Sayyid Abd al-Aziz Tabataba'i: Difference between revisions

'''Sayyid ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Ṭabāṭabāʾī Yazdī'''{{at}} (Persian:{{ia| سید عبدالعزیز طباطبائی یزدی}}) (b. 1348/1929 -d.1415/1995) known as '''Muḥaqqiq Ṭabāṭabāʾī''' ({{ia|محقق طباطبائي}}) and '''Āqā ʿAzīz Kitābshinās''' (Persian:{{ia| آقا عزیز کتابشناس}}, Mr. Aziz, the Bibliographer), was a codicologist, and a scholar of history, [['ilm al-rijal]] and biography. He is a grandson of [[Sayyid Muhammad Kazim Tabataba'i Yazdi]], the author of ''[[al-'Urwa al-wuthqa]]'', from both material and paternal sides. He was so skillful in his areas of specialization that was known by acdemic and scholarly communities as "Muhaqqiq" (scholar). Sayyid 'Abd al-'Aziz had some students. He identified many manuscripts in world libraries.  

==Birth and lineage==

Abu Jawad, Sayyid 'Abd al-'Aziz b. Jawad b. Isma'il Tabataba'i Yazdi was born in [[Najaf]] on Aban 4, 1308 S.H. ([[Jumada II]] 21, 1348 A.H./ October 27, 1959). He was the grandson of [[Sayyid Muhammad Kazim Tabataba'i Yazdi]] (d. [[1337]]/1918), the author of ''[[al-'Urwa al-wuthqa]]''.

After studying the preliminaries of Islamic sciences, Sayyid 'Abd al-'Aziz went to [[Iran]] with his father. When his father passed away, he went to [[Qom]] and studied with [[al-Sayyid Rida al-Sadr]]. One year later he went back to Najaf, and studied with [[Sayyid Abu l-Qasim al-Khoei]], [[Sayyid 'Abd al-Hadi Shirazi]], [[Sayyid 'Abd al-A'la Sabziwari]], [[Sayyid Hashim Husayni Tihrani]], Mirza [[Muhammad 'Ali Urdubadi]]. He received permissions to narrate [[hadiths]] from Ayatollah Khoei, Sayyid 'Abd al-Hadi Shirazi, and [[Aqa Buzurg Tihrani]].

Muhaqqiq Tabataba'i died on [[Ramadan 7]], [[1415]]/February 7, 1995. He was buried in the Chamber 14 of the courtyard of the [[Holy Shrine of Fatima al-Ma'suma (a)]].

==Interest in bibliography and reviving the old heritage==

Since he was interested in bibliography and codicology and the revival of Shiite old heritage, Tabataba'i was influenced in Najaf by two prominent figures: Aqa Buzurg Tihrani and [['Allama Amini]]. When 'Allama Amini founded the Library of Amir al-Mu'minin (a) in Najaf, Muhaqqiq Tabataba'i started to make a catalogue for the library. And in order to identify manuscripts and learn about bibliography and other related fields, he frequently consulted Aqa Buzurg Tihrani.

In Dhu l-Hijja 1389/ February 1970, Tabataba'i was invited by Mashhad Univeristy to go to Iran and attend the Conference of the Millenium of al-Shaykh al-Tusi. At the request of the Libeary of [[Astan Quds Razavi]], he wrote manuscripts of [[fiqh]] and [[usul al-fiqh]], and then returned to Najaf. In 1978, he was deported by the Iraqi regime; he returned to Iran and stayed in Qom. He was affiliated with centers such as Mu'assisa Al al-Bayt (a), Al-Ghadir Center, the Foundation of Islamic Researches of Astan Quds Razavi, the Center for the Great Islamic Encyclopedia, the Foundation of Bi'that, and the Publications of Jami'a Mudarrisin. Many books were published by his cooperations or under his supervision. He also attended many academic and scscholarly conferences inside and outside Iran. 94 books were written by his supervision and his notes. He made a large catalogue of manuscripts available inside and outside Iran.

==Moral character==

People familiar with Muhaqqiq Tabatab'i admired his purity and his love of [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]] and his expertise in Shiite bibliography. He generouly helped researchers and students.

==Work==

* ''Ahl al-Bayt (a) fi l-maktaba al-'arabiyya'' ([[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]] in the Arabic school)

* ''Al-Ghadir fi l-turath al-Islami'' ([[Ghadir]] in the Islamic heritage)

* ''Nahj al-balagha 'ibr al-qurun'' (''[[Nahj al-balagha]]'' during centuries)

* ''Fihrist tasanif Karajaki'' (A catalogue of [[Karajaki]]'s works)

* [[Shakhsiyat-i 'ilmi wa mashayikh-i Shaykh Tusi]] ([[al-Shaykh al-Tusi]]'s scholarly character and his teachers)

* And many papers in the journal "Turathuna" (Our heritage).

==Attending conferences==

Muhaqqiq Tabataba'i attended many conferences, such as the Conference of Shaykh Tusi in [[Mashhad]] in 1389/1969, a conference by the Institute of Muhammadi Trust in 1404/1983, the Conference of Imam Ali (a) in 1410/1989 in London, and the Conference of the Millenium of [[Sharif Radi]] in 1406/1985 in the Foundation of Nahj al-Balagha in Tehran, and the Conference of Book and Book Reading in the Islamic Civilization in Mashhad.