Mafatih al-jinan (book): Difference between revisions

| image = Mafatih al-Jinan calligraphy.jpeg

| title_orig = {{iarabic|مفاتیح الجنان}}

| subject = [[Supplication]], [[Ziyarah]], and ritual practices

'''''Mafātīḥ al-jinān''''' (Arabic:{{iarabic| مفاتیح الجنان}}), (keys to the heavens) by [[Shaykh 'Abbas Qummi]] is the most popular book of [[supplication]] in the [[Shi'a]] world. It contains [[du'a]]s, supplications, [[Ziyarah|Ziyarah texts]], practices specific to certain days, months, and occasions, religious practices and manners, as well as some anecdotes narrated from the [[Prophet (s)]], [[Imams (a)]], and Islamic scholars.

'Abbas b. Muhammad Rida al-Qummi (b. [[1294]]/1877 - d. [[1359]]/1940), known as Shaykh 'Abbas Qummi and Muhaddith Qummi, was a Shiite scholar of the 14th/20th century. He was well-known in hadiths and history as well as preaching and orations. Shaykh 'Abbas Qummi wrote many books, the best-known of which are ''[[Mafatih al-jinan]]'', ''Safinat al-bihar'', and ''[[Muntaha al-amal]]''. He died in [[Najaf]] in [[1359]]/1940 and was buried in the [[Holy Shrine of Imam Ali (a)]].<ref>Ṭāliʿī, "Sālshumār-i ḥayāt wa āthār-i muḥaddith-i Qummī", p. 13-48</ref> His son has quoted that his father wrote this book while he has [[wudu]].<ref>Qummī, ''Mafātīḥ al-jinān'', p. 28.</ref>

The author has composed ''Mafatih al-jinan'' in order to enhance the reliability of another book called ''Miftah al-jinan'' which was being vastly used at that time and included unauthentic du'as. Shaykh 'Abbas Qummi wrote at the end of the first print of his book: "My brothers in religion have asked me to collect authentic du'as of ''Miftah al-jinan'' and other authentic du'as and compile a book"<ref>Qummī, ''Mafātīḥ al-jinān'', p. 12.</ref>.

Nevertheless, he has not mentioned the [[chain of narrators]] and only indicated the source from which the du'as have been quoted.<ref>Sulṭānī, "Ishāra bi pāriʾī az manābiʿ Mafātīḥ", p. 450.</ref>

Several long and short [[Surah]]s of the [[Qur'an]] are usually printed in the beginning of ''Mafatih al-jinan''. The content of ''Mafatih al-jinan'' is classified in several chapters:

This chapter includes: [[Ta'qibat]] (acts of worship after prayers), practices of days, nights, and days of the week, famous prayers such as the Prayer of the Prophet (s), the Prayer of Amir al-Mu'minin (a), the Prayer of Lady Fatima (a), and the [[Prayer of Ja'far al-Tayyar]], Ziyarah texts of Imams (a) on the days of the week, supplications including [[Munajat Khams 'Ashar]] of [[Imam al-Sajjad (a)]], Munajat of [[Imam 'Ali (a)]] in [[Mosque of Kufa]], [[Al-Simat Supplication|Du'a al-Simat]], [[Du'a al-Kumayl]], [[al-Jawshan al-Saghir]], [[al-Jawshan al-Kabir]], [[Du'a Makarim al-Akhlaq]].

This chapter includes recommended acts of the [[lunar year]]. It begins from [[Rajab]] and ends with the recommended acts of [[Jumada II]]. It includes the recommended acts during [[Nowruz]] and the Roman months.

[[Al-Sha'baniyya Supplication]] (one of the recommended acts in the month of [[Sha'ban]]), [[Supplication of Abu Hamza Thumali]], [[Al-Iftitah Supplication|Du'a al-Iftitah]], the famous [[Du'a al-Sahar]], the practices of the [[Qadr nights]] (of the recommended acts of the month of [[Ramadan]]), and [[Du'a of Imam al-Husayn (a) on the day of 'Arafa]] (of the practices of the month of [[Dhu l-Hijja]]) are among the most well-known contents of this chapter.

===Third chapter: Ziyarahs===

Some information regarding the manners of travel, rituals of [[ziyarah]], and also [the text of] asking permission for entering holy shrines have been mentioned at the beginning of this chapter.

The first ziyarah, which has been mentioned in this chapter, is the Ziyarah of the [[Prophet (s)]] which is followed by the Ziyarah of [[Lady Fatima (a)]] and the Ziyarah of the Imams (a) of Baqi' (those Imams who are buried in the [[Baqi' cemetery]]).

In addition to the ziyarahs of the [[twelve Imams (a)]], this chapter contains ziyarahs of the offspring of Imams (a), some [[Shi'a]] scholars and noble people such as [[Hamza b. 'Abd al-Muttalib|Hamza]], [[Muslim b. 'Aqil]], [[Fatima bt. Asad]], martyrs of the [[Battle of Uhud]], [[Salman al-Farsi]], etc.  The recommended practices for some famous mosques, such as [[Masjid al-Kufa]] and [[Sa'sa'a b. Sawhan Mosque]], have also been explained in this chapter.

The longest section of this chapter is the Ziyarahs of [[Imam al-Husayn (a)]]. This section contains the most famous Ziyarahs of Imam al-Husayn (a) such as [[Ziyarah 'Ashura]], [[Ziyarah al-Arba'in]], and [[Ziyarah al-Warith]].

[[Du'a al-Nudba]], [[Du'a al-'Ahd]], and [[Ziyarah al-Jami'at al-Kabira]] have been classified under Ziyarahs of [[Imam al-Mahdi (aj)]].

After the Ziyarahs of Imam al-Mahdi (aj), the Ziyarahs of [[Prophets]], the Ziyarah of [[Lady Ma'suma]], and the Ziyarah of [['Abd al-'Azim al-Hasani]] have been mentioned. The last content of this chapter, which was the last content of the first edition of ''Mafatih al-jinan'', is the Ziyarah of the Graves of the Faithful and the related du'as.

In the second edition of ''Mafatih al-jinan'', [[Shaykh 'Abbas Qummi]] attached a section named ''Mulhaqat'' to the book.<ref>Qummī, ''Mafātīḥ al-jinān'', p. 869.</ref> In this part, eight new pieces of content have been attached to the book, that the author believed was a necessity for the readers: the Du'a for the farewell of the month of [[Ramadan]], the Sermon of [[Eid al-Fitr]], [[Ziyarah Jami'at A'immat al-Mu'minin]], Du'a after Ziyarahs, the Ziyarah for the farewell after visiting the holy shrines of [[Imams (a)]], a sealed message for making requests, Du'a at the time of [[Occultation of Imam al-Mahdi (aj)]], and the manners of vicarious ziyarah.

# The fourth chapter is a selection of du'as from the book of ''[[al-Kafi]]''. The du'as of this chapter are mostly for solving the scarcity of one's [[Rizq]] and problems of the world.

# The sixth chapter mentions the benefits of certain [[surah]]s, [[verse]]s and various du'as. The fruits of some Qur'anic surahs and verses which are beneficial for daily problems are mentioned in this chapter such as, du'a for meeting a person in a dream, du'a for studying, manners of [['Aqiqa]], and performing [[Istikhara]] with the [[Qur'an]].

''Mafatih-i nuwin'', which is actually the modified version of ''Mafatih al-jinan'', has been collected and published by Ayatollah [[Makarim Shirazi]], one of the [[:Category:marjas|Shi'a marja's]]. Sayyid Hashim Rasuli Mahallati translated this book.

# Adding introductions to each section of du'as and [[ziyarah]]s

# Mentioning the references of du'as and ziyarahs in the footnotes

# Studying the content of du'as and ziyarahs and not just sufficing to the sources for selecting them

# Third chapter: ziyarahs which have been provided in twelve sections

# Fifth chapter: the practices of nights, days, and days of the week in ten sections. One section provides ziyarahs of Imams (a) on the days of the week.

[[File:مفاتیح الحیاة.jpg|220px|thumbnail|''Mafatih al-hayat'' <br> Original title:{{ia| مفاتیح الحیاة}};  Compiler: Ayatollah [[Jawadi Amuli]];  Language: Farsi & Arabic]]

Some Years before the publication of ''Mafatih al-hayat'', Ayatollah [[Jawadi Amuli]], the author, during a [[Friday Prayer]] sermon in [[Qom]] said: "We need a second volume for ''Mafatih al-jinan'', which has not been written yet. God bless [[Shaykh 'Abbas Qummi]] and other scholars, but prayers; [[Dhikr]]s and [[ziyarah]]s are not the only part of the religion."