Kashf al-ghumma fi ma'rifat al-a'imma (book): Difference between revisions

'''Kashf al-ghumma fi ma'rifat al-a'imma''' (lifting the hardship in knowing the leaders) is an Arabic book by: [[Baha' al-Din Ali b. 'isa Irbili]] (d.692/1293) who is one of Shi'a scholars in seventh century. This book includes biographies, virtues and miracles of [[the Fourteen Infallibles]] and is organized in two sections.

==Author==

Abu al-Hasan Ali b. 'isa Hakari, famous as Baha' al-Din Irbili, is a well-known Shi'a [[Muhaddith]] (expert in narrative sciences) historian, literary expert and poet in seventh/thirteenth century. He was born and raised in [[Irbil]]. The only biographer who reports his exact birth date as 625/1228, is Ibn Habib Halabi (d.779/1378). His father, Fakhr al-Din 'isa, known as Ibn Jijni, was the governor of Irbil and its surrounding areas.

==Topic==

This book is about [[the Prophet (s)]], [[Lady Fatima (s)]], and [[the twelve Imams (a)]], their virtues and miracles. He also mentions the [[Lady Khadija (s)]].

==Date of compilation==

The book has two sections; the first section was finished in 678/1280 and the second section in 682.

==Motivation==

The author writes in the introduction:

I've been willing, since a long time ago, to make a collection of narrations about the virtues of [[the Ahlulbayt (a)]] … since Sunnis have not worked on the history and the virtues of the Ahlulbayt (a) and even some Sunni scholars don't know the names of the Ahlulbayt (a). so I decided to work on the history and personality of the Ahlulbayt (a) so that their rightful position will be revealed for their enemies and those who possess hatred toward the Ahlulbayt (a) and also Ghalis (Shi'a extremists) will leave their practices.

He continues:

Many people mock the visiting of the shrine of [[Imam Musa b. Ja'afar (a)]], while most of the same people visit the tombs of [[Darwish]]s and [[Sufi]]s.

==Method==

Through the process of writhing, Irbili used early sources and took most of the book's content from them. He merely adds some explanations and assessments under certain narrations and finishes the biography of each Imam by a poem in praising the Imam.

Author makes use of his theological ideas and in the history of Shi'a Imams (a), he discusses the arguments and proofs of the their Imamate and narrates some of their virtues and miracles.

==Significance==

1- Author's views are in accordance with mainstream Shi'a beliefs and he seems fair in presenting different discussions; however he mentions various arguments in favor of Shi'a and against other deviant sects.

3- The method of the author is that he brings all content of a certain source, like [[al-Irshad]] or [[I'lam al-wara]], about each Imam. Among these sources are some that have survived within this book only.

4- Irbili's analyses and personal opinions as a prominent Shi'a scholar are presented in this book and are remarkable. Some of these opinions are very unique and uncommon; like that he does not regard [[al-Ma'mun]] responsible for the martyrdom of [[Imam al-Rida (a)]].

==Translations and Commentaries==

There are several (Persian) translations for this book