Al-Qalam Journal of Advanced Islamic Research, Volume 1, Issue 3 (2024)

Book Review: Crises and Conversions: The Unlikely Avenues of “Italian Shiism”

Written by: Minoo Mirshahvalad

Reviewed by: Mahboobeh Hami

Date of Publication: 12 August, 2024

Abstract

This review examines Mirshahvalad’s socio-historical study of conversion to Twelver Shīʿism in Italy. The book explores why individuals convert to a minority branch of Islam within a secular European context, focusing on the concept of a “crisis of modernity” as a key motivating factor. It analyses the influence of Traditionalist thinkers such as René Guénon and Julius Evola, whose ideas about tradition, spirituality, and the East shaped Italian interest in Shīʿism. The review outlines how themes such as esotericism, messianism, and the perceived connection between Shīʿism and Persian or “Aryan” identity contribute to this process. It also discusses the sociological dimension of converts’ identities and their reinterpretation of religious traditions. The review concludes that the work provides a descriptive introduction to the subject, highlighting its significance while leaving several questions open for further study.

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