MISBĀH-UL MUTAHAJJID

Sheikh-e Tūsi, Abū Jafar Muhammad son of Hasan son of Ali

SUBJECT

Du'ā (Supplications) and Ziyārat (Prayers said during pilgrimages)

TOPICS:

Sheikh Tūsī in this book has mentioned recommended rituals' (so-called Ibādāt-e Mustahabb), as well as supplications (Du'ā) and prayers (Ziyārāt) during the year.

Sheikh-e Tūsi also mentioned some juridical prescripts in his book, which are related to the rituals.

CREDIBILITY OF THE BOOK:

Misbāh-ul Mutahajjid is one of the authentic books of narrations among Shi'a scholars, and has continuously received the most attention of the Ulamā and laymen. Great Shi'a scholars have provided commentaries, abstracts, and translations of this book and written many books about it. Outstanding dignitaries such as Kaf'amī, Sayyid Ibne Tāwūs, Allāmah Hillī, and Sheikh Abbās Qummī have taken advantages of this book in their compilations.

DATE OF WRITING:

This book was written soon after Sheikh-e Tūsī arrived in Baghdād in the year 408 H. Then he could make use of the famous Shāpour' Library of Baghdad, which later on was set on fire by criminals of history. He could also use the library of his teacher, Sayyid Murtadā, and collect authentic Riwāyāt (Narrations and Traditions) about the religious precepts of the Shiites as well as books written by the disciples of the Infallible Imams (A.S.). Particulars of these valuable books are given in Sheikh-e Tūsi's books. At the same time he completed other books entitled as Tahdhib-ul Ahkām and Istibsār further to the book Misbāh-ul Mutahajjid .

VALUE OF THE BOOK:

The book Misbāh-ul Mutahajjid' is regarded as one of the important books of Du'ā & Ziyārat' among Shiite Muslims since the time of its writing until the present time. Outstanding Ulamā like Kaf'ami, Sayyid Ibne Tāwūs, Allāmah Hillī and Sheikh Abbās Qummī have made extensive use of this book in their own books of Du'ā, namely Misbāh (by Kaf'amī), Iqbāl-ul-A'māl (by Ibne Tāwūs), and Mafātīh-ul-Jinān (by Sheikh Abbās Qummī).

SUPPLEMENTARY WRITINGS:

In the year 635 H. Sayyid Raziuddīn Abul-Qāsim Ali son of Mūsā son of Tāwūs, wrote five books as supplements to Sheikh-e Tūsi's Misbāh-ul Mutahajjid'. These are:

1) Falāh-us-Sā'el containing daily and nightly rituals;

2) Zahrat-ur-Rabī' on the weekly recommended rituals;

3) Ad-Dorū'-ul-Wāqiyah' on the monthly recommended

rituals;

4) Iqbāl-ul-A'māl on the yearly-recommended deeds;

5) Asrār-us-Salāh (Secrets of the Prayer)

SUMMARIZATION:

Considering that his book was well received, Sheikh-e Tūsī himself decided to make an abridged version of his work, with a view to its greater use by the people. He gave the summary the title Misbāh-ul Mutahajjid-e Saghīr'. Other Ulamā also made summaries of Misbāh-ul Mutahajjid'. They include:

1) Sheikh Nizāmuddīn Suleimān son of Hasan Mehrashtī, whose summary was given the title Qabas-ul Isbāh Fī Talkhis-il Misbāh'; and

2) Allāmah Hillī who summarized Misbāh-ul Mutahajjid' at the request of a minister named Muhammad Ibne Qūhadī, and gave his work the title Minhāj-us-Salāh Fī Mukhtasar-il Misbāh', and at its end he added a chapter Hādī Ashar' (a series of the principles of Islamic beliefs).

TRANSLATIION:

Some other distinguished Ulamā have translated this book, as named below:

1) Sayyid Ali son of Muhammad son of Asadullāh Imamī Isfahānī

2) Sheikh Abbās Qummī (Persian translation) in the year 1331 Hejira. This translation has been used marginally in the print of the book Misbāh-ul Mutahajjid'.

EXPLANATORY WRITINGS:

Some of the Ulamā have written commentaries for Misbāh-ul Mutahajjid'. They include:

1) Sayyid Bahā-uddīn Ali Ibne Ghiyāsuddīn Abd-ul Karim

2) Sayyid Zainuddīn Ali Ibne Abd-ul Hamīd Husainī Najafī.

TOPICS:

This book includes many subjects, some of which are mentioned below:

1- Tahārah' (keeping oneself in a state of personal cleanliness, including ablution before prayers)

2- Daytime and Nighttime Prayers

3- Acts of recommended rituals for week-days

4- Rituals recommended especially for Fridays

5- Prayers recommended during week

6- Prayers and supplications during the holy month of Ramadān

Manuscripts AND PRINTS:

1) A manuscript kept in the library of Āstān-e Quds-e Razawī (Mashhad) bears the date 500 H., i.e. forty years after the demise of Sheikh Tūsi.

2) The manuscript in the library of Sheikh Ismāeil Ansārī has the date 1082 H.

3) The copy which has been printed now originally, belonged to Sheikh Abbāss Qummī, the compiler of Mafātīh-ul-Jinān'. The print is valuable and well got up. It is proofread, corrected, and introduced by Ustād Ali Asghar Murvārīd' and Hujjatul-Islām Sheikh Abūdhar Bīdār. At the end of it, seven lists are appended:

1) List of the Qur'anic verses:

2) Glossary of terms;

3) List of the given days, months and years;

4) List of scientific figures;

5) List of the places mentioned;

6) List of the tribes mentioned; and

7) Contents (Topics) of the book.