The Clerics of Jabal ‘Âmil and the Reform of Religious Teaching in Najaf Since the Beginning of the 20th Century

Sabrina Mervin (1)

1 CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

After starting their studies at Jabal Amil, the young Shiite clerics from this region went on to pursue their religious studies in Najaf, Iraq. In the 1920s, some of them began to advocate a reform of religious education: Muhsin al-Amin, recognized mujtahid who exercised his magisterium in Damascus, and Muhsin Sharara, then student in Najaf, who both called for the modernization of the system. Later, other Amili joined some young Najafi clerics to participate in the experiment of Kulliyat al-Fiqh, founded in 1958; they perpetuated reformist initiatives after their return to Lebanon.

Après avoir commencé leurs études au Jabal Amil, les jeunes clercs chiites de cette région allaient poursuivre leurs études religieuses à Najaf, en Irak. Dans les années 1920, certains d'entre eux commencèrent à prôner une réforme de l'enseignement religieux: ainsi de Muhsin al-Amin, mujtahid reconnu qui exerçait son magistère à Damas, et de Muhsin Sharara, alors étudiant à Najaf, qui, tout deux, appelèrent à la modernisation du système. Ensuite, d'autres Amilites se joignirent aux jeunes clercs Najafi pour participer à l'expérience de Kulliyat al-fiqh, fondé en 1958 et perpétuer des initiatives réformistes après leur retour au Liban.

Domaines: Religions; Histoire; Anthropologie sociale et ethnologie; Sociologie

Sabrina Mervin. The Clerics of Jabal ‘Âmil and the Reform of Religious Teaching in Najaf Since the Beginning of the 20th Century. Werner Ende and Rainer Brunner (eds.). The Twelver Shia in Modern Times. Religious Culture and Political History, Brill, pp. 79-93, 2001. ⟨halshs-01858679⟩