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Stay up to date on our publications, events, and activities
Our New Office!
We are now located within the Toronto School of Theology, at the University of Toronto’s St. George campus
SRI Presentation at Butler University
SRI delivered a lecture at Butler University, Indiana, entitled “Shia Islam: Origins and Future Trajectories”
Ep. 18 | The Use of Reason in Islamic Theology: An Exploration of Nasir al-Din al-Tusi
Syed Muhammad Rizvi, Principal of SRI, interviews Dr. Saiyad Nizamuddin Ahmad, discussing his intellectual journey and his extensive work in translating Nasir al-Din al-Tusi’s Tajrīd al-Iʿtiqād
Fall ’24 Newsletter
Our New Office, Conferences, Publications, and more!
SRI Presentation at the AKU Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations
SRI participated in Agha Khan University’s Conference on ‘Arabic Pasts: Histories & Historiography’
Ep. 17 | Religious and Political Authority in Medieval Islam
An informative discussion on Dr. Nebil Husayn’s book “Caliphate and Imamate: An Anthology of Medieval Muslim Texts on Political Theology”
Ep. 16 | Exploring the Ethics of Karbala and the Warrior Ethos
An informative discussion on Dr. Cyrus Zargar’s book “The Ethics of Karbala – Myths, Modernity, and Virtues of Nobility”
The Integrity of the Qur’an: Sunni and Shi‘i Historical Narratives
SRI is proud to have financially supported an Edinburgh University Press publication, by Dr. Seyfeddin Kara on the issue of tahrif (distortion) of the Qur’an.
Ep. 15 | Fatima: A Source of Feminist Theology and Social Activism
An informative discussion on Dr. Mahjabeen Dhala’s book “Feminist Theology and Social Justice in Islam – A Study on the Sermon of Fatima”
SRI Principal Addresses University of Toronto Convocation
Syed Muhammad Rizvi, the Principal Director of SRI, conducted closing prayers at the end of a Graduation Ceremony at the University of Toronto.
SRI Presentation at the Shi’i Studies Annual Conference
SRI participated in the 9th Annual Conference on Shi’i Studies held by The Islamic College.
Ep. 14 | An Exploration of the Self in Islamic Thought
An informative discussion on Dr. Muhammad U. Faruque’s book “Sculpting the Self – Islam, Selfhood, and Human Flourishing”
SRI Presentation at the American Oriental Society Conference
SRI participated in a weekend conference held by the American Oriental Society in Chicago.
Nahj al-Balāghah – A Parallel English-Arabic Text
Nahj al-Balagha translation by Dr. Tahera Qutbuddin is available for download at no cost via SRI’s Open Access Grant
Ibn ‘Arabi and the Shi’i Tradition: Texts, Ideas, and Receptions
Jointly hosted conference with the Department of Philosophy at the University of Toronto, to discuss the reception of Ibn ʿArabī in Shīʿī intellectual production across space and time.
Ep. 13 | Shi’ism, Sufism and Qur’an Commentary in the 19th Century
An informative discussion on Dr. Alessandro Cancian’s book “The Emergence of Shi’i Sufism – Sultan ‘Ali Shah Gunabadi and His Commentary on the Qur’an”
Ep. 12 | The Kharijites and a Narrative of Rebellion in Islamic History
An informative discussion on Dr Hannah-Lena Hagemannr’s book “The Khārijites in Early Islamic Historical Tradition”
Ep. 11 | Shia Hadith: A Study of Shaykh al Saduq and His Legacy
An informative discussion with Dr George Warner’s book, “The Words of the Imams”
Ep. 10 | Politics, Religious Authority, and Shi’ism in Contemporary Lebanon
An informative discussion with Dr. Farah Kawtharani on her book, Political Thought in Contemporary Shi’a Islam
Ep. 9 | Exploring Spiritual Psychology in Islamic Thought
An informative discussion with Dr. Mojdeh Shariatmadari, on the role of psychology and its study in Islam and Shi’ism.
Fall ’23 Newsletter
SRI’s Initial Year in Review – Conferences, Publications, and more
Muslims in Canada: A Census Snapshot – Seminar
Discussing the latest Statistics Canada data and its direct implications on the Muslim community.
Religion and Migration in Canada
Examining Muslim Identity, Growth, and Integration within the Canadian Landscape
Ghuluww In History and Islamic Thought: An Overview of the Case of Imami Shi’ism
SRI is pleased to announce Dr. Vinay Khetia’s recent published article in the al-Qalam Journal of Advanced Islamic Research.
SRI Keynote at Oxford University
SRI was the keynote presentation at the University of Oxford, on the subject of: The Concept and Practice of Ziyāra in Shia Islam.
SRI Presentation at the School of Oriental and African Studies
SRI attended a global conference on Arabic and Islamic historiography which was jointly organized by SOAS and Agha Khan University.
SRI Keynote at Exeter University
SRI was the keynote presentation at one session of the ‘Monday Majlis’ series, hosted by the Centre for the Study of Islam, Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, at Exeter University.
Ep. 8 | The School of Hillah and Its Legacy in Twelver Shīʿism
An informative discussion with Dr. Aun Hasan Ali, on his latest book, “The School of Hillah and the Formation of Twelver Shi‘i Islamic Tradition”
SRI Keynote at Harvard Divinity School
SRI served as the keynote speaker at this symposium hosted by the Divinity School at Harvard University.
Intra-Faith Presentation – Islamic Seminary of America
SRI participated in an academic intra-faith engagement at the Islamic Seminary of America, hosted by Dr. Yasir al-Qadhi.
Ep. 7 | Storytelling and the Pursuit of Virtue in Islamic Tradition
An informative discussion with Dr. Cyrus Ali Zargar, on his latest book, “The Polished Mirror: Storytelling and the Pursuit of Virtue in Islamic Philosophy and Sufism”
Ep. 6 | The Caliph and the Imam: The Making of Sunnism and Shi’ism
An informative discussion with Dr. Toby Matthiesen, on his new book, and events that have shaped the Islamic world.
Imamate Conference – Shrine of al-‘Abbas, Karbala
SRI participated in a conference hosted by the Shrine of al-‘Abbas with scholars from both Western Universities and Islamic seminaries.
Ep. 5 | An Exploration of Mysticism and Theology Through Nasir al-Din al-Tusi and Ibn ʿArabi
An informative discussion with Dr. Saiyad Nizamuddin Ahmad, on the Exploration of Mysticism and Theology.
Ep. 4 | The Meeting of Shi’ism and Sufism
An informative discussion with Dr. Eliza Tasbihi, who discusses the Meeting of Shiʿism and Sufism through Haydar Amuli and Cosmographical Diagrams.
Shi’i Studies Symposium – University of Chicago
SRI participated in the Shi’i Studies Annual Symposium, conducted by the University of Chicago.
Our Inaugural Conference
SRI hosted its inaugural academic event, an Exploratory Workshop dealing with “The current state and future horizons in Shiʿi Studies”
Re-Evaluating Methodological Trajectories in the Academic Study of Islam
SRI’s participation in a conference held by the University of Toronto on new approaches to Islamic Studies
Ep. 3 | Women in Shi’ism: Ancient Stories, Modern Ideologies
An informative discussion with Dr. Amina Inloes, who discusses her book, Women in Shi‘ism: Ancient Stories, Modern Ideologies.
Ep. 2 | Opposition to the Imam: A discourse on the formation of Muslim viewpoints regarding ‘Ali b. Abi Talib
An informative discussion with Dr. Nebil Husayn, who discusses his book, Opposing the Imam: The Legacy of the Nawasib in Islamic Literature, published by Cambridge University Press.
Oxford Handbook on Shi’ism
SRI is proud to be contributing to the Forthcoming Publication: Oxford Handbook on Shiism, published by Oxford University Press.
Shi’i Islam: Mysticism, Law, Quran and Intrafaith Relations
SRI’s participation in a conference organized by the University of Toronto and Harvard University on Mysticism, Law, Quran and Intrafaith Relations
Ep. 1 | The Hadith of ʿĀʾisha’s Marital Age: A Study in the Evolution of Early Islamic Historical Memory
An informative discussion with Dr. Joshua Little, who discusses the unique topic of his PhD thesis: the study of hadith surrounding the age of ʿĀʾisha’s marriage to the Prophet Muhammad.
Muslim Philanthropy in a Canadian Context
Syed Muhammad Rizvi’s paper presentation in a pioneering symposium examining Muslim charitable giving in a Canadian context.
Imami Kalam: It’s Origin, Development and Leading Scholars
Syed Muhammad Rizvi is working on an updated English translation, accompanied by extensive annotations, to be available to the scholarly and academic world.
The Ten Aspects Pertaining to the Occultation
SRI is working on the translation and discussion of Shaykh al-Mufid’s invaluable work ‘al-Fusul al-Ashra fi al-Ghayba‘ – ‘The Ten Aspects Pertaining to the Occultation’.
Publication of Dr. Vinay Khetia’s Thesis
SRI is proud to announce the successful defence of Dr. Vinay Khetia’s PhD paper at McMaster University, under the Department of Religious Studies.