على بصيرة

A project that continues to grow

This series is conceived as an open-ended body of research. Its foundational research period ran from 1 March 2020 to 27 December 2023; research and writing continue beyond this phase. Its books and supporting material are reviewed, corrected, expanded and updated whenever new evidence, questions or scholarly needs warrant it.

The series brings together separate dialogues with readers of different religious and philosophical backgrounds. It considers their own sources and questions, explains the arguments presented, and gives space to objections and responses. Dialogues with Muslims of other schools address questions of doctrine, imamate and religious authority within Islam.

About Ala Basirah

With Insight — Dialogues on Faith, Islam and the School of Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them is an ongoing research and writing project by Sayyid Hussam Zahaa Murtadha Al-Saraf Al-Hussaini. It explores faith, existence, revelation, prophethood and imamate, presenting arguments for Islam and the Twelver Shia school of Ahl al-Bayt through progressive dialogues that address each reader’s background and questions.

The series sets aside individual books for dialogue with readers from different philosophical positions, religions and Islamic schools. It examines their beliefs through their own sources, identifies agreement and disagreement, and considers evidence and objections in clear, respectful language. Dialogues with Muslims of other schools address doctrine, imamate and religious authority within Islam.

The project’s foundational research period ran from 1 March 2020 to 27 December 2023, corresponding to 6 Rajab 1441 AH to 14 Jumada al-Akhirah 1445 AH. This period represents one phase of the project; research, writing, review and development continue.

This ongoing project does not end with the publication of a book or the completion of a phase. Its material remains open to updates whenever scholarly needs, new questions or sources warrant them. Research is added, arguments are reviewed, errors are corrected and topics are expanded, with revision dates and version numbers recorded in published editions.

The project aims to help readers understand and discuss the evidence, allowing conviction to grow through informed inquiry and fair dialogue, with respect for people and their freedom of choice.

How the series develops

Understand: Begin with the reader’s questions and the tradition’s own sources.

Examine: Consider evidence, objections and responses step by step.

Revisit: Revisit sources and update the work as research develops.

With Insight — The Book Library

Twenty-two planned volumes by writer and researcher Sayyid Hussam Zahaa Murtadha Al-Saraf Al-Hussaini. Open a book to explore its proposed themes and Arabic and English front and back covers. Reading and download links will be added when the book is ready.

1. How Do We Seek Truth?
   Foundations of evidence, fairness and religious dialogue.
2. Does Existence Have a Creator?
   A dialogue with atheism on God, the universe and humanity.
3. Can We Know?
   A dialogue with agnosticism on doubt, knowledge and belief.
4. Why Do We Need Revelation?
   A dialogue with deism on prophecy, religion and guidance.
5. God, Christ and Revelation
   A dialogue with Christianity on monotheism, prophecy and Islam.
6. Covenant, Prophecy and Revelation
   A dialogue with Judaism on revelation and guidance.
7. Imamate after Prophethood
   A dialogue with Sunni Muslims on religious authority and Ahl al-Bayt.
8. Imamate and the Measure of Justice
   A dialogue with Ibadi Muslims on religious leadership and history.
9. Ahl al-Bayt and the Question of Imamate
   A dialogue with Zaydi Muslims on texts, imamate and authority.
10. The Continuity of Imamate
    A dialogue with Ismaili Muslims on the imams, interpretation and proof.
11. The Oneness of God and the Path of Guidance
    A dialogue with Sikhism on the Creator, revelation and worship.
12. God, Soul and Existence
    A dialogue with Hindu traditions on divinity, humanity and destiny.
13. Suffering and the Meaning of Liberation
    A dialogue with Buddhism on life, suffering and purpose.
14. The Soul, Ethics and Destiny
    A dialogue with Jainism on humanity, responsibility and liberation.
15. The Creator, Good and Evil
    A dialogue with Zoroastrianism on divinity, justice and destiny.
16. Prophecy, Purity and Guidance
    A dialogue with Mandaeism on God, revelation and religious life.
17. Prophethood and the Finality of Revelation
    A dialogue with the Baha’i Faith on revelation, finality and guidance.
18. Monotheism, Reason and Interpretation
    A dialogue with the Druze tradition on belief, texts and knowledge.
19. God, Humanity and the Path to Him
    A dialogue with the Yazidi tradition on belief, worship and destiny.
20. The Way, Wisdom and Existence
    A dialogue with Taoist traditions on the universe, life and guidance.
21. Ethics, Humanity and Heaven
    A dialogue with Confucian traditions on virtue and religion.
22. The Sacred, the Creator and Worship
    A dialogue with Shinto traditions on belief and the meaning of sacredness.