Al-Najm al-thaqib (book)

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Al-Najm al-thaqib
Bibliographical Information
Bibliographical Information
AuthorMirza Husayn Nuri
Original titleالنَجم الثاقِب في أحوال الإمام الغائِب)
LanguageArabic
Series2 vols.
SubjectImam al-Mahdi (a)
GenreHadith
Published1384/1964-5
PublisherJamkaran Mosque


Al-Najm al-thāqib fī aḥwāl al-imām al-ghāʾib* (Arabic: النَجم الثاقِب في أحوال الإمام الغائِب) is a book written on Imam al-Mahdi (a) in Farsi by Mirza Husayn Nuri in twelve chapters. He has used original Shiite sources about Imam al-Mahdi (a) as well as Sunni sources. The content of the book is about the twelfth Imam (a), proving his existence, the stories of those who have met him and the duties of believers in the occultation era.

Author

Main article: Mirza Husayn Nuri

Mirza Husayn Nuri was a notable hadith and rijal (biographical evaluation) scholar among Shi'ites figures in the fourteenth/twentieth century. He was born on Shawwal 18, 1254/ January 4, 1839 in Mazandaran province, Iran. Mirza Husayn Nuri started learning religious teachings from his childhood from Muhammad 'Ali Mahallati. Then he moved to Tehran to continue his education.

Mirza Husayn Nuri taught numerous students and wrote a lot of books in different domains, Mustadrak al-Wasa'il was the most notable book of him. Nuri passed away in 1320/1902.

Name of the Book

Muhaddith Nuri named his book as Najm al-thaqib on the situations of Imam al-Gha'ib (a) the hidden Imam (a). However the author of al-Dhari'a, Aqa Buzurg Tihrani, mentioned the name of this book as al-Najm al-thaqib fi ahwal al-Imam al-Gha'ib.[1] This book was published under the name of Najm al-thaqib.[2]

Inspiration

According to Aqa Buzurg Tihrani and the introduction of the book, Mirza Muhammad Hasan Shirazi recommended Muhaddith Nuri to write this book in 1312/1894-5.[3].[4]

Methodology

The author mentioned the sources of his book in the content and the editor of the book mentioned the volume and the page of the sources in footnotes. As the book is written in Farsi, Muhaddith Nuri ignored isnad (chain of transmission) and only cited the names of the main narrators. Only in special cases which were necessary "isnad" was cited.[5]

Chapters

  1. The first chapter is about stories about the birth of Imam al-Mahdi (a).
  2. The second chapter is about the names, titles and teknonyms of Imam al-Mahdi (a).
  3. The third chapter is written in two parts. The first part is about the reappearance of Imam (a) and the second part is about his characteristics and divine blessings given to him.
  4. The fourth chapter is about disagreements of Muslims on Imam al-Mahdi (a).
  5. The fifth chapter is about evidences on Imam al-Mahdi (a) in reports based on Sunni narrations.
  6. The sixth chapter is about evidences on Imam al-Mahdi (a) based on his kirama (extraordinary act of God).
  7. The seventh chapter is about those who have met Imam al-Mahdi (a) in the time of Major Occultation.
  8. The eighth chapter is about analyzing reports on visiting the twelfth Imam (a) and narrations on denial of those who claimed visiting Imam (a).
  9. The ninth chapter is about reports on those who were left wretched in harsh situations.
  10. The tenth chapter is about duties of people to Imam al-Mahdi (a).
  11. The eleventh chapter is about the times dedicated to Imam al-Mahdi (a).
  12. The twelfth chapter is about rituals and practices which can be helpful in visiting Imam al-Mahdi (a).[6]

Sources of the Book

The sources of this book which Muhaddith Nuri has applied are the main original books on Imam al-Mahdi (a) such as Kamal al-Din and Al-Ghayba by al-Nu'mani and al-Shaykh al-Tusi as well as biography books on the twelve Shi'ite Imams such as al-Irshad and Sunni sources.[7]

Glosses

Mirza Muhammad Hasan Shirazi and Mirza Abu l-Fadl al-Tihrani wrote glosses on al-Najm al-thaqib.

Publication

This book is published in Farsi and Arabic. The Farsi versions were published by Jamkaran Publications. The book was also translated by Sayyid Yasin al-Musawi and it was published by Anwar al-Huda Publication in 1415/1994-5.

Notes

  1. ↑ Āqā Buzurg al-Tihrānī, al-Dharīʿa, vol. 24, p. 69.
  2. ↑ Nūrī, Najm al-thāqib, cover of the book.
  3. ↑ Āqā Buzurg al-Tihrānī, al-Dharīʿa, vol. 24, p. 69.
  4. ↑ Nūrī, Najm al-thāqib, vol. 1, p. 36-37.
  5. ↑ Najm al-thāqib fī aḥwāl al-imām al-ghāʾib, Noor Digital Library.
  6. ↑ Nūrī, Najm al-thāqib, index of the book.
  7. ↑ Nūrī, Najm al-thāqib, vol. 1, p. 37-41.

References

  • Āqā Buzurg al-Tihrānī, Muḥammad Muḥsin. Al-Dharīʿa ilā taṣānīf al-shīʿa. Beirut: Dār al-Aḍwāʾ, [n.d].
  • Nūrī, Mīrzā Ḥusayn al-. Najm al-thāqib fī aḥwāl al-Imām al-ghāʾib'.. Qom: Intishārāt-i Masjid-i Jamkarān, 1384 AH.
  • Nūrī, Mīrzā Ḥusayn al-. Najm al-thāqib fī aḥwāl al-Imām al-ghāʾib'.. Qom: Intishārāt-i Masjid-i Jamkarān, 1412 AH.
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