Allamah al-Majlisi
Encyclopedia
Muhammad Baqir Majlesi, (1616–1698 AD) (in Persian علامه مجلسی; variations: Majlesi, Majlessi, Majlisi, Madjlessi) known as Allamah
Majlesi or Majlesi-ye Thani (Majlesi the Second), was a renowned and very powerful Iranian Twelver Shi'a cleric, during the Safavid era. He has been described as "one of the most powerful and influential Shi'a ulema
of all time," whose "policies and actions reoriented Twelver Shia'ism in the direction that it was to develop from his day on."
He is buried next to his father in a family mausoleum located in the Jamé Mosque of Isfahan
.
. The genealogy of his family is traced back to Abu Noaym Ahámad b. Abdallah Esfahani (d. 1038 AD), the author, inter alia, of a History of Isfahan, entitled Zikr-i akhbar-i Isfahan.
By the age of 14, he gained certification of "riwāyat" from Mulla Sadra
to teach. He is said to have completed studies under 21 masters (ustadh). He is reported to have trained 181 students to become masters himself.
" (Chief Religious Leader of the land) in Isfahan, the capital of the Persian Empire (Iran
). In this influential position he was given a free hand by the Sultan to encourage and to punish as he saw fit. "The three inter-related areas in which Majlisi exerted his efforts were": the suppression of Sufism
, mystical philosophies, philosophic views known as Falsafah that were contrary to Islam and "the suppression of Sunnism and other religious groups."
According to scholar Moojan Momem, Majlisi's era marked a breaking point, as he successfully undercut the influence of Sufism and philosophic rationalism in Shiism. "Up to the time of Majlisi, Shiism and Sufism were closely linked and indeed Sufism had been a vehicle for pro-Shii sentiment among the Sunnis. Even the most eminent members of the Shii ulama in the preceding centuries had come under the influence of Sufiism." After the death of Majlisi, "this process continued among the succeeding generations of ulama" so that Sufism became "divorced from Shiism and ceased to influence the main stream of Shii development. Philosophy was also down-graded and ceased to be an important part of studies at the religious colleges."
for the fallen imams, particularly the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali
at Kerbala, and pilgrimages to shrines of imams and their families.
Majlesi "fervently upheld the concepts of 'enjoining the good' and 'prohibiting evil'", and in so doing endeavoured to provide fatwa
(judgements) for "all the of the hypothetical situations a true believer could or might face." In one "exposition of virtues of proper behavior" he gave directions on everything from how to "wear clothes to sexual intercourse and association with females, clipping fingernails, sleeping, waking, urination and defecation, enemas, sneezing, entering and leaving a domicile, and treatments and cures for many illnesses and diseases."
More controversially, Majlesi defined "science" very narrowly as "knowledge of the clear, secure ayat [verses of the Quran]; of the religious duties and obligations which God has fixed in his Justice; and of the Prophetic Traditions (Hadith
), which are valid until the day of Resurrection." Beyond this, he warned, the seeking of knowledge is "a waste of one's life," and worse would "generally lead to apostasy
and heresy
, in which case the likelihood of salvation is remote.". He opposed the school of mystical philosophy developed by Mir Damad
and Mulla Sadra
, who argued that the Quran was always open to reinterpretation, and valued insights that came from intuition and ecstasy rather than reason.
Majilis is also controversial for his close relationship with Indian Mughal ruler Aurangzeb Alamgir who was known commonly for his anti-Shia inclinations. Aurangzeb is said to have referred to Majlisi as "the real leader of all true Muslims of Persia". Majlisi visited India on nine occasions between 1660 and 1695 and was awarded the respect of a government emissary thereby offending the Shah of Iran. The Shah made a futile effort of winning over Majlisi against Aurangzeb by giving him a high level post in his court but failed to win his support for his wars against the later.
Allamah
An Allamah , also spelled Allameh and Allama, is an honorary title carried by only the very highest scholars of Islamic thought, jurisprudence, and philosophy....
Majlesi or Majlesi-ye Thani (Majlesi the Second), was a renowned and very powerful Iranian Twelver Shi'a cleric, during the Safavid era. He has been described as "one of the most powerful and influential Shi'a ulema
Ulema
Ulama , also spelt ulema, refers to the educated class of Muslim legal scholars engaged in the several fields of Islamic studies. They are best known as the arbiters of shari‘a law...
of all time," whose "policies and actions reoriented Twelver Shia'ism in the direction that it was to develop from his day on."
He is buried next to his father in a family mausoleum located in the Jamé Mosque of Isfahan
Jamé Mosque of Isfahan
The Jāmeh Mosque of Isfahān is the grand, congregational mosque of Isfahān city, within Isfahān Province, Iran. The mosque is the result of continual construction, reconstruction, additions and renovations on the site from around 771 to the end of the 20th century...
.
Early life and education
Born in Isfahan in 1616, his father, Molla Mohammad Taqi Majlesi (Majlesi-ye Awwal--Majlesi the First, 1594 AD-1659 AD), was a cleric of Islamic jurisprudenceJa'fari jurisprudence
Jaʿfarī school of thought, Ja`farite School, Jaʿfarī jurisprudence or Jaʿfarī Fiqh is the school of jurisprudence of most Shi'a Muslims, derived from the name of Jaʿfar as-Ṣādiq, the 6th Shi'a Imam...
. The genealogy of his family is traced back to Abu Noaym Ahámad b. Abdallah Esfahani (d. 1038 AD), the author, inter alia, of a History of Isfahan, entitled Zikr-i akhbar-i Isfahan.
By the age of 14, he gained certification of "riwāyat" from Mulla Sadra
Mulla Sadra
Ṣadr ad-Dīn Muḥammad Shīrāzī also called Mulla Sadrā was a Persian Shia Islamic philosopher, theologian and ‘Ālim who led the Iranian cultural renaissance in the 17th century...
to teach. He is said to have completed studies under 21 masters (ustadh). He is reported to have trained 181 students to become masters himself.
Influence and beliefs
In 1678, the Safavid King, Sultan Husayn, appointed Majlesi as "Sheikh ul-IslamSheikh ul-Islam
Shaykh al-Islām is a title of superior authority in the issues of Islam....
" (Chief Religious Leader of the land) in Isfahan, the capital of the Persian Empire (Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
). In this influential position he was given a free hand by the Sultan to encourage and to punish as he saw fit. "The three inter-related areas in which Majlisi exerted his efforts were": the suppression of Sufism
Sufism
Sufism or ' is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a '...
, mystical philosophies, philosophic views known as Falsafah that were contrary to Islam and "the suppression of Sunnism and other religious groups."
According to scholar Moojan Momem, Majlisi's era marked a breaking point, as he successfully undercut the influence of Sufism and philosophic rationalism in Shiism. "Up to the time of Majlisi, Shiism and Sufism were closely linked and indeed Sufism had been a vehicle for pro-Shii sentiment among the Sunnis. Even the most eminent members of the Shii ulama in the preceding centuries had come under the influence of Sufiism." After the death of Majlisi, "this process continued among the succeeding generations of ulama" so that Sufism became "divorced from Shiism and ceased to influence the main stream of Shii development. Philosophy was also down-graded and ceased to be an important part of studies at the religious colleges."
Legalism
He also reestablished clerical authority under his leadership, "and renewed the impetus for conversion from Sunnism to Shi'ism." Majlesi is "credited with propagating numerous Shi'a rituals that Iranians regularly practice", such as mourning ceremoniesMourning of Muharram
The Mourning of Muharram is an important period of mourning in Shia Islam, taking place in Muharram which is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is also called the Remembrance of Muharram...
for the fallen imams, particularly the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali
Husayn ibn Ali
Hussein ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib was the son of ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib and Fātimah Zahrā...
at Kerbala, and pilgrimages to shrines of imams and their families.
Majlesi "fervently upheld the concepts of 'enjoining the good' and 'prohibiting evil'", and in so doing endeavoured to provide fatwa
Fatwa
A fatwā in the Islamic faith is a juristic ruling concerning Islamic law issued by an Islamic scholar. In Sunni Islam any fatwā is non-binding, whereas in Shia Islam it could be considered by an individual as binding, depending on his or her relation to the scholar. The person who issues a fatwā...
(judgements) for "all the of the hypothetical situations a true believer could or might face." In one "exposition of virtues of proper behavior" he gave directions on everything from how to "wear clothes to sexual intercourse and association with females, clipping fingernails, sleeping, waking, urination and defecation, enemas, sneezing, entering and leaving a domicile, and treatments and cures for many illnesses and diseases."
More controversially, Majlesi defined "science" very narrowly as "knowledge of the clear, secure ayat [verses of the Quran]; of the religious duties and obligations which God has fixed in his Justice; and of the Prophetic Traditions (Hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
), which are valid until the day of Resurrection." Beyond this, he warned, the seeking of knowledge is "a waste of one's life," and worse would "generally lead to apostasy
Apostasy in Islam
Apostasy in Islam is commonly defined in Islam as the rejection in word or deed of one's former religion by a person who was previously a follower of Islam...
and heresy
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
, in which case the likelihood of salvation is remote.". He opposed the school of mystical philosophy developed by Mir Damad
Mir Damad
Mir Damad , known also as Mir Mohammad Baqer Esterabadi, or Asterabadi, was an Iranian philosopher in the Neoplatonizing Islamic Peripatetic traditions of Avicenna and Suhrawardi, a scholar of the traditional Islamic sciences, and foremost figure , of the cultural renaissance of Iran undertaken...
and Mulla Sadra
Mulla Sadra
Ṣadr ad-Dīn Muḥammad Shīrāzī also called Mulla Sadrā was a Persian Shia Islamic philosopher, theologian and ‘Ālim who led the Iranian cultural renaissance in the 17th century...
, who argued that the Quran was always open to reinterpretation, and valued insights that came from intuition and ecstasy rather than reason.
Majilis is also controversial for his close relationship with Indian Mughal ruler Aurangzeb Alamgir who was known commonly for his anti-Shia inclinations. Aurangzeb is said to have referred to Majlisi as "the real leader of all true Muslims of Persia". Majlisi visited India on nine occasions between 1660 and 1695 and was awarded the respect of a government emissary thereby offending the Shah of Iran. The Shah made a futile effort of winning over Majlisi against Aurangzeb by giving him a high level post in his court but failed to win his support for his wars against the later.
See also
- Du'a al-KumaylDu'a al-KumaylDua Kumayl is a supplication famous among Shi'a for its perceived beauty and a traditional supplication in Shi'a Muslim spiritual practice...
- Sayyid MurtadhāSharif al-MurtazaAbu al-Qāsim ‘Alī ibn Husayn al-Sharīf al-Murtadhā was one of the greatest scholars of his time and was one of the students of Shaykh al-Mufīd...
- Sayyid Radhī
- Shaykh al-Mufīd
- Shaykh al-TūsīShaykh TusiShaykh Tusi , full name: Abu Jafar Muhammad Ibn Hassan Tusi , known as Shaykh al-Taʾifah was a prominent Persian scholar of the Shi'a Twelver Islamic belief.-Birth:...
- Shaykh al-SadūqAl-Shaykh al-SaduqAl-Shaykh al-Saduq is the title given to Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn 'Ali ibn Babawaih al-Qummi. He was the leading traditionist of his time and one of the most outstanding traditionists of Shi'ite Islam. He earned the title of al-Shaykh al-Saduq on account of his great learning and his reputation for...
- Muhammad al-Kulaynī
- Allāmah Majlisī
- Shaykh al-Hur al-ĀmilīShaikh al-Hur al-AamiliMuhammad bin al-Ḥassan b. Ali b. al-Ḥusayn al-ʿĀmili al-Mashghari , commonly known as Al-Ḥurr Al-ʿĀmili , was a muhaddith and a prominent Twelver Shi’a scholar of the Akhbari school of thought...
External links
- Bio of the Majlesi family
- http://www.al-islam.org/al-tawhid/hadith-science/1.htm