Muhammad Amin al-Istarabadi: Difference between revisions

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'''Muḥammad Amīn b. Muḥammad Sharīf''' (Arabic:{{ia|محمد امین بن محمد شریف}}) (d. [[1036]]/1626-7), known as '''Amin Istarabadi''' (Arabic:{{ia|امین استرآبادی}}) is one of the Shi'a scholars and the founder of [[Akhbarism]]. He tried to introduce [[ijtihad]] of usulis as a threat; so that by referring to hadiths, he can revive the tradition of the predecessors. Throughout his book ''[[al-Fawa'id al-madaniyya]]'' his critical attitude towards [[al-Muhaqqiq al-Karaki]]'s method of ijtihad and sometimes towards usuli, in general, is evident.

He believed that the [[Infallible Imams (a)]] are the main addressees of the [[Qur'an]] and only they can deduct rulings from the Qur'anic verses that have several possible meanings. According to his viewpoint all hadiths in [[al-Kutub al-Arba'a]] (the four main Shi'a hadith sources) are authentic (Sahih).

There is no information from the early stage of his life. However, it is known that he spent a period of his youth in Shiraz and Studied intellectual sciences under Shah Taqi al-Din Nasabi for four years. Apparently, he moved to Najaf afterwards and studied narrative sciences under Sayyid Muhammad Ali ‘Amili, whom he mentioned as his first teacher in Hadith and Rijal. He also studied under Shaykh Hasan b. Zayn al-Din, Sahib Ma'alim, and received a Permission (of narration or Ijtihad) form him.  

A phrase in his book “al-Fawa'id” implies that during his second residence in Shiraz (from about 1010 to 1601), he has traveled to Mecca and stayed there for a while. The exact year of his arrival in Mecca is unknown, however it must not be sooner than 1014, as there is a manuscript by his handwriting, written in this year (1014) in Shiraz.  

His last teacher in Fiqh, Hadith and Rijal was Mirza Muhammad Istarabadi, who resided Mecca. He studied under Mirza Muhammad Istarabadi for about ten years beginning from 1015.

Zayn al-‘Abidin b. Nur al-Din Ali Kashani (d. 1040) and Husayn Zuhayri al-‘Amili are among his students in Mecca. “Risalat fi al-su'al ‘an ba'd al-masa'il al-mu'dala min al-asliyya wa al-far'iyya” is the result of Zuhayri'a discussions with his teacher, Istarabadi. Mulla Muhsin Fiyd Kashani was his student in Mecca for a while.  

The movement that Istarabadi founded was not unprecedented in Shi'a jurisprudential-theological tradition. He tried to introduce himself as the follower of the method of the early Shi'a Muhaddiths, such as Kulayni and Saduqayn (Ibn Babiwayh and Shaykh al-Saduq). However, his opponents did not accept this claim. Without a doubt, there was Akhbarism thought before Amin Istarabadi, but his reading and method of Akhbarism was special and different.

He tried to introduce Ijtihad of Usulis (the scholars who believe that ‘Ilm al-Usul (Principle of Jurisprudence) is necessary for deduction of a ruling) as a threat; so that by referring to Hadiths, he can revive the tradition of the predecessors.

The atmosphere of religious thoughts in Safavid era and role of some scholars such as Muhaqqiq al-Karki and their method in Ijtihad were affective in preparation the grounds for emergence of Akhbarism thoughts by Amin Istarabadi. However, his critical attitude toward Muhaqqiq al-Karki's method of Ijtihad and sometimes toward Usulis, in general, is evident throughout his book “al-Fawa'id al-madaniyya.”

He believed that the interpretation (Ta'wil) of the Qur'an based on personal opinions and thoughts are invalid, and it is only the infallible Ahl al-Bayt (a) that are allowed to interpret the Qur'an. Accordingly, deducting rulings from the verses that have the possibility of several meanings is impossible for people, except for the infallible Ahl al-Bayt (a) who are the true addressees of the Qur'an.

===Sunna of Prophet===

He believed that deduction of rulings from the Hadiths narrated form prophet Muhammad (s) is not permissible without searching and knowing the circumstances, abrogators and the abrogated (al-Nasikh and al-Masukh) of them, and this knowledge is only acquired by referring to Ahl al-Bayt (a).

In fact, Istarabadi founded his theory about the religion (Shari'a) on two bases: first, the perfection of the religion is in the Qur'an and Prophet's Hadiths. Second, the key for knowing the religion is reference to the knowledge of an infallible Imam, who is the heir of the Prophet (s) in this regard.  

Istarabadi believed that all Hadiths in al-Kutub al-Arba'a and most Shi'a Hadiths are authentic and correct. He argued that the source of al-Kutub al-Arba'a is [[Asl]]s that the companions of Ahl al-Bayt (a) had compiled and acted upon.

He strongly rejected the division of Hadiths into four kind: Sahih, Hasan, Muwaththaq and Da'if, by later Shi'a scholars, and said that it is not valid. He argued that it was not the method of the earlier Shi'a Muhaddiths and Faqihs.

Istarabadi thought that acquiring religious rulings by reason and intellect is not accepted; because relying on reason leads to Usuli and Fiqhi disputes, and defeats the purpose of sending prophets and descending divine books. Moreover, in his approach to Kalam (Islamic theology), he said that relying on Kalam which is based on logic and rational reasoning is wrong.

His only published work is “al-Fawa'id al-madaniyya fi al-radd ‘ala man qal bi al-Ijtihad wa al-Taqlid fi nafs al-ahkam al-ilahiyya” which introduces and explains the basis of his thoughts rejecting the the jurisprudential method of Usulis.  

- Sharh al-Istibsar or al-Fawa'id al-Makkiyya: is an incomplete commentary on al-Istibsar, written by al-Shaykh a-Tusi. The introduction of this commentary contains some discussions of ‘Ilm al-Hadith and Diraya. He also has written some glosses on al-Istibsar.  

- Sharh Tahdhib al-ahkam: an incomplete commentary on Tahdhib, written by al-Shaykh al-Tusi. In 1133, his glosses on Tahdhib and al-Istibsar were compiled together in one book titled as “Jami' al-hawashi.”

- His glosses on al-Kafi, written by Kulayni. Fadil al-Qazwini has collected his glosses and compiled this book.

- Danishnam-i Shahi: is a Persian treatise about Kalam and other topics. Istarabadi has authored this book in Mecca and after the first or the second edition of al-Fawa'id al-madaniyya. He dedicated this work to Sultan Muhammad Qutb Shah Dakni; thus Kohlberg guessed that he has probably stayed some years in India.  

- Glosses on Unmudhaj al-‘ulum, written by al-Dawani.

- Al-Masa'il al-thalath al-kalamiyya

- Risalat fi al-Bada'.

- Glosses on Ma'arij al-usul, written by al-Muhaqqiq al-Hilli.

According to Sayyid Ali Khan al-Madani, Istarabadi passed away in 1036 and was buried next to the grave of ‘Abd al-Mutallib and Abu Talib in Mecca.