Kitāb al-mazār , Manāsik al-mazār (Arabic: كِتاب المَزار؛ مَناسِك المَزار) known as al-Mazār al-ṣaghīr (Arabic: المَزار الصَغير) was written by al-Shaykh al-Mufid (d. 413/1022). In this book, al-Shaykh al-Mufid collected hadiths about visiting the graves of the Prophet (s) and Imams (a). It is among the most authentic sources of books about ziyara and supplication upon which Shia scholars have relied.
 | |
| Author | Al-Shaykh al-Mufid |
|---|---|
| Original title | كِتاب المَزار؛ مَناسِك المَزار |
| Language | Arabic |
| Series | 1 vol. |
| Subject | Supplications and Ziyaras |
| Genre | Hadith |
The Author
Muhammad b. Muhammad b. Nu'man (d. 413/1022) known as al-Shaykh al-Mufid was among Shia scholars of the end of 4th/10th century and beginning of 5th/11th century. He was among revivers of Islamic sciences and preachers of Shia culture and jurisprudence.
Goal of Writing
At the beginning of the book, al-Shaykh al-Mufid mentions his goal of writing it as:
"Since there was no independent book about visiting Imams (a) by scholars, I decided to write a book about the manner of visiting the shrines of Imam Ali (a) and Imam al-Husayn (a)."
Writing Approach and Order
Al-Shaykh al-Mufid wrote Kitab al-mazar with the same style of hadith books, i.e., he mentions the chain of transmission of every hadith first and then he brings the hadith from Imam (a).[1]
This book has 96 chapters, the first part of which has 67 chapters and the second part has 29 chapters.[2]
Message and Content
The book contains topics such as:
- Visiting Amir al-Mu'minin (a)
- Values of some places such as the mosque of Kufa and mosque of al-Sahla
- Obligation of visiting the grave of Imam al-Husayn (a)
- Reward for Ziyara Arba'in
- Visiting the grave of Aba l-Fadl al-'Abbas (a)
- Value of the soil of Karbala
- Visiting the grave of the Prophet (s)
- Visiting Imams (a) in Baqi' cemetery
- Ziyara Jami'a
- Visiting on behalf of someoneelse and its manners
- Value of visiting the graves of Shias.[3].[4]
Value of the Book
Before Kitab al-Mazar, there was no other authentic independent book about the manner of visiting the graves of Imams (a). Shaykh al-Ta'ifa, Abu Ja'far Muhammad b. Hasan al-Tusi, one of the students of al-Shaykh al-Mufid, quoted a great part of this book in his Tahdhib al-ahkam.
Sayyid 'Abd al-Karim b. Tawus in his book Farahat al-ghura and Ibrahim b. 'Ali al-Kaf'ami in his books al-Balad al-amin and al-Misbah, Al-Shahid al-Awwal in Al-Mazar, Ibn al-Mashhadi in Al-Mazar al-kabir and al-Majlisi in Bihar al-Anwar benefited from this book.[5].[6]
Translation
Kitab al-mazar was translated to Persian at the time of Nadir Shah, who donated a copy of it to Astan Quds Radawi in 1145/1732-3.
Copies and Prints
- A copy of the book is in the Library of Astan Quds Radawi in Mashhad which is written in 957/1550-1. This copy is donated by the daughter of Mirza Rida Khan b. Muhammad Hasan Na'ini.
- A copy in the library of Jami' Mosque of Goharshad.[7]
Al-Shaykh al-Mufid's Kitab al-mazar was published in 1409/1988-9 which was edited by Imam Mahdi (a) Institute.[8]
Notes
- ↑ Aḥmadī, Tārīkh hadīth-i Shīʿa, p. 331.
- ↑ Ṣabāḥī, Taʾlīfāt maʿrūf wa mawjūd Shaykh Mufīd: al-Mazār. p. ?
- ↑ Mufīd, Kitāb al-Mazār, index of the book.
- ↑ Aḥmadī, Tārīkh hadīth-i Shīʿa, p. 330-331.
- ↑ Mufīd, Kitāb al-Mazār, p. 12.
- ↑ Aḥmadī, Tārīkh hadīth-i Shīʿa, p. 329.
- ↑ Mufīd, Kitāb al-Mazār, p. 13.
- ↑ Aḥmadī, Tārīkh hadīth-i Shīʿa, p. 328.
References
- Aḥmadī, Mahdī. Tārīkh hadīth-i Shīʿa dar sadahā-yi chāhārum ta haftum hijrī. Qom: Dār al-Ḥadīth, 1389 Sh.
- Mufīd, Muḥammad b. Muḥammad al-. Kitāb al-Mazār. Qom: Kungira-yi Shaykh Mufīd, 1413 AH.
- Ṣabāḥī, Mahdī. Taʾlīfāt maʿrūf wa mawjūd Shaykh Mufīd: al-Mazār; Manāsik al-Mazār. Majmūʿa Maqālāt-i Kungira-yi Shaykh Mufīd. No 82.