Myths of Sects and Sectarianism in Islam

Within academia, much research has been completed on sectarianism and the Sunni-Shi'a split in Islam. But how confident are we regarding our theoretical understanding of confessional pluralism in Islam? More importantly, do we have accurate indigenous understandings of sect and identity within Shi'a and Sunni interpretations of Islam? How have Muslim scholars understood what it means to be part of the Shi'a or Sunni schools of thought over time? This workshop, led by Dr. Mohammad Sagha (Harvard University), will explore these questions and provide a theoretical and historical overview of the origins and development of sects and sectarianism in Islam.

The workshop will review scholarly approaches within religious studies, regional studies, and Islamic studies and provide methodological and conceptual avenues for understanding the origins, development, and importance of Shi’ism and Sunnism within Islam over time. A particular emphasis will be provided on internal Islamic scholarly understanding of sects and sectarianism.

Open to all students at Harvard interested in questions of religious identity, sectarianism, Islam, and beyond. Light refreshments will be served. Registration required; admittance based on availability.

Sponsored by the Project on Shi'ism and Global Affairs, Harvard Divinity School.

Speaker:
Mohammad Sagha, Lecturer in the Modern Middle East, Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University

To register for the event, click here.