From Library Journal\nThe Iranian Revolution of 1979 and recent events in Lebanon have greatly increased Western interest in the Shi'i branch of Islam, which is much less known than Sunni Islam. This volume provides a balanced and comprehensive treatment of a complex religious movement that has flourished since Islam's earliest days. Although it attempts no new or sophisticated interpretations, specialist and nonspecialist alike will benefit from its lucid exposition of both elite and popular Shi'ism. Especially valuable is the way the work presents modern critical scholarship on Shi'i history alongside the orthodox history, which still has great influence on the religion's self-understanding. A brief but useful concluding account locates the Iranian Revolution and Imam Khomeini within the framework of Iranian Shi'ism. Mel Piehl, History Dept., Valparaiso Univ., Ind. 
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc.

An Introduction to Shi'i Islam: The History and Doctrines of Twelver Shi'ism

Religion & Spirituality

Momen, Moojan

Islam

Yale University Press

This book is a general introduction to Shi’i Islam―specifically to Twelver Shi’ism, to which the majority of Shi’is belong today. It deals with the history and development of this important religion, giving an account of Shi’i doctrines and focusing in particular on those areas in which it differs from Sunni Islam. “Momen’s book fills an important gap in the general literature in English on Twelver Shi’ism, and should be carefully studied by anyone who wants to know more about what is happening in the Middle East today….This is a fine work which deserves the widest possible readership.”―Malise Ruthven, The Middle East “An extremely useful reference source on the establishment and evolution of the Shi’ite branch of the Islamic religion.”―Cecil V. Crabb, Jr., Perspective “An unpretentious style, interpretive clarity and . . . sound judgment characterize Momen’s writings. The various aspects of Twelver Shi’ism are carefully distinguished to satisfy both the general reader and the aspiring student.”―Norman Calder, Times Literary Supplement “Specialist and nonspecialist alike will benefit from its lucid exposition of both elite and popular Shi’ism. Especially valuable is the way the work presents modern critical scholarship on Shi’i history alongside the orthodox history, which still has great influence on the religion’s self-understanding.”―Mel Piehl, Library Journal Moojan Momen has written extensively on Iran and Middle East religion.

An Introduction to Shi`i Islam: The History and Doctrines of Twelver Shi'ism

History

Middle East

Oxford: George Ronald, 1985. Hardbound, about 9.5 inches tall, 397 pages. Notes, bibliography, index. Includes a section of maps, plus five sections of black and white plates. Provides a general outline of Shi'i Islam, and specifically of Twelver Shi'ism to which the majority of Shi'is belong. biographical notes on nearly fifty prominent religious personalities through the centuries; a glossary of Arabic and Persian terms; a chronology of political and religious events; and a list dynasties.

An Introduction to Shi'i Islam : The History and Doctrines of Twelver Shism

FisicalBook

An essential work for serious students of the Bahá'í Faith, including * identification of well-known Bahá'ís Browne met in Iran and referred to under other names in 'A Year Amongst the Persians' * Browne's 80-page Abstract of the Persian Bayán, never before published * the full text of 'The Bábís of Persia', the first comprehensive account of the Bahá'í Faith in English Edward Granville Browne is widely regarded as the greatest European scholar in the field of modern Iranian studies. His extraordinary sympathy and understanding in describing Iranian culture ensures that his books are still read almost a century later. His research into the Bábí and Bahá'í Faiths, although not free from errors of fact and judgement, remains to this day one of the most important contributions in the field. The first three sections of this book result from Browne's travels in Iran in 1887-8, where he met some of the most prominent Bahá'ís. In his famous work 'A Year Amongst the Persians', he took care to protect their identity. However, he also kept a diary, written partly in a private code, in which almost all of them are identified, including such men as Mírzá Haydar-'Alí. Thanks to Dr Momen's careful work on the original diary, and on other sources, the most important extracts from this book can be presented here with the individuals identified and the background to many of the events in the book explained. Browne's paper 'The Bábís of Persia', long out of print, makes up the second section. This was the first comprehensive account in English of Bábí and Bahá'í history and teachings, and is of major historical importance in its own right. The third section is a previously unpublished abstract of the Persian Bayán, the major work of the Báb written in about 1848. Browne had succeeded in obtaining a manuscript copy of this work in Iran and on his return immediately set about preparing this lengthy abstract for publication. It was, however, never published, and appears now for the first time, with annotations by the editor, providing a detailed guide to the contents of the Persian Bayán. There are also several valuable short sections from different publications no longer in print. They represent various aspects of Browne's wide-ranging studies on the Bábí and Bahá'í Faiths.

Selections from the Writings of E. G. Browne on the Babi and Baha'i Religions

Moojan -Editor Momen

Other Religions, Practices & Sacred Texts

George Ronald Pub Ltd

This third volume in the George Ronald Baha'i Studies Series brings together the work of a number of outstanding international scholars of the Babi and Baha'i religions. A selection from papers presented at the first two Irfan Colloquia, the volume focuses on the theme of 'scripture and revelation.'

Scripture and Revelation: Papers Presented at the First Irfan Colloquium

The early histories of all the Baha'i communities of southern Iran are narrated here for the first time.\nDrawing on original sources including manuscript histories, letters, family records and material previously published only in Persian, Dr Moojan Momen provides a panoramic yet detailed account of the largest and the smallest Baha'i communities during the period 1851 to 1921. During this time they acquired characteristics that differentiated them from the rest of the population - their ethos and outlook, their system of administration and social institutions - and the persecution they faced as a result.\nThe study of the religious minorities in Iran is still at an early stage. In particular, the Baha'i community has received relatively little attention, despite being the largest non-Muslim minority in Iran. Moojan Momen sets out to remedy this situation. Using a narrative style, he presents an account of the Baha'i communities in the southern half of Iran, province by province, during the early years of their formation and development. The starting point is the execution of the Bab in 1850 and the holocaust of 1852 when the shah gave orders for the extermination of the Babi community and thousands of Babis were killed. Set against the background of the turmoil in the social and economic conditions in Iran, the book stretches across the period of the leadership of the Baha'i community by Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha.\nThe book traces the developments in the Iranian Baha'i community as it emerged from the Babi community and, under the guidance of Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha, became less parochial and more global in its outlook, seeking education and raising the position of women in its local communities. By the period of the leadership of 'Abdu'l-Baha, these communities were making a notable difference, with the establishment of modern schools, the promotion of the education and social role of women, the development of health facilities and the building of modern public baths. In all these areas the Baha'is were at the forefront of modernity and development in Iran. However, each upsurge in the activities of the Baha'i community resulted in an upsurge of persecution.\nThis book is an important contribution to the knowledge of the early days of the Baha'i Faith, the development of the largest non-Muslim minority in Iran and the emergence of modernity in the Middle East.

The Baha'i Communities of Iran 1851-1921 Volume 2: The South of Iran

George Ronald Publisher Ltd

An exploration of the development of the Bahá'í community of the British Isles\nThe British Bahá'í community has been in existence since 1899 and its elected national leadership council, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United Kingdom, was first elected in 1923. Although a number of monographs, articles and biographies have appeared over the years, no overall survey of the community's history has yet been published. The Bahá'í Community of the British Isles, 1844-1963 is an attempt to fill some of the gap.\nThe book begins with the earliest news about the new religion which reached the British government through diplomatic and consular channels and the British public through newspaper articles as early as 1845. During the late 19th century, there was a rising tide of awareness of the Bábí and Bahá'í religions in Britain.\nAlthough one or two Bahá'ís were in Britain from 1885 onwards, a British Bahá'í community did not form until two residents of London joined in 1888-9 the first party of western Bahá'ís to visit 'Abdu'l-Bahá, the son of Bahá'u'lláh, in the Holy Land. 'Abdu'l-Bahá made two visits to Britain and received widespread newspaper coverage. Prompted by British Bahá'ís, the British government made efforts to save 'Abdu'l-Bahá during World War I and recognized the value of his work in the Holy Land, knighting him after the war.\n'Abdu'l-Bahá chose Britain for the further education of his grandson, Shoghi Effendi, who was his successor. Britain was among the first three countries to form in 1923 a National Spiritual Assembly. In 1957 Shoghi Effendi passed away in London and is buried there. The British Bahá'í community was chosen to host the first Bahá'í World Congress, held in London in 1963, commemorating the hundredth anniversary of the announcement by Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, of His mission. During this Congress, some of the earliest meetings of the Universal House of Justice took place in London, which are the only occasions on which the Universal House of Justice has met outside the Holy Land.\nIn the years between the early accounts of the Bahá'í religion and the events of 1963 there developed a small but vibrant community across England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. This book tells the fascinating, and little known, story of the lives of many of these early followers, how they came to hear of the religion, their efforts to spread it to others, the struggles they faced, the goals they strove to achieve, their efforts in Africa and around the world to share their religion with others, their steadfastness and their victories. Their successes were greatly praised by Shoghi Effendi.\nThe Bahá'í Community of the British Isles, 1844-1963 was conceived by the late Adam Thorne, who spent over two decades collecting material on the history of the Bahá'í community of the British Isles.\nMoojan Momen is the author of numerous books and articles about the Bahá'í Faith and related subjects, most recently two volumes on the history of the Bahá'í communities of Iran.\nJanet Fleming Rose is the author of A Seed in Your Heart: The Life of Louise Mathew Gregory.\nEarl Redman is the author of a number of books on the Bahá'í Faith, most recently Agnes Baldwin Alexander: Hand of the Cause of God, with co-author Duane Troxel.

The Bahá'í Community of the British Isles 1844-1963

Redman, Earl

Thorne, Adam

Europe

A history of the Momen (Ulfat) family, giving information about how the family became Baha'is in the latter part of the nineteenth century in Yazd and giving biographies of the first three generations of the family. These members of the family lived at first in Yazd and the book contains eye-witness accounts of the major persecution of the Baha'i community in Yazd in 1903. There is also information about the journey of two members of the family to visit `Abdu'l-Baha in 1919. Provisional translations of some of the Tablets of `Abdu'l-Baha to members of the family are given. The family moved to Tehran in the aftermath of the 1903 persecution, and later generations of the family have migrated to many countries of the world across five continents. The book gives accounts of the experiences of two members of the family who were imprisoned as Baha'is in the aftermath of the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran. It contains a detailed genealogy of the family as well as over 100 photographs. The chapter headings give an indication of the members of the family about whom short biographies have been given and some of the other contents of the book: Áqá Muhammad Husayn 'Attár Yazdí (Ulfat), Fátimih-Sughrá, Prayer and Tablet of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Khadíjih Ulfat, Sakínih Ulfat, 'Alí Ulfat, Vadí'ih Momen, Muhammad Labib, Mahboubeh Kouchekzadeh, Sedratollah Momen, Eshghollah Momen, Zoghollah Momen, Majzoob Behrouzmand, Mahin Vahdat, Farid Vahdat's Imprisonment, Family Tree, Photographs.

The Momen (Ulfat) Family History

Biographies & Memoirs

Hooman Momen

Five scholars explore new areas of Bahai studies in this collection of essays dedicated to the late Hand of the Cuase of God, Hasan M. Balyuzi. Two articles discuss previously neglected topics in Bahai theology. Three articles discuss aspects of Bahai history in Iran and the West.

Studies in Honor of the Late Hasan M. Balyuzi (Studies in the Babi & Baha'i Religions, Volume 5)

Kalimat Pr

Dr Moojan Momen provides readers with an accessible and insightful introduction to the Shi'i branch of Islam, taking us from its beginnings after the death of the Prophet Muhammad through to the present day. As well as providing a historical overview, the book also introduces readers to Shi'i doctrines and practices, explains the key differences between the Shi'i and Sunni branches of Islam, and addresses the role and position of women within Shi'i communities.

Shi'i Islam: A Beginner's Guide (Beginner's Guides)

Oneworld Publications

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