#  The Ziyārat of Imām al-Ḥusayn as Liturgical Text in Early Shī‘ī Ḥadīth and its Role in the Promulgation of Shī‘ī Piety 

 



####  calendar\_today Date and Time 

 **September 15, 2023** 

 01:30PM - 03:00PM EDT 

####  pin\_drop Location 

 **Swartz Hall - 120 James Room East - 45 Francis Ave, Cambridge MA 02138**  



 

 



 

   ![ziyarat](/sites/g/files/omnuum3186/files/styles/hwp_1_1__720x720_scale/public/shiism-global-affairs/files/project_flyers.png?itok=fMbRsvjS) 

 

The intention of this lecture and study is to investigate the intricacies and substance of a genre of devotional literature and liturgical practice in Twelver Shī‘īsm, namely the *Ziyārat* (visitational eulogy) of Imam al-Ḥusayn. In doing so, this talk will present a historical and close philological-thematic study of this *ziyāra*, a text that is consistently found throughout classical and contemporary Shi‘ī prayer manuals and formative hadith works such as *al-Kāfī*. The *ziyāra* has been ascribed by Twelver Shī‘īs to the sixth Imām, Ja‘far al-Ṣādiq (d. 148/765). Unlike most studies dealing with the topic of Shī‘ī devotion, this lecture shall focus on the textual history, Qur’ānic, and mystical-theological themes which imbue this liturgy. Furthermore, the numerous statements of esoteric or gnostic provenance found throughout this text sheds further light upon the development and promulgation of the non-rationalist stream of Shī‘īsm by authorities such as al-Kulaynī, Ibn Qawlawayh, and Ibn Babawayh al-Qummī who place the ontological function of Imāms knowledge and *walāya* (charismatic persona and authority) at the very centre of any notion of acceptable religiosity. It is the author's contention that this *ziyāra* text is part and parcel of the broader venture of early esoteric Shī‘īsm thus, a text of this genre would be most appropriately analyzed within this context. Open to the public with registration. Sponsored by the Jaffer Family Foundation of NY.

**Speaker:**

Vinay Khetia, Academic Director, Shia Research Institute, Toronto

**Location:**

Swartz Hall - 120 James Room East; 45 Francis Ave, Cambridge MA 02138

**\*\***[**Register here**](https://forms.gle/xeGsH4oJ23YWjubPA) **\*\***



 

 



 

 See also:- [ Shi'a history and identity ](/research-domains/shia-thought-and-identity)
 
 

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