تراثنا ـ العدد [ 6 ] - المقدمة

ON THE MILLENIUM OF

AL-SHARIF AL-RADHI

Translated by

Ali Sharif

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH,

THE BENEFICENT, THE MERCIFUL

Our Islamic history is full of memories which must be esteemed seriously and sincerely within a clear aim for the benefit of this nation, and to root nations glorious past amongst its sons, to be their present sustenace and future provisions. If we did so, these memories would bestow the nation its blessed downpours, enlightening the world by the star students of Alulbait school.

For instance, this blessed year had many meniories as the centenary of Sayyid Hamed Hussain « auther of Abagatulanwar » , and the millennium anniversary of Al-Sharif Al-Radhi\'s decease.

Al-Sharif Al-Radhi, the inspired poet, man of letters, and great rhetorician, was of elegant taste and deep knowledge of Arabic language. He proved his excellent ability by his tow treatises: Talkheesulbayan Fi Majazatelquran, and Al-Majazatul nabaweyyah, and thirdly by compiling his well-choosed sellections of the unparalleled sayings of the Father of letters, Amirul mu\'menin, Imam Ali (P.). These sellections of the heavenly masterpieces gave an everlasting fame to Al-Radhi.

Therefore, the Islamic world, highly esteemed thisamiversary through many seminars, conferences, studies, as well as special publications, concerning Al-Radhi\'s life, works, literature, poetry, theology and jurisprudence.

Naturally, these activities also covered Nahjul Balagha, the

blessed book which raised Al-Radhi\'s name along the ages.

So the concerned scholars offered many studies on its authority, text, commentaries, manuscripts handwriting, punctua- tion, etc.

Appreciating these works, Nahjul Balagha Center in Tehran, held a special conference about Al-Radhi this year. Also similar meetings had been held in Damascus and elswere, having their own publications about the subject.

Considering all these, .Turathuna » decided to cover the proceedings of Tehran conference by accord with Nahjul Balagha Center.

So it dedicated in this issue a special file for the Arabic articles which had been delivered in the conference.

The first subject in this issue is of the Editorial Board titled: researching of Nahjul Balagha, which criticizes the cheap printings of Nahjul Balagha. It syas: it is really surprising that a famous researcher like Mohammad Muh\'uddin Abdulhameed, who lives in a celebrated center of our Islamic heritage «cairo » only depends on eight previous prints, while the book has a lot of manuscripts.

The Editorial Board then refers to five errors and distorations as an example for the neglections of the Egyptian and Lebanese prints. The article concludes by praying to the Almighty to inspire a right man to research Nahjul Balagha precisely and honestly.

١. The study of Sheikh Hassam Zada Al-Amuli which is titled: Apreface on Nahjul Balagha sources, he tries to refute some odd opinions which attribute Nahjul Balagha text (sermons, letters, maxims of Amirul mu\'menin) to Al-Radhi, its compiler. So he refers to many sources of these letters and sermons which had been written befor Al-Radhi\'s age, as: Al-Kafi of Theqatul Islam Al-Kulaini, Al-Bayan waltabien of Abu Am\'r Bin Bahar Al- Jahedh, Al-Kamel of Al-Mubarrad, Ta\'reekh Al-Ya\'qubi, Ta\'reekh Al-Tabari, Kitab Seffin of Menqari, etc. The writer also quotes some proofs which clearly show that Al- Radhi was not but a mere collect or of these sermons, letters and maxims.

٢. The second study titled: The remanent manuscripts of Nahjul Balagha till ٨th H. century, which is prepared by Sayyid Abdulaziz Al-Tabatabal is a bibliographic survey on a ٨٦ manuscripts of Nahjul Balagha, which were found in the private or public book treasuries till ٨ H. century. The study has a valuable preface introducing the collectors of Imam Ali\'s

sermons, letters and maxims from the first H. century till the ٤th H. century (i.e. the period which preceded Al-Radhi\'s age.).

٣. Then you\'ll see the treatise of Sheikh Reza Ustadi studying: Al- Radhi as a jurisprudent. He depend in his conclusion on the following proofs:

I- Al-Radhi pupilage to some eminent jurisprudents.

II- His arguents and disputation on this subject.

III- His book of the comparative jurisprudence.

IV- His studies in this field which are noticed in his writings.

V- Being in charge of Qadhi Al-gudhat (superme Judge) for aperiod.

VI- Being recognized by the eminent scholars as a jurisprudent.

٤. Then comes a study about: Ahlulbait in Nahjul Balagha concerning the virtues and merits of the pure family of the Holy Prophet (P.) as stated in Nahjul Balagha. The writer has traced his effort through sunni and shi it sources.

٥. In the field of poetry,we have two poems chantingthe anniversary of Al-Radhi the first is versified by Dr. Sheikh Ahmad Al-Wa\'eli, and the second by Sheikh Jafar Al-Hilali.

٦. In the chapter of: What must be published from the heritage, Sayyed Abdulaziz Al-Tabataba i, has mentioned in details specialities of eight manuscripts mainly running on Nahjul Balagha as:

I: Irshadul Mo\'menin Ela Ma\'refat Nahjul Balagha Al-Mubeen, by yahya B. Ibrahim Al-Haboori (d. ١١٠٢ H.)

II. Al-Iqdul Fareed Al-Muntaza\' Min Sharh Ibn ,obi Al-Hadeed, by Abdullah B. Al-Hadi B. Yahya (d. nearly ٧٩٣ H.)

III: Nazmu Hekam Al-Imam Ali (P.) «which is a verse », by Ahmad B. Abdullah Al-Wazeer (d. ٩٨٥ H.).

٧. Concerining the “historical documents» the Editorial Board has rescarched extracts from Al-Mukhammas of Al-Radhi (we have to explain here that Al-Mukhammas which lit means: pentagonal, pentamerous, pentameteretc.is a literary idiom that is used in both poetry and prose. And here it means a style of prose.). However in addition of this Mukhammas you\'ll find four letters in the some chapter which they are:

I- a letter from King Bahauddawla Bin Bowaih to Al-Radhi.

II- a letter from Al-Radhi to Minister Shapoor Bin Ardasheer.

III- a letter of Al-Radhi to Abulgasem Sulaiman Bin Ahmad.

IV- a letter of his correspondences.

Of course all of these letters are published for the first time.

٨. As to « Treasures of the heritage » , a chapter which is dedicated for the unpublished manuscripts, you\'ll enjoy a research study of Sayyid Ahmad Al-Husaini, on a manuscripts treatise named: a comparison between Al-Radhi and Al- Ha rawi. The author of the treatise who is a literary of the ٥th H. century, has compared between a poem of Al-Radhi and another of Abu Ahmad Mansoor Bin Mohammad Al-Azdi Al-Harawi- the celebrated poet of Khurasan and its man of letters- then he concluded his literary judgement by prefering Al-Radhi\'s poem, though the two poems are running on one topic.

٩. As to conference of Al-Radhi which is held by Nahjul Balagha Center in Tehran at ١٣-١٧ of Rajab ١٤٠٦ H., we dedicated a special file for it.

A. The first subject in the file is of Dr. Sayyid Mohammad Bahrululoom, titled: The Ambitious poet. The study concerned with the phenomenon of Ambition in Al-Radhi\'s poetry.

B. Also Dr. Hammoodi has an article dealing with some of Al- Radhi\'s poetry in praise of Alubait which shows Al-Radhi\'s obligation to his faith.

C. Then we read Sheikh Jafar Subhani\'s article titled: Al-Radhi and Al-Murtadha are two stars, which defutes some accusations fabricated against the characters of these two honorable scholars. The writer depends in his defense on some historical facts.

D. Also Sayyid Jafar Murtadha Al-Ameli defutes in his article two lies which accuse Al-Radhi\'s faith.

E. At the end of our special file comes the article of Dr. Sheikh Mohammad Hadi Al-Ameni in defense of .Al-Radhi\'s faith against some groundless suspicious.

١٠. Then you\'ll see our last chapter: News of the heritage which is prepared by the Editorial Board. In this chapter- as you may noticed in the previous issues, .Turathuna» has a bibliographic review of concerned publications, research works, manuscripts etc.

Prais he to Allah, the cherisher and sustainer the worlds, and Allah\'s greetings to the Holy Prophet and his pure Family and Descendents,

* * *

AND NOW :

WHAT DO YOU READ

IN THE SIXTH ISSUE?

In his serial study: Glances on the researching art, Mr. Asad Mawlawi, has written in this issue on the step of the book choosing which is considered as amost important step in the researching operation. For it requires a discerning and honest researcher to choose a book which leads the nation to the prosperity andenlightens its divine message, instead of deviational or misleading books. The researcher also studied the rules of choosintu.studying, and evaluation of the books according to the scientific standards.

The first part of Mr. Abdulhusain AI-Baqqal study titled: From the encyclopedic lexicon of the Holy Quran, appears on the ages of this issue. The writer method in his study on the Quranic terms takes the binary order, that is: the form of the entry as well as its derivation. As you notice the Quranic entry which has been choosed for this issue is: Al-Ara\'ic.

In his article: Shias position towards their enimies attacks, Sayyed Abdul Aziz Al-Tabatabai expands the physical law of the action and its reaction, to cover shi\'ite literol and ideological production through ١٥ H. centuries. So he traces their ideological compilations considering them as a Reaction to their enemies attacks which he considers as the Action. The writer then concludes his articel by refering to Abaqutul Anwar of Sayyed Hamed Husain, who wrote his book to refute a book called: Al-Tuhfa Al- Ithna Asharia.

Sheikh H. Hasan Zada Amuli has studied in this issue an important question of the theological philosophy and real gnosticism. This question is refered to as: the very some matter,

which means the real facts of the true theorems which appears along the best existence system, while the folse theorems are deprived from this reality.

Concerning the books which are written about animals, Dr. parweez Athkai has classified them as:

I: The formal, technical studies, dealing with hunting cermonies, terms and also the birds of prey.

II: The books which are written only by the Shi\'ite scholars on-this subjects from the Islamic jurisprudence point of view. You\'ll count ٢٢ titles therein.

Destoration of the Holy Quran is a slander which unjustly had been charged against the shias, by quoting some weak or fabricated Traditions. Therefore Sayyed Ali Al-Meelani, in his valuable article has surveyed the opinion of shi\'ite scholars begining with Sheikh Al- Sadooq (d. ٣٨١ H.) till our contemporaries as his eminancy Al- Sayyed Al-Khuei (may God save him) who all emphasize that the Holy book which is now in our hand is the same Quran which has been revelaed to our Holy prophet Mohammad (P.) without any destoration or deficiency.

Sheikh Mohammad Al-Samami has presented «Turathuna » two license letters which Sheikh Al-Baha\'i (٩٥٣-١٠٣١ H.) has granted his student Mohammad Kazim Al-Tankabuni (d. ١٠٣٣ H.) permitting him to narrate his compilations and commentaries. The writer has commenced his work by a brief introduction concerning the license letters, from Imamia point of view. He described these letters as important historical documents.

Our dear reader will find a new circle of: What must be published from the heritage, in, which Sayyed Abdulaziz Al- Tabatabal has offered these books:

I: Nahjul Bayan An Kashfi Ma\'ani Al-Quran, a brief valuable and literary commentary on the Holy Quran by a scholar of ٧th H. century.

II: Nehayatul Maram Fi Ilmel Kalam, a precise study of all Al- Kalam arguments (somewhat like the Scholostic theology) by Al- Allama Al-Hilli (d. ٧٢٦ H.)

III: Jam i\' Al-Khelaf wal Wefaq Bainal Imamia Wa Baina Aemmat Al-Hejaz wal Iyaq, a comparative study of Imamia, Malekia, and Hanafia jurisprudence.

IV. Al-Mughni Fi Ilmey Al-Nahu Wattasreef, which is written by Ibn Al-Falah Taqiyuldeen Abi Al-Khair Mansoor B. Falah B. Mohd. Al- Yamani (d. ٦٨٠ H.)