I am pleased to announce the call for papers for a workshop Edmund Hayes and I are organising as part of the Embodied Imamate project: "The Social Dynamics of Communal Affiliation in Early Islam," to be held between 11–12 June 2026 at Leiden University. www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/events/20...

Check out the call for papers for our next workshop!

We are delighted to announce the autumn program of our online lecture series Material Culture, Art, and Architecture of Pre-Safavid Shīʿism. The series brings together scholars of early Shīʿism with specialists in Islamic material culture, art, architecture, and archaeology.

It's been a while in the making, but I'm delighted to announce the launch of the the Shii Studies Network which I am running with my colleague Fatima Zaraket. Follow us for updates on the exciting events and initiatives we have coming up.

We are so excited to announce the launch of the Shii Studies Network, a space for PhD students researching Shiism to forge personal and professional connections, share their research with and learn from each other, and push the field forward.

On June 4, our workshop Motherhood and Unfreedom took place at the Allard Pierson Museum, 8 powerful papers, 20+ participants, and rich discussions from poetry to concubines to afterlife slavery. Grateful to @socmedimedit.bsky.social, Juynboll Foundation & our museum partners!

Our team will be presenting over two panels: Session 120: Embodied Imamate I: Bodies of Knowledge, featuring Aila Santi and Zahra Azhar from our project and Simon O'Meara (SOAS) and George Warner (Institute of Ismaili Studies)

Are you attending the International Medieval Congress in Leeds (@imc-leeds.bsky.social) next month? We've compiled a handy list of all the panels addressing key themes in the medieval Islamic world including the panels we are sponsoring. www.middleeastmedievalists.com/mem-at-the-i...

Just over two weeks until the International Medieval Congress (@imc-leeds.bsky.social) in Leeds where we are sponsoring a number of panels! We will be having a reception on Tuesday 8 July between 13:00 and 14:00 in the Little Woodhouse Room of University House. Come by and say hello!

Ed Hayes, the PI of our project is the guest blogger of the Islamic Law Blog of the Program in Islamic Law at Harvard University (@shariasource.bsky.social) this month. islamiclaw.blog/2025/06/05/w... Check out the instalments of his series of posts on the early Imāmī Shīʿī Legal System.

We have two panels at this year's International Medieval Congress: 120 and 220. Let us know who will be around!

The Board of Directors of Middle East Medievalists (MEM) is pleased to request submissions for its biennial prize for best book on the medieval Middle East (ca. 500-1500 CE). The prize will be awarded at the 2025 annual meeting. Books published between April 1, 2023 and March 31, 2025 are eligible.

CfP: "New Approaches to Khārijite History" (Hamburg, 16-17 Oct 25)! Delighted to announce this workshop, which aims to re-assess 7th-10th-century Khārijite revolt as a historical rather than doctrinal/confessional phenomenon! Abstracts due 15/04; details here: www.aai.uni-hamburg.de/voror/forsch...

We're thrilled to announce our lecture series: Material Culture, Art, and Architecture of Pre-Safavid Shīʿīsm, starting on March 28 2025. Join distinguished scholars as they reveal how materiality, art, architecture, and space speak volumes about the identity of pre-Safavid Shīʿī community.

If you are in Leiden this Spring come along to the Middle East Studies Lectures featuring the PI of the @embodiedimamate.bsky.social ERC project! Full schedule below: www.staff.universiteitleiden.nl/events/serie...

Yesterday wrapped up an amazing two-day workshop, “Policing the Prayer in Sectarian Islam: Spaces, Temporalities, Coercion (7th–15th Centuries),” which three of our team members participated in.

The Embodied Imamate team spent a very enjoyable couple of days in Hamburg with the @rebellionuhh.bsky.social team for a workshop on 'Zaydī' networks organised by Natalie Kontny-Wendt.

We are honored to welcome @nhaider.bsky.social as the keynote speaker for this workshop. The @embodiedimamate.bsky.social team will be well-represented in it. Can’t wait to hear @aramadhan.bsky.social on prayer leadership in the Early Imami Community!

I am thrilled to announce the workshop “Policing the Prayer in Sectarian Islam: Spaces, Temporalities, Coercion (7th–15th centuries”, taking place in Naples on February 27–28, 2025, which I am co-organizing with Enki Baptiste and @athinap.bsky.social

In case you missed this: our open-access volume on rebellion in the early Islamic period is now out with @edinburghup.bsky.social! It transcends traditional boundaries within and between (the) field(s) by studying Muslim and non-Muslim, Shiʿi, Kharijite, Ibadi, and Sunni contention!

The IMBOD team will be making their way to @imc-leeds.bsky.social in July with two exciting panels on Monday 7th (panel 1 is from 11:15-12:45). Excited to catch up with colleagues and discuss the project! @mideastmedieval.bsky.social

Congratulations to our postdoctoral researcher @lpecos.bsky.social for this co-authored piece!

We were honoured to have Sayed Hossein al-Qazwini visit us in Leiden today to discuss our project, early Islamic history, Imāmī biographical works, and khums amongst much more.

Interested in early Shi‘ism, conflict, and community making? Join us tomorrow for a talk by Ed Hayes (Leiden), PI of @embodiedimamate.bsky.social, on "Legitimate Punishments in Early Islam"! Tues, 14 Jan, 4:00 pm CET on Zoom. Register by emailing [email protected]!

Exciting talk alert! Next Tues, 14 Jan, 4:00 pm CET on Zoom: Ed Hayes, PI of @embodiedimamate.bsky.social, on "Legitimate Punishments in Early Islam: Execution, Exile, Excommunication (with Special Attention to the Imami Shiʿa)". To register, simply email [email protected].👇

A few highlights from our 'What is an Imam?' workshop last month featuring papers by Edmund Hayes, Rodrigo Adem, Jeremy Farrell, Adam Ramadhan, Leone Pecorini Goodall, May Shaddel, Nasser Alajmi, Zahra Azhar, and Aila Santi.

We are hosting an exciting workshop today to delve into the different uses of the term 'Imam' and near synonyms in an effort to understand how, if at all, the different uses of the term have influenced or been influenced by each other. www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/events/20...