Al-Ghārāt'

Written by Abū Ishāq,
Ibrāhīm son of Muhammad son of Sa'eed son of Hilāl Thaqafī Kūfī Isfahānī'
(died in 283 Hegira)

Motive:
The writer named the book Al-Ghārāt
(Plunders), because he wanted to remind the invasions and plunders made by
Mu'āwīyah against the territory of the Commander of the Faithful, Imām Ali
(A.S.)', after the battle known as Nahrawān'. These types of
compilations have been common among historians and compilers at that time.

About the
Biography of His Holiness Imām Alī (A.S.):
Although the main objective of
compilation of this book has been reminding of plunders and pillages, but, since
the compiler has been a competent and knowledgeable writer and an expert in
composition, he has made lots of annotations, which are much more valuable than
the main subject itself. These annotations are made in a way that the reader
would take better advantage from them comparing to the main subject. Most of
these annotations, which are stated as a preface, introduction, or background
for going through the main subject, are planning to present a clear picture of
the dominating conditions of the era of Imām Alī (A.S.) as well as Imām's way of
life and his administrative, ethical, and political approaches, which are really
a great lesson for redemption of mankind. All these factors try to incite
reader's awareness and meditation towards the main subject of the book, and to
make him understand that the leading motives for all plunders and pillages,
result from ignorance, lack of knowledge, violating human rights, annihilation
of justice, resorting to worldly desires, and secularism of a nasty group. It
would then be easy for the reader to distinguish a borderline between the
oppressed and the oppressor, and to recognize the right way from the
wrong.

Contents:
We can refer to some
significant subjects of the book as follows: the oration of Imām Alī (A.S.)
after Nahrawān' battle, Imām Alī (A.S.)'s attitude towards the treasury house
and public properties, His personal behavior, His agents and delegates,
governance of Qays son of Sa'd over Egypt, governance of Muhammad son of Abūbakr
over Egypt, martyrdom of Mālik-e Ashtar, martyrdom of Muhammad son of Abūbakr,
etc.

Value of the
Book:

Since ancient times this book
has been used by the great Ulamā of Islam, and outstanding scholars of both
Shi'a and Sunni have narrated its subjects in their own books. Ibn-e Abil-Hadīd
Mo'tazelī Baghdādī', giving the first priority to
Al-Ghārāt as a source book, has narrated lots of its stories and narrations in
his book Sharhe Nahj-ul-Balāghah' (explication of
Nahj-ul-Balāghah).

Viewpoints of
Shi'a Ulamā:

According to Allāmah Majlesī, Sheikh Hurr-e
Āmelī, Muhaddith-e Nūrī, and a number of other luminaries of Shi'a Ulamā (may
Allah vent His blessings upon them all), Al-Ghārāt is accepted and trusted by
the righteous sect of Imāmiyyah (Shi'a) unanimously and its narrations have been
a dependable source for obtaining pure precepts of Islam. Despite paying this
much attention along the centuries, unfortunately all manuscripts of this book
have been vanished during the passage of time.

Ibn-e
Abil-Hadīd's viewpoint:

Ibn-e Abil-Hadīd Mo'tazelī
Baghdādī', has narrated most of the subjects and narrations of AL-Ghārāt in his
book Sharhe Nahj-ul-Balāghah'. In some cases he has replaced difficult words
with the easy ones, and in some other cases he has commented on some of its
subjects.

Allāmah
Majlesī's trust in Al-Ghārāt:

Allāmah Mawlā Muhammad Bāqir Majlesī, has
quoted all subjects of Al-Ghārāt in his valuable compilation Bihār-ul-Anwār'
without any alteration in the original text, unless in the summarized cases;
even in such cases Allāmah Majlesī has explicitly pointed to summarization, and
interpreted them where necessary.

Due to the fact that Allāmah Majlesī has
only narrated from fully reliable sources, it is then cleared that he has had an
absolute confidence in the whole text of Al-Ghārāt.