Index

A Shi'a Anthology

Foreword	1
Introduction	2
On the Unity of God	10

A. The Prophet	12
1. Profession of Faith	12
2. God's Attributes	13

B. Ali (as), the First Imam	15
1. The Transcendent Lord	15
2. Via negativa	18
3. Firm Rooting in Knowledge	20
4. The Fairest of Creators	26
5. Oneness	28
6. Discernment	29
7. The Vision of the Heart	30

C. al-Baqir, the Fifth Imam	33
The Incomparable Lord	33

D. Ja'far al Sadiq, the Sixth Imam	34
1. Seeing God	34
2. The name that can be named ...	35

E. Musa, the Seventh Imam	36
God's Might and Majesty	36

F. Ali al-Rida, the Eighth Imam	37
1. Profession of Unity	37
2. The Veil	43

The Ruler and Society	46
'Ali's Instructions to Malik al-Ashtar	47

Part One: Introduction	48
Part Two: Commands and Instructions Concerning Righteous Action in the Affairs of the State	48
Part Three: Concerning the Classes of Men	52
Part Four: Commands and Prohibitions in Malik al-Ashtar's Best Interest	60

The Spiritual Life : Prayer and Supplication

66

A. al-Husayn, the Third Imam	67
Prayer for the Day of Arafah	67

B. 'Ali Zayn al-'Abidin, the Fourth Imam	90
1. In Praise of God	90
2. Prayer for the Morning and Evening	95

C. Muhammad al-Mahdi, the Twelfth Imam	101
Prayer for the month of Rajab	101
A Shi'ite Anthology	104