Al-Ihtijaj (book): Difference between revisions

According to the beginning of the book, its name is "al-Ihtijaj", and there is no mention of "al-Ihtijaj 'ala ahl al-lijaj." However, other scholars introduced the book by two names. The book is well known as "Ihtijaj al-Tabrisi."

During the history of [[Islam]], great religious figures by the motivation of proving the right and refuting the wrong, wrote books under the title of "al-Ihtijaj" or dedicated some chapters of their books to this topic. There are about 20 books by the title of "al-Ihtijaj" among [[Shi'a]] early sources, the earliest of which is "al-Ihtijaj" written by [[Muhammad b. Abi 'Umayr]], the close companion of [[Imam al-Kazim (a)]].

Shaykh [[Yusuf al-Bahrani]], the author of ''[[Lu'lu'at al-bahrayn]]'' writes: "Some of the recent Shi'a scholars have made a mistake in ascription of the book to [[Abu Ali al-Tabrisi]], the author of ''[[Majma' al-bayan]]''. Some of those who made this mistake are [[Muhammad Amin Istarabadi|Amin al-Istarabadi]] and before him, the author of ''[[Mashayikh al-Shi'a]]'' and before him, [[Muhammad b. Abi Jumhur al-Ahsa'i]] in ''[['Awali al-la'ali]]'' and also [[Qadi Nur Allah al-Shushtari]] in ''[[Majalis al-mu'minin]]''."

In the introduction of the book, al-Tabrisi writes: "What made me to write such a book, was that some Shi'a have desisted from argument and debate with the opponents of Shi'a and say 'we are not allowed to do this, because the [[Prophet (s)]] and the [[Imams (a)]] never debated and argued and did not allow Shi'a to do so' therefore, I decided to collect the arguments of great Shi'a figures against their opponents in the roots and branches of the religion." In the following, he mentions that the prohibition of Imams (a) form arguing and debating only meant those who are weak in defending the [[religion]] and Shi'a beliefs, not those eminent and strong ones in proving the right and refuting the wrong.  

In the introduction of the book the author writes: "Except for those hadiths that I have narrated form ''[[Tafsir al-Imam al-'Askari (a)]]'', I mentioned all hadiths in the book without their chain of transmitters, because whether they are unanimously accepted or agree with our beliefs or are narrated in ours and the opponents' books. I narrated the hadiths of the ascribed [[exegesis]] to [[Imam al-'Askari (a)]] by its chain of narrators: because these hadiths are not as famous as the other hadiths in the book." According to this paragraph, Shi'a scholars have relied on and accepted the hadiths in the book, although they do not have chain of narrators.  

Many of great Shi'a scholars, such as [[al-Shaykh al-Hurr al-'Amili]] in ''[[Amal al-amil]]'', [[Sayyid Muhammad Baqir Khwansari|Khwansari]] in ''[[Rawdat al-jannat]]'' and [[al-Khoei]] in ''[[Mu'jam Rijal al-Hadith]]'', regarded this book as precious, good and very useful.     

* and in the last chapter, the arguments of [[Imam al-Mahdi (a)]], his correspondence with his [[Four Deputies]] during the [[Minor Occultation]] and his [[Tawqi']]s during the [[Major Occultation]].   

* The commentary written by Sayyid Ahmad b. Muhammad al-Husayni al-Mukhtari.

* Another Manuscript kept in Mulk Library, by the handwriting of Muhammad b. Muhammad Ali Khavari in Naskh, written in 1069/1658-9.

 

* The material for this article is mainly taken from {{ia|[[:fa:(الاحتجاج علی اهل اللجاج (کتاب)|الاحتجاج علی اهل اللجاج (کتاب]]}} in Farsi WikiShia.