About the author:
I have a long time passion for the subject of theology, in particular Islam, interpretation of the Qu'an and spiritual purification:
Education:
During the past 30 years I have studied Islam in four different but complementary approaches:
- Formal traditional studies: I have been studying Islam on a part time basis in the Islamic Seminary (Hauza) of Chizar (Tehran - Iran) from 1984 to 1989, during which I studied classical Arabic, Science of Logic, Principles of Jurisprudence, Jurisprudence and Intra-faith beliefs and debates.
- Self Studies: From 1989 I continued my own independent studies on Islam and Muslims. This included studying the Qur'an, Hadith, Theology (Kalam) and Islamic sects.
- Tutelage: In between 2004 to 2015, while continuing my own studies on Islam, I carried out an in-depth studying of the methodological approach of a group of scholars from the Indian sub-continent who were following the scholarly works of a genius scholar of his time, Hamiduddin Farahi (d.1930). In 2006 I continued my study of the Farahi approach, in particular the coherence of the Qur'an, its implications in interpretation (tafsir) of the Qur'an and the approach of deriving religious law from the Qur'an and the Established Sunnah under the supervision of a renowned scholar of the Qur'an and the Islamic law, Javed Ahmad Ghamidi - a pupil of one of the most respected Islamic scholars in the Sub-Continent and a commentator of the Qur'an - Amin Ahsan Islahi (d.1997) who himself was one of the two direct students of Hamiduddin Farahi. While I benefited a lot from the principles of understanding the Qur'an that I learned from these scholars and remain hugely grateful for this opportunity, my own understanding gradually developed to become significantly and fundamentally different and put me in an entirely different paradigm. This is the understanding that I am now presenting in this website.
- Formal Academic studies: In 2016 I obtained my (second) PhD in University of Edinburgh on the subject of Interpretation of the Qur'an. My PhD was on different approaches to understanding the Qur'an, aiming to systematically formulate the features of the Farahi approach in understanding Islamic concepts and rules. This was done by the use of case studies on four controversial subjects: Hijab, Stoning, Return of Jesus and Apostasy. This formal academic study also familiarised me with the thoughts and viewpoints of some of the contemporary Muslim thinkers and reformists that significantly expanded my views on Islam and religion.
Each of the above approaches to understanding Islam has provided me with a specific perspective to the subject. Each of them has encouraged me to develop a different set of skills. I am trying to apply these and obtain benefit from them in understanding the truth and in teaching and preaching what I believe to be the truth.
I have benefited extensively from great thinkers that I never met, but consider them to be my indirect teachers in studying Islam. To name a few out of many: Muhammad Hussain Tabatabayee (the author of Tafsir al-Mizan), Mahmoud Taleqani (the author of Partovi az Qur'an - a shining ray from the Qur'an), Ahmad Qabil (a contemporary Shia jurist), Fazlur Rahman (a reformist Indian - Pakistani scholar) and Hamiduddin Farahi (a scholar that to me was like a treasure who was never fully discovered and is still not fully appreciated).
In parallel with my religious studies, I have a BSc and an MSc in Industrial Engineering from Iran and a PhD in Management Science from University of Strathclyde. I have more than twenty years experience of teaching and research within the academia on this subject and am now working as a senior lecturer in Management in University of Glasgow. Despite the apparently very different two subjects (Theology and Management Science) I have found that the two are benefiting from each other. I feel that my studies in engineering and Management Science have equipped me with thinking tools that help me in my attempt to remain logical in analysis of religious subjects and in my attempt to express my religious thought in a reasonable and clear way. On the other hand I can see that my religious studies are benefiting me in improving my abstract thinking and synthesis view in Management and Management Science.
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Rights and Disclaimer:
- Any material from this website can be quoted or published elsewhere provided that the name of the author is clearly mentioned.
- Publication of the material from this website on any other platform does not mean that I am in anyway associated or in agreement with the organisation, individuals or the views behind that platform.
- In English, only the material on this website represents my views and understanding. I am only responsible for the material that is published in this website (exploring islam).
- Considering who the audience of my writings might be, I may make reference to scholars or books that are considered as reliable by that audience. This does not mean that I am necessarily in agreement with the theological stance or the religious views of those scholars or the authors of any of those books.
- I am a freelance writer and speaker on Islam. In my Islamic/religious activities and studies I am not associated with any particular organisations, groups, scholars or individuals.
Farhad Shafti
Updated: November 2021
Education:
During the past 30 years I have studied Islam in four different but complementary approaches:
- Formal traditional studies: I have been studying Islam on a part time basis in the Islamic Seminary (Hauza) of Chizar (Tehran - Iran) from 1984 to 1989, during which I studied classical Arabic, Science of Logic, Principles of Jurisprudence, Jurisprudence and Intra-faith beliefs and debates.
- Self Studies: From 1989 I continued my own independent studies on Islam and Muslims. This included studying the Qur'an, Hadith, Theology (Kalam) and Islamic sects.
- Tutelage: In between 2004 to 2015, while continuing my own studies on Islam, I carried out an in-depth studying of the methodological approach of a group of scholars from the Indian sub-continent who were following the scholarly works of a genius scholar of his time, Hamiduddin Farahi (d.1930). In 2006 I continued my study of the Farahi approach, in particular the coherence of the Qur'an, its implications in interpretation (tafsir) of the Qur'an and the approach of deriving religious law from the Qur'an and the Established Sunnah under the supervision of a renowned scholar of the Qur'an and the Islamic law, Javed Ahmad Ghamidi - a pupil of one of the most respected Islamic scholars in the Sub-Continent and a commentator of the Qur'an - Amin Ahsan Islahi (d.1997) who himself was one of the two direct students of Hamiduddin Farahi. While I benefited a lot from the principles of understanding the Qur'an that I learned from these scholars and remain hugely grateful for this opportunity, my own understanding gradually developed to become significantly and fundamentally different and put me in an entirely different paradigm. This is the understanding that I am now presenting in this website.
- Formal Academic studies: In 2016 I obtained my (second) PhD in University of Edinburgh on the subject of Interpretation of the Qur'an. My PhD was on different approaches to understanding the Qur'an, aiming to systematically formulate the features of the Farahi approach in understanding Islamic concepts and rules. This was done by the use of case studies on four controversial subjects: Hijab, Stoning, Return of Jesus and Apostasy. This formal academic study also familiarised me with the thoughts and viewpoints of some of the contemporary Muslim thinkers and reformists that significantly expanded my views on Islam and religion.
Each of the above approaches to understanding Islam has provided me with a specific perspective to the subject. Each of them has encouraged me to develop a different set of skills. I am trying to apply these and obtain benefit from them in understanding the truth and in teaching and preaching what I believe to be the truth.
I have benefited extensively from great thinkers that I never met, but consider them to be my indirect teachers in studying Islam. To name a few out of many: Muhammad Hussain Tabatabayee (the author of Tafsir al-Mizan), Mahmoud Taleqani (the author of Partovi az Qur'an - a shining ray from the Qur'an), Ahmad Qabil (a contemporary Shia jurist), Fazlur Rahman (a reformist Indian - Pakistani scholar) and Hamiduddin Farahi (a scholar that to me was like a treasure who was never fully discovered and is still not fully appreciated).
In parallel with my religious studies, I have a BSc and an MSc in Industrial Engineering from Iran and a PhD in Management Science from University of Strathclyde. I have more than twenty years experience of teaching and research within the academia on this subject and am now working as a senior lecturer in Management in University of Glasgow. Despite the apparently very different two subjects (Theology and Management Science) I have found that the two are benefiting from each other. I feel that my studies in engineering and Management Science have equipped me with thinking tools that help me in my attempt to remain logical in analysis of religious subjects and in my attempt to express my religious thought in a reasonable and clear way. On the other hand I can see that my religious studies are benefiting me in improving my abstract thinking and synthesis view in Management and Management Science.
---------------------------------------------
Rights and Disclaimer:
- Any material from this website can be quoted or published elsewhere provided that the name of the author is clearly mentioned.
- Publication of the material from this website on any other platform does not mean that I am in anyway associated or in agreement with the organisation, individuals or the views behind that platform.
- In English, only the material on this website represents my views and understanding. I am only responsible for the material that is published in this website (exploring islam).
- Considering who the audience of my writings might be, I may make reference to scholars or books that are considered as reliable by that audience. This does not mean that I am necessarily in agreement with the theological stance or the religious views of those scholars or the authors of any of those books.
- I am a freelance writer and speaker on Islam. In my Islamic/religious activities and studies I am not associated with any particular organisations, groups, scholars or individuals.
Farhad Shafti
Updated: November 2021
