Shi'ism in America PDF
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Shi‘ism in America This page intentionally left blank Shi‘ism in America Liyakat Nathani Takim a NEW YORK UNIVERSITY PRESS New York and London NEW YORK UNIVERSITY PRESS New York and London www.nyupress.org © 2009 by New York University All rights reserved Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Takim, Liyakatali, 1957– Shi‘ism in America / Liyakat Nathani Takim. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-13: 978-0-8147-8296-5 (cl : alk. paper) ISBN-10: 0-8147-8296-5 (cl : alk. paper) 1. Shi‘ah—United States. 2. Shiites—United States. 3. Muslims—United States. I. Title. BP192.7.U6T35 2009 297.8’20973—dc22 2009013542 New York University Press books are printed on acid-free paper, and their binding materials are chosen for strength and durability. We strive to use environmentally responsible suppliers and materials to the greatest extent possible in publishing our books. Manufactured in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 To my parents, Ammijan and Abbajan This page intentionally left blank Contents Acknowledgments ix Introduction 1 1 The Origins and Early History of the American Shi‘i Community 11 2 The American Shi‘i Community: Ethnicity and Identity 49 3 Sunni–Shi‘i Interaction in America 97 4 Shi‘i Leadership and America 145 5 Shi‘i Outreach Activities in America 185 Conclusion 231 Appendix 233 Notes 237 Bibliography 265 Index 279 About the Author 285 vii This page intentionally left blank Acknowledgments My interest in American Shi‘ism was first aroused in the mid- 1990s when I began to study the growing body of literature on the Muslim presence in America. I soon realized that the experience of the Shi‘i Mus- lims, a minority group within the larger American Muslim community, had remained untold. I was determined to fill the lacuna. I began to gather data, conduct a survey, and speak to various groups and members of the Shi‘i community. The present study is culmination of that endeavor. In my research work, I have benefited from the assistance extended to me by many people and institutions. At the University of Denver, I received a Professional Research Opportunities for Faculty (PROF) grant that enabled me to visit and interview various Shi‘i institutions in America. In conjunction with the Imamia Education Society, the Denver Foundation facilitated a research fund that enabled me to meet Muslim scholars, lay Shi‘is, and conduct a survey. The Bayt al-Ilm Institute also provided a research stipend. I am also indebted to various figures whose assistance was critical to this study. I would like to thank Hajja Najjah Bazzy and Eid Alwan for providing me the facilities to interview community figures in Dearborn, Michigan, in July 2007. Ron Amen of the Arab American National Mu- seum in Detroit was exceptionally helpful, providing me with invaluable information and material regarding the early Shi‘i community in Detroit and Michigan City. Many religious leaders furnished me with perspec- tives that helped me formulate views on the American Shi‘i community. In particular, I would like to thank Shaykh Fadhil Sahlani, imam Mustafa al-Qazwini, imam Hasan Qazwini, Shaykh Jawad Ansari, imam Hisham Husainy, imam Muhammad Ilahi, and Shaykh Mukhtar Fyzee for sharing their personal insights of the American Shi‘i community with me. I have also benefited considerably from the comments and advice of scholars who read parts of my manuscript and offered many incisive com- ments. Professors Abdulaziz Sachedina, Vernon Schubel, John Kelsay, ix
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