This video presents a scholarly conversation on De la Lettre à l’Esprit / From the Letter to the Spirit, a two-volume Festschrift honouring Professor Mohammad Ali Amir-Moezzi. Recorded at the Aga KhanA title granted by the Shah of Persia to the then Ismaili Imam in 1818 and inherited by each of his successors to the Imamate. Centre, London, the event reflects on his four decades of research, teaching and intellectual influence in the study of Shiʿi thought, Qurʾanic interpretation and the wider intellectual history of Islam.
Festschrift in Honour of Professor Amir-Moezzi
Published by Brepols, the volumes bring together contributions from colleagues, former students and collaborators. They span Shiʿi studies, Qurʾanic studies, Late Antiquity and early Islam, Islamic mystical traditions, and aspects of contemporary religious and intellectual life. The collection stands both as a major scholarly resource and as a tribute to a lifetime of academic achievement.
The discussion features the Festschrift’s co-editors, Dr Orkhan Mir-Kasimov and Dr Mathieu Terrier, with contributions from IIS scholars including Dr Farhad Daftary, Dr Maria De Cillis and Dr Toby Mayer. Together, they reflect on the intellectual scope of the volumes, Professor Amir-Moezzi’s scholarly legacy, and his enduring influence as a mentor, teacher and leading voice in the field.
The title, From the Letter to the Spirit, points to a central intellectual concern running through Professor Amir-Moezzi’s work: the movement beyond literal meaning towards deeper layers of interpretation. In this way, the video offers both an introduction to the themes of the Festschrift and an insight into the broader scholarly questions that have shaped his work.
Topics in this video:
- The significance of De la Lettre à l’Esprit / From the Letter to the Spirit
- Professor Mohammad Ali Amir-Moezzi’s contribution to Shiʿi studies
- Qurʾanic interpretation and the intellectual history of Islam
- Esoteric traditions in early Shiʿi thought
- The study of Late Antiquity and early Islam
- Islamic mystical traditions and religious thought
- The scholarly networks behind the Festschrift
- Professor Amir-Moezzi’s legacy as a teacher and mentor
- The relationship between his work and IIS
- The value of Festschriften in academic scholarship
