The conference will commence at 09.00 GMT on 20 May. Doors open at 08.00 GMT.
Devotion to the Prophet Muhammad and his family (often referred to as the Ahl al-Bayt) is a pervasive and enduring part of Islamic piety, both in history and as the lived reality of millions of Muslims. While such devotions have often been sidelined as ‘non-canonical’ or as the prerogative of sectarianised minorities, this conference sets out to take them seriously as an object of study, examining their pivotal role in Islamic thought and practice, and reflecting upon the due place of Ahl al-Bayt-centred devotions within the broader academic study of Islam.
Focussing on devotion to the Ahl al-Bayt as an immensely diverse phenomenon, expressed multifariously across different times and places, the conference brings together an international group of experts to share their research on the different facets and manifestations of Ahl al-Bayt-centred devotion, and to investigate the conceptual networks that connect them. Amongst other topics, the papers will explore devotion as expressed through narrative, material culture, music, architecture and ritual. A recurring concern, meanwhile, is the importance of devotional ideas and expressions in constructing different group identities and in mediating between them.
The conference will close with a concert performed by the IIS student ensemble. Concert attendance will be included with conference registration.
Please note that filming and photography may take place during the event, and be used across our website, newsletters and social media accounts. These could include broad shots of the audience and lecture theatre, speakers during the talk, and of audience members participating in Q&A.
Views expressed in this conference are those of the presenting scholars, not necessarily of IIS, the Ismaili community, or its leadership. Promotion of this event is not an explicit endorsement of the ideas presented.
