The position of thewalad zināin Imāmī Shī'ism

Bibliographic Data

ID2822162
AuthorsEtan Kohlberg (corresponding author)
Year1985
Volume48
Issue2
Pages237-266
Publication date1985-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueBulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0041-977X • E-ISSN: 1474-0699
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0041977x00033334
OpenAlexW2026071742
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited9

While the status of the offspring of illicit intercourse has long attracted the interest of Muslim scholars, it is a particularly significant-and problematic-issue within Imāmī Shī'ism. The problem arises from the way in which the Imāmīs view their place in the universe. A considerable body of traditions characterizes the Imāmīs as a breed apart, created of a heavenly substance and combining pure origins (nasab) with impeccable moral qualities. At the same time, there are other Imāmī traditions which portray the offspring of illicit intercourse-usually calledwalad zinā(=w.z.) -as combining impure origins with moral turpitude. The ineluctable conclusion to be drawn from these two sets of traditions is that 'an Imāmīw.z.' is a logical absurdity. Now it is a fact that Imāmī lawyers discuss at some lenght the status of thew.z. in this world, while Imāmī theologians ponder his fate in the next; an analysis of their views forms the bulk of this paper. As long as thew.z. is not an Imāmī, a discussion of his legal and salvation statuses presents no insurmountable problem; but what if he is, Imāmī tradition notwithstanding? The final section of this paper consists of an attempt to trace the answers provided to this question

Absurdity · Epistemology · Political science · Position (finance) · Section (typography) · Sociology · TRACE (psycholinguistics) · Computer Science · Islamic Studies and History · Islamic Thought and Society Studies · Law · Medieval and Classical Philosophy · Philosophy

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