Medical Discussions on Lovesickness (ʿIshq) during the Post-Classical Period
Professor Nahyan Fancy (University of Exeter) will be delivering a research seminar entitled ‘Medical Discussions on Lovesickness (ʿIshq) during the Post-Classical Period‘ on Wednesday...
Before “After Virtue”: The Philosophy of Muhammad Baqir Al-Sadr
On 10 May 2023, Mehdi Ali, a PhD candidate in the Department of Religion at the University of Southern California, presented a research paper...
A letter from ʿAlī on the history of the caliphate: A key source text
On May 31st 2023, Dr. Nebil Husayn led a research seminar examining an early pro-ʿAlid epistle attributed to ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib (d. 40/661)...
AMI Launches Scholarship to Support Doctoral Students Specialising in Shi’i Studies
The Al-Mahdi Institute (AMI) welcomes applications for the AMI Doctoral Scholarship to support talented students working on the study of Imāmī (Twelver) Shīʿism. Despite...
“Islam and Evolution” by Dr Shoaib Ahmed Malik
On Wednesday 1st March 2023, we were delighted to host Dr Shoaib Ahmed Malik from Zayed University in the UAE to deliver a lecture...
Ṭalāq as a Mode of Dissolution of Marriage under Muslim Personal Law in India and its Challenges
In India, the law of ṭalāq as a means of dissolving a marriage is one of the most significant aspects of Muslim personal law. The Supreme...
The Institution of Marriage in Islam and Modern Society | 10th Contemporary Fiqhi Workshop
The 10th Annual Contemporary Fiqhī Issues Workshop at Al-Mahdi Institute aims to facilitate scholarship directly addressing questions relating to ‘The Institution of Marriage in...
The Tragedy of Al-Maʾmūn: Reading al-Ṣadūq’s ʿUyūn akhbār al-Riḍā
In his presentation, Dr Warner focused on the relationship that the book ʿUyūn portrays between al-Riḍā and his eventual murderer, the ʿAbbāsid caliph al-Maʾmūn....
How (Not) to Teach Creed: Disputes Over “the Belief of the Common Folk” in the Early Modern Maghrib
Historical investigations of creed in Islamic Studies tend to focus on the doctrinal content, noting how creeds produced and promoted the orthodoxies of a...
Islamic Wills & Probate Within the Tax System
AMI is delighted to hold a virtual seminar on Islamic Wills & Probate Within the Tax System on Thursday 24th March 2022 from 3pm...
Gender and Legal Personhood in Hanafi law | Dr Saadia Yacoob (Williams College) | AMI Research Seminar
The final research seminar of the academic year saw Al-Mahdi Institute host Dr Saadia Yacoob, from Willams College, Massachusetts. With gender being a central...
Reading ‘race’ in the Islamicate Past | Dr Haroon Bashir (Markfield Institute) | AMI Research Seminar
During the second research of the academic term Dr Haroon Bashir explored race in Islamicate societies and the claim that it was structured around...
Understanding the stance of Imam Ali and those who opposed him at the battle of Siffin | CIMS
The battle of Siffin was fought in 37AH, in a period known as the first fiṭna (sedition), a period of civil war within the...
AMI Research Seminar: “The Best Explanation of Karbala” | Dr Ali Fanaei (Al-Mahdi Institute)
The third academic research seminar, of this academic year, brought the current Winter series to a close. On this occasion, Al -Mahdi Institute was...
AMI Research Seminar: “Sufism and Shi’ism or Shi’i Sufism” by Dr. Alessandro Cancian (The Institute of Ismaili Studies)
Video: AMI’s second research seminar, of the current academic year, proved to be yet another resounding success. The virtually convened event saw Dr. Alessandro Cancian, of London’s...
AMI Research Seminar: “Islam, Justice and Gendered Equality” by Prof. Qudsia Mirza (Birbeck College)
This year’s Research Seminar series kicked-off with a presentation from Birkbeck’s (UoL) Prof. Qudsia Mirza, presenting a paper entitled “Islam, Justice and Gendered Equality”....
Creation and the Environment in Islam, Judaism and Christianity | Inter-Religious Symposia
The opening IRS meeting of 2021 went all the way back to our origins, with discussions on the nature of creation in the Abrahamic traditions. In addition to important theological questions about the source of...
CIMS | The Door of Fatima: The controversy over the violation of the House of Sayyeda Fatima by companions, after the death of the Prophet Muhammad
The event’s that ensued after the death of the Prophet of Islam are arguably as important as the events during his life. However, the...
AMI Contemporary Fiqhi Issues Workshop 2020
The 8th Annual Contemporary Fiqhī Issues Workshop, hosted online by the Al-Mahdi Institute, seeks to provide a forum for considering the regulations of im/purity (ṭahāra and...
“Islam and Post-Ijtihadism” Research Seminar by Prof. Liyakat Takim (McMaster University)
On Thursday, 28th May 2020, Al-Mahdi Institute successfully convened its third consecutive virtual research seminar, amid the Covid-19 circumstances. Whilst the prevailing situation has...
Variety of Interpretations of Holy Texts. Research Seminar by Mohsen Najafi (University of Exeter)
Al-Mahdi Institute’s very own head librarian, Mohsen Najafi, presented his ongoing research on the philosophical hermeneutics of Mohammad Mojtahed Shabestari, a leading reformist figure...
Sharia Regulations Regarding Burial Rites During the Covid-19 Pandemic
Whilst Islam accords detailed and specific funeral and burial rites for the deceased, the current pandemic poses challenges to the adequate implementation of these...
Virtual Research Seminar: ‘Sanctity of Life’
Despite a nation-wide lock down and the implementation of social isolation in the wake of a global pandemic, Al Mahdi Institute is committed to...
Fadak and the subsequent relations between Lady Fatima and Caliph Abu Bakr
Following the demise of the Prophet, the ownership of the land of Fadak was disputed between the daughter of Prophet, Lady Fatima Zahra, and...
Still being Careful with Muhammad. Research seminar by Dr Shabbir Akhtar (University of Oxford)
The Persian quote, ‘Say what you want about God, but be careful with Muhammad’, sums up the Muslim sentiment to any criticism or mockery...
Saqifa and the Appointment of the First Caliph
The events following the demise of the blessed Prophet Muhammad, and the method of electing the first Caliph, have arguably been the most influential...
Islamic Law Between Empire and Nation-State. Research Seminar by Dr. Raha Rafii (University of Exeter)
Dr Raha Rafii presented her work on the academic notion of Islamic law as a development of the colonial project. She contends that Islamic...
Abrahamic Scriptures: What are the authoritative scriptures for Jews, Christians and Muslims? And, how are these scriptures read and understood?
In the Islamic tradition, the Abrahamic faiths, comprised of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, are known as the ‘People of the Book’. As all three...
“Dangerous Liaisons: Marriage, Slave-Concubinage and Confessional Boundaries in Early Islamic Law” by Dr. Omar Anchassi Research Seminar
Dr Omar Anachassi’s research considers the early juristic position within the various schools of jurisprudence regarding marriage to non-Muslim women who are either pagans...
The Deadly Sins: A means for Enlightenment Arbaeen 2019
Arbaeen 2019 9th-13th October 2019 Human vices and sins are often portrayed as reprehensible without acknowledgement that they are inextricably linked to human nature...
‘Islamic Perspectives on Organ Donation after Death’ Research Workshop
3rd-4th October 2019 Al Mahdi Institute partnered with the Organ Donation & Transplant Research Centre, University of Bedfordshire to host a multidisciplinary workshop addressing...
The Context of the Prophet’s Will | Shia Presentation | CIMS
Succession of the Prophet and the issue of Qirtas Following on from the last meeting of the Centre for Intra Muslim Studies (CIMS) on...
’Decoding the Mahdi’ Muharram lecture series by Shaykh Arif Abdulhussain
Muharram 2019/1441 Following the success of Al-Mahdi Institute’s Arbaeen programme in previous years, this year AMI decided to host Muharram programmes for 10 days....
The Jewish Perception of Christians and Muslims
The final Inter-Religious Symposia gathering dealing with the perception of the other convened on Monday 8th July to discuss The Jewish perceptions of Christianity...
AMI Hawza Graduation Ceremony 2019
Saturday 6th July marked Al-Mahdi Institute’s Hawza Graduation Ceremony, celebrating the achievements of AMI students who successfully completed the Hawza course with 200 special...
Fiqhi Workshop: The Efficacy of Financial Structures for Islamic Taxes and Dues
The 7th Annual Contemporary Fiqhi Issues Workshop took place on 4th-5th July 2019 on; The Efficacy of Financial Structures for Islamic...
Honest Discussions: Is Islam Outdated?
Is a religion that was revealed over 1400 years ago, relevant to our lives today? Professor Ayatollah Mostafa Mohaghegh Damad...
SSF: The Evolution of Islamic Political Theories
Dr Ali Fanaei presents an overview of the evolution of Shiite political theories from the fourth century of Hijra to the present day at...
Creating a City of Peace and Remembrance Interfaith Service
On Saturday 8th June Al-Mahdi Institute hosted an Interfaith Service welcoming over 160 people organised by the Universal Peace Federation on the topic of...
Eid al-Fitr 2019
Tuesday 4th June marked the end of the blessed month of Ramadan. The Eid al-Fitr celebrations at AMI began with the Eid prayers and...
Safeguarding Against Knife Crime| Big Iftar 2019
Saturday 1st June 2019 As always, this year AMI’s annual Big Iftar brought together people of all faiths and non for the ceremonial breaking...
Philosophy of Dua – Ramadhan 2019
During the blessed month of Ramadan, AMI hosted a series of events on the topic of the philosophy of dua (supplication). This included a...
British Muslim Perceptions of Biological Evolution
British Muslims are portrayed as rejecting biological evolution in sensationalist newspaper headlines and certain unsubstantiated academic literature reporting a rise in ‘Islamic creationism’. This...
Opting out of Saving a Life: Organ Donation in Shi’i Jurisprudence
Opting out of Saving a Life: Organ Donation in Shi’i Jurisprudence | 28th March 2019 | AMI Research Seminar In light of the imminent transition...
The Context of the Prophet’s Will | CIMS
Succession of the Prophet and the issue of Qirtas | 23rd March 2019 Was the Prophet denied a chance to record a last testament...
The Christian Perceptions of Jews and Muslims
Held at AMI on 11th March 2019 Following on from the Inter-Religious Symposia‘s first meeting on Muslim perceptions of other Abrahamic faiths, the second...
Women’s Right to Child Custody in Shi’i Fiqh: A Modern Fiqhi Perspective
Held at AMI on 21st February 2019 As part of his ongoing research on women’s jurisprudential issues, Sayed Hossein al-Qazwini presented the current juristic...
CIMS: Succession of the Prophet and the event of Ghadeer
Held at AMI on 19th January 2019. Sunni and Shia ulema convened to discuss the sensitive topic of the succession of the Prophet...
Islam, Alcohol and Identity: A Critical Muslim Studies Approach
Held on 13th December 2018 at AMI. Dr Mustapha Sheikh’s paper offers a new understanding of the Hanafi jurisprudential position on alcohol according to...
SSF: The origins and scope of Shiite mourning rituals
Held on 8th December 2018 at AMI. As mourning rituals for Imam Husayn have become a marker of Shia identity and a symbol of...
Being Shia in Europe? Identity and Belonging in the Modern Age
As a minority within a minority, there is a noticeable gap in research pertaining to the experience of Shia Muslims in the UK and...
Understanding Islam and Christianity workshop
The Understanding Islam and Christianity workshop brought together members of the local community to gain an appreciation of the two religious’ traditions in the...
BMS Scriptural Reasoning
22nd November saw 30 Baptist theological students from BMS world mission come to Al-Mahdi Institute for scriptural reasoning and lunch. BMS World Mission is...
The Muslim Perception of Jews and Christians
The Inter-Religious Symposia (IRS), which hopes to increase the understanding of other religious traditions, held its first meeting on the 5th of November 2018 to...
Arbaeen lecture series by Shaykh Arif
‘The One we are searching for beyond ourselves wishes to awaken within us.’ Shaykh Arif Abdul-Hussain focused his arbaeen lecture series on how we...
Karbala in London: Genealogy and Continuity of Contested Expressions of Muharrum Rituals among British South Asian Twelver Shia Muslims | Dr Sufyan Dogra
Disputes regarding the true Shia way of commemorating Ashura and the acceptability of self-flagellation has led to a messy legal battle for the members...
The Hijab Controversy in Modern Iran
The hejab has been a major feature of politics in Iran ever since serious contact with Western powers began in the 19th century. Since...
The Law of Honour-Killing: A British Innovation in the Criminal Law of the Indian Subcontinent
In Pakistan and India, hundreds of women are killed every year in the name of honour. Such a barbaric and heinous custom has existed...
Why so many rules? Thinking about the reasons and consequences of legalistic approaches to religious ethics
Rules are a feature of many religious (and non-religious) ethical traditions, although they are not the only possible approach to shaping religious and ethical...
God through the eyes of Hussain
From 1st to 5th November 2017, Shaykh Arif Abdulhussein spoke about ‘God through the eyes of Hussain’ as part of an Arbaeen lecture series...
Shifting discourse in the Muslim organ donation debate: reports of finding
On Thursday 27th April 2017, Al-Mahdi Institute held a Research seminar on the topic of; “Shifting discourse in the Muslim organ donation debate: reports of...
Theology of Shi‘ite Ziyārah: the Case for a Norm-Sensitive Approach to Religion
n Thursday 16th March 2017, Al-Mahdi Institute held a Research seminar on the topic of; “Theology of Shi‘ite Ziyārah: the Case for a Norm-Sensitive Approach...
The Second Vatican Council and the New Catholic Theology of Islam
On Thursday 15th December 2016, Al-Mahdi Institute held a Research seminar on the topic of; “The Second Vatican Council and the New Catholic Theology of Islam” conducted by...
Re-Thinking Economics Post the Global Financial Crisis – An Islamic Economics Perspective
On Thursday 24th November 2016, Al-Mahdi Institute held a Research seminar on the topic of; “Re-Thinking Economics Post the Global Financial Crisis – An Islamic Economics...
The myth of the ‘Islamic City’: rethinking the notion of sacred space
On Thursday 26th May, Al-Mahdi Institute held a research seminar on the topic of ‘The myth of the ‘Islamic City’: rethinking the notion of sacred...
A Critical Rationalist approach to Religion
On Thursday 28th April, Al-Mahdi Institute held a Research seminar on the topic of; “A Critical Rationalist approach to Religion” conducted by Professor Ali Paya from Westminster...
Pickthall’s translation of the Qur’an: an analysis of selected verses on women
On Thursday 24th March, Al-Mahdi Institute held a Research seminar on the topic of; “Pickthall’s translation of the Qur’an: an analysis of some selected verses on...
Suppression of Ali ibn Abi Talib’s Codex
On 14th January, Dr Seyfeddin Kara of Durham University presented his research on the topic of ‘Suppression of Ali ibn Abi Talib’s Codex’. The seminar...
Understanding Islamophobia in Today’s Britain: manifestations and responses?
On 17th December 2015, Dr Chris Allen of Birmingham University presented his research on the topic of ‘Understanding Islamophobia in Today’s Britain’. The seminar was...
What is the nature and purpose of human life?
From the 23rd to the 27th of November 2015, Shaykh Arif Abdulhussein spoke about ‘The nature and purpose of human life’ as part of an Arbaeen...
Exegesis, ontological hierarchy and spiritual alchemy: the hermeneutical matrix of the Ja`fari comments in Sulami’s (d.1021) Haqa’iq al-tafsir
On Thursday 4th Novemeber 2015, the Al-Mahdi Institute held a research seminar entitled “Exegesis, ontological hierarchy and spiritual alchemy: the hermeneutical matrix of the...
Inter-religious meetings and the spaces in between Islam.
On Wednesday 10th June 2015, Al-Mahdi Institute held a Research seminar on the topic of; “Inter-religious meetings and the spaces in between Islam” conducted by...
Teaching Shi’ism in the Academy; Practicalities and Pitfalls.
On the 15th April 2015, Al-Mahdi Institute held a Research Seminar conducted by Dr Andrew Newman, a Reader in Islamic Studies and Persian at the...
Current theological streams informing Christian understandings of law and ethics in relation to Islam
On the 13th May 2015, Al-Mahdi Institute held a Research seminar on the topic of; “Current theological streams informing Christian understandings of law and ethics...
Understandings of the Qur’anic term Injil: an exploration.
On the 11th March 2015, the Al-Mahdi Institute held a Research Seminar conducted by Dr Martin Whittingham, Director of the Centre for Muslim-Christian Studies,...
Previous AMI Research Seminars 2013-2014:
15th October: Prof Max Farrar (Leeds Metropolitan University) “Critical multiculturalism, and the response of British society to diverse Islamic belief and Muslim political positions” (click...