Ahmad al-Naraqi
| Personal Information | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Ahmad b. Muhammad Mahdi b. Abi Dhar al-Naraqi |
| Well-Known As | Mulla Ahmad al-Naraqi, al-Fadil al-Naraqi |
| Well-Known Relatives | Muhammad Mahdi al-Naraqi (father) |
| Birth | 1185/1771-2 |
| Residence | Naraq |
| Studied in | Naraq, Kashan, Najaf |
| Death | Rabi' II 23, 1245/October 22, 1829 |
| Burial Place | Shrine of Imam Ali (a), Najaf |
| Scholarly Information | |
| Professors | Mulla Mahdi al-Naraqi, al-Sayyid Mahdi Bahr al-'Ulum, Mirza Muhammad Mahdi al-Musawi al-Shahristani, ... |
| Students | Al-Shaykh Murtada al-Ansari, Aqa Muhammad Baqir Hizar Jaribi, ... |
| Works | Mi'raj al-sa'ada, 'Awa'id al-ayyam min muhimmat al-ahkam, Mustanad al-Shi'a fi ahkam al-shari'a, ... |
| Socio-Political Activities | |
| Socio-Political Activities | Leading people against Russian forces |
Aḥmad b. Muḥammad Mahdi b. Abī Dhar al-Narāqī (Arabic: احمد بن محمد مهدی بن ابی ذر نراقی), or Mulla Aḥmad Narāqī (Persian: ملا احمد النراقی) known as al-Fāḍil al-Narāqī (Persian: فاضل نراقی) (b. 1185/1771-2 – d. 1245/1829) was son of Mahdi al-Naraqi. He was among Shia scholars of 13th/19th century. He was born in Naraq and passed primary educations with his father. He then went to Iraq and benefited from the scholars there. He studied with teachers including al-Sayyid Muhammad Mahdi Bahr al-'Ulum, al-Mirza Mahdi al-Shahristani, al-Shaykh Ja'far Kashif al-Ghita' and Al-Sayyid 'Ali al-Tabataba'i, the author of Riyad al-masa'il and after his father passed away, he became the sole authority for the people of his hometown.
Mulla Ahmad had many works in Islamic sciences including the two great books in fiqh, Mustanad al-Shi'a and 'Awa'id al-ayyam and the ethical book, Mi'raj al-sa'ada.
Al-Fadil al-Naraqi joined with people during the invasion of Russians to Iran and taking some regions and led people's demonstrations.
Life
Ahmad was born in 1185/1771-2 in Naraq. He passed primary and first level of seminary education in Kashan before his father when he was a teenager and soon passed scientific levels and began teaching Ma'alim and Mutawwal. In 1205/1790-1, he went to the holy cities in Iraq with his father and benefited from teachers there. After he achieved the level of ijtihad, he began teaching, discussion and compilation of different works.
After his father passed away in 1209/1795, inevitably Ahmad al-Naraqi came back to Kashan and became the sole authority there.
On Rabi' II 23, 1245/October 22, 1829, he passed away due to cholera which prevailed in Naraq, Kashan, and surrounding areas. His body was taken to Najaf and was buried beside the grave of his father, behind the grave of Imam Ali (a).
Children
Ahmad al-Naraqi had two sons:
- Muhammad, titled as "Abd al-Sahib" and known as "hujjat al-Islam". He had some works some of which have been published. He passed away at the age of 80, in 1297/1879-80 in Kashan.
- Nasir al-Din; he had several works including a commentary on al-Kafi.
Teachers
- His father, Mahdi al-Naraqi
- Al-Sayyid Mahdi Bahr al-'Ulum
- Muhammad Mahdi al-Musawi al-Shahristani
- Al-Shaykh Ja'far Kashif al-Ghita'
- Al-Sayyid 'Ali al-Tabataba'i (the author of Riyad al-Masa'il)
Through his father, he narrated from al-Shaykh Yusuf al-Bahrani, Mulla Rafi' Gilani, and Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi.
Pupils
Some great scholars benefited from the presence of al-Fadil al-Naraqi including:
- Al-Shaykh Murtada al-Ansari
- Aqa Muhammad Baqir Hizar Jaribi
- His brother, Muhammad Mahdi b. Muhammad Mahdi al-Naraqi (d. 1286/1869-70), known as Aqa Buzurg
- Sayyid Muhammad Shafi' Husayni Japalaqi
- Muhammad Hasan Jasbi
- Haj Mawla Muhammad, titled as 'Abd al-Sahib, grandson of al-Muhaqqiq al-Qummi
- Brother of Haj Mirza Abu l-Qasim Kashani
Scientific Position
Ahmad al-Naraqi had a special position among scholars of recent centuries. He was among top scholars of his time in different Islamic sciences such as fiqh, usul al-fiqh, hadith, rijal, diraya, mathematics, astronomy, philosophy, kalam, ethics, Arabic literature and poetry.
Works
There are several works left after him including:
Fiqh
- Al-At'ima wa l-ashriba
- Asrar al-hajj
- Al-Risala al-'amaliyya
- Al-Rasa'il wa l-masa'il
- Hashiya al-rawda al-bahiyya
- Risala l-rida'
- Risala fi munajjizat al-marid
- 'Awa'id al-ayyam min muhimmat al-ahkam
- Al-Qada' wa l-shahadat
- Mustanad al-Shi'a fi ahkam al-shari'a
- Manasik al-hajj
- Wasilat al-najat
- Hidayat al-Shi'a
- Tadhkirat al-ahbab
Usul al-Fiqh
- Ijtima' al-amr wa l-nahy
- Asas al-ahkam fi tanqih 'umdah masa'il al-usul bi-l-ahkam
- Tanqih al-fusul fi sharh al-tajrid
- Hujjiyyat al-mazanna
- 'Ayn al-usul
- 'Ayn al-yaqin
- Miftah al-ahkam fi usul al-fiqh or Miftah al-usul
- Manahij al-ahkam fi usul al-fiqh or Manahij al-usul
Mathematics and Astronomy
- Sharh muhassal al-hay'a
- Sharh rasa'il al-hisab
- Hashiya akr thawdhusius, marginal notes on Tahrir akr of Mahdi al-Naraqi
Philosophy, Ethics, etc.
- Sayf al-umma wa burhan al-milla
- Mi'raj al-sa'ada
- Diwan Safa'i Naraqi
- Khaza'in
- Taqdis or Mathnawi Lisan al-Ghayb or Mathnawi shifa'i
- Mushkilat al-'ulum
- Sharh hadith jasad al-mayyit
Software of the Library of Fadilayn Naraqi
Following a suggestion by some top scholars of Naraq and the support of the scholars in the Islamic seminary of Qom for acknowledgment of the scientific position of Muhammad Mahdi al-Naraqi and Ahmad al-Naraqi and the order of the commemoration congress for Fadilayn-i Naraqi, a software was made and distributed by the Computer Research Center of Islamic Sciences (Noor).
Poems
Ahmad al-Naraqi was talented in poetic devices and had the pen name of Safa'i. Most of his poems were ethical, romantic and mystical.
Fighting Deviations
He was competent in Arabic, Hebrew, and Latin and his knowledge about different sciences helped him compile various books. Sayf al-umma wa burhan al-milla which is written to answer questions of the British pastor Henry Martin shows his knowledge in Christianity and his caution in answering deviated thoughts.
Political Activities
Al-Naraqi lived during the rule of Qajar, especially the time of Fath Ali Shah Qajar. At that time, Russians had taken some areas from the north of Iran and treated the people there in the worst possible fashion.
According to the author of Tarikh-i siyasi wa diplomasi, political activities of Ahmad al-Naraqi beside the activities of other clergymen of his time helped influence the declaration of war by Iran against Russian forces and eventually at the end of Muharram 1242/1826, areas given to Russia based on Gulistan treaty, were taken by Iran.
Commemoration Congress
The three day congress for acknowledgment of Fadilayn-i Naraqi was held in Qom, Kashan and Naraq in May 22-24, 2002. In this congress which was held to acknowledge the scientific, ethical, political, and social positions of these two famous Shia scholars, Muhammad Mahdi al-Naraqi and Ahmad al-Naraqi. Many teachers and scholars of university and seminary attended this congress; some of them gave lecture and some others presented their papers.
References
- The material for this article is mainly taken from ملا احمد نراقی in Farsi WikiShia.