It was the first time that the Institute has collaborated on such a programme with a working group from the AAR, which is the major international organisation for scholars of religion. The workshop was co-sponsored by the AARs 紮喝娶a紳group. This event highlighted the increasing scholarly interest in 紮喝娶a紳Muslims believe that the Holy 紮喝娶a紳 contains divine revelations to the Prophet Muhammed received in Mecca and Medina over a period of 23 years in the early 7th century CE. More commentaries, and the critical importance of the work being undertaken by the IIS in the area of 紮喝娶a紳ic studies.
The workshops participants included pre-eminent scholars of 紮喝娶a紳 commentaries, such as Jane Dammen McAuliffe (president of Bryn Mawr College) and Andrew Rippin (Dean, University of Victoria). The event was well attended, with an audience of 60 scholars from institutions around the United States and Canada. It was organised by Karen Bauer, who is a Research Associate at the IIS.
The discussions highlighted questions central to the study of 紮喝娶a紳 commentaries, such as classifications within the genre of tafsir, and the meanings of the words esoteric and exoteric when used in the context of these works. In the future, it is hoped that the same group of experts will meet again to discuss the fine details of their papers, which will then be included in an edited volume.
The workshop was followed by a formal dinner attended by nearly 100 guests, including most of the speakers and audience from the workshop as well as experts in Islamic Studies, and members of the local Ismaili community. Azim Nanji, former Director of the IIS, delivered remarks, as did Omar Ali-de-Unzaga, Coordinator of 紮喝娶a紳ic Studies at the IIS.