Ma'ani l-akhbar (book): Difference between revisions

Muhammad b. Ali b. Husayn b. Musa b. Babiwayh al-Qummi reputably known as: al-Shaykh al-Saduq, is one the most prominent scholars in fourth/tenth century. He was born after 305/917 and passed away in 381/991 and was buried in [[Rey]], [[Iran]]. He was the greatest Muhaddith (Hadith compiler) and Faqih (jurist) in [[the Hadith school of Qom]]. He wrote around 300 scholarly works many of which did not survive. The book [[Man la yahduruhu al-faqih]], one of [[Shi‘a Four Books]], is compiled by al-Shaykh al-Saduq.

Al-Shaykh al-Saduq finished Ma‘ani al-Akhbar in 331/942 after he had authored [[al-Tawheed]] and [[‘ilal al-Sharayi‘]]. [[Aqa Buzurug Tihrani]] writes: [[Sayyid b. Tawus]] has mentioned in his book, [[al-Tara’if]], that al-Shaykh al-Saduq wrote Ma’ani al-Akhbar in 331/942.

The content of Ma ‘ani al-Akhbar has been organized in five different Hadith groups: Qur’anic exegetical Hadiths, jurisprudential Hadiths, theological, ethical and historical Hadiths. Proportionate part of the book is dedicated to the first category, i.e. Qur’anic exegetical Hadiths. The total number of the compiled Hadiths in this book is 809, classified in 429 different sections, ranging from a single Hadith in a section to 100 in the other.

The meaning of Bismi Allah al-Rahman al-Rahim, the meaning of Subhan Allah, the Meaning of [[Muqatta’at]] (abbreviated and separated letters at the beginning of certain Suras in the Holy Qur’an) the meaning of: Man Kuntu Mawlahu fa Ali un Mawlahu (the reputable Prophetic phrase from [[the Mutiwatir Hadith of Ghadir]]: to whomever I’m master, Ali shall be master too) the meaning of Bay’ al-Hasat (the transaction of Stones, an illegal form of transaction based on random chance) the meaning of lawh and qalam (the tablet and the pen) the meaning of marriage between two lights, the meaning of Futuwwa (chivalry), the meaning of unity and division, the meaning of Sunna (original practice of the Prophet –s) and Bid‘a (innovation, heresy), the meaning of Ikhtilaf (disagreement/frequent visiting) in the famous Prophetic narration: Ikhtilaf of my Umma is a blessing., the meaning of neighbor and the extent of neighborhood, the meaning of Ghiba (backbiting, gossiping) and Buhtan (accusation, allegation) and …

1- The author reports that he had asked the meaning of some Hadiths from his teachers.

2- He mentions the time and location where he heard each Hadith.

3- He cites and takes into account some of the opinions of lexicological experts.

4- He expresses his own theological arguments.

5- He narrates some Hadiths about the recitation of “il/Al Yasin”.

6- He gives references to other sources.

7- He narrates famous Sunni Hadiths through Shi‘a chains of transmission and clarifies the true meaning of those Hadiths.

8- He discusses the chains of transmission of the Hadiths.

Copyreader of Ma’ani al-Akhbar, writes at his introduction to the book: the distinctive importance of this book among other works of al-Shaykh al-Saduq, rests in its unique subject. For this book aims to clarify the ambiguities and problems of the Hadiths through the explanations given by the Ahlulbayt (a) themselves; … the history has not witnessed similar work in this particular field and no other book is compiled in this fashion and its merits are not to be found anywhere else.

Ma‘ani al-Akhbar, like other works of al-Shaykh al-Saduq, has always been at the center of attention and consideration by Shi‘a great scholars and Fuqaha, and is regarded as one of the most authentic Shi‘a narrative sources and many of its Hadiths have been adopted by great Shi‘a Hadith compilers in chief collections of Shi‘a Hadiths, like: [[the Four Books]], [[Bihar al-Anwar]] and [[Wasa’il al-Shi‘a]].

Aqa Buzurg Tihrani has attributed a book to Dawud b. Hasan b. Yusuf Awali al-Bahrani, wherein he arranged the content of Ma’ani al-Akhbar according to alphabetical order. Also there is a commentary of Ma’ani al-Akhbar authored by: Mulla ‘abd al-Nabi Tasuji. This work has been translated to Persian language by: Aqa Muhammad Ibrahim b. Muhammad Ali Abadi Yazdi and ‘abd Ali Muhammadi Shahrudi.

Ma’ani al-Akhbar has been published in different prints for numerous times in Iran.