The Shi‘a in Modern South Asia

Religion, History and Politics

Justin Jones editor Ali Usman Qasmi editor

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Cambridge University Press

Published:14th May '15

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

The Shi‘a in Modern South Asia cover

This book explores various Shi'i communities in the subcontinent as well as South Asian Shi'i diasporas in East Africa.

This collection, introduced by Francis Robinson, offers a major contribution to our knowledge of Shi'i learning, culture and political action across South Asia, and will be of interest to students and scholars both of South Asian religion and of global Islam.While most studies of Shi'i Islam have focused upon Iran or the Middle East, South Asia is another global region which is home to a large and influential Shi'i population. This edited volume establishes the importance of the Indian subcontinent, which has been profoundly shaped by Shi'i cultures, regimes and populations throughout its history, for the study of Shi'i Islam in the modern world. The essays within this volume, all written by leading scholars of the field, explore various Shi'i communities (both Isna 'Ashari and Isma'ili) in parts of the subcontinent as diverse as Karachi, Lucknow, Bombay and Hyderabad, as well as South Asian Shi'i diasporas in East Africa. Drawing from a range of disciplinary perspectives including history, religious studies, anthropology and political science, they examine a range of themes relating to Shi'i belief, practice, piety and belonging, as well as relations between Shi'i and non-Shi'i communities.

'Jones and Qasmi's The Shi'a in Modern South Asia is a collection of eight essays introduced by Francis Robinson. … The essays provide nuanced treatments of Shia communities informed by their historical and theological idiosyncrasies.' Vikas Kumar, Journal of Asian Security and International Affairs

ISBN: 9781107108905

Dimensions: 238mm x 160mm x 21mm

Weight: 470g

218 pages