Muhammad b. Ali al-Karajuki

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Muhammad b. Ali al-Karajuki
Personal Information
Full NameMuhammad b. 'Ali b. 'Uthman al-Karajaki
TeknonymAbu l-Fath
Religious AffiliationTwelver Shi'a
Place of BirthKarajuk, Wasit
ResidenceBaghdad, Tyre
Studied inBaghdad
Death449/1057
Burial PlaceTyre
Scholarly Information
Professorsal-Shaykh al-Mufid, al-Shaykh al-Tusi, al-Najashi , ...


Abu l-Fatḥ Muḥammad b. ʿAlī b. ʿUthmān al-Karājukī (al-Karājakī) (Arabic: ابوالفتح محمد بن علي بن عثمان الکَراجُکي (الکَراجَکي)) (d. 449/1057) was a Shi'a scholar in 4th/10th and 5th/11th centuries. He was a student of al-Shaykh al-Mufid and al-Shaykh al-Tusi. Some Shi'a and Sunni scholars have admired him for his scholarly significance and character.

Biography

There is no information about the year and place of Abu al-Fath al-Karajaki's birth. The only thing known is that he resided in the city of Ramla. According to Sayyid 'Abd al-'Aziz al-Karimi, some people believe that he was from "Karajuk", a village near Wasit. Given the year of his death (449/1057), he was probably born in late 4th/10th century.

Al-Karajaki was very enthusiastic about learning. During his lifetime, he constantly travelled to different parts of various Islamic and non-Islamic lands. He is also mentioned as one of the greatest scholars of fiqh and hadith in the 5th/11th century. Shi'a scholars have cited his work.

Abu l-Fath al-Karajaki died on Rabi' II 2, 449/June 8, 1057.

Teachers and Students

Al-Karajaki met many of his contemporary scholars, attending their lectures and hearing hadiths from them. His most important teachers include:

His students include 'Abd al-Rahman al-Khaza'i al-Nishaburi, Abu Muhammad al-Habashi, and Husayn b. Hibat Allah al-Tarabulusi.

Scholarly Significance and Reliability

Some Shi'a and Sunni scholars have commented on the scholarly significance and reliability of al-Karajaki:

  • In his introduction to the book, Ma'din al-jawahir, Sayyid Ahmad al-Husayni introduced al-Karajaki as a scholar of Arabic literature, lexicology, astronomy, medicine, kalam, fiqh, and hadiths.
  • Al-Hurr al-'Amili characterized al-Karajaki as a knowledgeable scholar, a practitioner of kalam, fiqh, hadiths, and a highly respected reliable person.
  • Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi said about al-Karajaki that he was a great scholar and practitioner of kalam, to whom many holders of permissions for transmission of hadith traces back.
  • In many of his books, al-Shahid al-Awwal described al-Karajaki as "'Allama" (a title that implies the highest ranking of knowledgeability) whereas he refers to al-'Allama al-Hilli as "Fadil" (a title that implies a ranking of knowledgeability lower than "'Allama").
  • Al-Dhahabi, a Sunni scholar, referred to al-Karajaki as "a head of Shi'as, a great Shi'a scholar, a master of Shi'a fiqh and usul al-fiqh, a scholar of Arabic syntax, astronomy, and medicine".
  • Another Sunni scholar, al-Yafi'i, wrote: "in this year (449/1057) Abu l-Fath Muhammad b. 'Ali al-Karajaki passed away. He was a head of Shi'as and the author of numerous works concerning Arabic syntax, lexicology, astronomy, medicine, and kalam".

It seems that he was most particularly a master of hadith and fiqh, although because of his mastery of other various disciplines, he was characterized as "'Allama".

Work

Abu l-Fath al-Karajaki wrote many works concerning different fields. According to Sayyid Ahmad Husayni, he wrote about 70 works as enumerated by some scholars.

  1. Kanz al-fawa'id; His most important work is Kanz al-fawa'id. According to Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Khwansari, "Kanz al-fawa'id is one of the best written works of this great scholar which is available to us today".
  2. Al-Tafdil
  3. Ma'dan al-jawahir wa riyadat al-khawatir
  4. Al-Istinsar fi al-nass 'ala a'immat al-athar
  5. Risala fi tafdil Amir al=Mu'minin
  6. Al-Karr wa l-farr fi al-imama
  7. Risala fi haqq al-walidayn
  8. Akhbar al-ahad
  9. Mas'ala fi al-mash
  10. ...

References