The Shi‘a in Modern South Asia
Religion, History and Politics

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

Justin Jones (Edited by), Ali Usman Qasmi (Edited by)

9781107108905, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 14 May 2015

218 pages
23.8 x 16 x 2.1 cm, 0.47 kg

'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

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.

Preface
Introduction Francis Robinson
1. Faith deployed for a new Shi'i polity in India Sajjad Rizvi
2. The Isma'ili – Isna 'Ashari divide among the Khojas Michel Boivin
3. Local nodes of a transnational network Muhammad Amir Ahmad Khan
4. Shi'ism, humanity and revolution in twentieth-century India Justin Jones
5. Universalising aspirations Soumen Mukherjee
6. Travelling leaders and connecting print cultures Shireen Mirza
7. Shari'a, Shi'as and Chishtiya revivalism Tahir Kamran and Amir Khan Shahid
8. Third wave Shi'ism Simon Wolfgang Fuchs
Contributors
Index.

Subject Areas: Islamic studies [JFSR2], Asian history [HBJF]