Riyad al-salikin (book)

Riyad al-salikin

Bibliographical Information
Author	Al-Sayyid 'Ali Khan al-Husayni al-Madani al-Shirazi
Original title	رياض السالِكين في شَرح صَحيفَة سَيِّد السّاجِدين
Language	Arabic
Series	7 vols.
Subject	Commentary on al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya
Published	1990
Publisher	"Nashr Islami" affiliated to Jami'a Mudarresin

Riyāḍ al-sālikīn fī sharḥ saḥīfa Sayyid al-Sājidīn (a) (Arabic:رياض السالِكين في شَرح صَحيفَة سَيِّد السّاجِدين) is a well-known commentary of al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya written in Arabic by al-Sayyid 'Ali Khan al-Husayni al-Madani al-Shirazi (d. 1120/1709). This commentary includes fifty four chapters or rawdas, in each chapter the commentary of one supplication is presented. Riyad al-Salikin contains subjects related to literature, the holy Qur'an, jurisprudence, theology and history.

Author

Main article: Al-Sayyid 'Ali Khan al-Husayni al-Madani al-Shirazi

Al-Sayyid Sadr al-Din 'Ali al-Husayni al-Dashtaki al-Shirazi known as Sayyid 'Ali Khan Madani, Sayyid 'Ali Khan Kabir or Sayyid 'Ali, Sharih of Sahifa (d. 1118/1707 or 1120/1709) was born in Medina. His lineage goes back to Zayd b. 'Ali within twenty six generations. Sayyid 'Ali Khan has traveled different cities, where he studied and held different positions. Riyad al-Salikin is the most important work of Sayyid 'Ali Khan which is a commentary on al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya. He is buried in Shiraz in the shrine of Ahmad b. Musa b. Ja'far.

Name of the Book and Date of Writing

Aqa Buzurg Tihrani stated on the author of Riyad al-Salikin: "Sayyid 'Ali Khan gave ijaza to Ibrahim b. Murad al-Hasani al-Husayni in 1109 /1697-8 in which he mentioned the name of his work Riyad al-Salikin fi Sharh al-Sahifa Sayyid al-'Abidin and then changed its name to Riyad al-Salikin. It is said, today the book is published as Riyad al-Salikin fi Sharh Al-Sahifa Sayyid al-Sajidin.

Sayyid 'Ali Khan al-Madani said: "Sayyid 'Ali Khan started the writing of Riyad al-Salikin in 1094/1683 and finished it in 1106/1694 which lasted for twelve years.

Content and Structure of the Book

In the introduction of his book, Sayyid 'Ali Khan wrote about al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya and its value, then he analyzed other commentaries on al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya including commentary of al-Shaykh al-Baha'i and he mentioned its weaknesses and strengths. Also he stated the reason of writing such commentary. Sayyid 'Ali mentioned the commentary of al-Shaykh al-Baha'i in different parts of his book, which was the reason researchers pay attention to the links between these two commentaries as well as the influence of commentary of al-Shaykh al-Baha'i on Riyad al-Salikin.

Riyad al-Salikin contains fifty four chapters, each of them have a number of lines of Khutba (sermon) and the commentary of one supplication of Sahifa is presented. Sayyid 'Ali Khan divided each supplication into different sections, each part was explained individually and then some points are mentioned. As Sayyid 'Ali Khan was skilled in different subjects, he managed to expertly explain Islamic sciences in each chapter of the book.

In Others' Perspectives

Riyad al-Salikin was immensely admired by religious scholars as they called it as "exceptional". They believe the content of Riyad al-Salikin represents vast information of Sayyid 'Ali Khan.

Summary and Publications

• Talkhis al-Riyad or Tuhfa al-talibin: Al-Muqtataf min riyad al-Salikin fi sharh al-Sahifa, Abu l-Fadl Husayni, Matba'a Haydari, 1381/1961-2

• Publication of Resalat in 1271/1854-5 in Isfahan.

• Sayyid Muhammad b. Sayyid Ja'far Larijani written by Zayd al-'Abidin al-Khwansari corrected by Muhammad 'Ali and Muhammad Hasan Aqa Mirza Kuchak Sawuji, 1334/1915-6 Tehran.

• Corrected by Muhsin al-Husayni al-Amini, Nashr-e Islami in 1411/1990-1 Qom.