An Introduction to Shi'i Law (book)

An Introduction to Shi'i Law (book)

Author	Sayyid Husayn Mudarrisi Tabataba'i
Original title	An Introduction to Shi'i Law: a bibliographical study
Language	English
Subject	Jurisprudence and its principles
Published	1410/1989-90
Publisher	Islamic Research Foundation of Astan Quds Razavi
English translation

An Introduction to Shi'i Law: A Bibliographical Study, authored in English by Sayyid Husayn Mudarrisi Tabataba'i, provides a comprehensive overview of the Shi'a school of jurisprudence and its foundations. The work covers general concepts regarding the principles of jurisprudence, surveys various historical periods of Shi'a legal thought, and introduces significant texts in the field, including works of demonstrative jurisprudence and practical treatises.

The book is organized into two primary parts:

• Part One: Examines general themes within Shi'a jurisprudence, including its foundations, principles, and core subjects, as well as its historical periods of dynamism and stagnation.
• Part Two: Presents the sources of Shi'a jurisprudence, encompassing demonstrative jurisprudence and a selection of practical treatises. For each entry, the book details the title, author, manuscripts, repository locations, editions, and publishers. The jurisprudential works are cataloged chronologically according to the authors' dates of death. Manuscripts are similarly arranged by antiquity, and the volume concludes with library specifications and detailed indices.

As stated in the introduction, the author's primary objective is to familiarize researchers with the general principles of Shi'a law and to introduce key sources in jurisprudence and legal theory. The work aims to foster an understanding of the Shi'a school and its rich cultural heritage, thereby filling a significant gap in the field.

Sayyid Husayn Mudarrisi Tabataba'i (b. 1941) completed his preliminary seminary and philosophical studies before attending advanced lectures in jurisprudence and principles under prominent masters such as Sayyid Muhammad Muhaqqiq Damad and Murtada Ha'iri. In 1979, he traveled to England to pursue higher education, earning his PhD from Oxford University in 1982. He subsequently joined the faculty at Princeton University and has held teaching positions at Columbia, Oxford, Yale, and Harvard Universities. Additionally, he has served as a member of the Board of Overseers at Harvard University. His major contributions to the study of Islamic law and Shi'a history include Kharaj in Islamic Law, Crisis and Consolidation in the Formative Period of Shi'ite Islam, and Tradition and Survival.