SAYYID SHARIF AL-MURTAZA ALAM AL-HUDA (R.A.)

Abul Qasim Ali ibn Husayn al-Sharif al-Murtaza was commonly known as Sayyid Murtaza or Sharif Murtaza. He was born in 355 A.H. and died at the age of 81 in the year 436 A.H. He was also called Alam al-Huda (Banner of Guidance) due to his vast knowledge, and was one of the greatest Shia scholars of his time. He was one of the students of the famous Shaykh al-Mufid (r.a.). He was the elder brother of Sayyid Razi, the renowned scholar who compiled the supreme book Nahjul Balagha. His mother’s name was Fatimah. She was a pious and noble lady and was held in high esteem by the scholars. She requested Shaykh al-Mufid (r.a.) to write a book on the Fiqhi rules for the women folks which resulted in the compilation of “Ahkam al-Nisa”. Her family had carved out a principality in Tabaristan.

There is a famous dream reported by Ibn Abil Hadid al-Mu’tazali, in his commentary on Nahjul Balagha writes that Shaykh Mufid saw the Chief of the Women of the world and the Lady of Paradise Sayyida Fatima Zahra (s.a.) in his dream. She was accompanied by her two young sons, the Leaders of the Youths of Paradise, Imam Hasan (a.s.) and Imam Husayn (a.s.). Addressing him she said: “O My shaaykh, teach Fiqh  (Jurisprudence) to these two boys of mine” Next day, Fatima, the mother of Sayyid Murtaza and Sayyid Razi, came to Shaykh Mufid and uttered the same words which the Lady of Paradise Fatima Zahra (s.a.) had uttered in his dream.

His father Husayn was 5^th in line of the descendant of the Infallible Imam Musa al-Kazim (a.s.). His mother was a descendant of the Infallible Imam Zain al-Abidin (a.s.). The detail lineage is; Fatima daughter of Husayn, son of Abu Muhammad al-Hasan al-Utrush, son of Ali, son of Hasan, son of Umar al-Ashraf, son of Ali Zaynal-Abidin (a.s.).

He was a multi-dimensional personality. All Shi’ite scholars acknowledge that Sayyid Murtaza was the greatest scholar of his time and groomed many outstanding scholars including the Shaykh al-Tusi (r.a.), the founder of the great theological center of Najaf al-Ashraf. He served as the “Naqib al-Nuqaba” after the death of his brother. He had served as the Chief Judge of Baghdad for 30 years. He was equally respected by Sunni and Shi’ite scholars.

Sayyid Murtaza was deeply interested in “Fiqh”. He was considered the master of Kalam,Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, literature, grammar, poetry and other fields of knowledge. His poetry collection contained more than 20,000 verses. He had authored 66 books including:

                Al-Zakhira  fil Usul al-Fiqh

                Al-Ghurar wa al-Durar

                Al-Intisar

                Al-Shafi

                Al-Tanzih al-Anbia

                Jamal al-Ilmi wal Amal

On the death of Shaykh al-Mufid, Sayyid Sharif Murtaza led his funeral prayer.

Sources used:

WIKIPEDIA, Imamrezanetwork.org