Reason, Esotericism and Authority in Shi'i Islam

This volume advances the critical study of exegetical, doctrinal, and political authority in Shi°i Islam. Naive dichotomies of reason" and "esotericism" in Islamic Studies have often marginalized Shi°i thought or impeded its understanding. The studies presented here aim to foster more exacting frameworks for interpreting the diverse modes of rationality and esotericism in Twelver and Ismaili Shi°ism and the socio-epistemic values they represent within Muslim discourse. The volume's contributions highlight the cross-sectarian genealogy of early Shi°i esotericism; the rationale behind Fatimid Ismaili Quranic ta®wåil hermeneutics; the socio-political context of religious authority in nascent Twelver Shi°ism; authorial agency wielded by Imami hadith compilers; the position of esoteric Shi°i traditions in Timurid-era òHilla; and Shi°i-Sufi relations with Uòsåulåi jurists in modern Iran"--