Ali Asani
Harvard University, The Study of Religion, Faculty Member
The Encyclopedia of the Qur'an, Leiden sometime seeks to essentially and non-essentially focus on the issue of the Ahl al-Bait ('a) in a number of papers by Muslims and non-Muslims mainly. The paper "The Family of the... more
The Encyclopedia of the Qur'an, Leiden sometime seeks to essentially and non-essentially focus on the issue of the Ahl al-Bait ('a) in a number of papers by Muslims and non-Muslims mainly. The paper "The Family of the Prophet" by Ali Asana is an important one of them. A theory recalled in the paper comprises two essential cases: 1. The Ahl al-Bait ('a) and the Family of the Prophet (s) are two expressions about series of private people including wives, daughter, and son-in-law and the Prophet's grand children. 2. Dealing with the issue of the Ahl al-Bayt ('a) which is the main objective of Qur'an and the difference between them, other families of the Prophet (s) and other families of the prophets in Qur'anic verses are not observed. Since the aforementioned theories impressed by thought of a Sunni group and taken from abnormal narrations against correct Qur'anic reasons and definite traditions in their books, they may be criticized in variou...
Research Interests: Sociology, Law, Philosophy, Art, Political Science, and 3 moreIslam, Millenarianism, and Church and State
These 115 poems introduce readers in English to Sultan Bahu (d. 1691), a Sufi mystical poet who continues to be one of the most beloved writers in Punjabi. Bahu, whose name translates as "With God", remains highly popular in... more
These 115 poems introduce readers in English to Sultan Bahu (d. 1691), a Sufi mystical poet who continues to be one of the most beloved writers in Punjabi. Bahu, whose name translates as "With God", remains highly popular in Pakistan and India today - even illiterate Punjabis can recite his poetry by heart.
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Let's Study Urdu! is a comprehensive introduction to the Urdu language that draws on a range of real-life contexts, popular film songs, and prized works of Urdu literature. A variety of effective aural, oral, and written drills will... more
Let's Study Urdu! is a comprehensive introduction to the Urdu language that draws on a range of real-life contexts, popular film songs, and prized works of Urdu literature. A variety of effective aural, oral, and written drills will help students master the language while keeping them entertained. Let's Study Urdu! provides students of diverse backgrounds, including heritage speakers, the opportunity to enhance their competency over basic grammatical structures so that they can comfortably use the language in Urdu-speaking milieus from South Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and North America.
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Research Interests: Linguistics and Urdu
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... Come, O beloved Karim Shah; O star of our eyes, the jamats await expectantly for you to bestowdidar [the ultimate goal of Ismaili mysticism is enlightenment in which one sees(didar) spiritually the light (nur ... 60 ALI S. ASANI O... more
... Come, O beloved Karim Shah; O star of our eyes, the jamats await expectantly for you to bestowdidar [the ultimate goal of Ismaili mysticism is enlightenment in which one sees(didar) spiritually the light (nur ... 60 ALI S. ASANI O Bestower of blessings, The light of everyone's eyes. ...
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An academic directory and search engine.
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... end of word middle of word beginning of word letter \J vn \5'\5 tjy The following table shows the combination of these two letters with "alif naa ] I + (J yaa I I + 1$ 1.6 "Alif madda" As we have seen above, the... more
... end of word middle of word beginning of word letter \J vn \5'\5 tjy The following table shows the combination of these two letters with "alif naa ] I + (J yaa I I + 1$ 1.6 "Alif madda" As we have seen above, the letter "alif," when combined with a consonant, functions as a long "aa ...
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Research Interests: Enlightenment and Ecstasy
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Let's Study Urdu! is a comprehensive introduction to the Urdu language that draws on a range of real-life contexts, popular film songs, and prized works of Urdu literature. A variety of effective aural, oral, and written drills will... more
Let's Study Urdu! is a comprehensive introduction to the Urdu language that draws on a range of real-life contexts, popular film songs, and prized works of Urdu literature. A variety of effective aural, oral, and written drills will help students master the language while keeping them entertained. Let's Study Urdu! provides students of diverse backgrounds, including heritage speakers, the opportunity to enhance their competency over basic grammatical structures so that they can comfortably use the language in Urdu-speaking milieus from South Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and North America.
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Ali Asani, professor of Indo-Muslim and Islamic religion and cultures at Harvard University, gave a fascinating talk entitled, From Qawwali to Sufi Rock: Exploring Contemporary Expressions of Muslim Devotional Literatureon Friday,... more
Ali Asani, professor of Indo-Muslim and Islamic religion and cultures at Harvard University, gave a fascinating talk entitled, From Qawwali to Sufi Rock: Exploring Contemporary Expressions of Muslim Devotional Literatureon Friday, February 11 in the Meyerson Conference Room at the University of Texas at Austin. Hindi Urdu Flagship students joined UT faculty and graduate students to hear Asani describe the modern Sufi rock phenomenon epitomized by Salman Ahmad and his band Junoon. Asani outlined Ahmad’s personal musical, religious, and political journey and attempted to place Sufi rock in the broader tradition of Muslim devotional literature. A native of Kenya, Asani received both his undergraduate degree summa cum laude in the comparative study of religion and his Ph.D. in Near Eastern languages and civilizations from Harvard University. He currently directs the university’s Ph.D. program in Indo-Muslim Culture and chairs the department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations. H...
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This chapter describes a course taught in Harvard's liberal arts curriculum that seeks to foster literacy about Islam, and religion in general, through a multisensory engagement with the arts and architecture. Instead of presenting Islam... more
This chapter describes a course taught in Harvard's liberal arts curriculum that seeks to foster literacy about Islam, and religion in general, through a multisensory engagement with the arts and architecture. Instead of presenting Islam primarily as a sociopolitical ideology of identity and hegemony, a lens that dominates most textbooks on Islamic societies and their history, the course highlights the sound, visual and poetic arts as the central pedagogical lens to explore their seminal role in the historical and theological development of the Islamic tradition.
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Discusses what the Quran says about violence, in light of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. How history shows all religions have been interpreted to justify a wide range of contradictory goal.
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Page 1. ALI S. ASANI AND CARNEY ES GAVIN THROUGH THE LENS OF MIRZA OF DELHI: THE DEBBAS ALBUM OF EARLY-TWENTIETH-CENTURY PHOTOGRAPHS OF PILGRIMAGE SITES IN MECCA AND MEDINA "Looking ...
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... a clash of ignorances. ... sanctioning of diversity and its injunction to create harmony in diverse societies through the promotion of mutual knowledge needs to be ... Ironically, this advisory, from our neighbor and strong ally, was... more
... a clash of ignorances. ... sanctioning of diversity and its injunction to create harmony in diverse societies through the promotion of mutual knowledge needs to be ... Ironically, this advisory, from our neighbor and strong ally, was issued at about the same time as the State Department ...
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This is a chart showing the major branches and sub-branches in Shi'i Islam - including the Twelver and Ismaili sub-divisions. It was created as part of the Course Material for RELIGION 1816 (“Ismaili History and Thought), taught by Dr.... more
This is a chart showing the major branches and sub-branches in Shi'i Islam - including the Twelver and Ismaili sub-divisions. It was created as part of the Course Material for RELIGION 1816 (“Ismaili History and Thought), taught by Dr. Ali Asani (Harvard University). While not 100% exhaustive, this diagram aims to be inclusive as far as available space allowed. Best to download and use the Zoom In feature in a PDF viewer to read the chart properly.
Teachers and educators are welcome to use the diagram as long as credit is acknowledged and the diagram is not altered.
*The 52nd Daudi Bohra Da'i Mutlaq passed away in January 2014 and was succeeded by his son Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, who is now the 53rd Da'i. A smaller group (the Qutbi Bohras) recognizes the 53rd Da'i as Syedna Khuzaima Qutbuddin, and the 54th Da'i as Syedna Taher Fakhruddin.
Teachers and educators are welcome to use the diagram as long as credit is acknowledged and the diagram is not altered.
*The 52nd Daudi Bohra Da'i Mutlaq passed away in January 2014 and was succeeded by his son Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, who is now the 53rd Da'i. A smaller group (the Qutbi Bohras) recognizes the 53rd Da'i as Syedna Khuzaima Qutbuddin, and the 54th Da'i as Syedna Taher Fakhruddin.