The Karbala Story and Early Shi'ite Identity
$57.99
- Paperback
280 pages
- Release Date
31 October 2026
Summary
In 680 CE al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī, the grandson of the Prophet Muḥammad, was killed in a battle at Karbala. Ancient accounts describe this event as a minor skirmish, similar to the numerous battles that were waged in the early history of Islam. Among Shiʿites, however, the story of the event soon developed into a narrative about a cosmic battle between the powers of universe, with al-Ḥusayn personifying good and life-giving powers. The story came to epitomise the trauma that is at the heart of the…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781399522069 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 139952206X |
| Author: | Torsten Hylén |
| Publisher: | Edinburgh University Press |
| Imprint: | Edinburgh University Press |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 280 |
| Release Date: | 31 October 2026 |
| Dimensions: | 156mm x 234mm |
| Series: | Edinburgh Studies in Classical Islamic History and Culture |
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Critics Review
The tragedy of Karbala left an indelible mark on the history of Islam. A few decades after the death of the Prophet, the authorities who claimed to be followers of his religion massacred almost all of his immediate family. The event and its implications have been studied from many different angles but Torsten Hylén’s work is groundbreaking in its surgical examination and critical scrutiny of sources that have been rarely utilised on this subject. – Mohammad Ali Amir-Moezzi, Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes
Hylén’s The Karbala Story and Early Shi’ite Identity is an indispensable contribution to Islamic studies, offering a nuanced and meticulously grounded understanding of how myth, memory, and martyrdom forged a distinct religious identity. – Christopher P. Clohessy * Islamochristiana *
Torsten Hylén
Torsten Hylén was Associate Professor (docent) in Religious Studies at Dalarna University, Sweden until his retirement in 2024. He is co-editor of Den nya människan The New Human Being and author of a number of articles in academic journals and anthologies.
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