Sayyid ibn Tawus
Sayyid Radi al-Din Ali ibn Musa ibn Tawus (589–664 AH) was a Shia jurist, hadith scholar, and theologian, born in Hilla in 589 AH. He was a descendant of Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn, and for this reason, he became known as Dhu al-Hasabayn (possessor of the two lineages). Sayyid ibn Tawus was highly proficient in religious sciences and jurisprudence, leaving behind valuable works in the fields of pilgrimage (ziyarat) and supplications (du'a).
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| Personal Information | |
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| Academic Information | |
| Teachers | Ibn Nama al-Hilli • Fakhkhar ibn Ma'add al-Musawi |
| Students | Allamah al-Hilli • Hasan ibn Dawud al-Hilli |
| Works | Iqbal al-A'mal • Muhaj al-Da'awat • al-Luhuf |
Biography
Sayyid Radi al-Din Ali ibn Musa ibn Tawus (589–664 AH), commonly known as Sayyid ibn Tawus, was one of the great Shia scholars of the seventh century AH. He was a descendant of Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (peace be upon him) and Imam Husayn (peace be upon him), and for this reason, he is also known as "Dhu al-Hasanayn."
Sayyid ibn Tawus spent his childhood and youth under the guidance of his father and grandfather, after which he migrated to Kadhimiya and Baghdad to continue his studies. He married Zahra Khatun, the daughter of the vizier Nasir ibn Zaydi, and resided in Baghdad for some time. During this period, he was engaged in teaching and training students. At the time of the Mongol invasion of Baghdad, Sayyid ibn Tawus used a letter of protection (aman-nama) he had received from Hulagu Khan to save approximately one thousand people in Iraq. After the fall of Baghdad, he was appointed as the Naqib (leader) of the Shia, although he accepted this position reluctantly. He emphasized that his goal was to protect the lives of the Shia against the dangers posed by the Mongol attacks. After residing in Baghdad for a while, Sayyid ibn Tawus migrated to Hilla, Najaf, and Karbala, living in each of these cities for about three years. During this time, in addition to teaching, he focused on his spiritual journey and self-purification.
Death
Sayyid Ali ibn Tawus passed away in 664 AH at the age of 75 in the city of Baghdad. His noble body was transferred to Najaf al-Ashraf and buried in the shrine of the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him).
The Library of Sayyid ibn Tawus
Sayyid ibn Tawus possessed a rich library, the number of books in which reached approximately one thousand five hundred volumes.[1] Due to the destruction of many works during the Mongol invasions, the survival of this collection is of particular importance.[2]
Etan Kohlberg, in a study titled The Library of Ibn Ṭāwūs: a bibliographical study, has attempted to reconstruct the profile of his library using existing writings and surviving sources.[3] In this work, Kohlberg has cataloged approximately six hundred and seventy titles from the books in that library.[4]
In recent years, a copy of one of the books from the library of Sayyid ibn Tawus has been identified in Turkey. On one of the pages of this manuscript, the handwriting of the Sayyid himself can be seen, in which he explicitly states that the copy is a waqf (endowment).[5]
Works
Sayyid ibn Tawus authored approximately 50 works in various fields, particularly supplication (du'a) and pilgrimage (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) |
Review of Ghadir Narrations[6]
Prominent Shi'a scholars have authored detailed books concerning the biographical and historical discussions related to the chain of narration of the Hadith of Ghadir.
Among those who have examined the narrations of Ghadir is Sayyid ibn Tawus in his book Al-Tara'if.[7]
Documentation of the Complete Sermon of Ghadir[8]
Three chains of transmission (isnad) for the Sermon of Ghadir are cited by Sayyid Ibn Tawus:
Narration of Imam Baqir (AS)
One chain of transmission leads to Imam Baqir (AS). Sayyid Ibn Tawus, in his book Al-Yaqin, narrates the sermon from the book of Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Tabari, known as al-Khalili, with the following chain of transmission leading to Imam Baqir (AS):
قال السید ابن طاووس فی کتاب «الیقین»: قال أحمد بن محمد الطبری المعروف بالخلیلی فی کتابه: أخبرنی محمد بن أبیبکر بن عبدالرحمن، قال: حدثنی الحسن بن علی أبومحمد الدینوری، قال: حدثنا محمد بن موسی الهمدانی، قال: حدثنا محمد بن خالد الطیالسی، قال: حدثنا سیف بن عمیرة، عن عقبة، عن قیس بن سمعان، عن علقمة بن محمد الحضرمی، عن أبیجعفر محمد بن علی (الباقر) علیه السلام.
Narration of Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman
Another chain of transmission for the Sermon of Ghadir leads to Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman, which Sayyid Ibn Tawus cites in his book Al-Iqbal, quoting from the book Al-Nashr wa al-Tayy. The exact chain of transmission is as follows:
قال السید ابن طاووس فی کتاب «الإقبال»: قال مؤلف کتاب «النشر و الطیّ»: عن أحمد بن محمد بن علی المهلب: أخبرنا الشریف أبوالقاسم علی بن محمد بن علی بن القاسم الشعرانی، عن أبیه: حدثنا سلمة بن الفضل الأنصاری، عن أبیمریم، عن قیس بن حیّان (حنّان)، عن عطیة السعدی، عن حذیفة بن الیمان.
Narration of Zayd ibn Arqam
The third chain of transmission for the Sermon of Ghadir leads to Zayd ibn Arqam. Sayyid Ibn Tawus cites this in his book Al-Tahsin, quoting from the book Nur al-Huda wa al-Munji min al-Rada authored by Hasan ibn Ahmad al-Jawani. The exact chain of transmission is as follows:
قال السید ابن طاووس فی کتاب «التحصین»: قال الحسن بن أحمد الجاوانی فی کتابه «نور الهدی و المنجی من الردی»: عن أبیالمفضل محمد بن عبدالله الشیبانی، قال: أخبرنا أبوجعفر محمد بن جریر الطبری و هارون بن عیسی بن سکین البلدی، قالا: حدثنا حمید بن الربیع الخزّاز، قال: حدثنا یزید بن هارون، قال: حدثنا نوح بن مبشَّر، قال: حدثنا الولید بن صالح، عن إبن إمرأة زید بن أرقم و عن زید بن أرقم.
Transmission of the Full Text of the Sermon of Ghadir[9]
Fortunately, the detailed and complete text of the Sermon of Ghadir has been transmitted with continuous chains of authority in nine reliable Shi'a sources that are currently extant and have been published.
The narrations in these nine books lead back through three primary paths:
The first path is the narration of Imam Baqir (AS), which is recorded with reliable chains of transmission in the book Al-Yaqin, authored by Sayyid Ibn Tawus.[10]
The second path is the narration of Zayd ibn Arqam, which is recorded with continuous chains of transmission in the book Al-Tahsin, authored by Sayyid Ibn Tawus.[11]
The third path is the narration of Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman, which is recorded with continuous chains of transmission in the book Al-Iqbal, authored by Sayyid Ibn Tawus,[12] quoting from the book 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.