Tareekh e Tashaiyo | تاریخ تشیع

The Origins and Early Development of Shiʿa Islam is a scholarly historical study that traces how Shiʿa Islam emerged and developed in the earliest centuries after the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) death. Rather than relying on later polemical writings, the author reconstructs this history based largely on the oldest available historical sources from both Shiʿa and Sunni traditions, aiming for critical and balanced analysis.

 to explain how a distinct Shiʿa identity formed over time — beginning with early supporters of ʿAli and evolving through key historical events, theological ideas, and social changes that shaped Shiʿa beliefs and community structures. 

According to Jafri:

• The division between Shiʿa and other Muslims originated soon after the Prophet’s death, particularly tied to debates over religious and political leadership. 

• The event of Saqifa — when Abu Bakr was chosen as Caliph — is seen as a central factor in early separation and conflict. 

• The book then examines the roles of Imam ʿAli, Imam Hasan, and Imam Husayn, including how each contributed to the development of Shiʿa thought and community.

• The tragic martyrdom of Imam Husayn at Karbala is treated as a turning point in Shiʿa history with long-lasting religious and social effects

• Finally, the author looks at how the Imamate of Imam Jaʿfar al-Sadiq helped define key religious doctrines and the distinctive jurisprudential (legal-religious) identity of Shiʿism. 

Throughout, Jafri shows Shiʿism as a complex religious movement — one with both political and theological aspects — that gradually took shape in the first few centuries of Islam