{"product_id":"shiite-islam-polity-ideology-and-creed-studies-in-social-discontinuity-9781557864703","title":"Shi'ite Islam: Polity, Ideology and Creed (Studies in Social Discontinuity)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShi'ite Islam: Polity, Ideology and Creed (Studies in Social Discontinuity)\u003c\/strong\u003e by Richard, Yann. paperback edition. ISBN: 9781557864703.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe return of Ayatollah Khomeyni to power and the installation of a Shii theocracy in Iran in 1979 brought the revolutionary aspects of Shiite Islam to the Western centre stage. Fuelled by pictures of bloodshed and atrocities, images of violence linked to Shia states have left their mark on Western perceptions. Shiism has today become synonymous with militancy and violence - Hezbollah, Islamic Jehad, hostage taking...\nYet, the media has taken merely one aspect of this important phenomenon: namely a contempory Shiism firmly anchored in militancy. Yann Richards careful narrative counters naive explanation, offering both a portrait of the spiritual and mystical faith which explains the deep history and mythology of Shiism up to the present. Islam is no more an Arab religion than Chritianity is a uniquely Western religion - not confined to the Arab world, the largest number of Muslims today are found in Asia, Indonesia, and the Indo-Pakistan peninsula, whilst the Iranian nation today represents the great centre of Shiite Islam.\nNot only does the narrative chart the spread of Shiite influence over the Imanite communities, it uncovers the fundamental beliefs of Shiite identity on which a polity has been built. Richard examines both the development of Shii as theology and as a cultural history.\nThis book will stand the test of time to become a seminal text in Middle Eastern history and the study of world religions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Wiley-Blackwell","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44990016815157,"sku":"ByrdShop_1557864705","price":94.37,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9781557864703_a3ff3148-29c9-4345-9498-e303e3046c04.jpg?v=1778952485","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/shiite-islam-polity-ideology-and-creed-studies-in-social-discontinuity-9781557864703","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}