The Book Deals with these Questions:
What is Imami Shi‘ism in its earliest phase –a socio-political doctrine? A theological-juridical doctrine? An esoteric doctrine?
- What is the “world vision” of Imamism?
- Who are the Shi‘i Imams –jurist theologians? Messianic pretenders? Mystical philosophers? Holy men?
Thesis:
“The true axis around which this world vision turns is the person of the Perfect Guide (the imam)in his ontological dimension (in this acceptation, it will be written with a capital “i”: the Imam) as well as in his historical dimension (where “imam” will be written with a lowercase “i”). The two dimensions are inextricably bound to one another. Imamism’s cosmology-cosmogony, its anthropology, its soteriology, and its eschatology all gravitate around its Imamology.”
Summary excerpt:
- The Divine Guide in Early Shi‘ism is a game-changing book
- It brings much needed balance to Shi‘i studies and one must conclude, at least, that the “esoteric nonrational doctrine” formed a major current of early Imami Shi‘ism alongside the “rationalist doctrines”
Click here to read at Academia.edu
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, 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 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.