"Peshawar Nights" - Summary

Peshawar Nights is a compilation of dialogues that took place in 1927 in India. These dialogues were between a Shi'i scholar and Sunni scholars. The Shi'i scholar journeyed across the country, engaging in debates with well-known scholars. These debates drew large audiences, eager to gain insights from his wisdom. One of these debates, which took place in Peshawar with two scholars from Kabul, was even published in local newspapers. These accounts were later gathered and formed into a book that detailed the Peshawar debates.

The dialogues in the book serve to clarify the Shi'a perspective on early Islamic history and doctrine, using sources from both Sunni and Shi'a sects. Some of the key points discussed include the events surrounding Prophet Muhammad's death and the election of Abu Bakr as the first caliph, despite the Shi'a belief that Ali was the rightful successor. Other topics include the misinterpretation of hadiths that claim the companions were infallible, the seizure of Muhammad's daughter Fatima's property by Abu Bakr, the mistakes made under the rule of caliph Umar who relied on Ali's guidance, the oppression under caliph Uthman, and the opposition of Ali by Aisha, despite her being the wife of the Prophet's daughter Fatima. Shi'as place a high value on the authoritative transmission and interpretation of Islamic law through a line of Imams descended from Ali.

The debates facilitated a mutual understanding between the two sects through the exchange of ideas. The dialogues were conducted with respect and led to some Sunnis converting, along with an overall improved understanding between the two sects. The online version of the text has corrected issues with the quality of translation, including grammatical errors and spelling mistakes. It also standardizes the transliteration of Arabic to improve readability compared to the printed translation.