Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi

Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi

al-'Allama Majlisi
Personal Information
Full Name	Muhammad Baqir b. Muhammad Taqi b. al-Maqsud 'Ali al-Majlisi
Well-Known As	al-'Allama al-Majlisi, the Second Majlisi
Well-Known Relatives	Muhammad Taqi al-Majlisi (father) • Mulla Salih al-Mazandarani
Birth	1037/1628-9
Residence	Isfahan
Death	1110/1699-1700
Burial Place	Grand Mosque of Isfahan
Scholarly Information
Professors	Muhammad Taqi al-Majlisi • Mulla Salih al-Mazandarani • Mulla Muhsin al-Fayd al-Kashani
Works	Bihar al-anwar • Mir'at al-'uqul • Haqq al-yaqin • 'Ayn al-hayat • Hayat al-qulub, and ...
Socio-Political Activities
Socio-Political Activities	Religious reformation at his time; Working as Shaykh al-Islam in the time of Shah Sultan Sulayman and Shah Sultan Husayn

Muḥammad Bāqir b. Muḥammad Taqī b. al-Maqsūd ʿAlī al-Majlisī (Arabic: محمد باقر بن محمد تقي بن المقصود علي المجلسي) known as ʿAllāma al-Majlisī (علامة مجلسي) or the Second Majlisī (المجلسي الثاني) (b. 1037/1628-9 d. 1110/1699) was among the most famous shi'a scholars in fiqh and hadith. He was among influential government officials of Shi'a in Safavid era and the author of the comprehensive hadith collection of Bihar al-anwar.

He was specialist in different Islamic sciences such as exegesis of Qur'an, Hadith studies, fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, history of Islam, rijal, Dirayat al-hadith.

Majlisi wrote many works such as: Bihar al-anwar, Mir'at al-'uqul, Haqq al-yaqin, Zad al-ma'ad, Tuhfat al-za'ir, 'Ayn al-hayat, Hayat al-qulub, Jala' al-'uyun and Hilyat al-muttaqin.

Birth and Lineage

He was born in Isfahan in 1037/ 1628. He was born in the rule of Safavids and the last year of the rule of Shah 'Abbas I. His father, Muhammad Taqi Majlisi was among the noblemen and famous Islamic authorities of his time and one of the students of Shaykh al-Baha'i, Mulla 'Abd Allah Shushtari, and Mirdamad. Muhammad Baqir's mother was a daughter of Sadr al-Din Muhammad 'Ashuri Qummi who was in a family of knowledge and virtue.

It is said that Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi had three wives, 4 sons, and 5 daughters.

Family of Majlisi

Family of 'Allama Majlisi is among the most honorable Shi'a families in recent centuries. There have been about a hundred pious scholars in this family.

Muhammad Baqir's progenitor of his father was Abu Nu'aym al-Isfahani. He was among the hadith scholars and memorizers of the Qur'an. Muhammad Baqir's grandfather was Mulla Maqsud who is described as a pious poet and a knowledgeable scholar. His father's mother was the daughter of Kamal al-Din Shaykh Hasan 'Amili Natanzi Isfahani. Muhammad Baqir's brothers were Mirza 'Aziz Allah and Mulla 'Abd Allah who have been praised by Muhaddith Nuri. Amina Beygum was the most famous sister of Majlisi who was among the scholars of her time and the wife of Mulla Salih al-Mazandarani.

Reason for Naming Majlisi

It is said that since his grandfather held great majlis (religious gathering) or since he used the pen-name "Majlisi", his family become famous as Majlisi. Another report is that they became famous as Majlisi was because Muahammad Taqi was living in the village Majlis of Isfahan.

Education

His father began his education from early ages and Muhammad Baqir was interested in learning all religious sciences. He wrote;

"I was interested in different religious sciences since when I was a youth and I loved them and due to God's mercy I could enter gardens of knowledge. Then I learned right and wrong judgments in that knowledge so that I earned various fruits and colorful flowers of that for myself. I drank from every spring and picked up from every bouquet."

Scholarly Position

'Allama Majlisi has such a fame in different Islamic sciences that needs no explanations. He was among great scholars who had comprehensive knowledge. He was the top scholar of his time in different Islamic sciences such as exegesis of Qur'an, hadith studies, fiqh, usul, history, rijal and diraya. A look at Bihar al-anwar best demonstrate this.

Moreover, having knowledge of rational sciences such as philosophy, logic, mathematics, Arabic literature, geography, medicine, astronomy and occult sciences made him a great personality.

He was very sharp-witted about the hadiths which were difficult to understand. His explanations about hadiths and verses of the Qur'an are very nice and very little mistakes could be found in them. In addition to hadiths, 'Allama Majlisi was very knowledgeable in fiqh even though most of the volumes of Bihal al-anwar dedicated to fiqh did not become rewritten and corrected.

Father's Prayer for Him

It is quoted from Muhammad Baqir's father, "One night after the midnight prayer, I had a great feeling and just heard my kid's crying. I said to God, 'O God! By the rights of Muhammad (s) and his family (a) make this kid a preacher of Your religion and the rulings of the Master of Prophets (s) and bless him with limitless opportunities.'" It is also quoted from him that he ordered his wife not to milk Muhammad Baqir when she was not Tahir.

Majlisi in the Talk of the Noble

About him, it is said that he was the first person who taught hadith sciences in [[[Safavid]] era.

Shaykh Hurr al-'Amili says, "He paid attention to all sciences and studied them carefully."

Muhammad 'Ali Ardabili praised him greatly.

Mirza Muhamamd Tunkabuni says, "His Haqq al-yaqin alone made 3000 of Levant Sunnis convert to Shi'a."

The Sunni scholar 'Abd al-'Aziz Dihlawi, who wrote books against Shi'a, said, "If Shi'a is called Majlisi's religion, it would be fine; that was he who promoted this school and before that it was not influential."

Teachers and Hadith References

According to Mirza Husayn Nuri's al-Fayd al-Qudsi fi tarjimat al-Allama al-Majlisi, Majlisi's teachers are many and Nuri mentions 18 of them:

• Muhammad Taqi Majlisi, his father who passed away in 1071 AH.
• Mulla Salih Mazandarani, the author of Sharh Usul al-Kafi (d. 1081 AH)
• Mulla Muhsin Fayd Kashani, the author of Tafsi al-safi, al-Mahajjat al-bayda and al-Wafi (d. 1081 AH)
• Sayyid 'Ali Khan Madani, the author of Riyad al-salikin, a commentary of Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya (d. 1118 AH)
• Mulla Khalil Qazwini, the author of Safi, a commentary of al-Kafi (d. 1081 AH)
• Shaykh Hurr al-'Amili, the author of Wasa'il al-shi'a (d. 1104 AH)
• Mulla Muhammad Tahir Qummi (d. 1198 AH)
• Mirza Raf' al-Din Na'ini (d. 1199 AH)
• Mulla Hasan 'Ali Shushtari (d. 1029)
• Mirza Muhammad Qasim Quhpa'i
• Muhammad Sharif Ruydashti Isfahani (d. 1087 AH)
• Amir Sharaf al-Din Husayni Shulistani (d. 1060 AH)
• Allama Shaykh 'Ali (d. 1103 AH)

Students and Narrators

Some reports have mentioned the number of his students exceeded 1000, each of whom became a famous scholar of his own field. Mirza Husayn Nuri mentioned 49 of them, some of whom are:

• Mirza 'Abd Allah Afandi Isfahani, the author of Riyad al-'ulama and Sahifa thalitha Sajjadiyya (d. 1137 AH)
• Sayyid Ni'mat Allah Jaza'iri, the author of al-Anwar al-Nu'maniyya (d. 1112 AH)
• Shaykh 'Abd Allah Bahrani, the author of Awalim al-'ulum (d. 1127 AH)
• Muhamamd b. 'Ali Ardabili, the author of Jami' al-Ruwat on rijal (d. 1101 AH)
• Mirza Muhammad Mashhadi, the author of the Qur'an commentary Kanz al-Daqa'iq (d. 1125 AH)
• Mulla Muhamamd Rafi' Gilani
• Mir Muhammad Husayn Khatun Abadi
• Sayyid Abu al-Qasim Khwansari
• Mulla Muhammad Sarab Tunkabuni

Scholarly, Political and Cultural Services

1. Fighting with Sufis and their thoughts and beliefs
2. Writing different books in different topics of fiqh, exegesis of Qur'an, theology, hadith studies, history, du'a and prayers and writing the hadith encyclopedia of Bihar al-anwar and collecting hadiths and categorizing them.
3. Writing and translating some religious texts in simple Persian for common people.
4. Issuing fatwa and answering people's religious questions in most simple ways.
5. Religious reformations and fighting with centers of corruption, idol houses and fighting alcohol drinking.
6. Establishing Friday prayer, congregations, gatherings and speeches.
7. Accepting the position of judgment and being Sheykh al-Islam at the time of Shah Sultan Sulayman and Shah Sultan Husayn and using his influence for establishing Shi'a beliefs.
8. Reconciling people's arguments.

Works

one volume of the great hadith collection of Bihar al-anwar

'Allamah Majlisi's works in different topics which exceed 70 topics in Persian and Arabic. Aqa Buzurg Tihrani counted Majlisi's works as 169 volumes.

1. Bihar al-anwar in 110 volumes which is called the Great Encyclopedia of Shi'a Hadiths.
2. Mir'at al-'uqul as a commentary on Shaykh al-Kulayni's al-Kafi in 26 volumes.
3. Maladh al-akhyar fi fahm tahdhib al-akhbar as the commentary on Shaykh al-Tusi's al-Tahdhib in 16 volumes.
4. Al-wajizat fi al-rijal
5. Haqq al-yaqin on beliefs in Persian
6. Zad al-Ma'ad on practices and supplications of every month in Persian
7. Shah al-Arba'in
8. Tuhfat al-za'ir on Pilgrims' prayers upon their visits
9. 'Ayn al-Hayat on advice and rulings from verses and hadiths from the Infallible (a) in Persian
10. Mishkat al-anwar about the Qur'an and du'as, recitation and rewards for it
11. Hayat al-qulub on the lives of prophets (s), the Prophet of Islam (s) and Imams (a).
12. Jala' al-'uyun on history and the hardships of the Infallible (a).
13. Hilyat al-muttaqin on the manners of socializing and recommended actions in individual and collective lives in Persian.
14. Al-Fara'id al-tariqiyyah fi sharh al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya
15. Rabi' al-asabi'
16. Risala diyyat
17. Risala al-i'tiqad
18. Risala al-awzan
19. Risala al-shukuk
20. Miqbas al-masabih
21. Al-Masa'il al-hindiyya]]
22. Sirat al-najat

Demise

the tomb of 'Allama Majlisi and his father, Muhammad Taqi al-Majlisi in Isfahan

Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi passed away in the eve of 27th of Ramadan 1110 AH/29th of March, 1699 in Isfahan at the age of 70. He was buried beside the Grand Mosque of Isfahan beside the grave of his father according to his will.

References

• Al-Amin, Sayyid Muhsin, A'yan al-shi'a, Bierut, dar al-ta'aruf li al-matbu'at;
• Majlisi, Muhammad Baqir, Bihar al-anwar, Beirut, mu'assisa al-wafa', 1403;
• Tunikabuni, Mirza Muhammad, Qisas al-'ulama;

See also

• Bihar al-anwar
• Muhammad Taqi Majlisi

External Links

• The material for this article is mainly taken from محمد باقر مجلسی in Farsi WikiShia.