Kitab al-Irshad

Author: Shaykh al-Mufid | Translated by: I.K.A. Howard | Published by: Tahrike Tarsile Qur'an, Inc. | ISBN: 9780940368125 | Paperback

Kitab al-Irshad is the earliest surviving history of the Twelve Imams who are revered in Shi’a Islam as the primary sources of religious guidance after the passing away of the Prophet (saw).  This work offers a brief account of the circumstances pertaining to the function of the imamate and the manner of its transmission, set within a comprehensive account of each of these twelve personalities. The first half of the work is devoted to the first Imam, Ali b. Abu Talib. It also provides a fascinating insight into the religious and social circumstances of these first centuries of Islam.