Table of Contents

Abbreviations Preface Chapter I. Introduction: Return to the Earliest Sources Hiero-Intelligence and Reason Esotericism and Rationalization The Sources The Nature and Authority of Imamite Traditions Chapter II. The Pre-Existence of the Imam The Worlds before the World. The Guide-Light Adamic Humanity. The "Voyage" of the Light Excursus: "Vision with the Heart" Conception and Birth Chapter III. The Existence of the Imam Comments on the "Political" Life of the Imams The Sacred Science Notes on the "Integral Qur'an* " The Sacred Power Chapter IV. The Super-Existence of the Imam Imamite Points of View on the Ancientness of the Information The Imam and His Occultation: Esoteric Aspects The Return and the Rising: Esoteric Aspects Conclusions Appendix: Some Implications of the Occultation: Individual Religion and Collective Religion Notes Bibliography General Index

About the Author

At the Sorbonne, Professor Amir-Moezzi is professeur d'islamologie a la section de sciences religieuse de l'Ecole Pratique des Haute Etudes.