Riyad al-mu'minin (book)

Riyad al-mu'minin (book)

Author	Muhammad Taqi al-Majlisi
Original title	ریاضُ المؤمنین و حَدائقُ المُتّقین و فقهُ الصّالحین
Language	Persian
Series	1 vol.
Subject	Interpretation of the supplications in al-Sahifat al-Sajjadiyya

Riyāḍ al-muʾminīn wa ḥadāʾiq al-muttaqīn wa fiqh al-ṣāliḥīn (Arabic: ریاضُ المؤمنین و حَدائقُ المُتّقین و فقهُ الصّالحین) is a book in Persian written by Muhammad Taqi al-Majlisi (d. 1070/1660) with the intention of providing an interpretation of the supplications in al-Sahifat al-Sajjadiyya. The book remained unfinished in its interpretation of the supplications. It is merely concerned with virtues, manners, and conditions of supplication.

Author

Main article: Muhammad Taqi al-Majlisi

Muhammad Taqi b. Maqsud 'Ali al-Isfahani (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. Two of his works are Rawdat al-muttaqin and Lawami'-i Sahibqarani. 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.

Motivation for Writing

In the introduction of the book, al-Majlisi takes the best supplications to be those transmitted from the Imams, which are superior to the words of the creatures and inferior to the words of the creator. He wrote the essay at the request of some of his friends and an istikhara with the Qur'an. He gave the title, "Riyad al-Mu'minin wa hada'iq al-muttaqin wa fiqh al-salihin", (the Meadows of the faithful and the gardens of the pious and the insight of the righteous), to the book.

Structure and Content

The author's introduction contains twelve "lam'as" (sparkles):

1. On the nature of supplication
2. On the virtue of supplication in accordance to reason and transmitted evidence
3. On times of supplication
4. On manners of supplication
5. There is no title for this lam'a
6. On conditions in which supplications are answered by God
7. On the possibility of supplications being answered by God
8. On occasions of supplications being answered by God
9. On some mustahab (supererogatory) actions after supplications
10. On people whose supplications are answered by God and people whose supplications are not answered by God
11. On proving that supplications differ relative to different persons
12. On the virtue of mentioning God and the virtue of the person who mentions Him and its consequences

The epilogue of the book contains twelve "nafhas" (scents):

1. On the virtue of knowledge and the knowledgeable according to Quranic verses
2. On the virtue of knowledge and the knowledgeable according to narrations
3. On the virtue of seeking and teaching knowledge
4. On the virtue of teaching and the virtue of learners
5. On attributes of scholars
6. On classes of scholars
7. On knowledge which is acted upon
8. On the prohibition of saying what one does not do
9. On good and bad knowledge
10. Manners of teachers and learners
11. Harms of debates and arguments
12. On reason and reasonable people

At the end, the author adds two appendixes to his epilogue:

• On the nature of reasonable people
• The meaning of blameworthy reason

Each section opens with relevant Quranic verses, which are then translated and interpreted. The author then cites, translates, and interprets relevant hadiths.

Investigation of Some Issues

There are certain issues discussed by al-Majlisi, including the whip of hope, congregation and recluse in supplications, Eves of Fridays, God's Greatest Name, meeting God, supplications and proximity to God, the savor of divine supplication, and praised, obligatory, and supererogatory knowledge.

Manuscripts and Prints

• A manuscript in Yazd's Vaziri Library
• A manuscript in the Library of Ayatollah Mar'ashi.

The book is published as edited by 'Ali Fadili in Baqir al-'Ulum Research Center affiliated with the Islamic Propagation Organization.