Kashif al-Ghita' Family

Kashif al-Ghita' Family
Era	13th/19th and 14th/20th centuries
Lineage	Malik Ashtar
Head	Ja'far Kashif al-Ghita'
Naming	Shaykh Ja'far wrote a book named Kashf al-ghita'
Geography
Origin	Iraq, Hillah
Residence	Hillah, Najaf
Well-known Figures
Marja's	Ja'far Kashif al-Ghita', 'Ali b. Ja'far, Muhammad Husayn Kashif al-Ghita'
Scholars	Musa b. Ja'far, Hasan b. Ja'far, Mahdi b. 'Ali, 'Abbas b. 'Ali, Muhammad b. 'Ali, Muhammad Rida b. Musa, 'Abbas b. Hasan, Murtada b. 'Abbas, Hadi b. 'Abbas, 'Ali b. Muhammad Rida, Musa b. Muhammad Rida, Ahmad b. 'Ali, Muhammad Rida b. Hadi

Āl Kāshif al-Ghitāʾ (Arabic: آل کاشِف الغِطاء, Kashif al-Ghita family) from Shi'a scholarly families in thirteenth/nineteenth and fourteenth/twentieth centuries whose lineage reached Malik al-Ashtar. They were living around Hillah and then went to Najaf. Many scholars have emerged from this family and the most famous among them was al-Shaykh Ja'far Kashif al-Ghita', who was known as "Kashif al-Ghita" as he has written a book named Kashf al-ghita'.

Muhammad Husayn Kashif al-Ghita', one of the Marja's of fourteenth/twentieth century, is from this family. Fighting Akhbarism and promoting Usuli thoughts of al-Wahid al-Bihbahani was one of the attributes of this family.

Lineage and Origin

This family was from Banu Malik tribe and it is said that they reach Malik b. al-Harith b. 'Abd Yaghuth, known as Malik al-Ashtar al-Nakha'i (d. 38/658-9), the famous companion of Imam 'Ali (a). Therefore, they are also called al-Maliki.

Their ancestors lived in Junajiya or Qanaqiya, a village near Hillah, thus they were also known as al-Junaji. In late twelfth/eighteenth century, father of Shaykh Ja'far immigrated to Najaf.

Famous Scholars

Scholars have come from this family some of whom made important scientific and political influences in Iraq, Iran and some Islamic countries and Shi'a communities. One of the attributes of these scholars was that they were Usuli and always fought with Akhbari scholars. Therefore, they made an important role in promoting Usuli thoughts of al-Wahid al-Bihbahani (d. 1205/1791) and conveying them to scholars of fourteenth/twentieth century. Some of the famous scholars of Kashif al-Ghita Family were as follows:

Ja'far Kashif al-Ghita'

Ja'far b. Khidr b. Yahya, knwon as "Kashif al-Ghita'" (b. 1156/1743-4 – d. 1228/1813) was the founder of Kashif al-Ghita' family and was known as Ja'far al-Kabir and Shaykh al-Mashayikh. He was a scholar in jurisprudence, principles of jurisprudence, and theology. He was also a researcher, writer, Shi'a authority, poet and man of literature. Shaykh Ja'far was among those educated in Usuli school of al-Wahid al-Bihbahani and an advocate of ijtihad and defended using intellect and reason in understanding beliefs and religious rulings. His important work was Kashf al-ghita' 'an khafiyyat mubhamat al-shari'a al-gharra' and thus he was titled as "Kashif al-Ghita'".

Musa b. Ja'far

Musa b. Ja'far Kashif al-Ghita' (b. 1180/1766-7 – d. 1243/1827) was a scholar in jurisprudence and principles of jurisprudence, a man of literature and a poet, eldest son of al-Shaykh Ja'far Kashif al-Ghita'. He was born in Najaf, learned primary level of sciences and advanced levels of jurisprudence and principles of jurisprudence with his father and reached the level of ijtihad.

His brothers al-Shaykh Hasan and al-Shaykh Muhammad Hasan (knwon as Sahib Jawahir) benefited from his class. Al-Shaykh Musa was respected before Iranian and 'Ottoman governments and both governments benefited from his credit for settling their disputes and thus he became famous as al-Muslih (conciliator). Munyat al-raghib which is a commentary on his father's Bughyat al-talib is his work.

'Ali b. Ja'far

'Ali b. Ja'far Kashif al-Ghita' (b. 1197/1782-3 – d. 1253/1837-8) was a scholar in jurisprudence and a poet, son of al-Shaykh Ja'far Kashif al-Ghita'. After his brother al-Shaykh Musa passed away, it became unclear whether he or al-Shaykh Muhammad Hasan was the true Shi'a authority. Khidr b. Shallal al-'Afkawi regarded 'Ali more knowledgeable than Muhammad Hasan.

Sayyid Ibrahim al-Qazwini (d. 1264/1847-8), al-Shaykh Murtada al-Ansari (d. 1281/1864), al-Shaykh Radi (d. 1290/1873-4), al-Sayyid Mahdi al-Qazwini (d. 1300/1882-3) and al-Shaykh Ja'far al-Shushtari (d. 1303/1885) studied under him.

Hasan b. Ja'far

Hasan b. Ja'far Kashif al-Ghita' (b. 1201/1786 – d. 1262/1846) was a scholar in jurisprudence and principles of jurisprudence, a man of literature and a poet. He studied primary sciences with his father and afterwards participated in the classes of his brother al-Shaykh Musa, al-Sayyid Muhammad Jawad al-'Amili, al-Shaykh Asad Allah al-Tustari, al-Sayyid 'Abd Allah Shubbar, al-Shaykh 'Ali al-Bahrani, and al-Shaykh Sulayman al-Qatifi. He finished Advanced level classes in jurisprudence and principles of jurisprudence and received permission for narrating hadiths from them. He was knowledgeable in most sciences of his time, but he was most famous for jurisprudence. Al-Shaykh Murtada al-Ansari, Mulla 'Ali Khalili, al-Sayyid Mahdi al-Qazwini, Ahmad al-Dujayli, Hasan al-Balaghi and al-Shaykh Hasan al-Mamaqani were among his students. Before his brother passed away, he lived in Hillah but then he went to Najaf in 1243/1827-8 and began teaching there. His works are:

Anwar al-fiqaha which is almost one complete course on demonstrative jurisprudence in some volumes with the same style as al-Shahid al-Awwal's al-Lum'at al-Dimashqiyya.
Al-Silah al-madi fi ahkam al-qadi.
Sharh muqaddama kitab Kashf al-ghita' in principles of jurisprudence.
Al-Risala al-sawmiyya al-'ilmiyya
Al-Zakat wa l-khums wa l-sawm
Al-Imama in kalam
Al-'Amal which is a compliment to his father's book, Bughyat al-talib
A compliment to his father's book, Sharh qawa'id

Mahdi b. 'Ali

Mahdi b. 'Ali (b. 1226/1811-2 – d. 1289/1872) was a scholar in jurisprudence and principles of jurisprudence, a marja', man of literature and a poet. He was born in Najaf, learned Islamic sciences with his father, al-Shaykh Hasan, his brother al-Shaykh Muhammad and other scholars in Najaf and reached the level of ijtihad. He received the permission for narrating hadith from his father and his uncle Hasan. He was a distinguished teacher of jurisprudence and principles of jurisprudence in his time. Al-Shaykh Hasan al-Mamaqani, al-Sayyid Isma'il al-Sadr (d. 1338/1919), Shaykh Fadl Allah Nuri (d. 1327/1909), al-Shaykh 'Abd Allah al-Mazandarani (d. 1330/1912) and al-Sayyid Kazim al-Yazdi (d. 1337/1919) were distinguished students of his classes. He was among al-Shaykh Murtada al-Ansari's trusted scholars. Al-Shaykh al-Ansari referred to him in many religious and common issues. After al-Shaykh al-Ansari passed away, some of the people of Iran, Caucasus and Iraq emulated him in religious rulings. Some of his works is as follows:

Al-Khiyarat, a commentary on Sharayi' al-Islam
Kitab al-sawm
Al-La'ali al-Najafiyya, which is his treatise of practical rulings.
Al-Makasib al-muharrama

'Abbas b. 'Ali

'Abbas b. 'Ali (b. 1242/1826-7 – d. 1315/1897-8) was a scholar in jurisprudence and principles of jurisprudence, a man of literature and a poet. He was born in Najaf. He lost his father in childhood and grew up under guardianship of his uncle al-Shaykh Hasan and his brothers. He participated in the class of al-Shaykh Murtada al-Ansari for a while and then attended the classes of his brother al-Shaykh Mahdi, al-Shaykh Radi al-Najafi, Mirza Muhammad Hasan Shirazi, Shaykh Muhammad Husayn Kazimi, Mirza Habib Allah Rashti, and Sayyid Mahdi Qazwini and reached the level of ijtihad. He held classes in which many scholars participated. After his brother al-Shaykh Habib Al Kashif al-Ghita' (d. 1307/1889-90), 'Abbas reached a great position in religious leadership. He passed away in Hindiyya and was buried in Najaf.

His works are: Mawarid al-anam fi sharh Sharayi' al-Islam, Risala fi l-shurut, Risala fi l-usul and Risala 'amaliyya for emulators.

Muhammad b. 'Ali

Muhammad b. 'Ali (d. 1268/1851) was a scholar in jurisprudence and principles of jurisprudence and a poet. He was born in Najaf. He acquired knowledge from scholars of his family and reached great levels in knowledge and jurisprudence. He was a student of his uncle Shaykh Hasan (author of Anwar al-fiqaha ) and after he and Shaykh Muhammad Hasan, Sahib Jawahir passed away, became the marja' for some people in Iraq. Some Shi'a scholars in jurisprudence in thirteenth/nineteenth century were among his students. He made great efforts for solving people's problems before Ottoman rulers. His works were:

al-Dima' al-thalatha
Risala fi l-sawm
al-I'tikaf
Manasik hajj

Muhammad Rida b. Musa

Muhammad Rida b. Musa (b. 1238/1822 – d. 1297/1879) was among scholars of Al Kashif al-Ghita' in jurisprudence. He was born in Najaf. He learned primary levels of sciences with al-Shaykh Ibrahim al-Qaftan (d. 1279/1879) and al-Shaykh Musa al-Khamayisi. He learned jurisprudence from al-Shaykh Ahmad al-Dujayli (d. 1265/1489), his uncle al-Shaykh Hasan and al-Shaykh Muhammad Hasan (Sahib Jawahir). During a disputes in Najaf went to Kadhimiya. After three years of staying there, went back to Najaf in 1290/1873 and wrote a marginal note on his forefather, Shaykh Ja'far's Bughyat al-talib.

'Abbas b. Hasan

'Abbas b. Hasan (b. 1253/1837 – d. 1323/1905) was a scholar in jurisprudence and principles of jurisprudence, a man of literature and a poet. He was born in Najaf and studied primary level of sciences under scholars of that city and then passed Advanced level classes of jurisprudence and principles of jurisprudence with his cousin al-Shaykh Mahdi Al Kashif al-Ghita', al-Shaykh Muhammad Husayn al-A'sam, al-Shaykh Murtada al-Ansari, Habib Allah Rashti and al-Mirza al-Shirazi in Samarra. He received permission for narrating hadiths from the mentioned teachers as well as from al-Shaykh Radi al-Najafi. He was talented in poetry and literature. Some of his works:

Manhal al-ghamam fi sharh Sharayi' al-Islam
Nabadha al-ghari fi ahwal al-Hasan al-Ja'fari
Al-Fawa'id al-'Abbasiyya on jurisprudence and principles of jurisprudence
Sharh al-Rawdat al-bahiyya
Al-Wurud al-Ja'fariyya fi hashiya al-Riyad al-Tabataba'iyya
Dala'il al-Imama
Al-Durr al-nadid fi l-taqlid
Risala fi mabahith al-alfaz
Risala fi l-ta'adul wa al-tarajih
Some poems on explaining jurisprudential, literary and other issues are attributed to him as well.

Murtada b. 'Abbas

Murtada b. 'Abbas (b. 1291/1874 – d. 1349/1930) was a scholar in jurisprudence and principles of jurisprudence, writer and poet. He was born in Najaf. He grew up with his father's education and learned preliminaries in religious sciences from the scholars of his family. He then studied principles of jurisprudence under al-Akhund al-Khurasani and jurisprudence under al-Sayyid Kazim al-Yazdi and received permission for narrating hadiths from al-Sayyid Muhammad and al-Sayyid Mahdi al-Qazwini. Some of his works are:

Fawz al-'ibad fi l-mabda' wa al-ma'ad in three volumes published in Najaf in 1342/1923-4,
Manshuma fi l-awan al-shar'iyya, published in Tehran in 1322/1904-5,
Al-Ghurar al-gharawiyya fi l-ahkam al-zakawiyya published in Baghdad in 1329/1911,

Hadi b. 'Abbas

Hadi b. 'Abbas (b. 1289/1872 – d. 1361/1942) was a scholar in jurisprudence and principles of jurisprudence, a researcher, a man of literature and a poet. He was born in Najaf. After he passed basics in sciences, he studied jurisprudence and principles of jurisprudence under Shaykh al-Shari'a al-Isfahani, al-Sayyid Kazim al-Yazdi, al-Shaykh Muhammad Taha Najaf (d. 1329/1911) and al-Akhund al-Khurasani. He received permission for narration of hadiths from Taha Najaf, al-Sayyid Husayn al-Qazwini, al-Sayyid Muhsin al-Sadr al-Kazimi and Shaykh Aqa Rida Isfahani (d. 1322/1904). He was famous in poetry and literature. He was considered among founders of literary movement of 14th/20th century of Iraq. He had some works some of which are as following:

Al-Maqbuliyya al-Husayniyya, poems, Najaf, 1342/1923-4
Al-Mustadrak 'ala Nahj al-balagha, Najaf, 1354/1935-6
Madarik Nahj al-balagha, supplement to Mustadrak, Najaf, 1354/1935-6
Awjaz al-anba' fi maqtal Sayyid al-Shuhada', supplement to al-Maqbuliyya al-Husayniyya, Najaf, 1342/1923-4
Huda al-muttaqin, on jurisprudence, Najaf, nd.

'Ali b. Muhammad Rida

'Ali b. Muhammad Rida (b. 1267/1850 – d. 1350/1931) was a scholar, a man of literature, historian and poet. He was born in Najaf and passed different levels of science and education there. He received permission for narrating hadiths from scholars such as al-Shaykh Mahdi Al Kashif al-Ghita', al-Shaykh Radi al-Najafi, al-Shaykh Ja'far al-Shushtari, al-Shaykh Muhammad Hasan al-Mamaqani and al-Shaykh Jawad Muhy al-Din. He made great efforts in social issues and solving and people's problems and was respected before Ottoman rulers of Baghdad. He was friend with Sari Pasha, ruler of Baghdad who was among men of literature and praised him a lot. In 1295/1878 he traveled to Iran and lived in Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz and Mashhad for seven years and in 1302/1884 returned to Najaf. He also had a journey to Syria, Hijaz, Egypt, Istanbul, and India. Al-Shaykh 'Ali Al Kashif al-Ghita' loved to collect books and was himself considered among researchers and writers. Some of his works:

Kitab al-husun al-mani'a fi tabaqat al-Shi'a in seven volumes is his most important work which is unfinished. The main theme of the book includes twelve classes of people titled as Companions, Followers, narrators, scholars, theosophists, theologians, Arab scholars, Sufi leaders, kings, commanders, ministers, poets and women among whom only the class of Companions, some of the scholars and a little from poets are compiled.
Al-Nawafih al-'anbariyya fi l-ma'athir al-sirriyya
Samir al-hadir wa anis al-musafir in five volumes on miscellaneous issues.

Musa b. Muhammad Rida

Musa b. Muhammad Rida (b. 1260/1844 – d. 1306/1888) was a scholar in jurisprudence and a man of literature. He was born in Najaf. He learned sciences of his time from scholars in Najaf including al-Shaykh Muhammad Husayn al-Kazimi (d. 1308/1890). Afterwards, he traveled to Samarra and attended the class of Muhammad Hasan al-Shirazi. It is said that he received permission for narrating hadiths from him. After his father passed away, he traveled to Isfahan in 1298/1880. Once again in 1306/1888, he went to Iran when he passed away in Tehran.

Ahmad b. 'Ali

Ahmad b. 'Ali (b. 1292/1875 – d. 1344/1925) was a scholar in jurisprudence and a marja'. After passing preliminaries of sciences, he traveled to Samarra and studied there for a while and then went to Najaf. He studied Advanced level of jurisprudence and principles of jurisprudence under al-Sayyid Kazim al-Yazdi, Shaykh Rida Isfahani and al-Akhund al-Khurasani. After the Constitutional Revolution of Iran (1324/1906), he distanced from his teacher al-Akhund al-Khurasani due to his support of the constitution and became close to al-Sayyid Kazim al-Yazdi who was a critic of constitution. Towards the end of his life, after al-Yazdi passed away, he was considered among marja's and even with the existence of scholars such as Muhammad Husayn Na'ini and al-Sayyid Abu l-Hasan al-Isfahani, some people in Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan emulated from him.

He received permission for narrating hadiths from Mirza Husayn Khalili Tihrani in 1325/1907. He finally passed away in Najaf and was buried there. Some of his works which were mostly on jurisprudence are:

Ahsan al-hadith fi ahkam al-mawarith, Najaf 1341/1923
Safinat al-najah, Najaf 1338/1920; this book is his treatise in practical rulings in two volumes. One of his students translated it to Persian with the title of 'Ayn al-hayat. It was published in Mumbai, 1341/1923 – 1345/1927
Qala'id al-durar fi manasik man hajj aw i'tamar, Baghdad, 1344/1925-6.

Muhammad Husayn Kashif al-Ghita'

Muhammad Husayn b. 'Ali Al Kashif al-Ghita' (b. 1294/1877 – d. 1373/1954) was the Shi'a noble thinker and one of the marja's in Najaf. He was knowledgeable in jurisprudence, speech, Arab literature, philosophy, theosophy, exegesis and 'Irfan. He was known among the first scholars in jurisprudence who began comparative jurisprudence in studying of jurisprudence in the seminary of Najaf. Kashif al-Ghita' had many works especially in introducing Shi'a and Asl al-Shi'a wa usuluha in introduction and defense of Shi'a is among his works. He was concerned about Islamic unity and awareness and his efforts to introduce Shi'a and defend it was mainly to provide the grounds for proximity and unity among Islamic sects. Kashif al-Ghita' paid special attention to society and politics and participated in armed struggles against British occupiers during World War I.

Muhammad Rida b. Hadi

Muhammad Rida b. Hadi (b. 1310/1892 – d. 1366/1947) was a scholar in jurisprudence, a man of literature and a poet. He was born in Najaf. After learning preliminaries in sciences, learned jurisprudence and principles of jurisprudence from his father and other scholars in Najaf. He was a knowledgeable man of literature whose works were published in different journals. He passed away in Beirut and was buried in Najaf. Some of his works:

Hayat al-Sharif al-Radi, Najaf, 1353/1934
Al-Ghayb wa al-shahada, najaf, 1346/1927-8
Tahqiq kitab Haqa'iq al-ta'qil fi mutashabih al-tanzil by Sayyid Radi, 5 vol., Najaf, 1355/1936,
al-Sawt wa mahiyyatuh in al-Murshid periodical.
Some of his poems were published in Shu'ara' al-ghura in 1374/1955.

Software of the Works of Kashif al-Ghita' Family

Software program of the works of Kashif al-Ghita' family includes 123 books on beliefs, tafsir, jurisprudence, principles of jurisprudence, ethic, history and biographies. This software program has been made by the Computer Research Center of Islamic Sciences.

References

The material for writing this article has been mainly taken from خاندان کاشف الغطاء in Farsi wikishia.