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Man-La-Yahzarahul-Faqih
[i.e. For Those Who Do Not Have Access to a
Faqih (Islamic Jurisprudent)]
This book has been compiled by Sheikh Sadooq, Abu Ja'far Mohammad son of Ali son
of Hussein son of Babevaih Qomi, a distinguished scholar of Shiah sect in the 4th
century Hegira.
Subject:
This book is a collection of
Narrations and Hadiths [sayings] of the Ahl-ul-Bayt (a.s.)
[the Infallible Household of the Holy Prophet of Islam (S.A.)] on Fiqh
[Islamic precepts, decrees, and laws].
In this book, Sheikh Sadooq has
collected all those narrations that were considered valid and authentic from his
point of view.
Authenticity of the Book:
This book is accounted as one
of the most valuable Shiah sources of Narrations and Hadiths. It is one of the
four authentic reference books of Shiah [popularly known as Kutube
Arba'eh]. Thus, every Mujtahid [Shiite Jurisprudent] has to consider
the Narrations quoted in this book in order to infer religious precepts, or
issue due religious decrees.
Since its date of compilation
up until the present time, "Man-La-Yahzarahul-Faqih" has been welcomed by Shiite
knowledgeable figures and received the best attention of Shiite scholars and
researchers inasmuch as they have frequently referred to that book in all their
concise or extensive collections of narrations, and quoted authentic narrations
out of it.
Motivation of Writing the Book
Sheikh Sadooq has written this book upon the request of one of the distinguished
Sadats [i.e. descendants of the Holy Prophet of Islam (s.a.)] in the city of
Balkh named as Sharifuddin Abu Abdullah Muhammad son of Hussein,
popularly known as Ne'mat.
He
had asked Skeikh Sadooq to write a book on the subject of "Fiqh" [Islamic
Jurisprudence] similar to the book entitled "Man-la-Yahzarahul-Tabib" [i.e.
Those who have not access to a physician] written by Muhammad Zechariah
Al-Razi on medicine.
Ne'mat had further explained that such a book would be much beneficial to those
who have not access to the Grand Ayatollahs and Ulema (Islamic Scholars), and
could thereby learn their religious duties according to the Islamic laws and
decrees.
Accepting the request, Sheikh Sadooq underlined that he would do the job
although he had no intention to include all that is narrated, but to select only
those Islamic narrations/Hadiths that were decisively valid and authentic, on
which any of the Ulema could fully trust to issue religious decrees. He was of
the opinion that such valid Narrations would be a firm proof between himself and
his Creator.
Mashikheh [Index of the Narrators of
Hadiths/Narrations in the Book]
Within
the main text of the book, Sheikh Sadooq has only mentioned the name of "the
immediate narrator" who had directly narrated from an Infallible Imam (a.s.).
However, at the closing part of
the book, called as Mashikheh, the Sheikh has specified the complete
chain of narrators lest his quoted Narrations/Hadiths be invalidated as "Mursal"
[undocumented Hadiths]. Thus, by authenticating the quoted Narrations as "Musnad"
[well-documented] ones, the late Sheikh facilitated the process of utilizing his
references for the Islamic Scholars and researchers to come.
Style of Writing:
In the early Islamic centuries,
the Shiites scholars and Jurisprudents confined themselves only and only with
quoting the exact sayings and narratives relating to the Holy Prophet of Islam
(s.a.) and the Infallible Imams (a.s.).
They did not think of any right
for themselves to utter any single word besides the words of the Holy Prophet or
the Holy Imams (a.s.), because they believed that those great personalities were
connected to the Source of Revelation and the Headspring of Wisdom. Even if they
wanted to author any book out of this range, they tried to utilize the wordings
used in the Islamic Hadiths/Narrations in order to avoid any word except the
pure words of the Infallible Household of the Holy Prophet (s.a.).
Sheikh Sadooq was among the
last generation of that era. The whole works compiled by that great sage include
either books of the Ahlul-Bayt's Narrations/Hadiths or topics extracted from
those Narrations, inasmuch as some of the Shiite Scholars declare that if one
could not find any Narration or Hadith on a specific matter, he might refer to
the "wordings of Sheikh Sadooq" as the authentic evidence, because all his
wordings are the reflection of authentic Narrations of the Ahlul-Bayt (a.s.).
Gradually, from the time of his
pupil "Sheikh Mofid" afterwards, the aforesaid style changed. The
change was due to the changing needs of the time: the emergence of dubieties and
skeptical ideas, protests and complaints of the opponents and enemies of Islam,
and incursion of western philosophy and wrong thoughts and beliefs into the
Islamic world. To respond to such wrong ideas, Islamic Scholars were forced to
solve those problems and remove doubts; therefore, a new style appeared in the
compilations and writings of Shiite Scholars.
Subjects in
Man-La-Yahzarahul-Faqih:
This book includes many
subjects of Fiqh, such as:
1.
Precepts and rules of various kinds of waters; as well as
discussions on the topic of Taharat [purity or cleanliness] and
Nijasat [contamination]
2.
Obligations of Salat [prayers] and its preliminary
conditions and arrangements such as: Wozou' [minor ablution], Ghosl
[legal bathing or major ablution], and Tayammum [dry ablution or
ablution with sand]
3.
Rules and precepts of the deceased.
4.
Rules and precepts of Salat [prayers].
5.
Rules and precepts of Islamic judgment.
6.
Rules and precepts of earnings and professions.
7.
Rules and precepts of marriage.
8.
Rules and precepts of inheritance,
among many other
various religious subjects.
Sources of the Book
In the introduction of this
book, Sheikh Sadooq states: "I have extracted the narrations of this book
from the authentic, genuine sources of Shiah, such as:
1.
The book of Hariz son of Abdullah Sajestani
2.
The book of Obaidullah son of Ali Halabi.
3.
The books of Ali son of Mahziar Ahvazi
4.
The books of Hussein son of Saeed
5.
"Navader" written by Ahmad son of Mohammad son of
Eesa,
among
many other authentic sources. "
Narrations of the book:
Totally there are around 6,000
Narrations/Hadiths quoted by the Late Sheikh Sadooq in Man-La-Yahzarahul-Faqih,
which are generally on Fiqh topics and religious precepts and decrees.
Commentaries on the
Mashikheh of Man-La-Yahzarahul-Faqih:
Mashikheh is one of the
significant chapters of Man-La-Yahzarahul-Faqih at the closing section of the
book. As mentioned earlier, at this part, Sheikh Sadooq refers to the chain of
narrators up to the origins of the Narrations in order to authenticate his
quoted Narratives. This chapter is actually a rich source for the Islamic branch
of science known as "Rijal", and for the same reason it has received the
most attention of Shiite Scholars, to the extent that many commentaries have
been written on it so far:
1.
Commentary by Sheikh Hasan son of Skeikh Zaynuddin,
popularly known as Shahid Thani [the author of book entitled "Ma'alem"
(d. 1011 A.H.)].
2.
Commentary by Sayyed Haaj Mirza Muhammad Hussein,
known as Sheikh Agha Qazi Tabrizi.
3.
Commentary by Sheikh Mohammad Taqi Majlesi, the esteemed
father of the Late Allameh Majlesi.
4.
Commentary by Allameh Sayyed Hasan son of Sayyed
Abdul-Hadi son of Sayyed Musa Musawi Aal-e Khorasan Najafi (birth: 1326 A.H.)
5.
Commentary entitled "Khayr-ul-Rijal" compiled by
Sheikh Bahauddin Mohammad son of Sheikh Mullah Ali Sharif Lahiji, one of the
Islamic Scholars in the 11th Century A.H.
Commentaries on Man-La-Yahzarahul-Faqih:
Many commentaries
have been written on Man-La-Yahzarahul-Faqih, explaining and elaborating the
quoted Narrations:
1.
A commentary on Man-La-Yahzarahul-Faqih entitled
"Rawzatul-Muttaqin" [The Garden of the Virtuous People] compiled by Sheikh
Muhammad Taqi Majlesi, the distinguished father of Allameh Majlesi. He finished
this book in 1063 A.H.
2.
"Commentary on Man-La-Yahzarahul-Faqih"
compiled by the prominent scholar: Amir Muhammad Saleh son of Amir Abdul-Waase',
Allameh Majlesi's son-in-law. (d. 1116 A.H.)
3.
"Commentary on Man-La-Yahzarahul-Faqih"
compiled by Sheikh-ul-Islam wal-Muslimeen, Muhammad son of Hussein son of
Abdul-Samad Harethi Hamedani, known as Sheikh Bahaee (d. 1030 A.H.).
[Sheikh Horr Ameli has quoted some excerpts from this book].
4.
A commentary on Man-La-Yahzarahul-Faqih entitled
"Ma'ahed-ul-Tanbih" compiled by Sheikh Abu Ja'far Muhammad son of Hasan son
of Zaynuddin [Shahid Thani] (d. 1030 A.H.)
5.
"Commantary on Man-La-Yahzarahul-Faqih"
compiled by Mowla Hesamuddin Muhammad Saleh son of Mowla Ahmad Sarvi Mazandarani
(d.1081 A.H.)
Manuscripts of Man-La-Yahzarahul-Faqih:
1.
There is a precious and valuable manuscript available in
the library of great Islamic sage "Mirza Abul-Hasan Sha'rani". The transcriber
of this copy has been "Abdullah son of Muhammad Sharif Abdul-Rabb Semnani". At
the end of this manuscript, a document of authorization by Sheikh Horr Ameli in
his own handwriting is available. There are also marginal notes by "Sheikh
Muhammad, the grandson of Shahid", "Sultan-ul-Ulema Husseini Amoli", "Sheikh
Muhammad Taqi Majlesi", and "Mohaqqeq Damad" on this copy.
2.
Another manuscript, written by Mirza Muhammad Rekavandi
(date of writing: 1074 A.H.), is available at the library of Seyyed Muhammad
Baqer Sabzevari, the distinguished professor of Faculty of Theology at
Tehran University.
3.
A valuable, priceless copy is available in the library of
Ayatollah Sayyed Musa Zanjani. This copy has been read and corrected in the
presence of Sheikh Muhammad Taqi Majlesi. The date of writing is 1057 A.H.
