Bisharat al-Mustafa li-shi'at al-Murtada (book): Difference between revisions

Bishārat al-Muṣtafā li Shīʿat al-Murtaḍā, written by Abi Ja‘far Muhammad b. ‘Ali b. Rustam al-Tabari, well-known as [[‘Imad al-Din al-Tabari]], passes away in 553 AH, of six century scholars, who has written this book about [[Imam ‘Ali (a)]]’s rank and high degree, miracles and superhuman deeds of great pious men and imams’ followers.

In most references, such as Al-Dhari‘ah, the name of this book is Bisharat al-Mustafa li Shi‘at al-Murtada; however, Ibn Shahrashub mentions the name of the book Al-Bisharat. Some of sunni muhaddiths call this book Bisharat al-Mustafa fi Bayat al-Murtada and Bisharat al-Mustafa bi Shi‘at al-Murtada.

Agha Buzurg Tihrani states about the subject of this book in Al-Dhari‘ah that this book is of narrative kind about shi‘a’s rank and high degree, miracles and superhuman deeds of great pious men, and the rewards and degree shi‘a own in view of God. It is primarily a great book consisting of 17 parts. Unfortunately, a significant amount of the book is destroyed and only 11 parts have remained.

This is one of the reliable books for shi‘a scholars. It is one of the important sources used by Allamah Hilli, Allamah Majlisi, Muhaqqiq Buhrani, Shaykh Hurr ‘Amili, and others in writing fiqhi, kalami, hadith, and prayer books.

This book, owing to embracing new documents and naming a number of Iranian shi‘a scholars in 5th and 6th centuries, is significant and has always drawn attention to itself because of this.

‘Imad al-Din Tabari had benefited from some muhaddiths in Shahr Riy, Amul, Niyshbur, Najaf, and Kufah, whose name and masters are mentioned in this book. This book is very significant in getting familiar with Kufah Shi‘a in 5th and 6th centuries, specifically the masters of Kufah Ziydiyyun ( like hadiths from Abu Abdullah Al-Alawi and Abu al-Barakat Ziydi and so on)

Tabari has not entitled the parts of the book, yet he has assembled all the hadiths relating to the prophet’s Ahl al-Bayt, from Imam Ali (a) until Imam Mahdi (a).

There have been narrated significant hadiths from the prophet in proving the superiority and high rank of shi‘a in this book. Nice poems are applied in this book due to different occasions and about various subjects such as Imams’ superiority and blaming their enemies.

Of its special matters is the first pilgrimage to Karbala by the first pilgrims, Jabir and ‘Atiyyah ‘Awfi, which is reported elaborately and supported by documents.

The available manuscript copies do not constitute of more than four chapters. Because of this, it is implausible that the chapters be more than these in Muhddith Nuri’s opinion. But apparently, the chapters are more than four. Sayyid b. Tawus has narrated Khutbah Sh‘baniyah of prophet, a practice specified to Ramadan month, from this book, yet the mentioned khutbah is not available in the existing manuscript copies.

Ibn Hujr in Lisan Al-Mizan, in the biography of Isma‘il b. Abi al-Qasim b. Ahmad Abu Ishaq Amuli Diylami, has stated that Diylami has narrated hadiths from Bisharat al-Mustafa, but the mentioned hadith does not exist in these chapters. Anyhow, the available copies are:

• The manuscript copy in Malik library of Tehran

• The printed copy in Najaf Ashraf in 1369 AH, in 299 pages. This copy is revived by Shaykh Hasan Jawahiri’s effort.

• The printed copy, in Qum, in 1422 AH, in 466 pages. This copy is published by Jawad Qayyumi Isfahani’s effort, through the Society of Teachers of Hawzah ‘Ilmiyyah.

This book is translated into Farsi by Sayyid Abu al-Fada‘il Mujtahidi. The translator has transformed its title into Farsi as well: Nabawi blessing news to Alawi Shi‘as. This translarion consist of 431 pages, and the cultural institution of MIkyal has published it in 1369 shamsi.