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| Preface | |
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| The Study of Shi'ism | |
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| Fundamental ELements of Shi'ism | |
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| Present State of Shi'ite Studies | |
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| The Present Book | |
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| The Author | |
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| Introduction | |
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| The Historical Background of Shi'ism | |
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| The Origin and Growth of Shi'ism | |
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| The Cause of the Separation of the Shi'ite Minority from the Sunni Majority | |
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| The Two Problems of Succession and Authority in Religious Sciences | |
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| The Political Method of the Selection of the Caliph by Vote and Its Disagreement with the Shi'ite View | |
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| The Termination of the Caliphate of 'Ali Amir al-mu'minin and His Method of Rule | |
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| The Benefit That the Shi'ah Derived from the Caliphate of 'Ali | |
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| The Transfer of the Caliphate to Mu'awiyah and Its Transformation into a Hereditary Monarchy | |
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| The Bleakest Days of Shi'ism | |
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| The Establishment of Umayyad Rule | |
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| Shi'ism During the 2nd/8th Century | |
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| Shi'ism in the 3rd/9th Century | |
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| Shi'ism in the 4th/10th Century | |
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| Shi'ism from the 5th/11th to the 9th/15th Centuries | |
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| Shi'ism in the 10th/16th and 11th/17th Centuries | |
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| Shi'ism from the 12th/18th to the 14th/20th Centuries | |
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| Notes: Chapter I | |
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| Divisions within Shi'ism | |
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| Zaydism and Its Branches | |
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| Isma'ilism and Its Branches | |
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| The Batinis | |
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| The Nizaris, Musta'lis, Druzes, and Muqanna'ah | |
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| The Nizaris | |
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| The Musta'lis | |
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| The Druzes | |
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| The Muqanna'ah | |
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| Differences Between Twelve-Imam Shi'ism and Isma'ilism and Zaydism | |
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| Summary of the History of Twelve-Imam Shi'ism | |
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| Notes: Chapter II | |
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| Shi'ite Religious Thought | |
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| Three Methods of Religious Thought | |
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| First Method: The Formal Aspect of Religion | |
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| Different Facets of the Formal Apsect | |
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| Traditions of the Companions | |
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| The Book and Tradition | |
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| The Outward and Inward Apsects of the Quran | |
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| The Principles of Interpretation of the Quran | |
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| Hadith | |
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| The Method of Shi'ism in Authenticating the Hadith | |
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| The Method of Shi'ism in Following the Hadith | |
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| Learning and Teaching in Islam | |
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| Shi'ism and the Transmitted Sciences | |
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| Second Method: The Way of Intellection and Intellectual Reasoning | |
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| Philosophical and Theological Thought in Shi'ism | |
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| Shi'ite Initiative in Islamic Philosophy and Kalam | |
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| Shi'ite Contributions in Philosophy and Intellectual Sciences | |
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| Outstanding Intellectual Figures of Shi'ism | |
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| Third Method: Intellectual Intuition or Mystical Unveiling | |
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| Man and Gnostic Comprehension | |
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| Appearance of Gnosis (Sufism) in Islam | |
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| Guidance Provided by the Quran and Sunnah for Gnostic Knowledge | |
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| Notes: Chapter III | |
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| Islamic Beliefs From the Shi'ite Point of View | |
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| On the Knowledge of God | |
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| The World Seen from the Point of View of Being and Reality: The Necessity of God | |
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| Another Point of View Concerning the Relation Between Man and the Universe | |
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| The Divine Essence and Qualities | |
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| The Meaning of the Divine Qualities | |
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| Further Explanations Concerning the Qualities | |
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| Qualities of Action | |
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| Destiny and Providence | |
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| Man and Free Will | |
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| Notes: Chapter IV | |
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| On the Knowledge of the Prophet | |
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| Toward the Goal: General Guidance | |
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| Special Guidance | |
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| Reason and Law | |
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| That Mysterious Wisdom and Consciousness Called Revelation | |
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| The Prophets - Inerrancy of Prophecy | |
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| The Prophets and Revealed Religion | |
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| The Prophets and Proof of Revelation and Prophecy | |
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| The Number of the Prophets of God | |
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| The Prophets Who are Bringers of Divine Law | |
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| The Prophecy of Muhammad | |
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| The Prophet and the Quran | |
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| Notes: Chapter V | |
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| Eschatology | |
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| Man is Composed of Spirit and Body | |
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| A Discussion of Spirit from Another Perspective | |
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| Death from the Islamic Point of View | |
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| Purgatory | |
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| The Day of Judgment - Resurrection | |
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| Another Explanation | |
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| The Continuity and Succession of Creation | |
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| Notes: Chapter VI | |
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| On the Knowledge of the Imam (Imamology) | |
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| The Meaning of Imam | |
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| The Imamate and Succession | |
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| Affirmation of the Previous Section | |
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| The Imamate and Its Role in the Exposition of the Divine Sciences | |
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| The Difference Between Prophet and Imam | |
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| The Imamate and Its Role in the Esoteric Dimension of Religion | |
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| The Imams and Leaders of Islam | |
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| A Brief History of the Lives of the Twelve Imams | |
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| The First Imam - 'Ali ibn Abi Talib | |
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| The Second Imam - Hasan ibn 'Ali | |
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| The Third Imam - Husayn ibn 'Ali | |
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| The Fourth Imam - 'Ali ibn Husayn | |
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| The Fifth Imam - Muhammad ibn 'Ali | |
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| The Sixth Imam - Ja'far ibn Muhammad | |
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| The Seventh Imam - Musa ibn Ja'far | |
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| The Eighth Imam - 'Ali ibn Musa | |
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| The Ninth Imam - Muhammad ibn 'Ali | |
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| Then Tenth Imam - 'Ali ibn Muhammad | |
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| The Eleventh Imam - Hasan ibn 'Ali | |
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| The Twelfth Imam - Mahdi | |
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| On the Appearance of the Mahdi | |
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| The Spiritual Message of Shi'ism | |
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| Notes: Chapter VII | |
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| Appendix | |
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| Taqiyah or Dissimulation | |
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| Mut'ah or Temporary Marriage | |
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| Ritual Practices in Shi'ism | |
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| A Note on the Jinn | |
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| Bibliography | |
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| Index | |