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Bihar al-anwar (book): Difference between revisions
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== Manner of Writing == | == Manner of Writing == | ||
The author decided to write this book after 1070/1659, after he wrote ''Fihris musannafat al-ashab'' and the first date mentioned in Bihar al-anwar is 1072 AH.<ref>See pp.103-255</ref> He finished its draft in 1104/1692 or 1106/1694; however, the clean draft was still being worked on by his students after al-Majlisi passed away. | The author decided to write this book after 1070/1659, after he wrote ''Fihris musannafat al-ashab'' and the first date mentioned in Bihar al-anwar is 1072 AH.<ref>See pp.103-255</ref> He finished its draft in 1104/1692 or 1106/1694; however, the clean draft was still being worked on by his students after al-Majlisi passed away.<ref>A'yan al-Shi'a, vol.3, p.183</ref> | ||
To write this book, al-Majlisi sent many of his students to different cities and countries to find available hadith books and manuscripts. For example, he reported that even to acquire [[Ibn Babawayh]]'s ''[[Madinat al-'ilm]]'' which people thought existed in [[Yemen]], he sent a group with many gifts to the ruler of Yemen to get that book. | To write this book, al-Majlisi sent many of his students to different cities and countries to find available hadith books and manuscripts.<ref>Al-Kuna wa l-alqab, vol3, p.147 (Arabic)</ref> For example, he reported that even to acquire [[Ibn Babawayh]]'s ''[[Madinat al-'ilm]]'' which people thought existed in [[Yemen]], he sent a group with many gifts to the ruler of Yemen to get that book. | ||
During the writing of Bihar al-anwar, some students of al-Majlisi including Mirza [['Abd Allah al-Afandi]], [[Mir Muhammad Salih al-Khatunabadi]], Mulla [['Abd Allah b. Nur al-din al-Bahrayni]], [[al-Sayyid Ni'mat Allah al-Jaza'iri]] and [[Amina Khatun]], sister of al-'Allamah al-Majlisi helped him. | During the writing of Bihar al-anwar, some students of al-Majlisi including Mirza [['Abd Allah al-Afandi]], [[Mir Muhammad Salih al-Khatunabadi]], Mulla [['Abd Allah b. Nur al-din al-Bahrayni]], [[al-Sayyid Ni'mat Allah al-Jaza'iri]] and [[Amina Khatun]], sister of al-'Allamah al-Majlisi helped him.<ref>Zindigi Nami-yi 'allami Majlisi, vol.2, p.226 (Farsi)</ref> | ||
Al-Majlisi could well manage all the works needed, so he only sent his students to collect and write [[verses]] of the [[Qur'an]] and hadiths under the titles he organized. The rest of selections from text and writing the final draft was done by he himself. However, finishing the whole book was done after he passed away by his students. | Al-Majlisi could well manage all the works needed, so he only sent his students to collect and write [[verses]] of the [[Qur'an]] and hadiths under the titles he organized. The rest of selections from text and writing the final draft was done by he himself.<ref>Al-Mu'jam al-mufahras, vol.1, pp.7-8 (Arabic)</ref> However, finishing the whole book was done after he passed away by his students.<ref>A'yan al-Shi'a, vol.9, p.183 (Arabic); Lu'lu' al-bahrayn, p.57</ref> | ||
Al-Majlisi chose titles for the front cover of every book and organized titles in every book. He began every chapter with verses of the glorious Qur'an which were either directly related or through different historical, hadith and interpretational evidences they were related with the title; then he brought quotations from different [[exegetes]] (usually [[Amin al-Islam al-Tabarsi]] and [[Fakhr al-Razi) and then he mentioned hadiths related with any title together with their references. He sometimes narrated a part of a hadith and brought it in full elsewhere more appropriate (he sometimes mentioned where he had brought the hadith in full) and also, if necessary, he explained the meaning of hadiths which do not exist in those volumes written by his students. | Al-Majlisi chose titles for the front cover of every book and organized titles in every book. He began every chapter with verses of the glorious Qur'an which were either directly related or through different historical, hadith and interpretational evidences they were related with the title; then he brought quotations from different [[exegetes]] (usually [[Amin al-Islam al-Tabarsi]] and [[Fakhr al-Razi) and then he mentioned hadiths related with any title together with their references. He sometimes narrated a part of a hadith and brought it in full elsewhere more appropriate (he sometimes mentioned where he had brought the hadith in full) and also, if necessary, he explained the meaning of hadiths which do not exist in those volumes written by his students. | ||
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As an encyclopedia of the legacy of the [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]], Bihar al-anwar has always had a great and important position in the scientific [[tradition]] of Shi'a. | As an encyclopedia of the legacy of the [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]], Bihar al-anwar has always had a great and important position in the scientific [[tradition]] of Shi'a. | ||
[[Aqa Buzurg Tihrani]] says, "Bihar al-anwar is a comprehensive book which contains the news of the Ahl al-Bayt (a); Accurate researches, better than which cannot be found and it must be said that similar to this book has neither been written in the past, nor would ever be written in the future." | [[Aqa Buzurg Tihrani]] says, "Bihar al-anwar is a comprehensive book which contains the news of the Ahl al-Bayt (a); Accurate researches, better than which cannot be found and it must be said that similar to this book has neither been written in the past, nor would ever be written in the future."<ref>[[Al-Dhari'a ila tasanif al-Shi'a (Book)|Al-Dhari'a]], vol.3, p.16 (Arabic)</ref> | ||
[[Imam Khumayni]] wrote, "Bihar al-anwar is the work of the great scholar of hadith, Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi which contains nearly 400 books and treatises; Bihar al-anwar is itself a library and its author wrote it when he saw that many hadiths books are about to be lost and wasted due to their small size and being less accessed." | [[Imam Khumayni]] wrote, "Bihar al-anwar is the work of the great scholar of hadith, Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi which contains nearly 400 books and treatises; Bihar al-anwar is itself a library and its author wrote it when he saw that many hadiths books are about to be lost and wasted due to their small size and being less accessed."<ref>Kashf al-asrar, p.319 (Farsi)</ref> | ||
The important point about writing of Bihar al-anwar is that the author's limited usage of [[the Four Books]] made it a less important [[jurisprudential]] reference and even though it has a great coverage of other fields in Shi'a culture, it is not used in jurisprudential discussions as a common reference. | The important point about writing of Bihar al-anwar is that the author's limited usage of [[the Four Books]] made it a less important [[jurisprudential]] reference and even though it has a great coverage of other fields in Shi'a culture, it is not used in jurisprudential discussions as a common reference. | ||
Also, the type of analyses al-'Allamah gives about hadiths have been made in moderate [[Akhbari]] atmosphere and even where he faces rational issues, he criticizes that with a [[theological]] approach based on the appearance, not with a rational and philosophical approach; therefore, some Shi'a scholars believe that al-'Allama al-Majlisi's explanations and comments are not accurate enough. Thus, some commentaries and comments al-Allama al-Majlisi gives under some titles such as [[soul]], [[self]], [[intellect]], etc. have been criticized by scholars; for example, in his gloss about some parts of Bihar al-anwar, 'Allama Tabataba'i wrote, "…and the safe approach for someone who is not competent enough in deep rational discussions is that he follows the appearance of the Qur'an and hadiths and leave understanding the truth of them to [[God]] and avoids entering deep rational discussions either approving or disapproving anything." Also in ''[[A'yan al-Shi'a]]'', [[al-Sayyid Muhsin al-Amin]] wrote, "Many of the statements, explanations and comments of al-'Allama al-Majlisi for hadiths, etc. have been written at rush and this has led to less beneficial and more erroneous discussions." | Also, the type of analyses al-'Allamah gives about hadiths have been made in moderate [[Akhbari]] atmosphere and even where he faces rational issues, he criticizes that with a [[theological]] approach based on the appearance, not with a rational and philosophical approach; therefore, some Shi'a scholars believe that al-'Allama al-Majlisi's explanations and comments are not accurate enough.<ref>[http://www.mullasadra.org/new_site/persian/Paper%20Bank/Falsafe%20Tatbighi/allame%20tabatabaee%20va%20majlesi.htm 'Allami Tabataba'i wa Majlisi wa hadith-i 'aql wa jahl], Sayyid Muhammad Khamene'i.</ref> Thus, some commentaries and comments al-Allama al-Majlisi gives under some titles such as [[soul]], [[self]], [[intellect]], etc. have been criticized by scholars; for example, in his gloss about some parts of Bihar al-anwar, 'Allama Tabataba'i wrote, "…and the safe approach for someone who is not competent enough in deep rational discussions is that he follows the appearance of the Qur'an and hadiths and leave understanding the truth of them to [[God]] and avoids entering deep rational discussions either approving or disapproving anything."<ref>See vol.1, p.104, footnote</ref> Also in ''[[A'yan al-Shi'a]]'', [[al-Sayyid Muhsin al-Amin]] wrote, "Many of the statements, explanations and comments of al-'Allama al-Majlisi for hadiths, etc. have been written at rush and this has led to less beneficial and more erroneous discussions."<ref>[[A'yan al-shi'a|A'yan al-Shi'a]], vol.9, p.183</ref> | ||
== Sources of Bihal al-anwar == | == Sources of Bihal al-anwar == | ||
At the beginning of the book, al-Majlisi mentioned 387 Shi'a books written by 25 authors as the sources. He has also benefited from [[Sunni]] sources for proving and approving Shi'a [[hadiths]] the number of which reaches 85. In writing Bihar al-anwar, he has also benefited from lexical sources and commentaries as well. [[Al-Majlisi]] also mentions some sources during the writing process of the book. | At the beginning of the book, al-Majlisi mentioned 387 Shi'a books written by 25 authors as the sources. He has also benefited from [[Sunni]] sources for proving and approving Shi'a [[hadiths]] the number of which reaches 85. In writing Bihar al-anwar, he has also benefited from lexical sources and commentaries as well. [[Al-Majlisi]] also mentions some sources during the writing process of the book.<ref>See vol.1, pp.6-26</ref> | ||
== Book Titles [Topics] == | == Book Titles [Topics] == | ||
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# (Volumes 102 & 103) "Kitab fi l-'uqud wa l-iqa'at", about contacts and unilateral obligations in 130 chapters. | # (Volumes 102 & 103) "Kitab fi l-'uqud wa l-iqa'at", about contacts and unilateral obligations in 130 chapters. | ||
# (Volume 104) "Kitab fi l-ahkam l-shar'iyya", about religious rulings to the book of [[Diyat]] in 48 chapters. | # (Volume 104) "Kitab fi l-ahkam l-shar'iyya", about religious rulings to the book of [[Diyat]] in 48 chapters. | ||
# (Volumes 105 to 110) "Kitab fi l-ijazat", about permissions and the list of contents for [[al-Shaykh Muntajab al-din al-Razi]], a selection of [[al-Sayyid 'Ali Khan al-Madani]]'s ''Salafat al-'asr'', beginning parts of [[Sayyid b. Tawus]]'s ''Ijazat'', [[al-'Allama al-Hilli]]'s ''al-Ijaza al-Kabira'' for Banu Zuhra and the permissions of [[al-Shahid al-Awwal]] and [[Al-Shahid al-Thani|al-Thani]], and others. | # (Volumes 105 to 110) "Kitab fi l-ijazat", about permissions and the list of contents for [[al-Shaykh Muntajab al-din al-Razi]], a selection of [[al-Sayyid 'Ali Khan al-Madani]]'s ''Salafat al-'asr'', beginning parts of [[Sayyid b. Tawus]]'s ''Ijazat'', [[al-'Allama al-Hilli]]'s ''al-Ijaza al-Kabira'' for Banu Zuhra and the permissions of [[al-Shahid al-Awwal]] and [[Al-Shahid al-Thani|al-Thani]], and others.<ref>See vol.102, pp.37-44</ref> | ||
== Researches about Bihar al-anwar == | == Researches about Bihar al-anwar == | ||
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== Translations == | == Translations == | ||
* Shahzadi Sultan Muhamamd Buland Akhtar Hindi's translation of the first volume | * Shahzadi Sultan Muhamamd Buland Akhtar Hindi's translation of the first volume<ref>[[Al-Dhari'a]], vol.4, p.82</ref> | ||
* Translation of the second volume titled as ''Jami' al-ma'arif'' | * Translation of the second volume titled as ''Jami' al-ma'arif'' | ||
* Haj Habibullah Muhsini Tihrani's Persian translation of the sixth volume | * Haj Habibullah Muhsini Tihrani's Persian translation of the sixth volume | ||