The religion of concealment (Islamic Shia beliefs and its spiritual acts)

The religion of concealment by Muhammad Ali Amir Mozaei ... knowledge of Shiite beliefs and religious practices remains limited, and it is subject to misunderstanding. The primary reason for this is that specialized scientific studies on Twelver Shiism are mostly very recent. Moreover, the number of Western scholars in this field does not exceed about thirty researchers, with a few Shiite religious scholars who publish their research only in the languages of the Islamic world. This number is very small compared to hundreds of Sunni Islam specialists who have been studying various disciplines in Arab and Islamic studies fields for more than a century and a half. There are also the circumstances of history and the potential ideological disputes they may entail. One of the major consequences of these circumstances within Shiism itself was the exclusion of ideas deemed to be "deviant," and the banning of texts considered "problematic." Finally, the Shiite religion, which defines itself in its primary sources as originally an esoteric and traditional doctrine, does not reveal itself easily. It is customary in such conditions that part of the religious teachings — and the most important part undoubtedly — is protected by the rules governing all esoteric doctrines. These multiple reasons, whether fundamental or superficial in Shiism, make it a concealed and little-known religion. This book explores aspects of Shiism’s history and spirituality that have been scarcely studied. You may find that beliefs and practices in this diversity are strong and coherent through the dual personality of the Imam, who is the principle and the end of faith, and through the crucial role played by knowledge and by inculcation, as well as in the ontological and anthropological duality.