra texts. One prominent subject within such compilations is the discussion of miracles and supernatural occurrences (kirāmāt) attributed to the Prophet. It is essential to examine whether these miracles and supernatural events occupy a central role in sīra compilations or are considered peripheral matters. This study aims to ascertain the significance of miracles and supernatural occurrences in Mawsūʿat al-tārīkh al-Islāmī and similar works by its author. Employing a descriptive-analytical approach and utilizing library-based research methods, this study concludes that the author of Mawsūʿa regards miracles and supernatural acts as tangential to the primary focus of sīra writing. Authentic miracles are seldom mentioned, and there is a lack of comprehensive and valid analysis of these acts. However, a review of the Quran, hadith sources, and the writings of both Imami and Sunni scholars reveals that miracles and supernatural deeds are indeed considered major aspects of sīra literature.

The Salafist Quranist movement draws upon certain theological perspectives of Salafism to challenge some doctrinal foundations of Shiism. Many members, including Mostafa Hosseini Tabatabai, the author of the Quranic exegesis Bayān-i maʿānī dar kalām-i rabbānī, reject the doctrine of intercession (shifāʿa), despite Quranic verses indicating the practice of seeking the prayers of prophets. They argue that prophets cannot hear our prayers after death, suggesting these verses are limited to their lifetime. This argument is analyzed through the lens of Quranic evidence and hadiths using a descriptive-analytic method. Contrary to these claims, it is concluded that the verses on intercession are not restricted to the prophets' lifetimes. Both Quranic verses and reliable hadiths affirm the efficacy of seeking saints' prayers for forgiveness and indicate that the deceased can hear our prayers.

Throughout history, mosques have served as vital social institutions for Muslims, acting as central hubs for social gatherings. However, in contemporary times, mosques have predominantly focused on worship and ritual, with a decrease in their social functions. Nevertheless, the social roles of Islamic centers in Hamburg stand out. This research aims to explore the significance of Islamic centers in Hamburg within modern Western societies, where the function of religion has transformed. It seeks to understand their roles in meeting the needs of a culturally diverse society. Conducted qualitatively, this research relies on semi-structured interviews with experts and directors of Islamic centers in Hamburg. Using conceptual organizing methodology, data from interviews are analyzed. Through open coding, categories are derived from primary data, followed by axial coding to establish connections among categories, and finally selective coding. The findings reveal that Islamic centers in Hamburg fulfill various social functions, including providing support, promoting social participation, fostering solidarity and unity, offering education, establishing social norms and safety, giving meaning to life, and cultivating spirituality and identity.
Some of the social functions of mosques and Islamic centers in Hamburg that can be examined are: promotion of social participation and socialization of young people, normalization and increase of psychological security and social security, strengthening of ethnic culture and customs, development of national awareness and religious and improving the level of spiritual peace of clients and...