Hasan Ansari
Hasan Ansari is a prominent researcher in the field of theology and Islamic philosophy in Freie Universität Berlin (Institute of Islamic Studies) and he teaches the principles of fiqh and history of the science of theology in this university. He is also a member of The French National Center for Scientific Research (department of the religions of the Book); additionally, he is a member of The International Society for the History of Arabic and Islamic Science and Philosophy (Paris).
He cooperates with the office of the International Congress of Sayyid Murtada 'Alam al-Huda. A collection of Hasan Ansari’s articles on Sayyid Murtada 'Alam al-Huda’s personality and works along with his revisions of two of Sayyid Murtada’s works (“Ajwabat ol-Tirablosiyat ol-Oulaa” and “Ajwabat ol-Masaa’il al-Sallaariyah”) are being prepared. These two books are among Sayyid Murtada’s most important works in theology. The revisions are being carried out based on newly found copies. In the following, Hasan Ansari’s detailed explanations about these two books are presented:
One of Sharif Murtada’s valuable works, which has not received due attention, is “Ajwabat ol-Masaa’il al-Sallaariyah”. The book is a collection of detailed answers to eight questions in the field of theology, and they are all related to the philosophical subjects in this field. The work should be considered as one of Sharif Murtada’s important theological works, and it represents this Shiite scholar’s Bahshami tendencies. It is necessary to mention that we were aware of the existence of an ancient copy dating back to ۶۷۶ (After Hijrah) in the Library of Astan Quds Razavi (under “Jawaab Masaa’il”, copies dating back to ۶۷۶ after Hijrah; refer to: alphabetical list of Astan Qods, p. ۱۷۳. Furthermore, there has been an old copy among a collection of Sharif Murtada’s Masaa’il, donated by ‘Aal ol-Sheikh Asadullah al-Tastari in Kazemein; refer to Al-Fawa’id al-Rijaliyyah Sayyed Mahdi Bahr ol-‘Olum, vol. ۳ p. ۱۵, annotation. The oldest copy of this book is in Berlin, which was used along with the other available copies in our revision of the work). There is no reference to Masaa’il al-Sallaariyah in the three ancient lists of Sharif Murtada’s works (i.e. Basrawi, Najashi and Sheikh Tusi’s Fihrists). However, it is known that the work has been mentioned in the appendix to his work Amaali. Apparently, the copies of the appendix of Amaali are incomplete; hence, the complete text of this A-Masaa’il cannot be found there. The other possibility is that only part of it had been intended to be added to Amaali. Ibn-i Shahraashoub is the only person to refer to this book under the title of Al-Masaa’il al-Sallaariyah (refer to: Ma’aalim ol-‘Olamaa, p. ۷۰). Based on Ibn-i Shahraashoub’s explanation, it is implied that Al-Masaa’il ol-Deilamiyyah, referred to by Tusi (Fihrist, p. ۲۸۹), deals with fiqh and is not related to Deilami’s Masaa’il Sallaar. It is necessary to mention that the questions in the book Ajwabat ol-Masaa’il al-Sallaariyah were in fact asked by Sallaar Ibn-i ‘Abd ol-‘Aziz al-Deilami, the famous jurist and theologian who was among Sharif Murtada’s most important students. Of course, the questions, which are sometimes detailed, reveal his status in the science of theology. It is known that he had a book concerning the essences and attributes (Jowhar and ‘Araz), which is perfectly related to the discussed issues (refer to: Al-Zari’ah ila Tasaanif al Shi’ah, vol. ۲ p. ۸۳-۸۴; ibid, vol. ۵, p. ۳۵۲; A’yaan ol-Shi’ah, vol. ۷, p. ۱۷۱). In Al-Fawaa’id al-Rijaaliyyah, Sayyed Mohammad Mahdi Mohaqiq Bahr ol-‘Olum makes a reference to this book and Sharif Murtada in his introduction to that work praises Sallaar al-Deilami’s knowledge because of the very same book: “…One can notice Sallaar's high status through the following descriptions by Sayyid Murtada: By God, this scholar has asked about intricate issues and his firm argumentations imply his expertise in theology. Since Sayyid Murtada was well aware of the profound knowledge and skill of Sallaar, who was one of his students, he answered his questions insightfully.”
Prior to the answers included in the book, Sharif Murtada describes the one who asks the question in this way: “…I considered the questions posed by Sallaar. I acknowledge that he has rightly pointed out issues which need to be clarified. I will answer the questions briefly –and of course perfectly– and I will provide the necessary explanations and remove the doubts …”
Sallaar, as well, starts his questions in this way: “May God prolong the life of our great master, Sayyid Murtada 'Alam al-Huda. May God preserve him and maintain his mastership and defeat his enemies and the ones who envy him. One cannot thank God appropriately for the grace of Sayyid Murtada's existence. May he live long and may God preserve him from tribulations.
It is senseless to remain ignorant when it is possible to ask Sayyid Murtada for the guidance and answers to the questions. The purpose is to enjoy God's light in order for the man to be guided to the right path. I humbly could have asked this questions in your meetings and get their answers as before; however I seek for more insight about them so that their complexities are resolved to the benefit of the public; and so that a useful collection is formed for all the believers; and so that my name is also mentioned in this collection and the superiority and capabilities of our majesty, Sayyid Murtada, is revealed in it.
Therefore, it is discovered that Sallaar al-Deilami took part in Sharif Murtada’s discussion meetings; probably, the very same theological meetings in which the basic “view” was formed and eventually recorded in Amaali. However, instead of posing the questions in the usual manner in those meetings, he had presented them to the master in a separate written form; and probably because of this, it was decided to include those questions and their answers as an appendix to Amaali.
There are only three questions and answers from Al-Masaa’il al-Sallaariyah published in the appendix to Al-Amaali and also separately in Sharif Murtada’s published Rasaa’ils. Because his manuscripts of Rasaa’ils and discussions were collected in a scattered manner, this book had remained unnoticed up to the present day, and only three other parts beside Masaa’il al-Sallaariyah with different titles have been published in Sharif Murtada’s Rasaa’il, in spite of the fact that this work is actually among Sharif Murtada’s most important theological works. A list of the issues discussed in this book, accompanied with the eight questions, is presented below:
The first questions deal with why the substantiality of the essence is not dependent on its subject.
The second question is concerned about the point that power does not necessitate the attribute for the substratum of the power; rather it necessitates the attribute for the powerful totally. In fact, the powerful is powerful because of the totality of the powerful/living, not just because of the components of the substratum of power.
The third question is in fact related to the previous question, but with a focus on the attribute of liveliness.
The forth questions deals with the point that validity of attributing the property to the attributed is not related to the agent, even if the opponent predetermines that by the agent, an un-intending agent is in mind.
The fifth question refutes the astronomers’ view concerning the point that stars influence the events. This question and its answer can be found in the appendixes to Amaali and also as one of the questions answered in Sallaariyah (۳/ from ۳۸۴ and on). The question has also been published independently in the collection of Sharif Murtada’s Rasaa’il, as an independent question (۲/ from ۳۰۱ and on. With a vague reference to Masaa’il al-Sallaariyah and the point that it has been included in Murtada’s Ghorar wa al-Dorar).
The sixth question is concerned with dreaming and its quality and the theological issues related to it, its nature and agent. This question and its answer also can be found in the appendixes to Amaali and also as one of the questions answered in Sallaariyah (۳/ from ۳۹۲ and on). It has also been published independently in the collection of Sharif Murtada’s Rasaa’il, as an independent question without any reference to Masaa’il al-Sallaariyah (۲/ ۹ and on. Here, there is no reference to Masaa’il al-Sallaariyah or its existence in Murtada’s Al-Ghorar wa al-Dorar/Amaali; it has just been mentioned that it is the sixth question, which clearly refers to the answers of the questions in Al-Sallaariyah).
The seventh question is concerned with the issue of “speculation” and the arrangement of the reasons. This treaties has been analyzed in the historical studies. The question is not found in Amaali, but it has been published in Rasaa’il (۲/ ۱۴۷ and on), titled as Tawaarod al-Addillah (coincidence of the reasons), without any reference to Masaa’il al-Sallaariyah.
The eighth question is related to a theological analysis of “intention” in indicatives, imperatives and other types of utterances. The question asks whether the speaker’s intention makes a sentence indicative / imperative or it is the intention itself that influences the mood of the sentence.
The view rejected by Sharif Murtada is that for any component to be considered as part of a statement it is necessary that each component be simultaneous with an intention.
As it could be noticed, Ajwabat ol-Masaa’il al-Sallaariyah is a collection completely dealing with minute theological issues, and it is especially concerned with various essences and attributes and the issue of influences and influentials. All these issues have been among the most important issues discussed by Mu’tazilah, specifically the Bahshamis. Sharif Murtada has provided detailed explanations along the Bahshami’s approach in response to these problems, each of which were very minute and posed with careful scrutiny in the form of a detailed question (implying the questioner’s, i.e. Sallaar Delami’s, deep knowledge). Of course, Sharif Mrtada has provided similar issues in his other book, Al-Molakhas; however, his answers in Ajwabat ol-Masaa’il al-Sallaariyah are much more accurate and detailed with a focus on the criticisms and objections.
Based on what was discussed, it could be understood that from among the eight questions and answers in Al-Masaa’il al-Sallaariyah only the fifth and the sixth questions have been published and rest of the book including the introduction has not been published.
One other work written by Sharif Murtada is “Ajwabat ol-Masaa’il al-Tirablosiyat ol-Oulaa”. According to the earliest lists (Fihrists) of Sharif Murtada’s works, especially Basrawi’s Fihrist (Published in Adab al-Murtada), he had four different notebooks in response to the questions received from Tripolitania (Ṭarābulus). The second and the third were identified while the first and the fourth were believed to be missing. According to Basrawi’s report, the first notebook dealt with ۱۷ questions. In a study of various copies of Sharif Murtada’s Rasaa’ils, I came across with the first of these notebooks, which had unfortunately remained unnoticed despite the fact that several copies of it were available. I have found sixteen questions in these copies and the copies are incomplete at the end. Meanwhile, this notebook is a rather voluminous one, so that one of the copies includes fifty sheets. The notebook is among the most important collections of Sharif Murtada’s responses; because it includes a number of the major theological issues and detailed critical discussions by Mo’tazilah against the Imamate. More importantly, the notebook includes Sharif Murtada’s discussions in rejection of possibility of distortion of the Qur’an, which has, unfortunately, not been cited by the Shiite scholars against the opponents, except through a reference to the points found in Majma’ al-Bayaan Tabarsi (۱/۴۳). It is necessary to mention that previously only four rather smaller discussions of this book had been published either as an appendix to Sharif Murtada’s Al-Amaali, or in “Rasaa’il al-Sharif Murtada”, which of course are not included under the title of Tiraablosiyat; rather they are scattered here and there among Sharif Muttada’s Rasaa’ils and Masaa’ils. The table of the contents of this book includes:
۱. The issue of Nass (text) in imamate and its precise and detailed issues from the theological viewpoint; in rejection of Mo’tazilah.
۲. The issue of choosing Imam and the issue of the innocence of Imam, concerning the necessity of choosing the Imam or the text’s connoting the Imam.
۳. A rejection to Mo’tazilah concerning the issue of choosing an unauthorized person for imamate.
۴. A theological discussion concerning the issue of the prime matter and rejection of philosophers in this regard. Of course, this part was previously published independently in Amaali (۳/۳۴۴ and on) and also as an appendix to Rasaa’il al-Sharif Murtada (۳/ ۳۲۹ and on). We mentioned this before in our webpage and published its text.
۵. A rejection to Zeidiyyah concerning the imamate of the Imams believed in by the Imamiyyah.
۶. A discussion about the meaning of “innocence” of the prophets and the Imams. This issue has been mostly published as an appendix to Amaali (۳/ ۳۴۷ and on) and also in Rasaa’il al-Sharif Murtada (۳/ ۳۲۵ and on).
۷. A discussion about the tradition by Ibn al-Ssakeit and the narration from Imam Reza concerning the prophets’ miracles, the detailed discussion of which has been included in Tirablosiyyat Thaaniyyah (as an appendix to Rasaa’il al-Sharif Murtada, ۱/ ۳۴۷ and on); however, the part included in the first notebook has not been published yet.
۸. A detailed discussion about the knowledge in the World of Pre-Existence.
۹. A discussion about the traditions and narrations concerning the approval or reprehension of things or foods, as a result of acceptance or rejection of Wilayah (authority). This part was previously published as an appendix to Amaali (۳/ ۳۴۹).
۱۰. A very detailed discussion against the distortion of the Qur’an, which has dealt with many various aspects of the issue.
۱۱. A discussion about the tradition “if Abuzar had known what was in Salman’s heart, he would have killed him”. This was previously published in the appendix to Amaali (۳/ ۳۹۶ and on).
۱۲. A discussion about the truth of human being from the viewpoint of theology.
۱۳. A discussion concerning the balance of the deeds in the Resurrection from the viewpoint of theology.
۱۴. A discussion about the following paradox: despite the fact that from the theological viewpoint, the criterion for the greatness of an action is the degree of its hardship, Salat, in call for prayers (“hurry toward the best deed”), is considered as the best deed, despite thefact that the hardship in Jihad is much greater.
۱۵. A discussion about why a person who refutes Imam Ali pbuh should be considered as a disbeliever; while Imam Ali’s conduct concerning the Khawarij was not in concordance with this idea.
۱۶. Another very detailed discussion about the truth of human being from the viewpoint of theology and details of the discussion about the truth of “the active living being”.
One interesting point in this notebook is Sharif Murtada’s rather numerous quotations from the Mo’tazilah and Imamiyyah theologians, and also his discussion about Ibn-i Qobbah and Aal-i Nowbakht.
Cited from Rahgozar-e Ayyam, Halqe-ye Katiban
