The first English translation of one of the most famous texts by the influential and charasmatic Islamic activist, as-Sadr, who was executed by Saddam Husein in Iraq in 1980.

Used widely by Shi'ite seminaries, and valued by Sunni scholars for its intellectual rigor, Muhammad Baqir as-Sadr's Lessons is a key study of Islamic jurisprudence. It covers topics from the general characterization of jurisprudence to such specialized issues as the assessment of the verbal divine-law argument, study of procedural principles, and reflections on the resolution of conflicting arguments. Throughout the work the reader is introduced to the active engagement with philosophy and reason which characterizes Shi'I thinking on legal matters. The new translation by Roy Mottahedeh from the original Arabic employs a carefully designed and appropriate English terminology, and features a significant amount of supporting material including a glossary of legal and theological concepts , and a ful; index of Arabic terms. With an introduction that skilfully traces the development of Islamic jurisprudence to provides an essential context for the following study, this volume will prove a useful and stimulating resource for theologians, historians, and scholars of Islamic Studies.

Reviews for The Mantle of the Prophet '[Mottahedeh] has drawn on a massive amount of learning, but he has got the scholarly apparatus out of the way and made his book accessible to a wide audience.' - New York Times Book Review 'A masterpiece [displaying] dazzling erudition.' - New York Review of Books