Tuhfat al-za'ir (book)

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Tuhfat al-za'ir
AuthorAl-Allama al-Majlisi
Original titleتُحْفَةُ الزّائِر
LanguagePersian
Series1 vol.
SubjectZiyara
Published1386 sh/2007-8
PublisherPayam-i Imam Hadi (a) publication


Tuḥfat al-zāʾir (Arabic: تُحْفَةُ الزّائِر) is a book in Persian about ziyaras of the Infallible Ones (a). Al-Allama al-Majlisi claimed that he narrated ziyaras from reliable sources. Payam-i Imam Hadi (a) publication made the research about this work and published it in 1386 sh/2007-8.

Author

Muhammad Baqir b. Muhammad Taqi b. al-Maqsud 'Ali al-Majlisi known as al-'Allama al-Majlisi or the Second Majlisi (b. 1037/1627-8 – d. 1110/1699) is one of the most famous scholars in jurisprudence and hadith in the world of Islam. He was among the nobilities of Shi'a at the time of Safavids. He was an expert in different Islamic sciences such as exegesis, hadith, jurisprudence, principles of jurisprudence, history, rijal, diraya, philosophy, logic, mathematics, literature, lexicon, geography, medicine, astronomy, and occult sciences.

Goal of Writing

Since the rewards for ziyara of the noble Prophet (s) and Infallible Imams (a) are mentioned in many hadiths and most of books of ziyara were written in Arabic, the author decided to write a book about the manners of ziyara reliably reported from the Infallible Ones (a) in Persian so that Persian-speaking Shi'a would benefit from it.[1]

The Structure

Al-Allama al-Majlisi wrote the book in the month of Safar, 1085/1674 in Persian[2] and mentioned that he only reported those ziyaras which had reliable chains of transmission.[3] He organized the book containing twelve chapters and one ending.

Chapters of the Book

The preface, chapters and the ending are as follows:

  • Preface: journey and its manners
  • First chapter: the reward for repairing the graves of the noble Prophet (s) and Imams (a), and the reward for ziyara and its manners (in two parts)
  • Second chapter: merit and method of ziyara of the Prophet (s) and Lady Fatima (a) and Imams (a) buried in al-Baqi' cemetery (in eight parts)
  • Third chapter: merit and method of ziyara of Imam Ali (a) (in four parts)
  • Seventh chapter: general ziyara of Imam al-Husayn (a) (not specific to a certain time), its manner and supplications of its holy shrine (in six parts)
  • Eighth chapter: merits and method of time-specific ziyara of Imam al-Husayn (a) and his ziyara from a distance (in five parts)
  • Eleventh chapter: Jami'a ziyaras, istighatha and the method of salawat upon the Infallible Ones (a) (in three parts)
  • Twelfth chapter: Manners of ziyara by proxy and ziyara of descendants of Imams (a) and other holy shrines (in four parts)
  • Ending: Manners of visiting the visitors of Imams (a).[4]

Researches about the Book

  • The summary of Tuhfat al-za'ir, the author of which is unknown and its manuscript with number 4801 is kept in the central library of the University of Tehran.[6]
  • Mustadrak (compensation) of Tuhfat al-za'ir, written by Mirza Husayn Nuri (d. 1320/1902).[7] This was the last work of Muhaddith Nuri. There, he has mentioned ziyaras al-Allama al-Majlisi did not mention due to lack of authenticity, with authentic and reliable chains of transmission (together with the time-specific ziyara) and it was completed by Muhaddith Qummi (d. 1359/1941).[8]

Printing

Ansari Qummi considered the best print of Tuhfat al-za'ir printed in 1314/1896-7 by the efforts of Shaykh Fadl Allah Nuri, the son-in-law and nephew of Muhaddith Nuri.[9] Another print of the book was made by Payam-i Imam Hadi publications in 1386 sh/2007-8, after its correction and research by Imam Hadi (a) Institute.

Notes

  1. Majlisī, Tuḥfat al-zāʾir, p. 3-4.
  2. Dargāhī, Kitābshināsī Allāma Majlisī, p. 176.
  3. Anṣārī Qummī, Kitābshināsī taʾlifāt-i Allāma Majlisī, p. ?
  4. Majlisī, Tuḥfat al-zāʾir, p. 747-755.
  5. Āgā Buzurg al-Tihrānī, al-Dharīʿa, vol. 3, p. 438.
  6. Anṣārī Qummī, Kitābshināsī taʾlifāt-i Allāma Majlisī, 1369.
  7. Āgā Buzurg al-Tihrānī, al-Dharīʿa, vol. 3, p. 488.
  8. Anṣārī Qummī, Kitābshināsī taʾlifāt-i Allāma Majlisī, 1369.
  9. Anṣārī Qummī, Kitābshināsī taʾlifāt-i Allāma Majlisī, 1369.

References

  • Āgā Buzurg al-Tihrānī, Muḥammad Muḥsin. Al-Dharīʿa ilā taṣānīf al-shīʿa. Beirut: Dār al-Aḍwāʾ, [n.d].
  • Anṣārī Qummī, Naṣir al-Dīn. Kitābshināsī taʾlifāt-i Allāma Majlisī. Winter 1369. No 29.
  • Dargāhī, Ḥusayn. Kitābshināsī Allāma Majlisī. Tehran: Shams al-Ḍuḥā, 1386 Sh.
  • Majlisī, Muḥammad Bāqir al-. Tuḥfat al-zāʾir. Edited by Muʾassisa Imām Hādī. Qom: Payām-i Imām Hādī, 1386 Sh.