The IIS is pleased to announce the publication of聽People of the Prophet鈥檚 House: Artistic and Ritual Expressions of Shi鈥榠 Islam, edited by Dr Fahmida Suleman. The book contains twenty-two essays, which are richly illustrated with over 200 colour pictures, maps and charts. The essays were originally read at a conference held at the British Museum in 2009 as part of the Museum鈥檚 programme for its major exhibition, Shah 鈥楢bbas: The Remaking of Iran. These conference papers and newly commissioned essays have been published in a revised, expanded and fully illustrated format by Azimuth Editions in association with the IIS, and in collaboration with the British Museum鈥檚 Department of the Middle East.
To launch the book, on Friday 2 October, the IIS hosted an engaging on-stage conversation between Dr Fahmida Suleman and Dr Shainool Jiwa, co-authors of the introduction to the book, which was followed by a discussion with the audience. Dr Suleman explained in her illustrated presentation, that the aim of the work is to contribute to a growing body of scholarship dedicated to the religious arts and rituals of Shi鈥榠 Muslims from around the world, with contributions from experts covering a wide range of topics including, pilgrimage to holy sites, Shi鈥榠聽Muharram聽rituals, religious iconography, architectural inscriptions and contemporary film and art.
The book focuses on the global diversity of the artistic and devotional expressions of Shi鈥榠 Muslims from places and cultures as far apart as Trinidad and China, and demonstrates how these are united by a number of core beliefs 鈥 among which is an allegiance to and love for Prophet Muhammad and members of his family (i.e., his聽Ahl al-bayt, 鈥楶eople of the House鈥). The book explores how this essential principle of belief has directly impacted how Shi鈥榠 artists, rulers, patrons and ritual participants have conveyed their love and loyalty through material culture and religious ritual.
During her presentation Dr Suleman said:
聽鈥淥ne of the conclusions of the book is that reverence for the聽Ahl al-bayt聽transcends Sunni-Shi鈥榠 demarcations. This is a universal belief in Islam and not restricted to any particular community,聽tariqah聽or time period in history.鈥
She went on to give the example of the shrine of Sayyida Zaynab in Cairo – the daughter of Hazrat 鈥楢li and聽Bibi聽FatimaDaughter of the Prophet Muhammad and his first wife, Khad墨ja bint Khuwaylid. Also wife of 士Al墨 b. Ab墨 峁乴ib and mother of al-岣san and al-岣sayn., and the granddaughter of Prophet Muhammad – who is considered the patron saint of the city. Muslim pilgrims of various persuasions pay regular visits to her shrine, especially during her mawlid (birthday) celebrations, to express their love and reverence for a member of the聽Ahl al-bayt.
The book aims to provide readers with a better understanding of the diversity of Shi鈥榠 beliefs and practices through the lenses of art, material culture and ritual, from both historical and contemporary contexts. The essays in the volume also illustrate how Muslim artistic and ritual expressions of love for and devotion to the Prophet and his聽Ahl al-bayt聽transcend religious boundaries and demarcations.
The book launch was accompanied by an exhibition of rare manuscripts from the IIS鈥檚 Special Collections Unit. Some of the items displayed included: a copy of a Kashmiri聽Qur鈥檃n聽with marginal translations and commentaries in Persian, transcribed in 1298/1881 by聽Shaykh聽Ahmad b.聽Shaykh聽Muhammad of Rashnahar, Kashmir; a copy of the聽Nahj al-balagha聽(Peak of Eloquence) 鈥 the most famous collection of sermons, letters, tafsirs and narrations attributed to Imam鈥楢li, which were collected by the tenth-century Shi鈥榠 scholar al-Sharif al-Radi; a book of poetry in praise of the Prophet from Ottoman Turkey; the text of Charagh-i rawshan; Masabih fi ithbat al-imama (Lights to Illuminate the Proof of the Imamate), a treatise composed by the 5th/11th-century Ismaili聽da鈥榠聽Hamid聽al-Din聽al-Kirmani; and Fasl dar bayani shinakhti Imam-i zaman (A chapter on the recognition of the Imam), a manuscript by the 16th-century Ismaili聽da鈥榠聽Muhammad Rida b. Sultan Husayn-i Ghuriyani (d. after 960 AH/1553 CE) better known as Khayrkhwah-i Harati.
Dr Fahmida Suleman (DPhil, Oxford) is a graduate of the IIS and currently Phyllis Bishop Curator for the Modern Middle East at the British Museum. Her research interests include religious arts and iconography, material culture from the Fatimid period, and Middle Eastern and Central Asian textiles and jewellery.
