Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

A Survey into the Lives of the Infallible Imams

Author: Ayatullah Murtadha Mutahhari
Translator: Zainab Muhammadi ‘Araqi
Publisher: ABWA Publishing and Printing Center
Category:

• Foreword
• Introduction: A Comparison between Imam al-Husayn’s (‘a) Path and That of Other Imams (‘a)
• Dissimulation [Taqiyyah]
• References
• Chapter 1: ‘Ali’s (‘a) Struggles
• ‘Uthman’s assassination (the problem of hypocrisy)
• Inflexibility in the enforcement of justice
• Bluntness and honesty in politics
• Kharijites [khawarij], ‘Ali’s fundamental problem
• ‘Ali’s (‘a) demeanour towards the Kharijites
• The principles of the Kharijites sect
• ‘Ali’s attitude towards Kharijites
• Characteristics of the Kharijites
• ‘Ali’s (‘a) martydom
• References
• Chapter 2: Imam al-Hassan’s (‘a) Pacifism (Session 1)
• The Holy Prophet (s) and peace
• ‘Ali and peace
• The cases for jihad in the Shi‘ah jurisprudence
• Fighting rebels
• Peace in the Shi‘ah jurisprudence
• Hudaybiyyah Peace
• Question and answer
• References
• Chapter 2: Imam al-Hassan’s Pacifism (Session 2)
• Contrasting the circumstances of Imam al-Hassan (‘a) and Imam al-Husayn(‘a)
• The elements contributing to Imam al-Husayn’suprisal and their contrasts with Imam al-Hassan’s circumstances
• The conditions in the contract
• Question and answer
• References
• Chapter 3: A Discourse on Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin (‘a)
• The Imam’s acts of worship
• The herald of affection
• The service in the Hajj caravan
• The Imam’s prayers and tear shedding
• Reference
• Chapter 4: Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) and the Issue of Vicegerency (Session 1)
• The ‘Abbasid’s utilization of the people’s discontentment
• Abu Salmah’s letter to Imam al-Sadiq and ‘Abd Allah al-Mahd
• The reaction of Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) and ‘Abd Allah al-Mahd
• Investigation
• The secret gathering of the heads of Bani Hashim
• Allegiance with “MuhammadNafs Zakiyyah”
• Characteristics of Imam al-Sadiq’s time
• References
• Chapter 4: Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) and the Issue of Vicegerency (Session 2)
• The comparison between the time of Imam al-Sadiq and the time of Imam al-Husayn 
• The war of beliefs
• The attitude of Imam al-Sadiq with the various intellectual streams
• The words of Malik ibn Anas about Imam al-Sadiq
• The view of Ahmad Amin
• The confession of Jahiz
• The view of Mir ‘Ali Hindi
• The words of Ahmad Zaki Salih
• The endeavour of the Shi‘ah towards intellectual issues
• Jabir ibn Hayyan
• Hisham ibn al-Hakam
• The factors affecting scientific enthusiasm during the time of Imam al-Sadiq (‘a)
• Question and answer
• References
• Chapter 5: The Reasons for Imam Musa al-Kazim’s (‘a) Martyrdom
• The influence of time on the type of combat
• The Imam in Basrah Prison
• The Imam in various prisons
• Harun’s request from the Imam
• The reasons for the Imam’s arrest
• Ma’mun’s saying
• The Imam’s spiritual influence
• Two common customs among the Imams
• The plot of Harun’s system
• Bishr Hafi and Imam al-Kazim (‘a)
• Safwan Jammal and Harun
• The manner of the Imam’s martyrdom
• References
• Chapter 6: The Issue of Imam al-Rida (‘a) as the Crown Prince (Session 1)
• The ‘Abbasid attitude towards the ‘Alawis
• The issue of Imam al-Rida’s successoral and historical citations
• Ma’mun and the Shi‘ism
• The views of Shaykh Mufid and Shaykh Saduq
• The second probability
• Jurji Zaydan’s view
• The third probability
• The historical facts
• Imam al-Rida’s refusal
• Imam al-Rida’s condition
• The Imam’s attitude after the issue of acceptance
• References
• Chapter 6 : The Issue of Imam al-Rida(‘a) as the Crown Prince (Session 2)
• Doubtful issues
• Analysing the assumptions
• Cooperation with caliphs from the holy Imam’s point of view
• Imam Rida’s reasoning
• Undertaking a task from a tyrant [wilayat-e ja’ir]
• Question and answer
• References
• Chapter 7: On the Topic of Imam al-Hassan al-‘Askari (‘a)
• Chapter 8, Part 1: The Universal Justice
• Definition of justice
• Is justice-seeking instinctive?
• The theory of Nietzsche and Machiavelli183
• The view of Bertrand Russel
• Evaluation of this theory
• The Marxist view
• The Islamic view
• The issue of the Imam’s lifetime
• The characteristics of Imam al-Mahdi’s age
• References
• Chapter 8, Part 2: The Promised [Maw‘ud] al-Mahdi
• Mahdism in the Qur’an and in the sayings of prophets
• ‘Ali’s saying
• Mukhtar’s uprising and belief in Mahdism
• The words of Zuhri
• The rising of “Nafs Zakiyyah” and the belief in Mahdism
• The deceit of Mansur, the ‘Abbasid Caliph
• Muhamamd ibn ‘Ijlan and Mansur ‘Abbasi
• The words of Di‘bil
• Mahdism in the Sunni World
• The words of Hafiz
• The essence of al-Mahdi’s uprising
• Mahdism, a global philosophy
• References