He was born in Tabriz, Iran in the year 1320 A.H. He
received his early education from his father Mirza Ahmad bin Ali and later was
admitted in a local school-Talbisiya. After wards, he proceeded to the Center of Religious Education, Najaf
al-Ashraf. After completing his education, he returned to Tabriz and
continued his scholarly pursuits. His thirst for knowledge attracted him back
to Najaf al-Ashraf and he went back and soon obtained the authority for Ijtehad
and also authority of Narration of Traditions.
To compile the famous book al-Ghadeer, he travelled to
different cities in Iraq and Iran and India, Turkey and Syria. He wanted to see
the source of any tradition which he quoted in the book.
He used to connect with the “Gate way of Knowledge” Imam Ali (a.s.) in the process of acquiring
books and other materials. One day, he prayed to the Imam (a.s.) and said: “This book al-Ghadeer is your book and
Ghadeer is yours; I seek your help by
the grand status you enjoy with the All-Mighty in procuring the books I need.”
Allama Amini himself narrates how he was helped; he said: “After a short nap, I was awakened by the knock at the door. When
opened the door, I saw my neighbor standing and telling me that he was moving
to a different house and while removing his assets, he a book which was not
useful to him. He was surprised to see that it was the book he was looking for.”
Surprising
incident: He was desperately looking for Zamahshari’s book “Rabi-ul-Abrar”. There were only three
hand-written copies available; one in Yemen, other in Syria, and the third one
in Najaf. Allama Amini went to the house of the scholar in Najaf and requested
to borrow or even read in his own house but he refused. He even tried to use the
recommendations of Ayatollah Abul Hasan
Isphani and Shaikh Kashif-ul-Ghita, but did not succeed. He visited the Sacred Mausoleum of the Commander of the
Faithful and returned home. After sleeping for some time, he saw the Imam
(a.s.) in his dream. He recounted all the pains he suffered for the book. The Imam (a.s.) said: “The answer to your
dilemma is with my son Hussayn (a.s.)”
He proceeded to the Golden tomb of the Chief of Martyrs, Imam Hussayn (a.s.),
prayed there and went to the tomb of the “Moon
of Bani Hashim, Hazrat Abbas (a.s.)” and prayed there as well. He was sitting
in the courtyard of the Mausoleum, when the khatib of Imam Hussayn (a.s.)’s
Mausoleum, Sheikh Muhsin Abul-Hab approached him and invited him to his house.
After some time, he visited the library of the host, when he saw “Rabi-ul-Abrar”.
He started crying loudly. When the host came and learned the cause of crying,
he said: “I had refused an offer of 1,000 Dinar for this book!” Then he gifted
the book to Allama Amini.
Allama Amini‘s whole life revolved around books. While
visiting different countries, he arranged to make micro films of the historic
books and manuscripts which is still a mammoth source of knowledge. He
frequently travelled between Najaf-e-Ashraf and Karbala-e-Muallah which is
about 80 kilo meters apart. He would cover the distance in three days while imparting
knowledge on the way. He was a great speaker as well and thousands of people
would attend his meetings.
Library of
Amir-al-Momineen: He felt the need
of a library for the seekers of knowledge. With that objective in mind, he
purchased two houses next to his own house and slowly started acquiring
adjacent plots. After seven years, on
the day of Ghadeer, by the grace of the King of Ghadeer, Amir-al-Momineen Library
was formally opened.
Scholarly Assets: He
had written or compiled many books; some of them are:
Al-Ghadeer, Seeratena wa Sunnatena, Shuhada al-Fazilah,
and other nine.
AL-GHADEER: The book was written in Arabic, spread
over 20 volumes, out of which only eleven volumes have been published. It may
be called a literary masterpiece and an encyclopedia of Shia Faith. He had thoroughly
read 10,000 books; from start to end (some of them might be in few volumes).
The contents of the book are so authentic that no one to date has challenged
about any of the material discussed in the book. All the sources and traditions
referred to in this book were narrated by our Sunni Muslim brothers. Some of
the salient features of the book are that 110 companions of the Noble Prophet
(s.a.w.a.s), and 84 “Ta’bein” had narrated the event of Ghadeer. About 386
scholars have written books on Ghadeer.
Apart from the above, he had collected in detail the
names and descriptions of all poets, and everyone or any occasion connected
with the event of Ghadeer in one way or another have been thoroughly and
completely recorded.
Al-Ghadeer was translated in Urdu by Maulana Sayyid Ali
Akhtar Rizvi.
This great scholar died on 28 Rabi-us-Sani 1390 A.H. in
Tehran and was buried in Najaf al-Ashraf in the premises of the Amir-al-Momineen
Library.
Source:
Ghadeer by
Maulana Syed Ali Akhter Rizvi
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