In the Name of Allah,

the Compassionate, the Merciful

On The Reminiscence Of Late Allameh Tabatabaei

Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Hussain Tabatabaei was born in 1321 A.Hegira (Lunar Calendar) corresponding to 1282 A.Hegira (Solar Calendar) in the city of Tabriz. He started his elementary education in his hometown.

During those days, Hawzah Ilmiyah (the theological seminary) of the holy city of Najaf was determined as an outstanding center for Shi’a School of Thought. Late Allameh completed his knowledge in various fields of Islamic science in that reputable center from 1304 to 1314 A. Hegira. Distinguished Islamic scholars and erudite figures such as Sayyid Hussain Badkoobi, Haj Mirza Ali Ghazi Naeeni, Ayatollah Kumpani, and Sayyid Abul-Qasim Khansari taught him philosophy, ethics, Fiqh & Osool (Islamic Jurisprudence & its fundamental principles), Hikmat-e Amali (Pragmatic Theosophy), Irfan (Gnosis), mathematics, and other branches of Islamic science.

Years after his return to Iran and taking residence in Qum in 1325 A.H., the enthusiasm and expertise of Allameh in fields of

Kalaam (theology), Irfan (Gnosis), Hikmat (theosophy), mathematics, Fiqh, and Osool was revealed to everyone through his frequent trips to Tehran and holding

 discussions on Islamic and scientific issues with accomplished scholars of Islamic world as well as western thinkers, philosophers, and erudite figures, and his great character was widely known both inside and outside the Islamic countries.

Through his logical and philosophical reasoning, Allameh Tabatabaei succeeded to make a great number of materialists and opponents of religion - who had gone astray - get the true concepts of religion and theosophy, and thereby could leave a profound impact in the society in the last years of his life.

His philosophic and scientific discussions with Henry Corbin – the abstract of which published in two volumes – discloses the high scientific competence of Allameh in different religious and scientific aspects
The scientific services offered by Allameh to the Islamic world are not confined to his researches and studies, rather, his teaching and training activities are regarded as his most important services. He was the first Islamic dignitary who introduced the course of Essentials of Philosophy (e.g. philosophic books such as Shifa & Asfar) in Hawzah Ilmiyah of Qum.

His brilliant scientific character as well as decent behavior towards his students attracted more and more talented and qualified individuals to attend his lectures.

Allameh paid special attention to moralities and soul purification of his students, and constantly highlighted the necessity of linking moral purification with academic teachings, and this has always been a basic principle in Iranian Islamic culture.

 

 

Works of Allameh Tabatabaei

There are a number of valuable works authored by Allameh, including

1- Al-Meezan (an exegesis on the Holy Qur’an)

2- Interviews With Henry Corbin, (2 volumes)

3- Hashiah (Marginal Annotations) on Asfar (Title of the philosophic book of Mulla Sadra)

4- Philosophic Fundamentals of Realism

5- A Monograph On Af’al (Actions)

6- A Treatise On Sifat ((Attributes/Qualities)

7- A Treatise On Ithbat (Affirmation)

8- A Treatise On Quwwah & Fi’l (Potentiality & Actuality)

9- A Treatise On Wasa’it (Means)

10- Man, Before Religion

11- Man, Alongside Religion

12- A Treatise On Nabuwwat (Prophethood)

13- The Holy Qur’an In Islam

14- A Treatise On Wilayat (Religious Guardianship)

15- A Treatise On Mushtaqqat (Derivatives)

16- A Treatise On Burhan (Reasoning)

17- A Treatise On Mughalatah (Fallacies)

18- A Treatise On Tahleel (Analysis)

19- A Treatise On Tarkeeb (Composition)

20- A Treatise On I’tibarat (Subjective Considerations)

21- A Treatise On Nubuwwat & Maqamat (Prophethood & Spiritual Status)

22- Imam Ali (A.S.) & The Divine Philosophy

23- Shi’a in Islam

24- Hashiah (Marginal Annotations) on Kifayah (the book written by ‘Akhand Khurasani’ on the fundamentals of Islamic Jurisprudence)

25- A Treatise On ‘Islamic Government’

26- Man, After Religion

Allameh Tabatabaei has also published numerous articles in various magazines specially ‘Maktab-e Islam’ (Islamic School Of Thought), ‘Rahnemay-e Ketab’ (Guide To The Books), and ‘Maktab-e Tashayyo’ (Shiism School of Thought).

In fact, his dignity, piety against the worldly passions, and isolation from the controversial discussions and debates made him spend his whole life on serving religion, science, training students and writing valuable books.

The Great Allameh passed away on 15 November 1981.

The Ahl-ul- Bayt (A.S.) World Assembly

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