Learning Centre

Welcome to the IIS learning centre. Here you will find a variety of audiovisual materials related to the work of the Institute. This includes speeches of His Highness Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan info-icon III and His Highness Prince Karim al-Hussain Aga Khan IV, video interviews and lectures delivered by our scholars and other high-profile guest speakers, alongside a selection of papers published by them on various academic forums.

The learning centre also hosts a variety of additional educational materials such as reading guides for IIS publications, lists of recommended readings, for further exploration of several themes and topics.

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Articles

The Water is One, but the Flowers are Coloured (Al-Ma’ Wahid, Zahru Alwan)

8th November 2019

According to the author, “In cities and towns all across the world—from Karachi and Tehran to Jakarta and Dakkar,...

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Glossary

8th November 2019

ahl al- bayt Lit. ‘people of the house’, meaning the Prophet Muhammad and members of his house hold, includ...

Culture and Practice

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The Cosmogonic Word in al-Shahrastani’s Exegesis of Surat al-Baqara

21st October 2019

Introduction* Having played roles at the highest levels of the Saljuq state, as sometime confidant of the ruler himself,...

Intellectual traditions

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Galleries

The Diversity of Mosque Architectures

29th January 2015

The architectural forms of the emblematic mosque are manifold.

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Multimedia

Hybrid Ontology of Early Mughal Paintings

21st November 2019

South Asia

The Mughal dynasty is renowned for its great architecture and patronage of the arts. Perhaps more than any other Islamic dynasty, the Mughals made their...

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Understanding Sharia: Islamic Law in a Globalised World

26th September 2019

Sharia

They propose that sharia is underpinned by ethical principles, and is open to change depending on context and circumstance. As such, the authors encourage new...

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A short message from Dr Daftary on 'A History of Shi'i Islam' in Persian

1st August 2019

Shi'i Studies

Download the Persian transcript with English translation here. In his detailed study of Shi‘i Islam, spanning over decades, Dr Daftary observes that Shi‘a Muslims have...

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Reading lists

Further Reading

20th November 2019

This work has benefited from a wide body of literature concerning spaces of worship in Islam, and Muslim communities and architecture more broadly. While the...

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Further Reading

15th February 2018

There is a growing body of literature providing a survey of Fatimid history and thought. Principal among these is the comprehensive summary in Farhad Daftary’s...

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Reading list

18th December 2014

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Reading guides

Speeches: Aga Khan III and IV

Opening Address by His Highness the Aga Khan at the opening of the Aga Khan Centre, London

23rd August 2018

Bismillah -ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim Your Royal Highness, Lord Ahmad, Foreign Office Minister, Mr Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, The leadership of Camden, Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen...

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Introductory Remarks made by His Highness the Aga Khan to Justice Sacks lecture on “The Battle for the South African Constitution” The Global centre for Pluralism Annual Lecture

19th May 2017

Society

Bismillah -ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim Justice Albie Sachs Madame Adrienne Clarkson Your Excellencies Ministers Distinguished Guests Ladies and Gentlemen What a great pleasure it is for me to...

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Speech by His Highness the Aga Khan at the International New York Times Athens Democracy Forum

15th September 2015

Bismillah -ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim Former Prime Ministers Ms Alkistis Protopsalti, Minister of Tourism Your Worship, Giorgos Kaminis, Mayor of Athens The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, Former Governor...

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