Peshawar Nights ( ''Shab-hā-ye Pishāwar'') is a written firsthand account by
Sultan al-Wa'izin Shirazi
Seyed Mohammad Shirazi (12 May 1894 – 11 October 1971), commonly known as Sultan al-Wa'izin Shirazi ("Prince of Preachers from Shiraz"), was a prominent Shi'a scholar. He authored '' Peshawar Nights'', an account of a public debate between ...
("Prince of Preachers from Shiraz"), recalling ten days of dialogues between two
Sunni
Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Mu ...
scholars and a
Shia
Shia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib () as both his political successor (caliph) and as the spiritual leader of the Muslim community (imam). However, his right is understood ...
author about major topics relating to
Shia Islam
Shia Islam is the second-largest Islamic schools and branches, branch of Islam. It holds that Muhammad in Islam, Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib () as both his political Succession to Muhammad, successor (caliph) and as the spiritual le ...
,
which took place in Peshawar (now in Pakistan, which, at the time, was part of
British India
The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...
) beginning on 27 January 1927. The book was originally written in
Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
and published in
Tehran
Tehran (; , ''Tehrân'') is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is the capital of Tehran province, and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District (Tehran County), Central District. With a population of around 9. ...
and has subsequently been translated into several languages, the first English edition was published in 1977 in Pakistan.
Background
It recounts a public debate between
Shia
Shia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib () as both his political successor (caliph) and as the spiritual leader of the Muslim community (imam). However, his right is understood ...
Muslims and
Sunni
Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Mu ...
Muslims, that took place in the city of
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital and List of cities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by population, largest city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, Pakistani province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is the sixth most populous city of Pakistan, with a district p ...
in the
North-West Frontier Province
The North-West Frontier Province (NWFP; ) was a province of British India from 1901 to 1947, of the Dominion of Pakistan from 1947 to 1955, and of the Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Pakistan from 1970 to 2010. It was established on 9 November ...
of
British India
The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...
(present-day
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (; ; , ; abbr. KP or KPK), formerly known as the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), is a Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Pakistan. Located in the Northern Pakistan, northwestern region of the country, Khyber ...
,
Pakistan
Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
) for ten nights beginning on 27 January 1927. The two principal participants from the Sunni side were Hafiz Muhammad Rashid and Sheikh Abdus Salam from Kabul. The discussions were attended by approximately 200 people (Shia and Sunni Muslims) and were recorded by four reporters published following morning in the local newspapers.
According to the preface:
English editions
The title of the book is a translation of the original
Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
title, ''Shabhaye-Peshawar.''
Since its first translation, printing & publishing in English, it been re-translated, re-printed & re-published across the world several times. A few of the major English publications available are:
* A digest by Peermahomed Ebrahim Trust, Pakistan from the 1970s
* A translation by Hamid Quinlan and Charles Ali Campbell, published by
Ansariyan Publications, Iran, from the 1990s
* From the UK in the 2000s
* Multiple times in the 2010s:
** In 2013, two parts; Part 1 & Part 2
** In February 2014
** In September 2014, two parts; Part 1 & Part 2
** In July 2015, two parts; Part 1 & Part 2
** In November 2015, two parts; Part 1 & Part 2
** In 2017, two parts; Part 1 & Part 2
** In 2018
Translations in other languages
Apart from English, the book has been translated into several other languages from original Persian. It is available in:
*
Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
()
*
English ()
*
Urdu
Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...
()
*
Arabic
Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
()
*
Azerbaijani ())
*
French
French may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France
** French people, a nation and ethnic group
** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices
Arts and media
* The French (band), ...
()
*
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas
**Spanish cuisine
**Spanish history
**Spanish culture
...
()
*
Indonesian
Indonesian is anything of, from, or related to Indonesia, an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. It may refer to:
* Indonesians, citizens of Indonesia
** Native Indonesians, diverse groups of local inhabitants of the archipelago
** Indonesian ...
(, ). In
Indonesian
Indonesian is anything of, from, or related to Indonesia, an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. It may refer to:
* Indonesians, citizens of Indonesia
** Native Indonesians, diverse groups of local inhabitants of the archipelago
** Indonesian ...
, it was initially translated as ''Mazhab Syia'' and was reprinted in 2009 under the title ''Mazhab Pecinta Keluarga Nabi: Kajian al-Quran dan Sunnah''.
Book's coverage
The book is notable, it has not only been reprinted several times in English by different publishers across the world but also has been translated to several languages and has not only been cited by books but is also used as teaching/reference material in academia and suggested as reading material by others.
Citations and mentions
The book has been cited or mentioned by later books, journal, etc. including,
* as a reference in book 'The Twelver Shi'a as a Muslim Minority in India: Pulpit of Tears'
* as reference in footnotes in book 'The Suffering of the Ahl ul Bayt and their Followers (Shia) throughout History'
* as a reference in magazine 'The Light, Volumes 24-25'
* in bibliography in book 'Discourses of Mobilization in Post-revolutionary Iran'
* mentioned in text of book 'Shi'ism In South East Asia: Alid Piety and Sectarian Constructions'
Listings
* listed in "Accessions List, Pakistan, Volume 18, 1979"
* listed in "Forthcoming Books, Volume 35, Issue 5"
Peshawar Nights has been listed as one of the books ''"to understand Shia better"'', it is searchable and downloadable from internet free of charge.
Academia
The book has not only been catalogued by university libraries cited by books but also is used as teaching/reference material in academia and suggested as reading material,
* it is catalogued in 'The Online Books Page' of the
library
A library is a collection of Book, books, and possibly other Document, materials and Media (communication), media, that is accessible for use by its members and members of allied institutions. Libraries provide physical (hard copies) or electron ...
of
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...
.
* it is mentioned as one of the 'contemporary material' suggested for use as teaching/reference material by
University at Albany
The State University of New York at Albany (University at Albany, UAlbany, or SUNY Albany) is a Public university, public research university in Albany, New York, United States. Founded in 1844, it is one of four "university centers" of the St ...
in its ''The Journal for Multi Media History''.
* it is catalogued under 'The Shi'ite Tradition' in the 'Internet Islamic History Sourcebook' of the
Fordham University
Fordham University is a Private university, private Society of Jesus, Jesuit research university in New York City, United States. Established in 1841, it is named after the Fordham, Bronx, Fordham neighborhood of the Bronx in which its origina ...
See also
*
A Shi'i-Sunni dialogue
References
{{reflist
External links
* Read 'Peshawar Nights' online in
EnglishPersianUrdu (part-1)Urdu (part-2)ArabicFrenchAzeriSpanish
Blog dedicated to Peshawar Nights
Shia literature
Peshawar
Shia theology books