Sayyid ibn Tawus
Sayyid Radi al-Din Ali ibn Musa ibn Tawus (589–664 AH / 1193–1266 CE) was a Shi'a scholar, faqih (Islamic jurist), and hadith scholar. He was born in Hilla in 589 AH / 1193 CE. He was descended from both Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn and was therefore known as Dhu al-Hasabayn (the possessor of two noble lineages). Sayyid ibn Tawus was highly accomplished in the religious sciences and fiqh and authored valuable works on ziyarat (devotional visits to sacred sites) and duʿa (supplication).
Biography
Sayyid Radi al-Din Ali ibn Musa ibn Tawus Sayyid Radi al-Din Ali ibn Musa ibn Tawus (589–664 AH / 1193–1266 CE), commonly known as Sayyid ibn Tawus, was a prominent Shi'a scholar of the seventh century AH / thirteenth century CE. He was descended from Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (peace be upon him) and Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) and was therefore also known as Dhu al-Hasanayn (a title denoting descent from both Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn).
Sayyid ibn Tawus spent his childhood and adolescence under the guidance of his father and grandfather. He subsequently moved to Kadhimayn and Baghdad to continue his studies. He married Zahra Khatun, the daughter of the vizier Nasir ibn Zaydi, and lived in Baghdad for some time, during which he taught and trained students. During the Mongol invasion of Baghdad, Sayyid ibn Tawus obtained a letter of safe-conduct from Hulagu Khan and used it to save approximately one thousand people from Iraq. Following the Mongol conquest of Baghdad, he was appointed naqib (leader and representative) of the Shi'a community, although he accepted the position reluctantly. He maintained that his purpose was to protect the lives of the Shi'a from the dangers posed by the Mongol attacks. After living in Baghdad for some time, Sayyid ibn Tawus moved successively to Hilla, Najaf, and Karbala, residing in each city for approximately three years. During this period, in addition to teaching, he devoted himself to spiritual development and devotional practice.
Death
Sayyid Ali ibn Tawus passed away in Baghdad in 664 AH / 1266 CE at the age of seventy-five. His body was reverently taken to Najaf al-Ashraf and laid to rest at the shrine of the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (peace be upon him).
The Library of Sayyid ibn Tawus
Sayyid ibn Tawus possessed a rich library containing approximately 1,500 volumes.[1] Given the destruction of many works during the Mongol invasions, the survival of this collection is particularly significant.[2]
In his study A Medieval Muslim Scholar at Work: Ibn Ṭāwūs and His Library, Etan Kohlberg sought to reconstruct the contents of Ibn Tawus’s library using extant writings and surviving sources.[3] In this work, he cataloged approximately 670 titles held in the library.[4]
In recent years, a manuscript copy of one of the books held in Sayyid ibn Tawus’s library has been identified in Turkey. One of its pages bears a handwritten note by Ibn Tawus himself explicitly stating that the manuscript had been designated as waqf (a charitable endowment).[5]
Works
Sayyid ibn Tawus authored approximately 50 works on various subjects, particularly duʿa and ziyarat.
| Work | Place of Publication | Date (Hijri/Gregorian) | Notes |
| Iqbal al-A'mal | Tehran | 1312 AH / 1894 CE | Research and translation by Javad Qayyumi Isfahani, published by Islamic Propagation Office of Qom. |
| Al-Aman min Akhtar al-Asfar wa al-Azman | Najaf | 1370 AH / 1950 CE | This book was translated into Persian by Abd al-Ali Mohammadi Shahroudi under the title Adab-e Safar dar Farhang-e Niyayesh (Travel Etiquette in the Culture of Supplication). |
| Al-Tashrif bi al-Minan fi al-Ta'rif bi al-Fitan | Najaf | 1368 AH / 1948 CE | This book was published in Beirut by “Mu'assasat al-A'lami li al-Matbu'at” in 1398 AH under the title Al-Malahim wa al-Fitan, fi Zuhur al-Gha'ib al-Muntazar 'ajjal Allah Farajahu (The Battles and Tribulations, Concerning the Appearance of the Awaited Absent One, may Allah hasten his reappearance). |
| Ajwibat Masa'il (Ajwibat Masa'il wa Rasa'il fi Mukhtalif Funun al-Ma'rifah) | — | — | — |
| Al-Duru' al-Waqiyah min al-Akhtar fima Yu'mal Kull Shahr 'ala al-Tikrar | Tehran | 1330 AH / 1912 CE | Accompanied by Shaykh Abbas Qummi's translation of Jamal al-Usbu', Mu'assasat Al al-Bayt (peace be upon them) li Ihya' al-Turath – Qom. |
| Al-Tara'if fi Ma'rifat Madhahib al-Tawa'if | Tehran | 1301 AH / 1884 CE | Includes a Persian translation by Mulla Muhammad Sadiq Tabasi. |
| Al-Luhuf 'ala Qatla al-Tufuf | Iran, Lebanon, Najaf | — | Multiple editions, Fahri Zanjani, Ahmad, Persian | Arabic Nashr Jahan, Tehran |
| Al-Mujtana fi al-Du'a al-Mujtaba | Tehran | 133 AH / 1915 CE | International Foundation for Supplication, Dar al-Wala' Publications - Beirut - Lebanon |
| Al-Yaqin bi Ikhtisas Mawlana Ali bi Imarat al-Mu'minin | Najaf | 1369 AH / 1949 CE | Ansari, Muhammad Baqir, Mu'assasat al-Thaqalayn li Ihya' al-Turath al-Islami Publications - Beirut - Lebanon, 1410 AH |
| Jamal al-Usbu' bi Kamal al-'Amal al-Mashru | Tehran | 1330 AH / 1912 CE | Mu'assasat al-A'lami li al-Matbu'at Publications - Beirut - Lebanon, 1386 Solar Hijri |
| Rabi' al-Shi'ah | — | — | Available in Vaziri Library, Yazd |
| Sa'd al-Su'ud | Najaf | 1369 AH / 1950 CE | Kutubi, Muhammad Kazim, Dar al-Dhakhair Publications - Qom - Iran |
| Taraf min al-Anba' wa al-Manaqib | — | — | Available in the Central Library of Tehran University, Attar Qays, Ashura Research and Studies Institute. Islamic Studies Group, Nashr Tasu'a - Mashhad al-Muqaddas - 1378 Solar Hijri |
| Fath al-Abwab bayna Dhawi al-Albab wa bayna Rabb al-Arbab | Beirut | 1409 AH | Khaffaf, Hamid, Mu'assasat Al al-Bayt (peace be upon them) li Ihya' al-Turath Publications - Qom - 1367 Solar Hijri |
| Faraj al-Mahmum fi Tarikh 'Ulama' al-Nujum | Najaf | 1368 Solar Hijri | Dar al-Dhakhair - Qom - Iran |
| Falah al-Sa'il wa Najah al-Masa'il | — | — | Available in the Central Library of Tehran University, Islamic Propagation Office of Qom Seminary. Publications Center - Qom - 1365 Solar Hijri |
| Kashf al-Mahajjah li Thimrat al-Muhjah | — | 1412 AH | Hassoun, Muhammad, Bustan-e Ketab Institute - Qom - 1375 Solar Hijri |
| Muhasabat al-Nafs | Tehran | 1318 AH / 1900 CE | Murtazavi - Tehran - Iran |
| Misbah al-Za'ir | — | — | Available in Astan Quds Library, Mu'assasat Al al-Bayt (peace be upon them) li Ihya' al-Turath - Qom - 1375 Solar Hijri |
| Midmar al-Sabq | Tehran | 1314 AH / 1896 CE | Islamic Propagation Organization, Printing and Publishing Company, 1373 Solar Hijri |
| Muhaj al-Da'awat wa Manhaj al-'Ibadat | Tehran, Tabriz, Bombay | — | Abu Talib Kermani, Muhammad Hasan, Nashr Muhammad Hasan al-Kermani - Tehran - 1284 Solar Hijri |
| Ijazat Sayyid ibn Tawus | Tehran | — | Accompanied by volumes 25 and 26 of Bihar al-Anwar |
| Asrar al-Salat wa Anwar al-Da'awat | — | — | Manuscript |
| Al-Ibanah fi Ma'rifat Asma' Kutub al-Khazanah | — | — | Index of book titles |
| Al-Tahsin | Qom | 1396 | E'teqad Ma Publications |
| Al-Hujjah | — | — | Astan Quds |
| Ilzam al-Nawasib bi Imamat Ali ibn Abi Talib | — | — | Available in the National Library |
| Al-Sa'adat al-'Ibadat | — | — | Includes content on taqiyyah |
| Al-Mazar | — | — | Concerning the etiquette of travel and pilgrimage to Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) |
| Al-Masra' al-Shayn fi Qatl al-Husayn | — | — | Published by Husayni Shrine; translated by Mohsen Hanifi |
| Al-Malahim wa al-Fitan | Tehran | — | Islamiyyah Bookstore |
| Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah | — | — | — |
| Ghiyath Sultan al-Wara li Sukkan al-Thara | Iran | 1321 AH / 1903 CE | Accompanied by the book Al-Fawa'id al-Madaniyyah, Muwahhid Abtahi Isfahani, Muhammad Baqir, Imam al-Mahdi (peace be upon him) School Publications - Qom - 1367 Solar Hijri |
| Farhat al-Nazir wa Bahjat al-Khawatir | — | — | — |
| Misbah al-Za'ir wa Janah al-Musafir | — | 1375 Solar Hijri | Al al-Bayt Institute |
| Misbah al-Shari'ah | Tehran | 1379 AH / 1959 CE | Multiple editions |
| Muntakhabat Asrar al-Salat | — | — | National Council (former) |
Analysis of Ghadir’s Chains of Transmission[6]
Prominent Shi'a scholars have authored extensive works on the evaluation of transmitters and historical issues relating to the chain of narration of the Hadith of Ghadir.
Sayyid ibn Tawus was among the scholars who examined these chains of transmission in his book al-Taraʾif.[7]
Chains of Transmission of the Complete Sermon of Ghadir[8]
Three chains of transmission for the Sermon of Ghadir (the Prophet Muhammad’s sermon at Ghadir Khumm) are transmitted by Sayyid ibn Tawus:
Narration from Imam al-Baqir (peace be upon him)
One chain of transmission traces back to Imam al-Baqir (peace be upon him). In his book al-Yaqin, Sayyid ibn Tawus quotes the sermon from a book by Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Tabari, known as al-Khalili, with the following chain of transmission tracing back to Imam al-Baqir (peace be upon him):
Narration from Hudhayfa ibn al-Yaman
Another chain of transmission for the Sermon of Ghadir traces back to Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman. Sayyid ibn Tawus records it in his book al-Iqbal, citing al-Nashr wa al-Tayy. The chain of transmission is reproduced below exactly as recorded:
Narration from Zayd ibn Arqam
The third chain of transmission for the Sermon of Ghadir traces back to Zayd ibn Arqam. Sayyid ibn Tawus records it in his book Al-Tahsin, citing Nur al-Huda wa al-Munji min al-Rada by Hasan ibn Ahmad Jawani. The chain of transmission is reproduced below exactly as recorded:
Transmission of the Complete Sermon of Ghadir[9]
Fortunately, the detailed and complete text of the Sermon of Ghadir has been transmitted through chains of transmission with no missing links in nine authoritative Shi'a books that survive today and have also been published.
The narrations in these nine books trace back through three routes of transmission:
The first is the narration from Imam al-Baqir (peace be upon him), recorded with reliable chains of transmission in al-Yaqin by Sayyid ibn Tawus[10]
The second is the narration from Zayd ibn Arqam, recorded with chains of transmission with no missing links in al-Tahsin by Sayyid ibn Tawus.[11]
The third is the narration from Hudhayfa ibn al-Yaman, recorded with chains of transmission with no missing links in al-Iqbal by Sayyid ibn Tawus,[12] citing al-Nashr wa al-Tayy.
Footnotes
- ↑ See: Afandi, Riyad al-'Ulama wa Hiyad al-Fudala, vol. 5, p. 162.
- ↑ Shubbar, al-Haqa'iq fi Ahwal al-'Ulama wa al-Sulaha, p. 245.
- ↑ Etan Kohlberg, The Library of Ibn Ṭāwūs: a bibliographical study, Jerusalem: Magnes Press, 1975.
- ↑ Ibid., pp. 22–55.
- ↑ Report on the discovery of the manuscript in: Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA), Department of Shia Manuscript Studies, 2019 report.
- ↑ Asrar Ghadir: p. 107. Chahardah Qarn ba Ghadir: p. 121.
- ↑ Al-Tara'if: p. 33.
- ↑ Asrar-e Ghadir: p. 109.
- ↑ Asrar-e Ghadir: p. 108.
- ↑ Al-Yaqin: p. 343, Chapter 127. Bihar al-Anwar: Vol. 37, p. 218.
- ↑ Al-Tahsin: p. 578, Chapter 29 of the second section.
- ↑ Al-Iqbal: pp. 454, 456. Bihar al-Anwar: Vol. 37, pp. 127, 131.