Hadith Conference: The History & Development of Early Imāmī Hadith Corpora

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Amongst the wide range of Imāmī literature which emerged during the formative period from the first/seventh to the fifth/eleventh centuries, those works which became known as ‘the Four Books’ (al-kutub al-arbaʿa) came to be deemed the most authoritative sources of Imāmī hadith by later scholars. This raises the question, however, of what became of the other works in the Imāmī corpora which emerged during this period. Why were other compilations not afforded the same attention and status by later scholars? Were alternative works perceived to be more authoritative prior to the ‘canonisation’ of the ‘Four Books’? Several studies have shown how geography and ideology played a significant role in influencing the style and substance of certain compilations and led to the emergence of ‘schools’ of hadith, specifically in Kufa and Qom. Further work is required, however, to understand the extent of the influence of such schools on the development of the corpora more broadly. The study of the narrators featured in the Imāmī compilations remains almost untouched in contemporary scholarship. What can these narrators tell us about the development of the early Imāmī hadith corpora? And finally, as the ‘Four Books’ in the main concentrated on legal issues, what can alternative sources tell us about the history and development of Imāmī Shīʿism in general?

The aim of this inaugural Hadith and History conference at Al-Mahdi Institute is to provide a platform to address these and many more issues surrounding the history and development of the early Imāmī hadith corpora from the first/seventh to the fifth/eleventh centuries, considering works such as the ‘Four Books’ and those which did not achieve the same level of popularity in the tradition.

Tickets:

Tickets cost £35 per day or £60 for both days. Tickets include lunch and dinner for the chosen day(s).

Student tickets include a 20% discount on ticket prices. Please choose the correct ticket type at checkout.