AQD 101 - Shiʿi Beliefs in Imamate: Principles, Practices, and Misconceptions

  • Instructor: Sheikh Muhammad Mahdi Kassamali
  • Location: Marhaba Hall, JCC (9000 Bathurst Street)
  • Duration: 4 Weeks
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  • Course Dates: The live sessions have ended. This module is now available for self-paced learning
Course overview
The Shiʿi doctrine of imāmah—the belief in divinely appointed leadership after the Prophet Muhammad (ṣ)—distinguishes Shiʿism from the broader Muslim community and has historically been a topic of inquiry and debate. In recent times, even some scholars and academics from within the Shiʿi tradition have echoed concerns raised by outsiders regarding specific theological beliefs and devotional practices. These include the attributes ascribed to the Imams such as infallibility (ʿiṣmah), possession of knowledge of the unseen (ʿilm al-ghayb), and the ability to perform miracles (karāmāt). Questions have also been raised regarding devotional acts such as seeking intercession (shafāʿah), visiting the graves of the Imams (ziyārah), and tawassul (seeking nearness to God through the Imams). This course aims to respond to these questions and doubts by demonstrating that these beliefs and practices are consistent with both reason and Islamic tradition. Furthermore, the course will address the concept of ghulūw (exaggeration). Specifically, we will explore: What exactly is the ghulūw that the Imams strongly condemned? And how can it be distinguished from genuine Shiʿi belief? 

Sheikh Muhammad Mahdi Kassamali

Instructor
ABOUT SHEIKH MUHAMMAD MAHDI KASSAMALI
Sheikh Mahdi Kassamali was raised in Edmonton and Vancouver, where his father played an active role as a scholar within the Shia community. After completing his secondary education, he pursued a degree in software engineering at the University of Waterloo in eastern Canada. He then spent three years working in downtown Toronto for a financial software company.Guided by Allah’s grace, Shayk Mahdi relocated to the holy city of Qom, where he has resided with his family for over a decade. In Qom, he earned a bachelor’s degree from a traditional Arabic medium hawzah, focusing on fiqh and usul. He later pursued a master’s degree in history at a larger Farsi medium hawzah. Alongside his academic achievements, Sheikh Mahdi has dedicated himself to memorizing the Holy Qur’an, teaching, and editing English translations of Islamic texts.
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