My Recent Paper in Shiite Studies Journal:

The Discursive Circumstances

of Composing Bahar al-Anvar

in the Safavid Era

Written by:

Sobhan Rezaee

Dr. Hesamoddin Ashna

A Quarterly for Shitte Studies

Volume 6, Number 4, Winter 2009

Any research on Bahar al-Anvar (a twenty-five volumes encyclopaedic collection of hadith, history of Islam and.. . by 'Allama Mohammad Baqir Majlisi) cannot be carried out without examining its social and historical background. In this paper, the social and historical environment in which such a cultural phenomenon was composed is examined. For this purpose, the social, political and religious structures of Iran under the Safavids, as well as 'Allama Majlisi's way of socialisation, his connections and political experiences are considered. Mujlisi's motive for writing the book, the structure of the book and the methodology used by him are also discussed, while his other writings and similar works by other contemporary authors are touched upon. It is argued that Majlisi in his official position as Sheikh ul-Islam, the superior religious authority in Iran under the Safavids, in order to help the state to expand and maintain its authority had to respond to a variety of audiences and prepaer such a complex collection of messages, which applied for legitimating the Safavid patterns of life.

Keywords: the Safavid state, Mohammad Baqir Majlisi, Bahar al-Anvar

Please Read Me: Sexuality in Shiite Hadith Discourse

A Quarterly for Shiite Studies

Volume 6, Number 2, Summer 2008

Written by:

Sobhan Rezaee & Dr. Hesamoddin Ashna

In this article, the authors examine Shiite views on sexuality, by applying Michel Foucault’s approach and method in his book, the History of Sexuality, to Shiite revered texts, including the Quran (and Shiite imams’ and scholars’ commentaries on it), and the Al-Nikah chapter of Wassa’il al-Shia. Some other complementary hadith collections, such as Al-Kafi, Man La Yahzarah al-Fiqih, Tahzib Al-Ahkam, Ellal Al-Sharaye, and Tebb Al-A’emme, were also referred to. The authors argue that sexuality can be considered as a religious concept, which as a discourse system is articulated in Bioclutural context. It is concluded that: 1) Sexuality has a paramount importance in the Shiite faith, 2) the faith has a positive attitude towards sexual relationships and encourages such a non verbal communication, 3) the birth of a human being and its process is regarded as signs of God’s wisdom and power, 4) Shiite religious texts have defined the patterns and limits of legitimate sexuality, and introduced mechanisms and strategies to protect them.

Keywords: Sexuality, the Shia, the Quran, Wassa’il al-Shia, Michel Foucault, the History of Sexuality

For accessing to the main paper, please click on this title: Sexuality in Shiite Hadith Discourse