The Spirituality of Imam Ali and the Perfect Man in the Philosophy of Ibn Arabi

Speaker: Sayed Ali Abbas Razawi, General-Director and Chief-Imam of the Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society, and Associate of the Project on Shi’ism and Global Affairs, Harvard University

Imam Ali is a key personality and authority in Shi'a, Sunni, and Sufi Islamic thought. How have Muslims approached Imam Ali from a philosophical perspective throughout time? And what light can this shed on our understanding of the world we live in and the place of man in the world? This talk engages with the spirituality of Imam Ali and brings into conversation the spiritual status of Imam Ali with the idea of the Perfect Man in the thought system of Ibn Arabi, a 13th century Muslim mystic, scholar, and poet.

Moderated by Dr. Payam Mohseni, Director of the Project on Shi'ism and Global Affairs

Sayed Ali Abbas Razawi is a British scholar and religious leader with a research interest in Islamic philosophy, mysticism, and comparative religion. In particular, he focuses upon the concept of “love” theoretically and applies his insights as a practitioner of theology to expound upon the values and thought-system of Shi’ism and Islam on one hand and to undertake interfaith dialogue and peacebuilding through civil society engagement on the other.  Fluent in Arabic, Persian, and Urdu, Razawi is the Chief Imam of the Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society in the United Kingdom and an Associate at the Project on Shi’ism and Global Affairs at Harvard University’s Weatherhead Center for International Affairs. His work constructively engages issues of contemporary social affairs as a passionate civic member and active Muslim interlocutor at the local, national, and international levels. View Sayed Ali Abbas Razawi's full profile here.