The Shi’a Research Institute, based in Toronto, Canada, is an academic organization committed to advancing the scholarly study of Shi’a Islam. Created to address the growing need for accessible and rigorous Shi’a scholarship in North America, SRI brings together academics and researchers passionate about deepening the understanding of Shi’i intellectual traditions in a modern context.

In the past two decades, new research centers have emerged that advance Islamic scholarship with Canadian academic institutions. However, the Shi’a perspective remains underrepresented, with little effort made to understand the religious dynamics of Shi’i Islam or engage deeply with its committed community. This gap led to the founding of SRI by a group of scholars, educators, and professionals who envisioned an academic space rooted in authentic Shi’i thought.

SRI’s mission is to be the leading institution for Shi’i studies in North America, offering a platform for the study and dissemination of Shi’a Islamic thought. As a private non-profit supported by the grassroots Shi’a community, they blend faith-based and scholarly approaches to education. SRI is not only concerned with preserving tradition, but also with critically engaging with it—asking difficult questions, encouraging dialogue, and nurturing intellectual growth.

SRI offers a wide range of activities designed to inspire and educate. These include public lectures, academic conferences, and short-term courses that explore various aspects of Shi’i theology, history, and philosophy. One of its key initiatives is The Insight, a podcast and interview series that features discussions with scholars and thought leaders on pressing contemporary topics. The Institute also regularly publishes original research, translation work, and analytical essays through its online platform, contributing valuable perspectives to both academic and public discourse.

Board of Directors

• Principal: Syed Muhammad Rizvi
• Academic Director: Vinay Khetia
• Directors: Akil Karim and Syed Mahdi Rizvi

Contacts

• Address: Suite 313, Toronto School of Theology, 47 Queen’s Park Crescent East, Toronto, ON M5S 2C3, Canada
• Phone: +1 (416) 624-7861
• Email: info@shiaresearch.ca
• Website: https://shiaresearch.ca/

The Association of Islamic Theology of Isfahan Seminary organized a 3-day summer school on Analysis of Shia Studies in the West on 5^th to 7^th September, 2018 in Isfahan, Iran.

The program was attended by scholars and graduate students from both seminaries and universities of different cities in Iran. The speakers delivered their talks in 9 sessions and 3 panel discussions on several topics relevant to Shia studies such as Contemporary Hadiths and Quranic studies in the west, comparative methodological analysis of western scholars on Shii theology, Esotericism and Gnosticism and the paradigm of historical criticism in hadith studies.

A group of IRIC researchers also participated in this program and presented a brief report on the outcome of their project namely “Shia Studies in Western Academia, the case of British Academic Centers” and answered the questions of the attendants in this regard.

 : Analysis of Shia Studies in the West

A group of 14 scholars from different countries who were interested to participate in a one-week intensive course on Shi’ism that was organized by the University of Religions and Denominations in Qum City accepted the invitation of IRIC to attend in a one-day Colloquium on Academic Shi’a Studies in Tehran at the end of their educational course.

This program was held in the premise of Encyclopaedia Islamica Foundation on Thursday, August 31, 2017. The participants got to know about the activities and mission of Islamic Research and Information Center (IRIC) by Dr. Abdollah Edrisi. Then Dr. Maryam Mousavi and Dr. Fatemeh Taromi Rad presented the progress report on “Shi’i Studies in the United Kingdom” project.

Professors and scholars participated in the brainstorming workshop for “Research Proposals on Shi’i Studies” led by Dr. Hamid Azarinia, Institute of Imamite Studies.

The other programs were a presentation by Dr. Morteza Karimi-Nia on “Some new documents in the history of the Qurʾan; And some new findings in the history of Shīʿī tafsīr” and an introduction to Encyclopaedia Islamica Foundation and a visit to its Library by Dr. Parviz Salmani.

Professors, experts and scholars like Dr. Kurt Richardson, University of Toronto, Canada, Dr. Alena Kulinich, London University, Britain, Dr. Filiz Kartal, Institute for Turkey and the Middle East, Turkey, Dr. Edith Szanto, The American University, Iraq, Dolores Richardson, Zakia Aqra, Angela Sogor, Paniz Musawi, participated in this colloquium.

It aims to offer an informed and scholarly Shi’a perspective on traditional and contemporary issues that affect Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

The CISS endeavors to offer original and insightful analysis on a wide range of disciplines under the rubric of Islamic and Middle East Studies drawing from both traditional seminarian traditions and contemporary academic discourses.

Our commitment is to the advancement of scholarship reach beyond traditional and contemporary academic discourses in the field of Shi’a studies, but seeks to explore the religious traditions to broader dimensions of society and culture. The Centre is committed to the advancement of academic excellence in research and publication.

Our outreach activities provide a meeting point between the Islamic and Western worlds of learning.

Goal:

– To encourage the advancement of academic excellence in research and publication

– To encourage links and exchanges between academics and institutions in the UK and the Shi’a Islamic world

– To host seminars, workshops and conferences to bring together the latest research and to highlight and communicate to a wider audience, the intellectual heritage of Shi’a Islam

– To produce regular high quality publications and bibliographical material to facilitate further studies on intellectual and literary traditions in Shi’a Islam, past and present.

Events:

• Research Series Paper (2017)
• Launch of Shi’a Studies Journal (2015)
• An introduction to Hawza studies (2015)
• Twelver Shi’as in the UK: Generations and Rituals (2014)
• Seminar Series: Shia in the West (2014)
• Launch of  Shi’apedia (2012)

Contacts

• Address: 247 High Road, Willesden, London NW10 2RY, UK
• Phone: +44 20 8451 3322
• Fax: +44 20 3273 0075
• Email: info@shiastudies.org
• Website: http://www.shiastudies.org/

“Dr. Kara is part of a new generation of international scholarship in Shi’i Islam. His approach to the material and the questions he asks are fresh and creative,” President Hadsell said. “His appreciation for and experience with the importance and richness of the dialogue between schools of Islamic thought are also part of the considerable contribution he will make to his field and to all of us at Hartsem.” Dr. Kara completed his MAs at the University of London and the Islamic College, and his Ph.D. at the University of Durham as well as studying in seminaries in the UK, Syria and Iran. For seven years, he worked as a research assistant and researcher for the Islamic Human Rights Commission in London. He is the author of numerous articles and chapters, and organized the project “Working Towards a Long-Term Solution to Internecine Muslim Violence” for the Universal Justice Network. He will begin work in July as Assistant Professor for Shi’i Studies and Relations between Islamic Schools of Thought.

“By establishing the Imam Ali Chair for Shi’i Studies and Dialogue among Islamic Legal Schools, Hartford Seminary is yet again playing a pioneering role in developing community relations,” Dr. Kara said. “What makes this position even more special is that, in the current climate of intra-religious tension, it holds a unique responsibility to work towards understanding the causes of tension and defusing them, through engaging with the community and carrying out rigorous academic research. I feel extremely privileged to be appointed to such an important position.”

Dr. Mahmoud Ayoub, now retired from teaching at Hartford Seminary, was the driving force behind the Imam Ali Chair, which was established in 2015. The first and present occupant of the chair is Dr. Sayed Ammar Nakhjavani, who is known around the world as a speaker and was named to the list of The 500 Most Influential Muslims. The reason for the chair, Dr. Ayoub said at the time it was inaugurated, is not to create a rival program for the study of Sunni Islam, which encompasses about 85 percent of Muslims. It is to include the voice of Shi’i Islam at an institution that has such a special history and role in Christian-Muslim relations and to work toward Muslim unity. Dr. Kara, he said, is an excellent person to fill that role because of his understanding of both Shi’i and Sunni scholarship and his active participation as a scholar. “His work on human rights is very good for the Seminary,” Dr. Ayoub said. “He will fit here quite well.”

Source: Hartford Seminary’s Website

Source: The Institute for Advanced Study

The Al-Khoei Foundation in London held a conference for teachers of the new GCSE Religious Studies focusing on teaching Islam.

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This conference was held this July 14^th, to introduce the program studies and invite scholars and academics to discuss issues of education, and religious studies. Workshops on subject content were Beliefs and teachings/practices in Islam by a range of scholars and on practical strategies for delivering the content.

Trainers were Imams, Scholars in Islam and Deborah Weston from NATRE.

The Khoei Foundation train teachers in the fields of religious studies, so that in turn they could spread the teachings of Shia Islam, and help young minds embrace their heritage. For the first time in Great Britain Shia Islam studies will be made available to the greater public.

Source: National Association of Teachers of Religious Education (NATRE)