Khawja Muhammad Ibn
Muhammad Ibn Hasan Tusi, better known as Nasir uddin Tusi, was born in Khorasan-Tus
in the year 385 A.H. and died in 460 A.H. in al-Kazimiyyah, Baghdad. He was a
man of unique and distinct capabilities; he was an architect,
astronomer, biologist, chemist, mathematician, philosopher, physician,
scientist, theologian, and Marja Taqleed.
From time to time there appeared in the Islamic world
certain outstanding personalities whose names shone like brilliant stars.
People were benefitted by their light according to their merits and
capabilities. Among those few, Shaykh Nasiruddin Tusi tops the list. He has
become immortal by sincerely sacrificing his life in search of knowledge and
spread of Islamic teachings.
He acquired knowledge, among others, from imminent
scholars like Shaykh Mufid and Sayyid
Murtaza. After completing his studies, he started delivering lectures on Islamic Jurisprudence and Principles
drawing more than 300 students at times. After the demise of his teacher Sayyid
Murtaza, he became the central figure in Shiah world.
He had written 150
books in Persian and Arabic and became one of the Muslim scholars who had
written the largest number of books.
His library contained 400,000 books. Halaku Khan was impressed by his
knowledge and patronized him and pardoned numerous scholars on his
recommendations.
When first Seljuk king Tugril Beg invaded Baghdad in 436
AH, he destroyed the Shiah Public Library and burnt the books of Shaykh Tusi
and plundered his house. Let the history
decide the difference between Halaku Khan, who mercilessly slaughtered the
human beings, and Tugril Beg, who mercilessly burnt the rare books of
knowledge!
Shaykh Tusi moved to
Najaf al-Ashraf and laid the foundation stone of a Centre of Knowledge which is still a Centre of Shiah religious study.
Shaykh Tusi had the
honor of writing two of the four “The Great Shia Books of Traditions” e.g.
Tahzeeb al-Ahkaam and al-Istibsaar”. The other two were Usul al-Kaafi by Allama
Yaqub al-Kulayni and “Man la Yahzar al-Faqih” by Allama Babuyah al-Saduq. Apart
from these two books, he had written 150 books in Persian and Arabic, some of
the famous ones are the following:
·
Kitab al Shakal al-Qatta; a five volume summary
of Trigonometry
·
Al-Tazkira fi ilm al-Hayah; a memoire on the
science of Astronomy
·
Akhlaq e Nasri; a work on ethics
·
Al-Risala al-Asturlabiyah; a treatise on
astrolabe
·
Ilkhanic Tables; A major Astronomical Treatise
·
Sharhe al-Isharat; Commentary on Avicenna’s
Isharat
·
Awsaf al-Ashraaf; a short mystical-ethical work
·
Tajrid al-Itiqad; A commentary on Shia Doctrine
·
Tenets of Islam; Roots of Islam
Thazeeb al –Ahkam:
The title may be translated as “The
Refinement of Laws” which relates to the “Furu” or Branches of Islam. He had stated in the introduction of the book
that there were many traditions which were conflicting and confusing, hence the
reason of compiling the book. The book is divided into chapters or “kutub” and the chapters into sections or “abwab”.
The chapters are: al-Tahara, al-Salat, al-Zakat, al-Hajj,
al-Qadaya wal Ahkam, al-Makasib, al-Tijarat, al-Nikah, al-Itq wal Tadbir,
al-Ayman wal Nuzur wal-Kaffarat, al-Faraiz wal Mawaris, al-Hudud, and al-Diyat.
Shaykh Tusi’s work, the collection of correct traditions,
preserved the Shiah Laws.
Al-Istibsar: After
the publication of “Tahzeeb al-Ahkam”, his friends expressed their opinion that
it was a voluminous work and that there should be a reference book which will
be of great help to the beginners as well as for the more learned scholars.
Shaykh Tusi responded as: “ ….therefore they asked me to summarize it, to begin
each section with an introduction to what I relied on for the legal decisions
and the traditions therein; then I should follow with those decisions with
those which they disagree and explain the reconciliation between the two
without leaving out anything influential.”
As we can see from Shaykh Tusi’s introduction, that al-Istibsar is a summary of Tahzeeb
al-Ahkam. Not many traditions were used in it and the explanations were
also concise and brief.
Al-Kulayni’ s al-Kafi was the first major collection of
Traditions about “Usul”. The process continued with Shaykh al-Saduq “Man la
Yazhar al-Faqih, but Shaykh Tusi’s works were the high point in the process of
collection of Traditions.
These three authors
and their four major works of Traditions present generally consistent picture
of Shiah Islamic legal thinking.
Sources used:
Tahdhib al-Ahkam
& al-Istibsar by I.K.A. Howard
Nasir al-din Tusi
& his socio-political role in thirteenth century b y Abbas Ali Shameli
WIKIPEDIA
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