And, therefore, you will observe that the Shī‘ah very rarely...

And, therefore, you will observe that the Shī‘ah very rarely felt the need to form distinct spiritual fraternities like the Ṣūfīs among the Sunnīs. You will indeed find ‘urafā’ [scholars who specialize in gnosis] among the Shī‘ah but not murshidīn [spiritual masters] as found among the Ṣūfīs. A Shī‘ī Muslim refers for all his religious guidance--from theology to jurisprudence, from ritual or spiritual--to the ahl al-bayt.

Even if he just follows the rituals with understanding and comprehension, he will be led to the spiritual path. For example, a simple recitation of the Du‘ā’ Kumayl, taught by Imām ‘Alī, elevates a Shī‘ī from the basic level of worshiping God out of fear [ khawf ] to the level of worshiping God out of love [ ḥubb ]. And so there is no wonder when we see that almost all the Ṣūfī fraternities trace their chain of masters back to one or the other Imām of ahl al-bayt.

In this background, it was indeed a pleasure to read and review the English translation of Professor Luis Alberto Vittor’s Shī‘ite Islām: Orthodoxy or Heterodoxy translated by Dr. John Andrew Morrow. The book has excellently captured the exoteric as well as the esoteric dimensions of Imāmate.

I am sure that readers will come to realize that while Sunnism is more a legalistic aspect of Islām and Ṣūfīsm is more a spiritual, mystical dimension, Shī‘ism is the true legacy of the complete Islām of the Prophet Muḥammad (peace be upon him and his progeny). May Almighty Allāh bless the writer as well as the translator and commentator for their worthwhile contribution towards the understanding of Shī‘ah Islām!

Hujjat al-Islām wa al-Muslimīn Sayyid Muḥammad Rizvī Jaffari Islamic Center Toronto, Canada Previous…