A short article on Ismaili Muslim Interpretation of the Qur'an![]()
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Shia Ismaili Tawil (Spiritual Interpretation) of the Quran: The Cycles of Prophecy and Imamat
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Khalil Andani & Shiraz Hajiani to organize Ismaili Studies Panels at 2016 MESA Conference in Boston
MESA’s 50th Anniversary Meeting in Boston will be held November 17-20 at the Boston Marriott…![]()
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New Publication: A Survey of Ismaili Studies (Part 1) by Khalil Andani
Khalil Andani’s latest article is published on Religion Compass, a peer reviewed journal. This article…![]()
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Khalil Andani Published in the Oxford Handbook of Islamic Philosophy
Reconciling Religion and Philosophy: Nāṣir-i Khusraw’s Jāmiʿ al-ḥikmatayn: Abstract: Nāṣir-i Khusraw (d. 481/1088), the renowned…![]()
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New Publication: A Survey of Ismaili Studies (Part 2) by Khalil Andani
Khalil Andani’s latest peer reviewed article is “A Survey of Ismaili Studies Part 2: Post-Fatimid…![]()
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Ismaili Beliefs: Doctrines of Ismailism
On February 21, 2014, Khalil Andani (Doctor of Philosophy of Candidate in Islamic Studies, Harvard…![]()
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“The Speaking Qur’an: Revelation in Sunni & Shia Islam” – Academic Lecture by Khalil Andani at UT Austin – Friday April 7
Khalil Andani (PhD Candidate, Harvard University) will deliver a public academic lecture entitled “The Speaking…![]()
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Christology Symposium features Ismaili Muslim, Sunni, Traditional Christian & Progressive Christian Perspectives on Jesus Christ – Thursday Apr 6
The Christology Symposium is an academic forum that aims to showcase the diversity of Christologies…![]()
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Jesus in Shia Ismaili Islam by Khalil Andani
Khalil explains classical Ismaili Muslim perspectives on Prophet Jesus, or Hazrat ‘Isa, arising from the Fatimid Ismaili doctrines on the absolute transcendence of God, the Universal Intellect (al-‘aql al-kull), and the Cycles of Natiqs (Prophets) and Imams.![]()
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Short Videos on the Aga Khan & Ismaili Imamat, History & Theology by Khalil Andani
A series of short accessible 3-6 minute videos on the Aga Khan and Ismaili Imamat history, theology and practice ![]()
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A Brief History of Ismaili Muslims
Ismaili Muslims and their hereditary Imams have emerged today onto the global public sphere with a message of hope based on acts of compassion and pluralism. ![]()
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Understanding Ismaili Muslim Theology and Practice
Source: The Islamic Monthly, by Khalil Andani Until recently, most people learned about Ismaili beliefs…![]()
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60 Years of Muslim Leadership: The Aga Khan’s Diamond Jubilee
Source: The Islamic Monthly, by Khalil Andani Beyond the realm of ritual worship, the Ismaili…![]()
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Branches of Shia Islam: Ismailis, Twelvers, and Bohras
The Shi‘i Ismaili Muslims, better known today as the Ismailis, make up the second largest…![]()
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New Publication: Al-Ghazālī’s Appropriation of Ismaʿili Cosmology by Khalil Andani
Khalil Andani: Journal of Islamic Studies, etx054, https://doi.org/10.1093/jis/etx054 Published: 05 September 2017 Link: https://academic.oup.com/jis/article-abstract/4104486/The-Merits-of-the-Ba-iniyya-Al-Ghazali-s Abu Hamid al-Ghazal, one of…![]()
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Khalil Andani Presents on Ismaili Hermeneutics (Ta’wil) at Quranic Studies Conference
Reading Text through Pre-Text: Redefining Isma’ili Hermeneutics
Program Unit: Qur’anic Studies: Methodology and Hermeneutics (IQSA) – Khalil Andani, Harvard University
Isma’ili Muslim hermeneutics, known as ta’wil, is often branded as “allegorical” or “esoteric interpretation” (Daftary 2004, 2007, 2012; Klemm 2003, Wiley 2005) premised on sectarianism. Bar-Asher (2008) describes Isma’ili ta’wil as “a selective, particularized and sectarian approach” in which pre-conceived doctrines are read into the Qur’anic text. Hollenberg (2016) presents Isma’ili ta’wil as a form of cognitive training designed to strengthen Isma’ili sectarian identity. What remains lacking in scholarship is a coherent conceptualization of Isma’ili ta’wil within a general framework of Islamic hermeneutics that seriously engages the Isma’ili thinkers’ definitions of ta’wil, and accounts for the diverse expressions of Isma’ili ta’wil through different authors and historical periods.
This paper draws on Shahab Ahmed’s conceptualization of Islam, which he defines as the hermeneutical engagement of the self with the Pre-Text, Text (the Qur’an and Cosmos), and Con-Text of the Muhammadan Revelation (Ahmed 2015). Using Ahmed’s notions of “Pre-Text” as the transcendent source of Revelation and “Con-Text” as “the body of meaning that is the product…of previous hermeneutical engagement with Revelation” (Ahmad 2015), I present a new definition of Isma’ili ta?wil as the hermeneutical act of reading the Text of Revelation by means of and through the Pre-Text and explain how the diverse expressions of Isma’ili ta’wil in history stem from the different frames of meaning that Isma’ili thinkers drew from an intra and inter-Muslim Con-Text.
This definition of Isma’ili ta’wil is constructed through three arguments: first, I show how the Isma’ili view of Qur’anic revelation (wahy, tanzil) differs substantially from Sunni models of dictated verbal inspiration in that Isma’ili thinkers regard the Prophet as the creator of the Qur’an as a symbolic manifestation of the Pre-Text. Isma’ili thinkers also conceived this Pre-Text as comprising a spiritual realm and the Ismaili da’wa hierarchy led by the Isma’ili Imam. Secondly, I demonstrate how Isma’ili thinkers understand ta’wil as a “revelatory hermeneutic” grounded in divine inspiration (ta’yid), whereby the Isma’ili exegete – through the Imam’s divinely-inspired knowledge – “reads” the Pre-Text of Revelation and then creatively “reads” the Text through the Pre-Text.
The primary hermeneutical function of Isma’ili ta’wil is to render the Text transparent to the Pre-Text, thereby unveiling the Truth of the Pre-Text to the Isma’ili initiate. This is the inverse of Sunni tafsir, which seeks knowledge of the Pre-Text in the Text using hadith, philology, grammar, etc.
Thirdly, I explain how Isma’ili thinkers through history produced divergent expressions of ta’wil because they each conceived the Pre-Text using different systems of meaning from the Con-Text of Revelation.
Source: https://www.sbl-site.org/meetings/Congresses_Abstracts.aspx?MeetingId=31
Khalil Andani is a SSHRC Fellow and doctoral (Ph.D) candidate in Islamic studies at Harvard University focusing on Islamic theology, philosophy, and intellectual history and holds a Master of Theological Studies degree (MTS 2014) from Harvard Divinity School. His publications include a forthcoming article about the Ismaili influence on al-Ghazali’s cosmology in the Oxford Journal of Islamic Studies, two peer reviewed articles on the Survey of Ismaili Studies in Religion Compass, a chapter on Nasir-i Khusraw’s Ismaili philosophy in the The Oxford Handbook of Islamic Philosophy, and two articles comparing Ismaili cosmology and the Christian metaphysics of Meister Eckhart in Sacred Web. Khalil is also a Chartered Professional Accountant (CA-CPA) and has completed Bachelor of Mathematics (BMath) and Master of Accounting degrees at the University of Waterloo (2008).
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Pluralism in 5 Minutes: The Aga Khan’s Ideas of Pluralism
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Good Friday & Passover: “Isma’ili Muslim Perspectives on Jesus” by Khalil Andani
One of the schools of Islamic thought and philosophy which actually affirms the the Crucifixion of Jesus and glorifies it, is the tradition of Shī‘ī Ismā‘īlī Islam. The Ismā‘īlī Muslim philosophers of the tenth and eleventh centuries were able to achieve a remarkable reconciliation and rapprochement between the Qur’ānic and Christian views of the Crucifixion.
via http://ismailignosis.com/2013/03/29/the-crucifixion-in-shia-ismaili-islam/
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Video: Harvard Lecture on Shia Ismaili Muslims by Khalil Andani
On February 21, 2014, Khalil Andani (Doctor of Philosophy of Candidate in Islamic Studies, Harvard University) delivered a lecture called “Shi’i Isma’ili Muslims: An Esoteric Tradition in Islam” as part of the Harvard Divinity School Muslim Council Speaker Series called “Diversity in Islam: Communities of Interpretation.” The lecture took place at the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School and was followed by an open Q&A forum included in the video.
The lecture consists of the following topics:
1. Introduction
2. The Shi’i Imamat: Rational and Qur’anic Basis
3. The Ismaili Imamat through History
4. The Spiritual Functions of the Ismaili Imam
5. Ismaili Philosophy and Doctrine: Zahir and Batin, Tawhid, the Light of Imamat, Faith and Intellect
6. Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan III: Life and Thought
7. Imam Shah Karim al-Husayni Aga Khan IV: Present Imam of the Ismaili Muslims
The open Q&A included the following topics:
1) Can you speak about Ismaili Muslim rituals?
2) What is the Ismaili approach to politics?
3) What is a Farman and what circumstances lead to the Imam making a Farman?
4) What is the Ismaili practice of zakat?
Khalil Andani is a doctoral (Ph.D) candidate specializing in Islamic intellectual history, theology, philosophy, and mysticism at Harvard University and holds a Master of Theological Studies degree (MTS 2014), specializing in Islamic philosophy and Ismaili thought, from Harvard University. Khalil’s publications include a book chapter on Nasir-i Khusraw’s philosophical thought in the forthcoming Oxford Handbook of Islamic Philosophy, a Review Article, two articles on Ismaili Philosophy in Sacred Web, and an article on Ismaili views of the Crucifixion of Jesus in The Matheson Trust. He was recently interviewed on CBC Radio about the the Aga Khan Museum.
He is also a Chartered Professional Accountant (CA-CPA) and has completed Bachelor of Mathematics (BMath) and Master of Accounting degrees at the University of Waterloo (2008). Over the last few years, Khalil has been invited to deliver several guest lectures and conference presentations on various topics pertaining to Islamic thought and Ismaili philosophy:
Harvard University:
2012 – Guest Lecture – “Reconciling Revelation and Philosophy in Ismaili Thought”
https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2012/11/26/video-presentation-on-the-ismaili-thought-of-nasir-i-khusraw-by-khalil-andani-2/
2013 – Visions of Jesus in Esoteric Islam: Shi‘i Isma‘ili Christology
https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2013/02/27/visions-of-jesus-in-esoteric-islam-shii-ismaili-christology-a-student-presentation-and-discussion-forum-at-harvard-divinity-school/
2014 – “Shi’i Isma’ili Muslims: An Esoteric Tradition in Islam”
https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2014/02/21/harvard-presentation-by-khalil-andani-on-the-shii-ismaili-muslims-an-esoteric-tradition-in-islam/
2015 – “From Divine Word to Prophetic Word: Revelation in the Thought of Nasir-i Khusraw”
http://www.islamicstudies.harvard.edu/event/arabic-and-islamic-studies-graduate-student-workshop-4/
University of Toronto:
2011 – Introductory Lecture on the Shia Ismaili Muslims
https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2011/11/17/video-university-of-toronto-student-lecture-on-shia-ismaili-islam-by-khalil-andani/
2012 – The Christology Symposium – Ismaili Muslim Perspectives on Jesus
https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2012/04/06/video-ismaili-muslim-perpsectives-on-jesus-presented-by-khalil-andani-at-the-christology-symposium/
2013 – The Concept of Knowledge (‘ilm) in Nasir-i Khusraw’s Philosophy
https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2013/06/01/video-the-concept-of-knowledge-ilm-in-nasir-i-khusraws-philosophy-by-khalil-andani/
2014 – The Metaphysics of Tawhīd: Ismā‘īlī and Akbarī Perspectives
https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2014/02/23/khalil-andanis-presentation-on-the-concept-of-tawhid-in-the-ismaili-sufi-thought-at-the-university-of-toronto/
2015 – The Ismaili Influence on Al-Ghazali: A Reassessment
https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2015/02/17/event-february-26-university-of-toronto-ismaili-influence-on-al-ghazali-khalil-andanis-presentation/
University of Chicago:
2013 – The Qur’an: Word of God or Word of Muhammad: Prophetic Revelation in the thought of Abdulkarim Soroush and Nasir-i Khusraw
https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2013/04/26/shiraz-hajiani-khalil-andani-and-shatha-almutawa-to-present-at-university-of-chicagos-mehat-conference/
2014 – Monorealism: The Theology of Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan III
https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2014/04/29/khalil-andanis-upcoming-presentation-in-chicago-the-theology-of-sir-sultan-muhammad-shah-aga-khan-iii/
2014 – From Divine Word to Prophetic Word: Revelation in the Thought of Nasir-i Khusraw
https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2014/10/15/khalil-andanis-presentation-in-chicago-revelation-in-the-thought-of-nasir-i-khusraw/
American Academy of Religion:
2014 – Delegation of Ismaili Imamat: Esoteric Thought in Physical Form
https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2014/04/04/khalil-andanis-presentation-on-the-delegation-of-ismaili-imamat-esoteric-thought-in-physical-form/
2014 – Monorealism: The Theology of Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan III
https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2014/04/24/event-monorealism-the-theology-of-sir-sultan-muhammad-shah-aga-khan-iii-by-khalil-andani/
2015 – ‘God beyond God’ across Muslim and Christian Theology
https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2015/03/17/event-march-21-boston-college-school-of-theology-khalil-andani-shared-theologies-between-islam-and-christianity/
Middle East Studies Association:
2013 – The Qur’an: Word of God or Word of Muhammad: Prophetic Revelation in the thought of Abdulkarim Soroush and Nasir-i Khusraw
https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2013/10/08/iis-scholars-and-khalil-andani-present-papers-on-ismaili-historythought-at-2013-mesa-annual-meeting/
2014 – Reconciling Apophatic and Kataphatic Theology: The Neoplatonic Qur’anic Exegesis of Nāṣir-i Khusraw
https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2014/11/21/the-neoplatonic-quranic-exegesis-of-naṣir-i-khusraw-khalil-andanis-presentation-at-mesa-2014-conference-in-washington-dc/
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Ismaili Gnosis Retreat in August 2015 Features Presentations on the Imamat
“To know the Imam of the Time and to recognize him through his disguise…is the great concern and preoccupation which mobilizes all the spiritual energies of a devout Ismaili.”
– Henry Corbin
The first Ismaili Gnosis Retreat will take place in Chicago, IL from August 28-30 with two full days of programming and is open to Ismaili Muslims of all ages. There are currently 50 people registered for the IG Retreat and an additional 15 spots have been made available for those who sign up before August 7. Registration must be done online: http://bit.ly/1zxo1Di
The theme of the IG Retreat is “The Recognition (ma’rifah) of the Imam” and the programme features several interactive presentations, discussions, and workshops. The IG Retreat will present a holistic understanding of Imamat through interactive presentations, artistic expressions, and outdoor activities while fostering the development of personal intellectual search.
Conference Convener: Sabrina Lakhani
Presenters: Khalil Andani, Mohib Ebrahim, Professor Ali Asani, Zamir Dhanji
Ismaili Gnosis Retreat Summary Program:
Friday, August 28:
– Welcome Dinner
– Video Presentation: Aga Khan – The Living Camera
Saturday, August 29:
– Opening Remarks: What is Ismaili Gnosis?
– Presentation: Rational and Qur’anic Validation of the Imamat
– Workshop: The Public Guidance of the Imamat in Speeches and Interviews (Nano Wisdoms)
– Presentation: Theologies of the Imamat
– Presentation: The Imamat in the Ginans
– Artistic and Poetic Expressions
Sunday, August 30:
– Presentation: Eternal Imam – The Metaphysics of Imamat
– Presentation & Activity: Spirit and Life – Recognizing the Imam through Practical Spirituality
– Workshop: Addressing Frequently Asked Questions
– Discussion: Recognizing the Imam through Rituals
– Video Presentation: Mawlana Hazar Imam’s Visit to Central Asia
Monday, August 31:
– Breakfast
– Departure
The IG Retreat Registration Fee is $120 per person which includes 3 Dinners and 2 Lunches. Breakfast for 3 mornings and WIFI are included in the Hotel Room Booking (see http://bit.ly/1zxo1Di for costs). Participants are responsible for booking their own hotel arrangements online and can obtain a special discount rate of $110/night with the information here (http://bit.ly/1zxo1Di). Note that if you book without the code, you will not be eligible for the included breakfast or WIFI. Beginning on Tuesday, May 12, you can book hotel rooms using the IG Retreat code.
ABOUT THE PRESENTERS
Professor Ali Asani
Professor of Indo-Muslim and Islamic Religion and Cultures – Director of the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Islamic Studies Program
Born in Nairobi, Kenya, Ali S. Asani is currently Professor of Indo-Muslim and Islamic Religion and Cultures at Harvard University. After completing his high school education in Kenya, he attended Harvard College, with a concentration in the Comparative Study of Religion, graduating summa cum laude in 1977. He continued his graduate work at Harvard in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, receiving his Ph.D. in 1984. Prof. Asani holds a joint appointment between the Study of Religion and NELC, where he is currently the chair. He also serves on the faculty of the Dept. of Sanskrit and Indian Studies. He has served on the Committee on the Study of Religion since 1992 and has taught at Harvard since 1983, offering instruction in a variety of languages such as Urdu/Hindi, Sindhi, Gujarati and Swahili as well as courses on various aspects of the Islamic tradition. More.
Khalil Andani
Khalil Andani is a doctoral (Ph.D) candidate specializing in Islamic intellectual history, theology, philosophy, and mysticism at Harvard University and holds a Master of Theological Studies degree (2014), specializing in Islamic philosophy and Ismaili thought, from Harvard University. Khalil’s publications include a book chapter on Nasir-i Khusraw’s philosophical thought in the forthcoming Oxford Handbook of Islamic Philosophy and articles in Sacred Web, and The Matheson Trust. He is also a Chartered Professional Accountant (CA-CPA) and completed Bachelor of Mathematics (BMath) and Master of Accounting degrees at the University of Waterloo (2008). Over the last few years, Khalil has been invited to deliver several guest lectures and conference presentations on various topics in Islamic philosophy, theology and mysticism at Harvard University (SCT 2013, HDS 2014), University of Toronto (Shia Ismaili Islam, Christology Symposium, NMCGSA 2013, NMCGSA 2014), University of Chicago (MEHAT 2013, MEHAT 2014), Carleton University, the American Academy of Religion (Midwest AAR 2014, NEMAAR 2014), the Middle East Studies Association 2013 and 2014.
Mohib Ebrahim
Mohib Ebrahim is the Editor and Publisher of the NanoWisdoms Archive of Imamat speeches, interviews and writings (http://www.nanowisdoms.org). The Archive is the only website dedicated solely to the Ismaili Imamat’s knowledge and was launched in 2011 after it was granted special permission to republish His Highness the Aga Khan’s speeches. At present the Archive contains some 500 readings as well as their own summary documents which provide abridged overviews of the Aga Khan’s wisdom and knowledge.
An honours graduate of Simon Fraser University in Computer Science and Mathematics, Mohib has been involved in software development and the IT industry since the ’80s. His current project, MasterFile, is a state-of-the-art evidence system for academic researchers, investigators, and litigators.
Zamir Dhanji
Zamir Dhanji is a dharma artist who works with music, poetry, storytelling and scholarship. He graduated with a BA concentration in Spiritual Economics from New York University in 2006, his thesis, titled “Holism and human evolution”, explored the relationship between holistic thinking and our views on nature and evolution.
Sabrina Lakhani
Sabrina Lakhani, the retreat convener, strives to weave together content and connection in all areas of life. She is currently the Director of Client Services at Disruptyx, LLC, a marketing consulting firm that focuses on heuristics-based market research and brand messaging. She holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Business Management from Babson College and her interests include systematics, systems thinking, and brand creation. Her personal website is: http://www.sabrinalakhani.com.
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