Sayyid Murtada’s Character, Works and Era in an Interview with Ayatollah Ostadi
Preface
Ayatollah Ostadi Moqaddam (Tehrani) was born in Tehran in ۱۹۳۷. He went to primary school in Tehran and he also passed the primary courses of the seminary school there. In pursuit of the complementary seminary courses he went to Qom. His teachers included: Sotudeh, Meshkini, Mirza Hussein Nouri, Khaz’ali, Mohammad Shahabadi, Sobhani, Montazeri, Makarem Shirazi, Soltani, Borujerdi and Azari Qomi.
His teachers in the higher courses in fiqh and osul consisted of Sayyid Mohammad Taqi Damad Yazdi, Sayyid Mohammadreza Golpayegani, Sayyid Kazem Shari’atmadari, Sheikh Mohammad Ali Araki, and Sayyid Musa Shobeiri Zanjani. In Najaf, he also took part in the classes taught by Imam Khomeini, Ayatollah Khoie, and Shahid Sayyid Mohammad Baqer Sadr.
Besides education, Ayatollah Ostadi also took part in religious propagation and teaching. He was also interested in research, revising and reviving the inherited works from the previous scholars. To this end his written works include: bibliographic collection of manuscripts (fihrist), biography of outstanding scholars, revising and doing research and writing treatises. He has also had executive responsibilities: manager of the seminary school of Qom, membership in The Guardian Council, membership in the Assembly of Experts of Leadership, membership in the board of trustees of the Great Encyclopedia of Islam, membership in managing board of Dar Raah-e Haqq Institute, membership in the supreme council of the seminary schools, and leadership of the Friday Prayer of Qom.
Currently, Ayatollah Ostadi is in charge of the International Congress for the Commemoration of Sayyid Murtada ‘Alam ol-Huda. Therefore, we asked him the following questions in an interview:
How do you consider Sayyid Murtada’s position among the Shiite scholars?
Explain about Sayyid Murtada’s features and characteristics.
What are his scientific innovations?
How did Sayyid Murtada influence his contemporary Shiite society?
Which of his views and characteristics are more useful for the present age?
What are the factors which played an influential role in growth of the characters like Sayyid Murtada?
What is your recommendation for dealing with theoretical disagreements among scholars, such as the disagreements between the schools of Qom and Baghdad?
As the dean, what are your expectations from the congress to be held?
What are your recommendations to the scientific committee and the ones involved in executive affairs of the congress?
In the Name of God, the Beneficent the Merciful
In answer to your first questions:
First we need to know a little about the conditions of the Shiites in that period, i.e. the period of Sayyid Murtada and Sayyid Radi and some of their teachers and students and the requirements of that time, as well as the status of the Sunnites. We also need to know about the freedom of speech of the Shiites to express their beliefs, and what threats waited for the Shiites in the absence of immediate, firm and factual measures. Sayyid Murtada and his contemporary companions’ status can be judged only by taking the mentioned points into consideration.
۱. based on the research by the late Sayyid Hassan Sadr, the first founders of the Islamic sciences were mostly from among Shiite scholars; however, the point to be kept in mind is that up until the period of Sheikh Koleini, Sheikh Mufid and Sayyid Murtada in Shiism, there was not an organized comprehensive collection of written works, and there was not found adequate knowledge in some aspects. The others, supported by the ruling systems and because of some other reasons, could have taken steps in organizing what was available to them and apparently they had priority in getting established. For instance, Bokhaari (death ۲۵۶ After Hijrah) and Moslem Ibn-i Hajjaj (death ۲۶۱ After Hijrah) are known as pioneer writers by them. However among the Shiites, works such as Al-Kaafi and Man Laa Yahzaroh ol-Faqih were written decades later. These are just some examples. The other sciences had similar conditions as well. For example, the interpretation work by Tabari had been composed before ۳۱۰ (After Hijrah), while there were no comparable interpretation books by Shiites at that time. The content for all the sciences based on traditions from the Ahl ol-Bait PBUT was available in a scattered manner and they were limited just to a number of subjects. There was no significant organized comprehensive work.
By this introduction, I intended to say that one of the most important and necessary steps by the Shiite scientists at those periods was to provide works which enjoyed particular innovation and acceptable strength; so that the opponents could not argue that the Shiites did not have any written works, and also the Shiite scholars could become acquainted with the knowledge about Ahl ol-Bait PBUT appropriately through written works.
To this end, considerable steps were taken. The interpretation work, Haqaaiq ol-Ta’wil (only one tenth of which is available, unfortunately) which was written by Sayyid Murtada’ brother, promoted the Shiites’ status in comparison to the interpretations by others. Furthermore, the great book of Nahj ol-Balaaghah, along with Al-Kaafi and Man Laa Yahzarh ol-Faqih, was a great achievement for the world of Islam, the Shiites and other people of the world. In a fair judgment, one will find out that Al-Kaafi by Sheikh Koleiny is much superior to Sahih by Al-Bokhaari.
Sayyid Murtada had a considerable contribution to this end. His Al-Amaali is as great as his brother’s Haqaaiq ol-Ta’wil, and it could somehow be said that it is an interpretation of the Qur’an. This interpretation defends the knowledge of Ahl ol-Bait and at the same time nullifies some works by the other.
Sheikh Tusi’s Al-Mabsout was not available yet when Sayyid Murtada performed an innovative action and collected the characteristics of the Shiite fiqh in his valuable work, Al-Intisaar. It is evident that, one cannot write such a book without a perfect knowledge about the fiqh of other schools and the authentic fiqh in Shiism. A number of his works imply his innovations and also the vastness of his knowledge. Among Sayyid Murtada’s important works one can refer to Al-Zari’ah in principles of fiqh (which is unprecedentedly comprehensive); Risaalah which deals with the Qu’an as being a miracle through Sarfah (God’s prohibiting others in producing any work like the Qur’an); Al-Shaafi, which is a response to Al-Moghni (probably honored by the Sunnites).
۲. It is evident that the Shiites and the Sunnites’ attempt to collect traditions and their belief in the extraordinary value of the traditions brought about some problems. The first problem was that, unlike the Shiites, who verify the truth of some traditions narrated by non-Shiites and accept them, the Sunnite scholars totally reject the traditions narrated by the Shiites because of a mistake, political reasons or prejudice. They believe that the traditions narrated by Shiites are not credible. Consequently, there develop some unauthentic traditions in both sides; furthermore, some untrustworthy contents are added to the religion. In such a situation, purification of tradition collections and in many cases explanation of the meaning of the Qur’anic verses and preserving them from distortion becomes necessary. Koleini’s and Sheikh Sadouq’s (and some other scholars’) tradition works are along this line, because they mostly focus on the source of the traditions. However, Sayyid Murtada and some other scholars’ attempts mostly focus on explaining the text and developing several probabilities and choosing the readings which are compatible with the main principles of the school of the Ahl ol-Bait. Al-Amaali includes examples of this kind along with the theological answers provided by him in response to the questions.
۳. At that time, theological discussions –because of some reasons mentioned somewhere else– were prevalent, and everybody, specially from among the Sunnites and sometimes the opponents, ventured to deal with any issues of the Islamic belief and to express his viewpoints, which were sometimes very baseless. Leaving such a situation on its own would have followed by serious damages to Islam and the line of the Ahl ol-Bait. Sheikh Mufid, Sayyid Murtada and the following scholars did their best to focus on these apparently rational issues and the discussions about the authentic Islamic beliefs to prevent the damages. One of Sayyid Murtada’s scientific steps was to take part in discussions and disputations. He also presented his defense from the school of the Ahl ol-Bait through writing books, e.g. Tanzih ol-Anbiyaa’.
۴. Respecting the traditions and showing tendency toward them is necessary; however, respecting the main body of the religion and the school is more important. Sometimes based on some traditions some beliefs were presented as the Shiite beliefs while they were baseless. Sayyid Murtada is one of the scholars who have directly questioned such traditions (not certain ones of course) and the statements of a number of famous scholars (even the Shiite ones); so that others could study the case more carefully later. It is evident that moving in this line needs brevity and persevering against the opponents (who may sometimes be from among the friend). Sayyid Murtada was featured with these characteristics.
۵. Following worldly desires and the desire for power by some of the companions after the prophet PBUH passed away, distorted the path he had designed and resulted in disunion, which increasingly became deeper. The Shiites minority and the Sunnites Majority have constantly suffered from such disputes in different aspects, and of course the Shiism has experienced more injustice. Such disputes, enmities, accusations and disagreements had continued severely until the time of Sheikh Mufid and Sayyid Murtada, and of course these disputes had no result but damage to Islam. In order to bring about calmness and develop reasonable discussions about the beliefs away from literal and physical quarrels, outstanding scholars had to take the chance resulted from the appropriate conditions for the Shiites and stop commination in their writings. They needed to argue logically and reasonably and express and strengthen the Shiite beliefs and leave no excuse for the opponents for sever quarrels. That is to say that they needed to write interpretations for the Qur’an and appropriately explain the verses about the Ahl ol-Bait and present the truth to the readers, who may have been Sunnites. In this way they could introduce the school of the Ahl ol-Bait as a reasonable denomination based on the Qur’an and authentic traditions.
One of the scholars who chose this way was Sayyid Murtada. In most of the cases, one can find the best defends in his writings along with precautions not to cause any tensions. Of course, keeping away from tensions should not result in ignoring the reality. Consider Nahj lol-Balaaghah, and you will see that Sayyid Radi has made all such considerations; at the same time, he has also included the Sheqsheqiyah sermon; and of course, Sayyid Murtada has a quasi treatise which explains the same sermon; meanwhile, I do not think the two interpretation works, i.e Qommi and Majma’ ol-Bayan, are judged in the same way. Amin ol-Islam has arranged his interpretation in a way that the truth about Ahl ol-Bait’s school is provided, and at the same time it is presentable at the Sunnite scientific-religious seminaries. However, interpretation of Qommi causes some unmentionable feelings among the Sunnites. May God bless them all.
۶. At the end, it is necessary to mention that the great scholars such as Sayyid Murtada followed the following policy and they also taught us to go through the same line: “we are the followers of reasoning, and accept it wherever we find it”. This policy is supportive to the religion. Asking and answering questions is necessary; the way toward discussion should remain open; the scholars of a denomination should not just be followers, they are in need of independent reasoning and doing research, as well. Sheikh Mufids annotations to Sheikh Sadouq’s great work, Al-I’tiqaadaat, and sometimes criticizing it (regardless of whose stand is right) are helpful for the magnificence of the religion. Sayyid Murtada courageously took part in discussions with outstanding Shiite scholars and tried to revise some of their statements. Meanwhile, he sometimes made considerable mistakes, and of course just the infallibles are preserved by the Most High Allah from committing mistakes.
In regard with your other questions, I need to say that like the other considerate colleagues I expect that all of Sayyid Murtada’s available works are provided in an appropriate way in the form of an encyclopedia. The previously published works need to be reprinted in the same way while considering the copy rights. In case of need for a few corrections, which can be coped with by just adding one page of correction to the work, there is no need to redo the whole work under the name of a new researcher.
There seems to be a need to an analytic and credible book on Sayyid Murtada’s biography. However, there is no need for developing repetitive works in this line, which seems to be fashionable these days.
The articles should be scholarly and deep in content, even if a few such articles are received. Furthermore, the articles need to be carefully reviewed so that they do not contradict the authentic principles, even if they are innovative.
I believe that the cultural-religious works which are performed based on governmental funds need to be done economically, away from any extravagancies. They need to be considered as a scientific-religious activity and responsibility rather than as a way of earning money. That the others ask for huge budgets to do research and revisions is not a good excuse for us in the seminary schools to ignore the spiritual side of the work.
My recommendation (first to myself) is to see whether the so-called new scientific works which are done strenuously today are comparable with the efforts by the previous scholars? Are they the same in spirituality? Did the author of Wasaa’il, Koleini who tried for twenty years, and Sheikh Sadouq who travelled so much in those days ask for any wages except from God and the Ahl ol-Bait? I keep saying to myself I need to try to be similar to them (even if I cannot climb as high), so that I am considered to be following the same line.
The Last Point
A comprehensive work in one volume to include the list of works to be appeared in the Encyclopedia of Sayyid Murtada will be much useful. In this way, his contemporary scholars are introduced; the works used by him are known; and the researchers can easily have a general view toward all of his works; furthermore, in the interpretation of the Qur’an, the verses cited by him can be realized in a convenient way.
Al-Shaafi, regardless of being an outstanding book, seems to have some problems in terms of the statements and organization, so Sheikh Tusi decided to summarize and reorganize it. Therefore, his revision should be published along Sayyid Murtada’s works, as well. And of course, the present version is very appropriate and needs no more work.
Assalam ‘Alaykom wa Rahmatollah wa Barakatoh
