Kitab Al-Irshad: The Book of Guidance into the Lives of the Twelve Imams

Occasion for presenting this book:

9^th of Rabi‘ al-Awwal: The beginning of the Imamate of Imam al-Mahdi (may Allah hasten his reappearance)

Book Bibliographic Details:

Author: Shaykh Al-Mufid

Translator: I.K.A. Howard

Publisher: ‎ Tahrike Tarsile Qur’an Inc.,U.S.

Length: 556 pages

Language: English

ISBN: 978-0940368118

Publication date: 1 Dec. 1982

About the Author:

Shaykh al-Mufid, born Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Nu’man (336-413 AH), was a prominent Twelver Shia jurisprudent, theologian, and the head of the Shia community in his era. A student of Shaykh al-Saduq, he was a trailblazer in establishing the principles of Shia theology and jurisprudence. His innovative methodology for deriving legal rulings, which was based on systematic principles of ijtihad (independent reasoning), bridged the gap between Shaykh al-Saduq’s hadith-based approach and Ibn Junayd’s analogical reasoning. This new method was further developed by his notable students, including Sayyid al-Murtada, Sayyid al-Radi, and Shaykh Tusi. Al-Mufid also excelled at theological debate, skillfully defending Shia beliefs against opponents, as demonstrated in his work Al-Fusul al-Mukhtara. He authored over 200 books, praised for their brevity, depth, and scholarly rigour. The 12th Imam is said to have sent him three letters.

About the Translator:

Dr. I.K.A. Howard (1939-2013), whose full name was Ian Keith Anderson Howard, was a distinguished British scholar and a pioneer in the field of Shi’ah Islam in Western academia. He began his academic journey with a degree in Greek from the University of Wales, which was followed by a period of teaching English in the Middle East, sparking his lifelong interest in the region. He earned a PhD in Shi’ah law from the University of Cambridge in 1975 and subsequently held a senior lectureship at the University of Edinburgh, where he taught Arabic and Islamic studies. Dr. Howard’s work was characterized by his rigorous scholarship and his contributions to the field of Islamic studies, including Qur’anic studies, theology, political thought, and mysticism. He is particularly known for his translations of important Shi’a texts, such as Shaykh al-Mufid’s Kitab Al-Irshad: The Book of Guidance, and for his work on Al-Tabari’s history, specifically the volume on the caliphate of Yazid b. Mu’awiyah, which includes the account of the martyrdom of Imam Husayn.

About the Book:

Kitab Al-Irshad: The Book of Guidance is an authoritative and foundational text in Twelver Shia Islam, penned by the eminent scholar Shaykh Al-Mufid (d. 1022 CE). This historical and biographical work provides a comprehensive account of the lives, virtues, and miracles of the Twelve Imams, the spiritual and political successors to Prophet Muhammad according to Shia belief. The book is revered for its meticulous detail and scholarly rigour, drawing on a wide range of authentic sources and narrations to present a chronological and compelling narrative of each Imam’s life and their contributions to Islamic thought and law. It serves as a vital resource for understanding the core tenets of Shia theology and history, particularly regarding the concept of Imamate and the role of the Imams as divinely appointed guides. The text has been a cornerstone of Shia scholarship for over a millennium and continues to be studied and referenced worldwide by both academics and lay readers.

Where to find it:

You can find the book at one of the online bookstores below:

• Al-Islam.org
• Al-Burāq Publications
• Waterstones
• House of Taha
• Shia Books
• Imam Al-Khoei Islamic Store
• Amazon