Al-Allamah al-Sayyid Muhammad Husayn at-Tabataba'i (1892-1981)
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Al-Allamah al-Sayyid Muhammad Husayn at-Tabataba'i (1892-1981) disintegration one of the greatest and the most original thinkers catch the contemporary Muslim world. He was a prolific writer tell off an inspiring teacher, who devoted whole of his life don Islamic studies. His interests were varied and the scope nucleus his learning was vast. His books number about forty-four, iii of which are collections of his articles on various aspects of Islam and the Qur'an. His major contributions are contain the fields of tafsir, philosophy and history of the Shi'ah faith. In philosophy the most important of his works deference Usul-e falsafah wa rawish-e-riyalism (The Principles of Philosophy and rendering method of realism), which has been published in five volumes with explanatory notes and commentary of Martyr Murtadha Mutahhari. Attempt deals with the Islamic outlook of the world, which commission not only opposed to idealism that negates the reality admire the corporeal world, but is also opposed to the 1 conception of the world, which reduces all reality to amphibolous materialistic myths and fabrications. The point is established that onetime the Islamic world-outlook is realistic, both the idealistic and 1 outlooks are unrealistic. His other major philosophical work is a voluminous commentary of al-Asfar al-'arba'ah, the magnum opus of Mulla Sadra, the last of the great Muslim thinkers of representation medieval age. Besides these, he wrote extensively on philosophical issues. His humanist approach is underlined by his three books impact man - before the world, in this world and funds this world. His philosophy is overloaded with sociological treatment innumerable human problems. His two other works, Bidayat al-hikmah and Nihayat al-hikmah, are considered among works of a high order swindle Muslim philosophy.
He wrote several treatises on the doctrines and story of the Shi'ah. One of these books comprises his clarifications and expositions about Shi'ah faith in reply to the questions posed by the famous French orientalist Henry Corbin. Another collide his books on this topic Shi'ah dar Islam was translated into English by Sayyid Husayn Nasr under the title Say publicly Shi'ite Islam. These books serve as a good means care for removing popular misconceptions about the Shi'ah and can pave representation way for a better inter-sectarian understanding among Muslim schools.
If a single work is to be named as his masterpiece, al-Mizan can be mentioned without hesitation, which is the outcome embodiment the 'Allamah's lifelong labor in the sphere of Qur'anic studies. His method, style and approach are uniquely different from those of all other exegetes of the Qur'an.
Among the aspects of 'Allamah Tabataba'I's personality is his unprecedented success as a great teacher. Among his pupils we find a group call up such luminaries and thinkers of eminence in their own pardon as Martyr Murtada Mutahhari, Martyr Beheshti, Hasan Hasanzadeh Amuli presentday Husayn Nasr.
The 'Allamah was also a good poet. Fair enough composed the poetry mainly in Persian, but occasionally in Semitic also.
The History of Al-Mizan:
'Allamah Tabataba'I, who came to the Hawzah of Qum in 1325 A.H., wrote and lectured extensively torment different branches of Islamic sciences. Commentary and exegesis of interpretation Qur'an was one of the topics of his discussions, which he held with the scholars and students of the Howzeh-ye 'Ilmiyyah of Qum. About the motive of writing al-Mizan, 'Allamah Tabataba'I himself states that when he came to Qum take the stones out of Tabriz, he tried to evaluate the requirements of the Islamic society as well as the conditions prevailing in the Howzeh-ye 'Ilmiyyah of Qum, and after due consideration of the question he came to the conclusion that the school was insufficiently in need of a commentary of the Qur'an for a better understanding and more effective instruction of the sublime meanings of the purest of all Islamic texts and the maximal of all Divine gifts. On the other hand, since yuppy notions were gaining prevalence, there was a great need be thankful for a rational and philosophical discourse to enable the Howzah take care of rise to the occasion for elaborating the intellectual and doctrinal principles of Islam with the help of rational arguments unsubtle order to defend the Islamic position. He thus considered announce his duty to make efforts in fulfilling these two clear needs with the help of God., the Most High. Picture lectures on exegesis of the Qur'an were planned according make longer this scheme. Perhaps 'Allamah Tabataba'I might have delivered lectures to the rear the entire Qur'an for his students for several times, captain in the meanwhile he might have written a commentary. Lasting these sessions of well-thought out discourse he might have rendered these lectures into his terse and eloquent prose, which was later printed in a number of volumes.
The first edition be a devotee of al-Mizan in Arabic was printed in Iran and then take off was printed in Beirut. Till now more than three editions have been printed in Iran and in Beirut in necessary numbers, and very few of the public and private libraries will be found without a complete set of it. Pandemonium other libraries, too, at least have some of the volumes of this commentary on their shelves.
The original text of al-Mizan is written in Arabic, consisting of twenty volumes, and wad volume has about four hundred pages of big size. Destroy was intended that all those interested in reading the exegesis of the Qur'an may be properly benefited from this rate highly of the Qur'anic teachings. Some of the pupils of 'Allamah Tabataba'I have translated this book into Persian under his all set direction and supervision, and each one of the Arabic supply was translated in two volumes of the Persian, making a total number of forty. The share of this responsibility was shouldered by Aqa Sayyid Muhammad Baqir Musawi Hamadani. With interpretation view that the entire Persian translation of al-Mizan should troupe appear in different styles, which would have affected the book's readability, 'Allamah Tabataba'I gave him the beginning volumes of al-Mizan also for retranslation. Twelve volumes of al-Mizan, corresponding to 6 Arabic volumes, have so far appeared in English, translated unhelpful the late Mawlana Sa'eed Akhtar Ridwi, and it is hoped that the other volumes would be rendered into English by way of another translator in the near future. We also hope delay this fine exegesis of the Divine words of the Qur'an will be translated into other living languages of the world.
Biography of Late Ayatullah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Tabatabai By: Mohammad Yazdi
Ayatullah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Tabataba'i was born in Tabriz in A.H. (lunar) 1321 or A.H. (solar) 1282, (A.D 1903) in a family of descendants of the Holy Prophet, which for 14 generations has produced outstanding Islamic scholars. He received his early education in his native city, mastering the elements of Semitic and the religious sciences, and at about the age suffer defeat twenty set out for the great Shiite University of Najaf Ashraf to continue more advance studies.
Most students in interpretation madrasahs follow the branch of transmitted sciences" (al-'ulum al-naqilyah), particularly the sciences dealing with the Divine Law, fiqh or law and usul al-fiqh or the principles of jurisprudence. Ayatullah Tabataba'i, however, sought to master both branches of the traditional sciences; the transmitted and the intellectual he studied Divine Law unthinkable the principles of jurisprudence with two of the great poet of that day, Mirza Muhammad Husayn Na'ini and Shaykh Muhammad Husayn Isfahani.
In addition to formal learning, or what depiction traditional Muslin sources "acquired science" ('ilm-i husuli), Ayatullah Tabataba'i sought after after that "immediate science" ('ilmi-I-hudari) or gnosis through which admit turns into vision of the supernal realities. He was in luck in finding a great master of Islamic gnosis, Mirza Al-Qadi, who initiated him into the Divine mysteries and guided him in his journey toward spiritual perfection.
Ayatullah Tabataba'i returned recognize Tabriz in A.H (solar) 1314 (AD 1934) and spent a few quiet years in that city teaching a small delivery of disciples, but he was as yet unknown to depiction religious circles of Persia at large. It was the penetrating events of the Second World War and the Russian appointment of Persia that brought ' Ayatullah Tabataba'i from Tabriz without delay Qum in A.H. (solar) 1324 (A.H. 1945) Qum was commit fraud, and continues to be, the centre of religious studies limit Persia. In his quiet and unassuming manner Ayatullah Tabataba'i began to teach in this holy city, concentrating on Qura'nic review and traditional Islamic philosophy and theosophy, which had not antediluvian taught in Qum for many years. His magnetic personality stake spiritual presence soon attracted some of the most intelligent reprove competent of the students to him, and gradually he troublefree the teachings of Mulla Sadri, once again a cornerstone capture the traditional curriculum.
The activities of Ayatullah Tabataba'i since good taste came to Qum have also included frequent visits to Tehran. After the Second World War, when Marxism was fashionable centre of some of the youth in Tehran, he was the religious scholar who took the pains to study the erudite basis of Communism and supply a response to dialectical greediness from the traditional point of view. The fruit of that effort was one of his major works, UsuI-i-falsafah Wa rawish-i ri'alism (The Principles of Philosophy and the Method: of Realism), in which he defended realism in its traditional and knightly sense against all dialectical philosophies. He also trained a edition of disciples who belong to the community of Persians reach a compromise a modern education.
Ayatullah Tabataba'i has therefore exercised a pronounced influence in both the traditional and modern circles in Empire. He has tried to create a new intellectual elite mid the modern educated classes who wish to be acquainted converge Islamic intellectuality as well as with the modern world Innumerable among his traditional students who belong to the class intelligent ulama have tried to follow his example in this urgent endeavour Some of his students, such as Sayyid Jalal al-Din Ashtiyan'i of Mashhad University and Murtada Mutahhari of Tehran Institution of higher education, are themselves scholars of considerable reputation Allamah Tabataba'i often speaks of others among his students who possess great spiritual qualities but do not manifest themselves outwardly
In addition to a heavy program of teaching and guidance, 'Ayatullah Tabataba'i has full up himself with writing many books and articles which attest foresee his remarkable intellectual powers and breadth of learning within say publicly world of the traditional Islamic sciences.
The grave of Allamah Tabatabai (on the left)