Leading luminaries [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

SHEIKH TUSI

Birth and Family
Background

Abu Ja'far Muhammad Ibn Hassan
Tusi, known as "Sheikh al-Tayefah" in the Iranian province of Khorassan,
was born in the year 385 A.H.

He was one of the very bright
luminaries of the Islamic world. He has written many books on the various
subjects of Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence), Osool (Fundamental Principles of
Fiqh), Hadith (Sayings of the Holy Prophet (s.a.) and his infallible
household), Tafseer (Exegesis on the holy Koran), Kalaam (Theology) and
Rijal (Genealogies of Narrators of Hadiths).

Sheikh Tusi belonged to a
family that produced generations of Islamic Scholars and Jurisprudents.

His son, Sheikh Abu Ali, was
an outstanding Islamic Jurisprudent as well. According to the book
"Mustadrak al-Wasa'il" Volume 3, P.498, Sheikh Abu Ali had to his credit a
book entitled "Amaali". He also contributed an explanatory work on "Al-Nihayeh",
a book authored by his father.

According to another book
entitled "Lolo al-Bahrain", daughters of Sheikh Tusi, too, were Islamic
Jurisprudents and scholars in their own right.

Sheikh Abu Ali had a son named
Sheikh Abul-Hassan who succeeded him as the religious authority and
chairman of the Islamic Theological Center (Hawzah 'Ilmiyyah). 'Imad
Tabari' eulogized him by saying that, "Had it been permitted to recite
"Salawat" (a formula of invocation to God through which praise of His
Messengers is conveyed) for anyone other than the divine prophets, I would
have uttered it in respect of Sheikh Abu Ali, as well". Sheikh Abu Ali
died in the year 540 A.H.

Sheikh Tusi's Education

At the age of 23 in the year
408 A.H. Sheikh Tusi emigrated to Baghdad and remained in Iraq up until
his death.

After the death of his mentor,
Sayyed Mortadha Alamul-Hoda, he succeeded him as the chairman of the
Theological Center as well as the Shiite authority competent to issue
religious decrees (Fatwa).

Sheikh Tusi has been a student
of Sheikh Mofeed for five years. Also for many more years he has been
taught by Sheikh Mofeed's brilliant pupil, Sayyed Mortadha.

Sheikh Tusi remained in
Baghdad for a period of twelve years after the demise of his teacher,
Sayyed Mortada in 436 A.H.

A series of invasions soon
afterwards caused destruction of his house and his shifting to Najaf,
where he established the Najaf Theological Center (Hawzah). He died in
Najaf in the year 460 A.H. His grave there is well known.

His Personality and
Intellectuality

Sheikh Tusi's book on Fiqh
(Islamic Jurisprudence) entitled "Al-Nihayeh" was formerly used as a
textbook in the theological schools and seminaries. He wrote another book
entitled "Al-Mabsut", which brought Islamic Fiqh to a new stage and was
accounted the most comprehensive one at its age.

Among his other books on Fiqh, "Al-Khilaf"
is notable in that it offers the opinions of not only the Shiite, but also
the Sunnite scholars.

There are more books on Fiqh written by
Sheikh Tusi. Ancient scholars until about one century ago used to
mention just "Sheikh" in matters of Fiqh, by which they invariably meant
"Sheikh Tusi"; and whenever they referred to the "Sheikhs", they meant
"Sheikh Mofeed and Sheikh Tusi". No doubt, Sheikh Tusi is among a few
distinguished Islamic Jurisprudents whose names will shine in the history
forever.

His Leadership of the
Shiites

As mentioned earlier, after
the death of Sayyed Mortadha Alamul-Hoda, Sheikh Tusi became the leader of
the Shiites. Then his residence at Karkh, Baghdad turned into an asylum
and cynosure for Muslims. Many of the Ulema (Islamic scholars) and
intellectuals, coming from far-flung places of the Islamic world, sought
the presence of Sheikh Tusi. They felt honored as participants in his
sessions and even as his students, and benefited from the illuminating
words of that divine sage. The number of his students totaled more than
three hundred. A few hundred Sunnite Ulema, too, benefited from his
presence.

His Higher Appointments

Sheikh Tusi's reputation in
the realm of Islamic knowledge and learning, as well as his personal fame
as a man of piety and devoutness, soon circulated around the world of
Islam, and even penetrated the palace of "Al-Ghaem Billah" - the Abbasid
Caliph. The Caliph was so impressed by Sheikh Tusi's fame as a learned man
that he, with the concurrence of the Buyid Dynasty, appointed the Sheikh
to the court's chair of teaching Kalaam (Theology) in Baghdad. Those days
that Chair carried immense prestige, since only the most distinguished
Ulema were appointed to it. This higher appointment showed that Sheikh
Tusi was recognized as the most qualified savant of Baghdad for the
teaching post.

The Most Regrettable
Event

In the year 447 A.H. the
Seljuk Turks took advantage of the weakness of the Buyid Dynasty. They
invaded Baghdad; and after deposing the incumbent government, occupied the
city. Subsequently Abdul-Malek, a prejudiced minister of Tugrol Baik,
launched an attack on the residential locality of the Shiites, which
resulted in killing of residents and destruction of their properties. The
residence of Sheikh Tusi was also attacked with the intention of killing
him, but he was not found at home. His residence, its contents, including
his books, were pillaged and burnt. After this most regrettable event,
which caused irreparable loss of Sheikh Tusi's books, he had to leave
Baghdad and go to live at Najaf Ashraf, which was then a small village
where Shiites lived in the vicinity of the Holy Shrine of Imam Ali (a.s.).

After the turmoil by the
invaders subsided, Sheikh Tusi founded a seminary at Najaf Ashraf, which
subsequently became one of the most important centers of Shiite learning.

Sheikh Tusi's Writings

Of the four authoritative
resources of the Shiites, two are written by Sheikh Tusi. These two basic
reference books are: "Tahdhib al-Ahkam" and "Al-Istibsar". Both of these
pertain to Hadiths/narrations of Islamic Jurisprudential decrees and
injunctions.

Some other compilations of
Sheikh Tusi are as follows

"Al-Nihayeh" 2)"Al-Mabsoot"

"Al-Khilaf"
4) "Iddatul-Osool"

"Al-Rijal"
6) "Al-Fehrist"

"Tamhidul-Osool" 8)
"Al-Tibyan"

His Demise

The honorable Sheikh Tusi
passed away in the night of Monday, the 22nd of Moharram, 460 A.H.

His body was buried in the
precincts of his own residence at Najaf Ashraf. The world of Islam lost
one of the most memorable Jurisprudents; and history has yet to witness a
comparable personality. Our Islamic Jurisprudents still benefit from his
illuminating works. His residence is now being used as a mosque.