HASAN IBN YUSUF IBN ALI IBN MUTAHHAR
AL-HILLI (R.A.)
Allama Hilli was born in 648 AH (1250 AD) in the town of Hilla ,
Iraq Azerbaijan ,
Nasir al-Din Tusi in astrology and philosophy, and Maytham al-Bahrani in fiqh.
He was considered the leading mujtahid in Hilla at the age of
28, after the death of his uncle, Muahaqqeq al- Hilli.
He moved to Persia ,
Iran in 1305
AD. He was known for his wit and wisdom. He had a solid knowledge of Shiite
doctrines. He had contributed to the wide spreading of the teachings and
philosophy of AhlulBayt (a.s.). He was able to convert the ruler of Persia
into Shi’ism which led to the proclamation of Shiite Islam as state religion.
His masterly handling of different problems became famous especially
when the ruler of Persia
had divorced his beloved wife three times. The ruler had invited other
religious scholars belonging to other school of thoughts and who were
determined to sabotage Allama Hilli. In the royal court, Allama Hilli showed
eloquence and prudence superior to the rest of the scholars present.
His knowledge and wit
at a young Age:
Once Muhaqqeq Hilli was taking a class and Allama Hilli, who
was 6 or 7 years then, was sitting near him. The child played some prank and
Muhaqqeq Hilli got up to reprimand him. Allama Hilli ran and the Muhaqqeq
pursued him. When he thought that the teacher was about to get him, he suddenly
recited an Ayah from Noble Qur’an where prostration is mandatory. Muhaqqeq
Hilli immediately fell into prostration. Allama Hilli got a chance to run. He
knew that since he was not of the age when prostration is mandatory, he was
able to continue running. After the prostration, the teacher again pursued the
student! He again recited another Ayah that required prostration. Now the
teacher again prostrated and his anger dissipated and he smiled at the
cleverness of his student. He went forward and hugged him and said that the
child would reach a stage in learning that the people would forget the teacher!
Meeting with
Imam-e-Zamana:
As a student in Hilla, Allama Hilli learned that if any one
supplicated for 40 nights of Juma’a in Karbala
near the grave of Imam Hussayn (a.s.), he would meet the Imam-e-Zamana. When
students got vacations, Allama Hilli rode on his mule from Hilla to Karbala
and spent 39 nights of Friday supplicating near the grave of Imam Hussayn
(a.s.). On the 40th night while proceeding to the Mausoleum he
thought that when he completes the supplication, he would be able to meet the
Imam. During his journey, a scholarly question came to his mind. There were
many Traditions saying that if someone cried with the thought of hardships
faced by Imam Hussayn (a.s.), all his sins would be condoned by Allah. He was
not able to understand this Tradition; how only crying could get condonation of
sins for a person.
He was riding with this thought in his mind when he came
across an Arab riding on a horse. He came near Allama Hilli and started riding
side by side and asked him where he was going. Allama Hilli explained and also
told the Arab about the question in his mind. The Arab told him about a king
who was out hunting, lost his way and reached a small hut in which an old woman
lived alone with her sheep. The king was thirsty and the woman served milk from
the sheep. Later, the king complained of hunger. The woman slaughtered her only
possession and served the king.
While leaving, the king told her who he was and asked her to
meet him whenever she visits the capital. The Arab asked Allama Hilli how much
the king should serve the woman to compensate for her services she provided to
the king in his time of dire need.
Allama Hilli replied that even if the king gave her his
entire government it would not be sufficient. The Arab asked again, “Why not
ten sheep, fifty sheep or hundred sheep?”
Allama Hilli said that the woman parted with her only possession
purely on humanitarian grounds without knowing his status.
The Arab said that the answer to his question lies in that.
Imam Hussayn sacrificed every thing he had for the sake of Allah. It would only
make sense that in return for his sacrifice, Allah would give everything in his
universe for Imam Hussayn.
The Arab told Allama Hilli that the answer to his second
question was that the Twelfth Imam was in front of him. Allama Hilli got the
blessing of meeting the Imam as return for his supplications for 40 nights.
Now, when he turned to look, the Imam had already left.
Books:
Some 500 works are attributed to him. According to some
sources, Allama Hilli wrote some 1,000 works (including short treatises and
epistles) on Islamic law, jurisprudence, and theology and Qur’anic commentary.
Of these about 60 are still available. Yet, only 8 of these are published. They
are regarded by “Imami Shiite as the most authentic expositions of their dogma
and practice.” He is known to be the first Shiite Imamia scholar to have used
the term “Ijtihad”
One of his most famous theological works is “The Eleventh
Chapter” (Al-Bab al-Hadi ‘Ashar, which he composed towards the end of his life
as a concise summary of Shiite doctrines for the learned lay persons. In the
year 1928, William McElwee Miller
had translated it in English.
The following books
have been translated into Urdu:
(a) Al-fain
on logic
(b) Tehzeeb
Aal-e-Muhammad on
morals
(c) Ahsan ul
Aqaid on beliefs
(d) Sharae
al-Islam
on Jurisprudence
(e) Hidayat
ul-Waee
on dua
Names of his other famous books are available on line.
Jurisprudence:
Allama Hilli’s role in shaping Shiite Jurisprudence is of
great importance. He produced a voluminous legal Corpus. Of this, two of the
most important works are “The Disagreement” and “The End”. He also produced a “Summarized Legal Manual”
Allama Hilli died in the year 1325 A.D.
References:
The Shiapedia
Wikipedia
Ziaraat.com
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