Sayyid Murtadhā Alam-ul Hudā

 Birth:

Abul Qāsim Ali, son of Husein, son of Mūsā, known as ‘Sayyid Murtadhā Alam-ul Hudā (Allāmah Helli called him  ‘the teacher of Shi’a Imāmyya), was born in 355 H.

His name is Ali Ibn-e Husein Tahir, son of Mūsā, son of Muhammad, son of Mūsā, son of Ibrāhim, son of Mūsā son of Jàfar (A.S.). His middle name is Alam-ul Huda and his title is Dhul Thamānin and Dhul Majdain (bearer of gratness), and Shareef-e Murtadhā.

He was born in to one of the noblest Sādāt (descendants of the holy prophet of Islām) family in the city of Baghdād. He was proud of having a very noble parentage.  

 Divine title:

About the title ‘Alam-ul Hudā’ it is cited that, Abū Sa’eed Muhammad Ibn-e Husein the prime minister of Al-Qādiru-Billāh became ill in 420 H. once up on a night, he dreamed that, Amir-ul Mu’menin Ali (A.S.) ordered him: “ask Alam-ul Hudā to pray for your recovery”! The minister asked: “O’ Amir-ul Mu’menin, who is Alam-ul Hudā?” He answered: “ He is, Ali Ibn-e Husein Mūsavi (Sayyid Murtadhā)”.   

Education:

Some dreams in righteousness are similar to revelations, and are a kind of divine awareness. One of these dreams is the one Sheikh Mufid dreamed of. He dreamed that, hadhrat-e Fātima Zahrā (S.A.) took Imām Hasan and Imām Husein to him and ordered  “O’ Sheikh, teach these two sons of mine the divine law”.

This dream amazed Sheikh and made him thoughtful. Next morning, Fātima ‘the mother of Sayyid Murtadhā and Sayyid Radhi’ took her two sons (sayyid Murtadhā and Sayyid Radhi), who were small children to the Sheikh and asked him: “O’ Sheikh teach my two sons divine law”.

Sheikh was affected and told about his dream to that great woman and accepted to educate those two brothers, and did his best in teaching them until they acquired a very high positions in scholarship and Ijtihād (religious jurisprudence). They both became valuable Muslim scholars, scientists and elites of their age.

Position:

Sayyid Murtadhā was a comprehensive man; a scholar of divine religion, literary man, theologian and a Faqih (jurisprudent).

His decrees in Fiqh (religious jurisprudence) are under severe consideration by Fuqahā (jurisprudents). His famous books in Fiqh are, Al- Intisār and Jamal-ul Ilm-e wal Amal (The beauty of knowledge and action).

He was the supervisor of ‘Tlebiān’ of his age. From the scientific point of view, and reliability in ‘Fiqh science’, he acquired a very high position, which a few scholars in that era could reach that position. After Sheikh Mufid, he was the leading Faqih, theologian and competitive authority for Ijtihād of Imāmiya sect, in his age.

Sayyid Murtadhā was one of the leading scholars in literature, theology, and exegesis of holy Qur’ān. He was so skillful in Islāmic studies as to be called ‘the distributer of Shi’ie studiest at the beginning of the fifth Islāmic century’. He has been the head of Haramain (two holy shrines of Maccah and Madinah) and Hajj pilgrims, Naqeeb-ul Ashrāf (the supervisor of Sādāt), the supreme justice, and the competitive authority for grievance and complaining of people for 30 years.  

 Sayings of great men

Allāma Helli in his book ‘Kholāsah’ cites about him:

“Alam-ul Hudā was the pillar of Imāmiya and their instructor. His compilations up to now (693 H), are authorized to be used by the followers of righteous sect”.

Ibn-e Khallakān, one of Sunni sect historians says: “The superiorities of Sayyid Murtadhā are innumerable and his compilations in religion affairs and decrees are right signs, that he was a branch of that tree and a member of that great and respectful family” (household of the holy prophet of Islām).

It is narrated, that Sayyid Murtadhā had endowed the income of one of his own villages to be paid for papers used by Fuqahā. Its income had been paid for compilations of Mojtahids (jurisprudents). Also, it is narrated: “there have been over 80,000 volumes of books in his library”.

Instructors:

Sayyid Murtadhā and his brother Sayyid Radhi (the collector Nahj-ul Balāghah) were Sheikh Mufid’s students and received their sciences and knowledge from him. Sheikh Mufid, whose greatness in science is no secret to anyone, is their first and the most important instructor.

The knowledgeable preacher, Ibn-e Nabātah and Sheikh Hasan Bāb-e-weih are also among his teachers.

Students:

Among his outstanding students, the followings can be named;

1-  1-Sheikh Tūsee

2    2- Qādhi Ibn-e Barāj

3-  3-Abū Salāh Halabi

4-  4- Abul-fath Karājaki

5-  5-Salār Ibn-e Abd-ul Aziz Deilami

His most important compilation are as follows

1-   1-Tanzi-hul Anbiā

2-   2-Al-intesār fi man-faradat bihil imāmyya min-al masāeel-ul Fiqhyya

3-   3-Adh-dhari-ah fi usūl-esh-sharee-ah (in fundamentals of Fiqh)

4-   4-Al Muh-kam wal Mutashābih 

5-   5-Al Mukh-tasar

6-   6-Al Misbāh

7-   7-An-nāsirāt

8-   8-Al Amāli

9-   9-Durar-ul Fawāid  

He past away in 436 H. in baghdād,.  Najāshi cites in his book (Rijāl): “He past away in the mentioned year. His son offered his prayer, and was berried in his house. I, Abū ya’li Jafari (sheikh Mufid,s son in law) and Salār Ibn-e Abd-ul Aziz, rinsed him after his death.