Muhammad Taqi al-Majlisi
 Tomb of al-Majlisi in Jami' Mosque of Isfahan | |
| Personal Information | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Muhammad Taqi b. Maqsud 'Ali al-Isfahani |
| Well-Known As | The First Majlisi |
| Religious Affiliation | Twelver Shi'a |
| Well-Known Relatives | al-'Allama al-Majlisi (son), Mulla Salih Mazandarani (son-in-law) |
| Birth | 1003/1594-5 |
| Place of Birth | Isfahan |
| Residence | Isfahan, Najaf |
| Studied in | Isfahan, Najaf |
| Death | 1070/1660 |
| Burial Place | Jami' Mosque of Isfahan |
| Scholarly Information | |
| Professors | Al-Shaykh al-Baha'i, Mirdamad |
| Students | al-'Allama al-Majlisi, Mulla Salih Mazandarani, ... |
| Permission for Hadith Transmission From | Sayyid Sharaf al-Din Ali Shulistani |
| Works | Rawda al-muttaqin, Lawami' Sahibqarani, ... |
| Scholarly Activities | Leading Friday Prayer |
Muḥammad Taqī b. Maqṣūd ʿAlī al-Iṣfāhanī (Arabic:محمد تقي بن مقصود علي الاصفهاني) (b. 1003/1594-5 – d. 1070/1660) known as the First Majlisi was the father of al-'Allama al-Majlisi and among the scholars of 11th/17th century. Al-Majlisi studied in Isfahan and Najaf. He taught religious sciences in Jami' Mosque of Isfahan and after his teachers al-Shaykh al-Baha'i and Mirdamad, led the Friday prayer in this mosque. He passed away in 1070/1660 in Isfahan and was buried in Jami' Mosque of that city. His most famous children are: Muhammad Baqir and Amina Baygum, the wife of Mulla Salih Mazandarani. He has many works such as: Rawdat al-muttaqin, Lawami' Sahibqarani and Riyad al-mu'minin.
Biography
Majlisi family were among the prominent scholarly families of Safavid time. Muhammad Taqi was born in Isfahan in 1003/1594-95. His father, Mulla Ali Majlisi was among Shi'a scholars. From his father's side, his lineage reached Abu Nu'aym al-Isfahani and from his mother's side, his lineage reached Muhammad b. Hasan Natanzi. He had a talent in poetry and his penname was Majlisi. In 1034/1624-5, he went to Najaf when he was 31. At the age of 33, he received permission for transmitting hadith from Sayyid Sharaf al-Din Ali Shulistani, a hadith scholar from the Seminary of Najaf. Then, al-Majlisi returned to Isfahan and began teaching in Jami' Mosque of Isfahan. After al-Shaykh al-Baha'i and Mirdamad, he was the first person who led the Friday Prayer. He passed away in Isfahan on Sha'aban 11, 1070/April 22, 1660 and was buried in Jami' Mosque of Isfahan.
Sayyid Muhammad Baqir Khwansari says he was the first one who spread Shi'a hadith after the emergence of Safivid.
Teachers
- His Father
- Mulla 'Abd Allah Shushtari
- al-Shaykh al-Baha'i
- Mirdamad
- Amir Ishaq Astarabadi
Students
He had several students most famous of which are Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi, his son, who wrote Bihar al-anwar; Mulla Salih Mazandarani, his son in law, who wrote a famous commentary on Usul al-Kafi; al-Sayyid Ni'mat Allah al-Jaza'iri, one of the greatest scholars of akhbarism; and Aqa Husayn Khwansari who had the scholarly and religious headship of his time.
Works
Al-Majlisi wrote some works.
His commentary has been one of the best commentaries on al-Shaykh al-Tusi's Tahdhib al-ahkam. It has been reprinted many times. Its new print has been in 14 volumes.
- Lawami' Sahibqarani known as Sharh faqih is a book in jurisprudence in Persian. It has been included in commentary and translation of al-Shaykh al-Saduq's Man la yahduruh al-faqih. Al-Majlisi avoided discussing about complicated scientific issues and idiomatic expressions and has sufficed to give short explanations about chains of transmission in Persian and the answers to some doubts.
Mirza 'Abd Allah Afandi has mentioned two other works of him: Risala fi l-rida' and a short treatise on the rights of parents.
Children
- 'Aziz Allah al-Majlisi
- 'Abd Allah al-Majlisi, he went to India and passed away in 1084/1673-4
- Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi, the author of Bihar al-anwar
- Amina Baygum, Mulla Salih Mazandarani's wife
- Wife of Muhammad 'Ali Astarabadi
- Wife of Mulla Mirza Muhammad Shirwani
- Wife of Mirza Kamal al-Din Muhammad Fasa'i, the commentator of al-Shafiya
References
- The material for this article is mainly taken from محمدتقی مجلسی in Farsi Wikishia.