News

Following the passing of our dear friend, colleague, and mentor, Professor Roy Parviz Mottahedeh on July 30, 2024, a memorial service was held on October 25th at Harvard’s Memorial Church. There, family, faculty, students, and members of the broader community from all over the world gathered in remembrance and celebration of his legacy and numerous accomplishments. Ten speakers remarked on his scholarly and personal contributions, recalling his passion for advancing the understanding of Islamic history, culture, and law. The service featured a series of thoughtful remembrances from William Graham, Don Babai, William Granara, Abbas Amanat, and Cemal Kafadar, as well as readings from the Jewish, Christian, Islamic, and Baha’i traditions by Harry Bastermajian, James Barron, Marcy Bieber, Intisar Rabb, and Farzin Vahdat. Concluding with a reception at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, the gathering offered family, friends, and colleagues an opportunity to honor his memory and lasting impact. You can view the program here.

In September, the Islamic Law Blog published a series also in remembrance and celebration of Professor Mottahedeh’s legacy and scholarship. We shared a condolence message, pointed to the introduction to a festschrift published in his honor the year after his retirement, a tabula gratulatoria from friend and colleagues, and his bibliography of works. We invite you to join us in celebrating Professor Mottahedeh’s life and legacy by reading about his journey and works, and the many books that he has left to educate and inspire us all as well as future generations.