Kitab al-Ghayba (al-Tusi): Difference between revisions

Kitab al-Ghayba is the title of a book about the occultation of Imam al-Mahdi (a) written by Abu Ja’far Muhammad b. Hasan Tusi known as Shaykh Tusi. This book is among important references for knowing Imam al-Mahdi (a) and his occultation. It has offered the view of Shia about Imam al-Mahdi (a) and has answered questions posed about his occultation using justifications from the Qur’an, hadiths and reason.

Muhammad b. Hasan b. Ali b. Hasan (385 – 460 AH) known as Shaykh al-Ta’ifa (meaning “chief of the tribe/Shia) and Shaykh Tusi is the author of two of the Four Books of Shia and was among the greatest theologians, narrators of hadiths, exegetes and Shia scholars in fiqh. After the demise of Sayyid Murtada, he took the leadership of Twelver Shia and educated many students. He had many works. Among the fruits of Shaykh Tusi’s scientific activities has been Shia ijtihad’s achievement of independence from other Islamic sects including Sunni sects.

Kitab al-Ghayba is one of tens of books written having this title. It is not known what book has been the oldest book titled as al-Ghayba, but references of bibliography have listed books titled as such after the second century AH. Among the most important books written on this topic and this title written before the book of Shaykh Tusi, al-Ghayba of Nu’mani (d. 360 AH), Ghaybat of Shaykh Mufid (d. 413 AH) and Ghaybat of Sayyid Murtada (d. 436 AH) can be mentioned.

About the name of the book, the author has not chosen a title, but Aqa Buzurg Tihrani called it al-Ghayba. About this book, he said, “Shaykh Tusi’s al-Ghayba contains strongest rational and traditional proofs for the existence of Imam al-Mahdi (a), the reason for his occultation and signs of his advent toward the end of the time.”

Shaykh Tusi wrote this book around 447 AH, 13 years before his death.

* Al-Kalam fi al-ghayba: in this chapter, the author generally proves the imamate of an absent imam who is necessarily the twelfth Imam (a). To prove this issue, the author first proves prerequisites such as the necessity of existence of Imam (a) at any time, necessity of the infallibility of Imam (a) and presence of Imam (a) among people. He continues and rejects beliefs of Kaysaniyya, Nawusiyya, Waqifids, Muhammadiyya, Fathiyya and such sects about imamate. Then, he answers questions posed regarding the belief in occultation and at the end, he mentions the arguments for the occultation of Imam al-Mahdi (a) and that he (a) is the Twelfth Imam (a) from the children of Imam al-Husayn (a) and rejects the arguments of deniers.

* The birth of Imam Hujja b. al-Hasan al-‘Askari (a) and proves his birth with reasons and reports.

* Reports about Imam’s (a) agents (including both praised and criticized ones), mentioning the names and condemning those who claimed to be agents of Imam (a).

* Being the reference on the issue of occultation: this book has an important position due to the importance of its author and its topic and if someone wants to write a book on Mahdism and occultation, he has to refer to this book. This has been the reason that since the past, scholars and researchers pay a special attention to this work.

* Excluding Hudud to the time of Imam’s (a) presence: the author believes that Hudud can only be performed only by the Infallible and they are not applicable now.

* First-hand references: Shaykh Tusi’s access to first-hand references and his knowledge about hadiths has given a special value to this work.

References Shaykh has benefitted from can be divided in two groups:

* References which are now accessible to us such as al-Kafi, Nu’mani’s al-Ghayba, Kamal al-din wa tamam al-ni’ma, Shaykh Mufid’s Arba’ risalat fi al-ghayba, Sayyid Murtada’s al-Dhakhira, Masa’il Ali b. Ja’far (a), Sulaym b. Qays Hilali.

* References which are not available now such as Sa’d b. ‘Abd Allah Ash’ari Qummi’s al-Diya’ fi al-radd ‘ala al-Muhammadiyya wa al-Ja’fariyya, al-Raj’a, Fadl b. Shadhan’s al-Qa’im, Ibn Nuh Sayrafi’s Akhbar al-wukala’ al-arba’a, al-Awsiya’ and Shalmaghani’s al-Ghayba and Ali b. Ahmad ‘Alawi’sNusrat al-waqifa.

* In 1385 AH, it was published in Matba’at al-Nu’man in Najaf with a preface of Aqa Buzurg Tehrani in 292 pages and in the same year, it was offset by Maktabat Niniway al-hadithiyya.

* In 1411 AH, it was published with a preface of ‘Abd Allah Sarshar Tehrani and Ali Ahmad Nasih in 570 pages by Mu’assisat al-ma’raf al-Islamiyya of Qom. This version has a list of Qur’anic verses, names of prophets, angels and 14 infallibles, narrators, ambiguous points, clans and sects, places and times, references for the research and thematic index.