Rawdat al-muttaqin (book)

Rawdat al-muttaqin (book)

Author	Muhammad Taqi al-Majlisi
Original title	رَوضَةُ المُتّقین فی شَرح مَن لا یحضُرهُ الفَقیه
Language	Arabic
Series	14 vol.
Subject	Jurisprudence
Published	1406/1985-6
Publisher	Islamic Cultural Institute of Kooshanpour

Rawḍat al-muttaqīn fī sharḥ man lā yaḥḍuruh al-faqīh' (Arabic: رَوضَةُ المُتّقین فی شَرح مَن لا یحضُرهُ الفَقیه, lit:the paradise of the pious in the exposition of the book, Man la yahduruh al-faqih), or Rawḍat al-muttaqīn fī sharḥ akhbār al-aʾimmat al-maʿṣumīn (Arabic: رَوضَةُ المُتّقین فی شَرح الاخبار الاَئمة المَعصومین, lit: the paradise of the pious in the exposition of hadiths from the Infallible Imams) is a book by Muhammad Taqi al-Majlisi, known as the First Majlisi, the father of al-'Allama al-Majlisi, and a prominent Shiite scholar in the eleventh/seventeenth century, who passed away in 1070/1660. The book is an intertextual exposition of the book Man la yahduruh al-faqih (lit. one who has no access to the jurist) by al-Shaykh al-Saduq, one of the Four Books, and an important source of Shiite hadiths.

The book is a precious source of understanding hadiths, as it deals with implications and meanings of hadiths from the Household of the Prophet (s). In this book, the author makes references to the views of Sunni scholars contemporaneous with the Imams (a) as well.

Author

Main article: Muhammad Taqi al-Majlisi

Muhammad Taqi al-Majlisi (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 eleventh/seventeenth 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.

Aqa Buzurg Tihrani’s Comments

Aqa Buzurg Tihrani, the author of al-Dhari'a ila tasanif al-Shi'a, writes the following about this book: "the book, Rawdat al-muttaqin, is an exposition of hadiths from the Infallible Imams, by Mawla Muhammad Taqi the son of Maqsud 'Ali al-Majlisi (d. 1070/1660). It is an intertextual exposition of Man la yahduruh al-faiqh, which is neither too long nor too short. In this book, the author examines chains of transmitters of hadiths and adjudicates their correctness or unreliability in accordance to accounts by al-Shaykh al-Saduq or al-Shaykh al-Kulayni."

Date of Writing

Aqa Buzurg Tihrani writes: "the author finished writing the book in 1063/1652-3, and the date of the writing of a manuscript endowed to Astan Quds Radawi is 1064/1653-4 and 1065/1654-5. And the date of the endowment letter is 1083/1672-3, and the author of the letter is al-'Allama al-Majlisi on behalf of his father."

Validity and Significance

Mulla Muhammad Taqi al-Majlisi's Rawdat al-muttaqin is one of the best expositions of or commentaries on Man la yahduruh al-faqih. As al-Majlis says at the end of the book, Rawdat al-muttaqin is the extract of his knowledge of jurisprudence, principles of jurisprudence, and theology in over fifty years of his education and research. In this book, the author explains the words of al-Sahykh al-Saduq, investigates the chains of transmitters of hadiths, determines their validity or invalidity in accordance with the method of al-Shaykh al-Saduq or al-Shaykh al-Kulayni, and then investigates the text of hadiths and their implications.

Contents

The book consists of thirteen volumes as an intertextual exposition of Man la yahduruh al-faqih. Its order and structure follow those of Man la yahduruh.

• Volume 1: the exposition of the preface of Man la yahduruh and the book of cleanliness (al-tahara)

• Volume 2: the book of prayer

• Volume 3: zakat, khums, and fasting

• Volume 4: hajj

• Volume 5: hajj (continued)

• Volume 6: emancipation of slaves ('itq), management (tadbir), and correspondence (mukataba)

• Volume 7: hunting and slaughtered animals (dhaba'ih)

• Volume 8: marriage

• Volume 9: divorce

• Volume 10: hudud, diyat (religious punishments)

• Volume 11: will, endowment (waqf), charity, fara'id (obligatory duries), inheritance

• Volumes 12 and 13: miscellaneous

Publications

The book has been frequently published. One publisher is the Islamic Cultural Institute of Kooshanpour, which published the book in 1406/1985-6 within thirteen volumes in medium octavo format. The book was edited by Sayyid Husayn Musawi Kirmani, Shaykh 'Ali Panah Ishtihardi, and Sayyid Fadl Allah Tabataba'i.