Conversion, Testimony, and Memory in Late Safavid Iran
Abstract
This paper will explore some theoretical aspects of testimonial literature as a source of history. The case study under discussion concerns the ±õ’t¾±°ù²¹´Ú-²Ô²¹³¾²¹³ó (Confession Book) of Ali Akbar Armani, an Armenian merchant who converted to Shi’i Islam at the end of the Safavid Period in Iran (1501-1722). It will be argued that the rhetorical devices employed in this document challenge most mainstream ideas of the conversion process of religious minorities late in this period. Traditionally, most scholars have portrayed the reign of Shah Sultan Husayn (1694-1722) as one of religious intolerance and coerced conversions, owing in large part to Muhammad Baqir Majlisi’s influence on the court. This perception derives from a rather myopic reading of Majlisi´s Risalas as incontestable proof of historical facts. In contrast, the ±õ’t¾±°ù²¹´Ú-²Ô²¹³¾²¹³ó hints at a more grassroots process of conversion, one which was fueled more by popular piety than by any pressure from religio-political authorities.
About the Speaker
Alberto Tiburcio is a PhD candidate at the Institute of Islamic
Studies, Â鶹´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾.