Biharul-Anwar
al-Jaami'ah

le Dorare
Akhbaril-A'emmah al-At'haar (a.s.)

AUTHOR:

Allameh Majlesi [Mowla Muhammad Baqer
son of Muhammad Taqi] (1037-1110 A.H)

SUBJECT:

Encyclopedia of "Hadiths" [Traditions
or Sayings of the Holy Prophet (s.a.) and his infallible Household] and Islamic
Topics ranging from the "Holy Koran" and its "exegesis" [Tafseer] as well as
"Islamic History" to "Fiqh"(Islamic Jurisprudence) and "Kalaam"(Theology), among
similar others.

NATURE AND CONTENT:

This book contains one of the
relatively more comprehensive, methodically-presented and well-disseminated
collections of Shiite Traditions (Hadiths) from the relevant books. Allameh
Majlesi's explanations and interpretations of the Hadiths and Narrations are
based on the original sources of their wordings, Fiqh [Jurisprudential
judgments], Tafseer, Kalaam, history [of Islam], ethics, etc.

Due to the abundant sources which
were at his disposal because of his high rank at his time, Allameh Majlesi has
been able to search and select the best and most authentic scripts of each
title.

The quotations in the book are very
accurate and complete in all respects, as is to be expected of his
trustworthiness and full awareness of the standard manner of extraction.

On the whole, "Biharul-Anwar"
represents in itself a library of standard books and compilations by Shiite
Ulema, the contents of which are presented in a consolidated and logical manner.

In this book, repetitions, too, have
been omitted, while mentioning only the sources of similar
narrations.

WELL-MOTIVATED AND WELL-ACCOMPLISHED
WRITING:

After assimilating famous Narration
Books of his day, Allameh Majlesi began his search for the original and not
widely-read sources of Narrations/Hadiths. He realized that many contemporary
Ulema did not refer or pay due attention to such books and sources. So he
decided to bridge this gap. For this purpose, he delegated some groups to
different remote Islamic countries and cities in search of inaccessible sources
of Narrations in secluded corners of libraries. Thus, this great Islamic scholar
was able to gather and transcribe with diligence and perseverance several copies
of valuable Hadiths/Narrations. These would not have come to our knowledge today
without his efforts. That is why there are numerous manuscripts of different
Islamic books available from 11th and 12th centuries A.H.
In this process, he encouraged his students to make copies of
Narrations/Hadiths. One of his students, Sayyed Nematullah Jazayeri, transcribed
tens of such books of Narrations. One major deficiency - the readers and
researchers of that time faced sometimes - arose from the variety of titles and
topics, which required much scrutiny to arrive at the material they wanted.
Allameh Majlesi and his assistants made great efforts in consolidating selected
Narrations, Hadiths, and other relevant material, in the book entitled
"Biharul-Anwar": an everlasting treasure he bequeathed to posterity.

In his entire endeavor, the Late
Allameh was motivated by the need to promptly accomplish the writing lest the
individual transcriptions get mislaid or lost over a period of years in the
event of postponement of this tiresome task - or over decades of the material
remaining unused, which would make the efforts futile.

Allameh Majlesi, who was fully
dedicated to the traditions and the way of the Holy Prophet (SA) and sayings of
Imam Ali (AS), despite years of studies and research on different branches of
science, at last again focused his attention on the sayings and elaborations of
the Ahl-ul-Bayt (a.s.). Allameh Majlesi writes in the "Introduction" of the
"Biharul-Anwar" as follows:
"In the beginning of my youth I was very keen on learning various sciences. I
have spent a considerable part of my life in trying to make beneficial use of
what I have learned of these sciences. Yet, pondering over usefulness of a
science towards the Hereafter, I realized that the genuine, pure science is
obtainable uniquely through the mainspring of the Divine Revelation and the
explications and teachings of the Ahlul Bayt (AS)."

Thus, Allameh Majlesi, with his
mastery of the contemporary rational and traditional sciences of different
kinds, focused his attention on the sayings of the Infallible Ahlul Bayt (AS).
He devoted his efforts towards assimilation and dissemination as well as saving
of tens of thousands of the relevant valuable Hadithss/Narrations from "disuse"
and "destruction".

METHODOLOGY FOLLOWED IN COMPILATION:

"Biharul-Anwar" is divided into
several "books"; every topic on the whole is treated as a single, separate book.
Every such book has its own main chapters, which contain sub-chapters. Same of
the subsidiary chapters are subdivided into their own sections. The arrangement
has much resemblance to that of the noble book of Shiah entitled "Al-Kafi",
while there are also differences. Among the differences, one is that some of the
chapters are included for the first time, as in the case of the one on chapter
entitled "al-Samaa wal-'Aalam" [The Sky and the Universe] and "The History of
Prophets and Imams (AS)."

In the beginning of discussion on
individual topics, the relevant Koranic verse is cited, followed by an
explanation or exegesis, where necessary. For "exegesis", Allameh Majlesi
largely used that which had been presented by Allameh Tabarsi in "Majma'
al-Bayan" and also in "Mafatih al-Ghaib" of Fakhre Razi. These are followed by
the Narrations and Hadiths pertaining to each topic/chapter in detail, which, in
turn, are identified according to their sources.

Repetitions in Narrations/Hadiths are
excluded and only their sources are identified. Where similar Narrations/Hadiths
are involved, their differences are mentioned, as to their sources and their
contents, taken from various books.

In many cases, Allameh Majlesi has
written some Notes and explained the Hadiths in detail, which are varied in
their nature and content. The magnitude and range of such comments are to the
extent that collecting them could well be voluminous in
themselves.

PERIOD INVOLVED IN
COMPILATION:

The initial writing of
"Biharul-Anwar" took place in the year 1070AH. It continued up until 1103 A.H.
The arrangement of the material in volumes did not follow the sequence of
writing. For example, volume 2 was completed in 1077 A.H. Then the fifth and the
eleventh volumes were prepared. The tenth volume's material was completed in the
year 1079 A.H., followed by the ninth. The third volume was completed in 1080
A.H. The fourteenth [last volume] to be completed was finished in the year 1103
A.H. (These volumes follow the numbering given by Allameh Majlesi to the 25
volumes involved).

NUMBER OF VOLUMES

"Biharul-Anwar" was written in 25
volumes. If the voluminous 15th volume is bifurcated, the total will
be 26 volumes. The publisher "Darul-Kutub al-Islamiyyah" has printed these 26
original volumes in 110 volumes, out of which volumes No. 54 to 56 pertain to
Index and References.

Unfortunately Allameh Majlesi did not
have the opportunity to make a fair copy of the second part of volume No. 15 up
until end of the book (excepting volumes No. 18 and 22). Fair copies of the
uncompleted manuscripts were prepared by Mirza Abdullah Affandi, the author of
"Riyazul-Ulema", who was a pupil of the Late Allameh Majlesi. For the same
reason, the style of writing in these chapters is much different from the
chapters compiled by Allameh himself, and thus, the fair copying of Mirza
Abdullah Affandi misses some headings of chapters and even the relevant
Hadiths/Narrations. Furthermore, Allameh's explanations are conspicuous by their
absence. These are in contrast with the other volumes of
Biharul-Anwar.

SOURCES OF
"BIHARUL-ANWAR":

Allameh Majlesi has specified sources
of "Biharul-Anwar" in its Introduction's first chapter. He named 375 books in
this regard, leaving the rest under the indication: "and others".

The sources contain multifarious
topics; they include books of Hadiths, Fiqh, Osool [fundamental precepts of
Islam], Koranic exegesis, Rijal [chains of narrators], Ansaab [genealogy],
history, Kalaam, philosophy and vocabulary.

Allameh Majlesi did not include much
material form "Kutub Arba'eh" [the four main reference books of Shiah], except
one of the four books entitled "al-Kafi", to which 3500 references were made.
All the sources, except the book "Shahab al-Akhbar", are Shiite sources.

Many of Allameh Majlesi's references
to Sunnite sources were either in support and elucidation of Shiite Hadiths or
in rejecting the other sects' quoted Narrations.

Extent of utilization of different
sources by Allameh is not uniform. He pinpointed 80 sources as the original ones
of "Biharul-Anwar", and highlighted them with specific codes.

The whole text of some of the sources
are included in Biharul-Anwar like the books entitled "Tibb al-Reza (AS)"
[Medicine, as prescribed by Imam Reza (a.s.)] "Tawhid Mufazzal" [a series of
monotheistic lessons taught by Imam Al-Sadiq (a.s.) to his disciple, Mufazzal],
"Masaa'el Ali ibn Jafar (A.S.)" [Questions of Ali son of Imam Ja'far Al-Sadiq
(a.s.)], "Fehrest" [list of names and relations between the narrators of
Hadiths] by Sheikh Muntajabuddin, and the book: "Ahleeljah".

His utilization of other source
materials was limited to the extent of discussing on some Hadiths only.

Some of the sources mentioned in the
beginning of the book were not used at all in "Biharul-Anwar. Such books include
"Jamal al-Ilm wal-Amal", Sayyed Murtaza's "Al-Moqne'", "Montaqi al-Juman", and
many of Ibn Tawus' works. (Perhaps Allameh Majlesi intended to use them, but the
pressing need to complete "Biharul-Anwar" and its explanations, did not enable
him to use all the books in his possession.)

AUTHENTICIY OF SOURCES:

Allameh Majlesi has taken pains to
specify the authenticity or otherwise of his sources. In the book
"Biharul-Anwar", he discussed the credibility of his sources of transcriptions
and quotations. The relevant points include the following:
1) He mentioned that most of the books he quoted from were written by very
famous authors, inasmuch as he had no doubt about the credibility of what he
quoted from their works.
2) With regard to books in which the sources of Hadiths/Narrations were omitted,
like in "Ehtijaj" and "Ghorar al-Hikam", he accepted them as credible since the
narrations therein conformed to the same in other books of Narrations.
3) He did not make much use of books in which Shiite and Sunnite Narrations were
put together, like in "Awali al-Laali" and "Tanbih
al-Khawatir".
4) Narrations of some books, like that of Qazi Nurollah Shushtary, are quoted,
as they are authenticated in the more well-known sources.
5) Very little quotations were drawn from the books entitled "Misbah
al-Shari'ah" and "Diwane Imam Ali (AS)", since they were undocumented, and their
contents did not fully conform to the sayings of the Infallible Ahlul Bayt
(AS).
6) Allameh Majlesi supported his position that the best possible manuscripts and
transcriptions were obtained by him by including evidence of authenticity and
credibility of sources utilized by him in "Biharul-Anwar". However, this is not
to be construed as something applicable to all the quotations in the books used
as sources, since Allameh himself in some of his explanatory notes has mentioned
weaknesses of some of the narrations.

"SHARH
BIHARUL-ANWAR" AND "MUSTADRAK AL-BIHAAR":

As it can be perceived from Allameh
Majlesi's comments, he had intended to write "SHARH BIHARUL-ANWAR" [a detailed,
comprehensive commentary on Biharul-Anwar] simultaneously with compilation of
the book itself. This idea is supported by the fact that Allameh's explanatory
notes are very rare in 13 volumes of Biharul-Anwar, and it becomes obvious that
he had not found an opportunity to write them. He also did not have the time and
opportunity to fulfill what he had in mind in writing a supplementary book
entitled "Mustadrak Al-Bihaar", comprising of new Hadiths/Narrations or several
more Narrations/Hadiths in his possession which were not included in
"Biharul-Anwar". Unfortunately, he died before he could accomplish the same.

TRANSLATIONS:

Numerous translations of
"Biharul-Anwar" exist. These include the following:
1) A translation by an Islamic scholar of Hindustan [India] made for Prince
Sultan Muhammad Buland Akhtar.

2) Translation entitled:
"'Aynul-Yaqeen" by Haaj Sheikh Muhammad Taqi Aqa Najafi Esfahani (d. 1332
A.H.)
3) Translation entitled: "Kashf al-Asrar" by Sayyed Ismael Musawi
Zanjany
4) Translation entitled "Banadirul-Bihar" by Sayyed Ali Naqi Fayzul-Islam
(d.1406 AH.) [Translator of "Nahjul-Balaghah" and "Sahifeh
Sajjadiyyeh]
5) Translations of some portions of "Biharul-Anwar," like "Towhid Mufazzal" by
Allameh Majlesi himself.

NOTE: Some of such translations from
one or more volumes of "Biharul-Anwar" represent "random
selections".

The most
outstanding work

The most outstanding and famous work,
which has been written on the "Biharul-Anwar" is a book entitled
"Safinatul-Bihar" by Sheikh Abbas Qommi (d. 1359 A.H.)

Other
Works

Many other surveys and works have
been conducted on this valuable book [Biharul-Anwar], including various
translations, abridged versions, indexes, supplementary books of Narrations,
etc.

PRINTING HISTORY:

1-
"Biharul-Anwar" was published for the
first time in 25 volumes. This lithographic printing is well known as "Company"
type.

2-
Another print of "Biharul-Anwar was
made by "Darul-Kutub al-Islamiyah" in 110 volumes, with repetitive offset print.
This same print exists in the market.

3-
Yet another publisher: "The
Aal-ul-Bayt (AS) Institute" used the same offset print of Darul-Kutub
al-Islamiyah, with the difference that it placed the "Index" [volumes 54 to 56]
of "Biharul-Anwar" at the end of its issue. So the volumes' numbers [from vol.
54 on] are different from that of "Islamiyyah"
publications