Allamah al-Majlisi

Infobox_Person
name = Allamah Muhammad Baqir Majlesi

---

imagesize = 150px
birth_date =
birth_place = flagicon|Iran Iran
religion = Akhbari Twelver Shia Islam
website =

Muhammad Baqir Majlesi, (1616 a.d. – 1698 a.d.) (In Persian علامه مجلسی; variations: Majlesi , Majlessi, Majlisi, Madjlessi) known as "Allamah Majlesi" or "Majlesi-ye Thani" (Majlesi the Second), was a renowned and very powerful Iranian Twelver Shi'a cleric, during the Safavid era. He has been described as "one of the most powerful and influential Shi'a ulema of all time," whose "policies and actions reoriented Twelver Shia'ism in the direction that it was to develop from his day on." [Moojan Momen, "Introduction to Shi'i Islam" (Yale University Press, 1985) (p.114) quoted in "Soul of Iran," p.174]

He is buried next to his father in a family mauseleum located in the Jamé Mosque of Isfahan.

Early life and education

Born in Isfahan in 1616, his father, Molla Mohammad Taqi Majlesi ("Majlesi-ye Awwal"--Majlesi the First, b. 1594 a.d.-d. 1659 a.d.), was a cleric of Islamic jurisprudence. The genealogy of his family is traced back to Abu Noaym Ahámad b. Abdallah Esfahani (d. 1038 a.d.), the author, inter alia, of a History of Isfahan, entitled Zekr-e akhbar-e Esfahan. ["Mohammad Taqi Majlesi" in [http://www.iranica.com/ "Encyclopaedia Iranica"] ]

By the age of 14, he gained certification of "riwāyat" from Mulla Sadra to teach. He is said to have completed studies under 21 masters ("ustadh"). He is reported to have trained 181 students to become masters himself.

Influence and beliefs

In 1678, the Safavid King, Suleiman I of Persia, appointed Majlesi as "Sheikh ul-Islam" (Chief Religious Leader of the land) in Isfahan, the capital of the Persian Empire (Iran). In this influential position he was given a free hand by the Sultan to encourage and to punish as he saw fit. "The three inter-related areas in which Majlisi exerted his efforts were": the suppression of Sufism, mystical philosophies, and philosophic rationalism known as Falsafah; the propagation of a legalistic form of Twelver Shi'ism and "the suppression of Sunnism and other religious groups." [Moojan Momen, "Introduction to Shi'i Islam" (Yale University Press, 1985) (p.115)]

According to scholar Moojan Momem, Majlisi's era marked a breaking point, as he successfully undercut the influence of Sufism and philosophic rationalism in Shiism. "Up to the time of Majlisi, Shiism and Sufism were closely linked and indeed Sufism had been a vehicle for pro-Shii sentiment among the Sunnis. Even the most eminent members of the Shii ulama in the preceding centuries had come under the influence of Sufiism." After the death of Majlisi, "this process continued among the succeeding generations of ulama" so that Sufism became "divorced from Shiism and ceased to influence the main stream of Shii development. Philosophy was also down-graded and ceased to be an important part of studies at the religious colleges." Moojan Momen, "Introduction to Shi'i Islam" (Yale University Press, 1985) (p.116)]

Majlisi was not successful in suppressing Sunnism. Though he "waged a relentless campaign of persecution wherever he found any Sunnis," the pockets of Sunnism in Iran he targeted remained.

Legalism

He also reestablished clerical authority under his leadership, "and renewed the impetus for conversion from Sunnism to Shi'ism." ["Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World", (2004), p.425] Majlesi is "credited with propagating numerous Shi'a rituals that Iranians regularly practice", such as mourning ceremonies for the fallen imams, particularly the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali at Kerbala, and pilgrimages to shrines of imams and their families. [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=Yxd3E-_AqSEC&pg=PA170&lpg=PA170&dq=credited+with+propagating+numerous+Shi'a+&source=web&ots=5473eTlJkj&sig=A0_HEFFrhoo3sden27feyKpIePc Movali, Afshin, "Soul of Iran"] , Norton, (2005), p.170]

Majlesi "fervently upheld the concepts of `enjoining the good` and `prohibiting evil`", ["Encyclopedia of Islam and the Musilm World", (2004), p.425] and in so doing endeavoured to provide fatwa (judgements) for "all the of the hypothetical situations a true believer could or might face." [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=Yxd3E-_AqSEC&pg=PA180&dq=all+the+of+the+hypothetical+situations+a+true+believer+could+or+might+face&sig=49-a4lsCCVOGuVonFsqS9fcBEGk Ahmad Karmim Hakkak quoted in Afshin "Soul of Iran"] (2005), p.180] In one "exposition of virtues of proper behavior" he gave directions on everything from how to "wear clothes to sexual intercourse and association with females, clipping fingernails, sleeping, waking, urination and defecation, enemas, sneezing, entering and leaving a domicile, and treatments and cures for many illnesses and diseases." [Shahrokh Meskoob, "Iranian National Identity", quoted in Afshin "Soul of Iran" (2005), p.180]

More controversially, Majlesi defined "science" very narrowly as "knowledge of the clear, secure ayat [verses of the Quran] ; of the religious duties and obligations which God has fixed in his Justice; and of the Prophetic Traditions (Hadith), which are valid until the day of Resurrection." Beyond this, he warned, the seeking of knowledge is "a waste of one's life," and worse would "generally lead to apostasy and heresy, in which case the likelihood of salvation is remote." [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=Yxd3E-_AqSEC&pg=PA180&lpg=PA180&dq=Meskoob,+%22Iranian+National+Identity%22+book&source=web&ots=5473d0uMrk&sig=kLrBbmys3rNNmQYYgl4NuMvo9Uw Shahrokh Majlesi, quoted in Meskoob] , "Iranian National Identity", quoted in Afshin "Soul of Iran" (2005), p.180] . He opposed the school of mystical philosophy developed by Mir Damad and Mulla Sadra, who argued that the Quran was always open to reinterpretation, and valued insights that came from intuition and ecstasy rather than reason. [Karen Armstong, "The Battle for God: A History of Fundamentalism", Random House, 2001, p54-58.]

Majilis is also controversial for his close relationship with Indian Mughal ruler Aurangzeb Alamgir who was known commonly for his anti-Shia inclinations. Aurangzeb is said to have referred to Majlisi as "the real leader of all true Muslims of Persia".Fact|date=April 2008 Majlisi visited India on nine occasions between 1660 and 1695 and was awarded the respect of a government emissary thereby offending the Shah of Iran. The Shah made a futile effort of winning over Majlisi against Aurangzeb by giving him a high level post in his court but failed to win his support for his wars against the later.Fact|date=April 2008

Bibliography

Allameh Majlesi was a very prolific writer. He wrote more than 100 books, both in Arabic and Persian. Some of his more famous works are:

*Oceans of Light (Arabic: "Bihar ul Anwar") in 110 volumes.
*Reality of Certainty (Arabic: "Haqq-ul-Yaqeen") [http://www.almuntazar.com/view.php?article=138&PHPSESSID=0992cd8b0eceff605950c8b34cc5d4ea] .

*The Mirror of Intellects (Arabic: "Mir'at ul-Oqool"), a 26 volume commentary.
*The Shelter of the Upright People (Arabic: "Malaazul-Akhyaar") a 16 volume commentary.
*Provisions for the Hereafter (Arabic: "Zaad-ul-Ma'ad").
*A Gift for the Pilgrims (Arabic: "Tuhfatul-Za'er")
*Essence of Life (Arabic: "Aynul-Hayaat")
*Hilyat ul-muttaqeen
*Al-Fara'edh al-Tarifah

See also

*Du'a al-Kumayl

References

External links

* [http://www.ahl-ul-bayt.org/english/nokhbegan/Allameh%20Majlesi.htm Bio of the Majlesi family]
*http://www.al-islam.org/al-tawhid/hadith-science/1.htm