In Twelver Shi'a Islam, the wait for the return of the Twelfth Imam, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Mahdi, at the end of time, overshadowed the value of actively seeking martyrdom. However, what is the place of martyrdom in Twelver Shi'ism today?
This book shows that the Islamic revolution in Iran resulted in the marriage of Shi'i messianism and extreme political activism, changing the mindset of the Shi'a worldwide. Suddenly, each drop of martyrs' blood brought the return of al-Mahdi one step closer, and the Islamic Republic of Iran supposedly became the prelude to the foretold world revolution of al-Mahdi. Adel Hashemi traces the unexplored area of Shi'i discourse on martyrdom from the 1979 revolution—when the Islamic Republic's leaders cultivated the culture of martyrdom to topple the Shah's regime—to the dramatic shift in the understanding of martyrdom today. Also included are the reaction to the Syrian crisis, the region's war with ISIS and other Salafi groups, and the renewed commitment to the defense of shrines.
This book shows the striking shifts in the meaning of martyrdom in Shi'ism, revealing the real relevance of the concept to the present-day Muslim world.
By:
Adel Hashemi
Imprint: I.B. Tauris
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 234mm,
Width: 156mm,
ISBN: 9780755633951
ISBN 10: 0755633954
Pages: 224
Publication Date: 24 March 2022
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
INTRODUCTION What is Martyrdom? Martyrdom from Bible to the Qur’an Previous Studies on Martyrdom in Islam Thesis and Plan Chapter 1: The Emergence of the Shi‘i Form of Martyrdom Martyrs of the Community: Sectarian Factor Shi‘a Martyrdom Traditions CHAPTER 2: Martyrdom Revival in Twelver Shi‘ism Diverging Paths: Martyrdom in Modern Sunnism vs. Modern Shi‘ism Jihad, Martyrdom, and State Building Changing the Gears: Reviving Martyrdom Among the Shi‘a Reopening of the Gates of Active Martyrdom: Historical Background CHAPTER 3: Revolution, War and Martyrdom 1979 Islamic Revolution and the Power of Martyrdom Iran-Iraq War and the Love of Martyrdom CHAPTER 4: Civic Martyrdom Lest We Forget: Iran’s Post-War State of Martyrdom No-War Zone Martyrs Rainbow Martyrdom: Politics of Blood CHAPTER 5: Martyrdom Reimagined Martyrdom Out of the Borders Shrine Defenders The Shi‘i Symbolism of Shrine Defenders Chapter 6: Shrine Defenders: A New Beginning The Sectarian Factor The Imagined Nation of Heroes Chapter 7: From Karbala to Damascus Appendix: Martyrdom in Classical Islam Martyrdom in Sunni Traditions Who is a Martyr? Merits of Martyrs Types of Martyrdom Rewards of Martyrdom Martyrdom in Sunni Tafsirs
Adel Hashemi is a researcher in contemporary Islam. He completed his Ph.D. at McMaster University.
Reviews for The Making of Martyrdom in Modern Twelver Shi’ism: From Protesters and Revolutionaries to Shrine Defenders
The Making of Martyrdom in Modern Twelver Shi'ism helps the reader to understand the contemporary Middle East's sectarian conflicts, beyond mere politics, through the lens of sectarian martyrdom. * Middle East Monitor * This ground-breaking work provides a new perspective on the reassertion of the concept of martyrdom in contemporary Shi’i political thought and how the traditional understanding of martyrdom has been reconceptualized in light of current geo-political conditions. -- Liyakat Takim, Professor and Sharjah Chair in Global Islam, McMaster University, Canada
