Muhammad Taqi Shushtari
 | |
| Personal Information | |
|---|---|
| Well-Known As | 'Allama Shushtari |
| Birth | 1320/1903, Najaf |
| Death | 1415/1995 |
| Burial Place | Shushtar |
| Scholarly Information | |
| Professors | Muhammad Kazim Shushtari (his father), Sayyid Husayn Nuri, Sayyid Muhammad Ali Imam, ... |
| Works | Qamus al-Rijal, Qada' Amir al-Mu'minin Ali b. Abi Talib (a), ... |
Shaykh Muhammad Taqi Shushtari (Persian: محمد تقی شوشتری) (b. 1320/1902-3 - d. 1415/1995) known as 'Allama Shushtari was one of the contemporaneous Shi'a Rijal scholars. In 1354/1935-6 he emigrated to Iraq opposing the law of Kashf-i Hijab (unveiling women's Islamic veils) and returned to Shushtar in 1360/1941-2 after that the rule of Reza Shah came to an end. He taught Islamic subjects and did researches in those fields. He gave his personal library to the holy shrine of Imam al-Rida (a). He studied in Islamic seminaries of Iran, Najaf, and Karbala and accomplished writing many valuable works, including: Qamus al-rijal, Qada' Amir al-Mu'minin Ali b. Abi Talib, Bahj al-sabagha, al-Akhbar al-dakhila.
Biography
His father was Shaykh Muhammad Kazim Shushtari. he was born in 1320 AH/1902-3 in Najaf.According to Aqa Buzurg's report, Shushtari was born in 1321/1903-4. In 1354/1935-6 he emigrated to Iraq opposing the law of Kashf-i Hijab (unveiling women's Islamic covers) and continued his studies in seminaries of Najaf and Karbala.
He writes, in his autobiography, "I was born in Najaf. My mother's parents were from Kirman and lived in Najaf so my mother was born in Najaf. My father studied under Sayyid Muhammad Kazim Yazdi and Akhund Mulla Kazim Khurasani. Later they moved to Shushtar. A little while after we moved to Shushtar, my mother passed away. After her death, I started studying under Sayyid Husayn Nuri, Sayyid Mahdi Al Tayyib, … when the period of unveiling the hijab was thrust upon women in Iran and they were forced to take their covers in public, I traveled to Iraq and stayed there for about 6 years. During my stay in Iraq, I wrote the book Qamus al-rijal in two volumes. Afterward, I extended it to 4 volumes and frequently added more to it." In another part of his autobiography, he says, "When I was in Iraq, people enjoyed excessive spending and were prone to lavish behaviors, they threw away bread and other foods. Sometimes, I took the throwaway bread to house and saved my money for buying books."
Shushtari returned to Shushtar in 1360/1941-2 after Rida Shah was overthrown from power. In addition to teaching Islamic subjects, he continued his researches. He authored many books during his lifetime. Finally, he passed away in Dhu al-Hijja 19, 1415/ May 19, 1995 and was later buried next to the tomb of Sayyid Muhammad Gulabi in Shushtar, Iran.
Teacher
- Sayyid Husayn Nuri
- Sayyid Muhammad Ali Imam
- Sayyid Ali Asghar Hakim
- Muhammad Taqi Shaykh al-Islam
- Sayyid Mahdi Al Tayyib
- Muhammad Kazim Shushtari (his father)
Library
He gave his own house to the holy shrine of Imam al-Rida (a). In the document of the endowment, he expresses that the books must not be taken out of his house. Thus, Astan Quds Razavi has changed a part of his house to the library of Astan Quds Razavi. Also, his personal belongings are kept in his room. Every year on Muharram 7th groups of people who mourn Imam al-Husayn (a) go to his tomb and keep his memory alive.
Works
Some of his works are:
- Qamus al-rijal; a commentary on Tanqih al-maqal.
- Bahj al-sabagha fi sharh Nahj al-balagha; a commentary of Nahj al-balagha. This book in his second most important work after Qamus al-Rijal.
- Qada' Amir al-Mu'minin Ali b. Abi Talib (a) (Judgment of Amir al-Mu'minin Ali b. Abi Talib (a))
- Al-Akhbar al-dakhila; about the various forms of forged and distorted hadiths.
- Risalat fi tawarikh al-Nabi wa al-Al; history of the 14 Infallibles (a).
For a compiled version, Computer Research Center of Islamic Sciences (Noor) which is located in Qom has designed a software containing 14 titles of his books (60 volumes) in both Arabic and Persian language under the title "Athar Muhaqqiq Shaykh Muhammad Taqi Shushtari" (works of the researcher Shaykh Muhammad Taqi Shushtari).
References
The material for this article is mainly taken from محمد تقی شوشتری in Farsi Wikishia.