AL-AMĀLI

(By SHEIKH TŪSI)

(Tutorial
Transcriptions Dictated By Sheikh Tūsi)

Sheikh-ut-Tāyifah Abū Ja'far, Muhammad son of
Hasan Tūsi

MEANING OF AMALI':

The available translations indicate
that more than thirty books exist with the title Amāli'. These are valuable
works that include the most famous ones by Sheikh-e Mufīd, Sheikh-e Sadūq and
Sheikh-e Tūsi.

WHAT
DOES AMĀLI' MEAN?

The term
refers to lectures or extemporal verbal recollections presented by a great
teacher at Majālis' (religious gatherings) or at special or regular sessions.
The audience or students recorded what was read out, spoken, or dictated to
them. AMĀLI' is also sometimes called as Al-Majālis' or Ardh-ul Majālis'
(i.e. presentations at Majālis').

Amāli'
has been regarded as the best tutorial kind of education on record in the
relevant history for the purpose of direct and correct transfer of proper and
topical knowledge to the learners or students by their tutors or teachers.

AMĀLI OF SHEIKH TŪSI:

This book contains transcriptions of
the Traditions dictated by Sheikh-ut-Tāyifah Tūsī to his students in regular
Majālis' at the Najaf-e Ashraf Seminary. This was after the year 448 H. when
Sheikh-e Tūsi came to teach at Najaf-e Ashraf. His arrival helped to revive the
diminished splendour of that holy seminary.
The first Majlis' (reciting and
writing session in a religious gathering) of the book was held in the year 455
H. and the last one in the year 458 H.

From the nineteenth Majlis' onward
up to the last one in the book, the sessions were held on Fridays, the dates of
which are recorded in the beginning of the Majlis'.

CONTENTS:
Although the valuable contents of
the book indicates no serialization of the topics to facilitate their
identification, but a reader glancing at the contents is likely to find that
most of the volume contains Traditions that serve to corroborate the Wilāyat'
(Guardianship, or Leadership) and excellent virtues of Amīr-ul Mu'minīn Hadrat-e
Ali (A.S.).

Sheikh-e Tūsi has quoted the
documentation of Traditions precisely, so that Riwāyāt-e Mursalah or Maqtū'ah
(Loose or Discontinued Traditions) are rarely seen. It can be inferred,
therefore, that Sheikh-e Tūsi did select these Traditions from among the
thousands available to him.

SUBJECTS:

The book AMĀLI' is most interesting
in that it covers a variety of subjects. The coverage ranges from the principles
of the religion, knowing God, excellent traits evidenced by Ma'sūmīn (the
Immaculate ones A.S.), the Seerah (conducts) of the Holy Prophet (S.A.) in
particular, to the historical and political events of the past, such as
emigration of early Muslims to Abyssinia, and description of the site of
martyrdom of Hadrat-e Imam Hussain (A.S.), and the uprising of Mukhtar. In
addition to the aforementioned subjects, there are also various moral topics
including the etiquettes of eating and drinking and that pertaining to how to
use mosques.

WRITING OF THE
BOOK:

The book Amālī
of Sheikh-e Tūsi, according to one narration, was partly written by his esteemed
son, named Abū Ali Tūsi. This, however, is not correct, since the entire
contents of the book were dictated by Sheikh-e Tūsi himself to his students who
included his son, Abū Ali Tūsi as well.

NUMBER AND SOURCES OF QUOTATION:

The book under review contains 1537
Riwāyat (Traditions) arranged in 46 sessions or Majālis'. In the present print
these Majālis are serially numbered. Traditions dictated in any Majlis are also
serially numbered. Among the mentors and teachers of Sheikh-e Tūsī mentioned in
this book, the following are notable:

1)
Sheikh-e
Mufīd, referred to whom in Majālis' No. 1-9 and 45;

2)
Abul-Fadl
Sheybānī, in the short sessions (Majālis) No. 16 to 32;

3)
Ibn-e
Salt Ahwāzī in Majālis' No. 4,12, 41-44;

4)
Ibn-e
Ghadhāeri in Majālis' No. 15,32,33,34,38 and 40;

5)
Husain
Ibn-e Ibrāhīm Qazwīnī in Majālis' No. 35 to 38; and

6)
Ibn-e
Shādhān Qomī, in Majālis' No. 38 and 42.

With regard to the remaining
Majālis', too, the book mentions the names of learned men who constitute the
latest sources of the Traditions. The sources are dealt with individually and
separately on the basis of their collection of traditions.

COPIES OF THE BOOK (Manuscripts
and Prints):

The manuscript belonging to the year
580 H. is available whose Majālis' start with the names of the learned men
cited by Sheikh-e Tūsī. The relevant list does not include the name of Abū Ali
Tūsi; however, his name occurs in a subsequent copy along with the date of his
transcription from the dictation by his father.

In the
present print, the Qur'ānic verses are listed. Other lists of this copy consist
of an alphabetical list of the Traditions and a list of the poems, as well as an
index of topics at the end of the book. All the Traditions bear headings. The
footnotes enable reader to trace the same or similar Traditions occurring even
repeatedly at different pages of the book. All the Traditions are serially
numbered.