Reading: At the following links, you will find two articles from WikiShia – one covering Shia Islam and the other focusing on Islam in general.
Listening: This video, published on the YouTube channel of Azad, features a debate on the topic of “Islam and Gender Equality.” The discussion brings together two women scholars: Sahar Maranlou, and Fariba Alasvand, who share differing perspectives on the issue.
Subject of Conversation: What do you think about Islam? (در مورد اسلام چه نظری دارید؟)
In this discussion, students will reflect on their understanding of Islam, with a particular focus on the themes introduced in the day’s reading and listening materials. They will be encouraged to express their thoughts on how Islam is interpreted and practiced in different contexts, especially in Iran, and to consider the impact of religion on social issues such as gender equality. The conversation will also touch on the distinctions between Sunni and Shi’a branches, allowing students to use new vocabulary in context while practicing respectful, thoughtful dialogue.
Homework:
- Please read today’s article, study the vocabulary, and translate the sections assigned by the instructor.
- Watch the video debate and write down three ideas you found interesting, including their timecodes.
- Conduct some background research to be well-prepared for tomorrow’s discussion.
Vocabulary (First Article):
| Persian Word | Transcription | English Translation |
| وجه | vajh | here: reason, cause; factor |
| تمایز | tamāyoz | difference |
| اهل‌سنت | ahl-e sonnat | Sunnis |
| به واسطه | be vāsete-ye | through, by means of |
| جانشینی | jānešini | succession |
| بلافصل | belāfasl | immediate, direct |
| معصوم دانستن | ma‘sum dānestan | to consider infallible |
| غیبت | γeybat | hiding, absence |
| قیام کردن | qiyām kardan | to rise, to revolt |
| کلام | kalām | Islamic theology |
| حسن | hosn | niceness, kindness |
| قبح | qobh | ugliness |
| تنزیه | tanziye | clearing sb from faults and sins |
| صحابه (مفرد: صاحب) | sahābe (sing. sāheb / sāhab) | the initial followers (“apostles”) of Mohammad |
| استنباط | estenbāt | understanding, comprehension |
| احکام (شرعی) | ahkām | religious ordinances |
| سنت | sonnat | tradition (Prophetic practice) |
| اجماع | ejmā‘ | consensus (among scholars) |
| حجت | hojjat | speech or subject that has been proven to be true and correct |
| دوازده‌امامی | davāzdahemāmi | Twelver (Shi‘a branch) |
| اعتقاد داشتن | e‘teqād dāštan | to believe |
| موعود | mo‘ud | promised |
| عج | ʿaj (ʿajjal Allāhu farijah) | abbreviation for "May God hasten his reappearance" (used after Mahdi's name) |
| پذیرفتن | paziroftan | to accept |
| زاهد | zāhed | ascetic |
| سخاوتمند | sexāvatmand | generous |
| مؤسسه | mo’assase | institution |
| الی | elā | to, toward |
Vocabulary (Listening):
| Persian Word | Transcription | English Translation |
| فقه | feqh | Islamic jurisprudence |
| شریعت | šari‘at | Islamic law, Sharia |
| نص صریح | nass-e sarih | true, accurate meaning (of scripture) |
| تفسیر (جمع: تفاسیر) | tafsir (pl. tafāsir) | interpretation (esp. of Quran) |
| اندازه | andāze | size, measure |
| قرائت | qarā’at | reading, interpretation |
| منتها | montahā | end, limit; finally, in the end |
| علیه | ‘aleyh-e | against, anti- |
| پوسته | puste | shell, skin |
| مفهوم | mafhum | concept |
| متعدد | mota‘added | multiple, numerous |
| برابری | barābari | equality |
| حق طلاق | haqq-e talāq | right to divorce |
| ملاک | melāk | criterion |
| سنجه | sanje | measure, metric; a weight |
| خطا | xatā | error, fault |
| ارزش | arzeš | value |
| بهینه | behine | best, optimal |
| معیار | me‘yār | standard, criterion |
| هماهنگ کردن | hamāhang kardan | to coordinate, to align |
| رقم زدن | raqam zadan | to shape, to happen |
| بنا بر | banā bar | based on |
| جهانبینی | jahānbini | worldview |
| سرشت | serešt | nature, essence |
| نگرش | negareš | perspective |
| محقق کردن | mohaqqaq kardan | to realize, to fulfill |
| پیش‌زمینه | pišzamine | background, context |
| همپوشانی | hampušāni | overlap |
| ویرایش | virāyeš | editing, revision |
| پیش‌درآمد | pišdarāmad | introduction |
| ولکن | valikan | but, however |
| منع | man‘-e | prohibiting, preventing |
| مجادله | mojādele | dispute, altercation |
| ترویج | tarvij | promotion, propagation, circulation |
| برداشت داشتن | bardāšt dāštan | to have an interpretation or view |
| مخاطبین (مفرد: مخاطب) | moxātebin (sing. moxāteb) | audience |
| فارغ از | fāreγ az | regardless of |
| عناوین (مفرد: عنوان) | ‘anāvin (sing. ‘onvān) | titles, topics |
| پیش‌فرض شدن | pišfarz šodan | to be assumed in advance |
| متجانس | motajānes | homogeneous |
| منظور | manzur | intention, aim |
| علامیه | ‘elāmiyye | declaration |
| ضد زن | zedd-e zan | anti-woman |
| تفکر | tafakkor | thinking, thought |
| مدرسه فکری | madrase-ye fekri | school of thought |
| مدافع حقوق زنان | modāfe‘-e hoqūq-e zanān | defender of women's rights |