Introduction :
His name :
Razi al-Din Abul-Qasim Ali bin Musa bin Jafar, famous as Sayyed bin Tawoos (1193-1266 A.D./589-664 A.D.)
His scholastic life :
The well known Shi'ite jurist, traditionist, historian and scholar was born in Hilla (Iraq). He spent his childhood and young age in his birth place and obtained education there. Then he left for Baghdad and stayed there for about 15 years and returned back to his birth place. He lived for sometime in Najaf, Karbala, Samarra and Kazmain and during the Mongol rule he returned back to Baghdad.
Ibn Taoos is considered as one of the most prominent jurist and traditionist among the Shi'ites, His literary prominence lies in his extensive works in the field of tradition and history. He is well known for quoting supplications, ethical and theological traditions as well as for his very pious life.
Ibn Taoos studied under many great scholars and obtained permissions from most of them to narrate traditions.
Ibn Taoos was a hard working scholar and has left behind multifarious works in theology, ethics, jurisprudence and traditions. Most of his works has been reprinted many times and some of them have been rendered into Persian.
His compilations
Some of his works are as follows:
Ijaza-i Syed bin Taoos.
Al-Tara'if fi Marifah Mazahib at Tawaif.
Muhasibah-tun Nafs.
Misbah ash-Shariyah.
Al-Luhuf Ala Qutilat Taffuf.
Mahj al-Dawat wa Minhaj al-Ibadat.
Faraj al-Mahmum fi Tarikh Ulama an-Nujum
His scholastic life :
The well known Shi'ite jurist, traditionist, historian and scholar was born in Hilla (Iraq). He spent his childhood and young age in his birth place and obtained education there. Then he left for Baghdad and stayed there for about 15 years and returned back to his birth place. He lived for sometime in Najaf, Karbala, Samarra and Kazmain and during the Mongol rule he returned back to Baghdad.
Ibn Taoos is considered as one of the most prominent jurist and traditionist among the Shi'ites, His literary prominence lies in his extensive works in the field of tradition and history. He is well known for quoting supplications, ethical and theological traditions as well as for his very pious life.
Ibn Taoos studied under many great scholars and obtained permissions from most of them to narrate traditions.
Ibn Taoos was a hard working scholar and has left behind multifarious works in theology, ethics, jurisprudence and traditions. Most of his works has been reprinted many times and some of them have been rendered into Persian.
His compilations
Some of his works are as follows:
Ijaza-i Syed bin Taoos.
Al-Tara'if fi Marifah Mazahib at Tawaif.
Muhasibah-tun Nafs.
Misbah ash-Shariyah.
Al-Luhuf Ala Qutilat Taffuf.
Mahj al-Dawat wa Minhaj al-Ibadat.
Faraj al-Mahmum fi Tarikh Ulama an-Nujum
His Arguement :
The pious and ascetic scholar and the man with dazzling blessings, namely Sayyid Radiyy ad-Din Ali ibn Tawus, uses the argument of what happened to al-Zahra’ (A.S.) against followers of the other sects. He narrates to them the same narratives which they themselves have fixed in their references as facts, as we referred to in other places. One of what he obligated them with is his following statements:
Some of this has already been documented in their Sihah books when they discussed how they joined Ali (A.S.) in lagging behind rather than swearing the oath of allegiance to Abu Bakr, and when they discuss their famous meeting (at the saqifa of Bani Sa`ida), when Abu Bakr and `Omer wanted to burn Ali (A.S.) and al-`Abbas with the fire.[1]
One of the interesting narratives is mentioned by al-Tabari and al-Waqidi, as well as those who wrote precious works and who have already been referred to above, how they went to the house of Fatima (A.S.), Ali (A.S.), al-Hasan (A.S.) al-Husain (A.S.) with the intention to burn their house. Where do such despicable actions stand when we review the continuous recommendations of their Prophet, Muhammed (A.S.), on behalf of these individuals?![2]
One of the most interesting of all is their deliberate intention to burn Ali (A.S.) and al-`Abbas with the fire when the writer said, “He brought a torch of fire in order to burn them both, and he was already inside the house of Fatima.” In another narrative, they had with them at home al-Zubayr, al-Hasan (A.S.), al-Husain (A.S.), and a group of Bani Hashim who all boycotted and cast doubts about the legitimacy of the oath of allegiance to Abu Bakr.
Why do those endowed with sound minds from among the Muslims see how Muhammed (A.S.) was, in their regard, the very best of creation, his Prophethood the most significant, and swearing the oath of allegiance to him the most important oath, yet he was sent to a people who worshipped idols and stones and to other atheists and disbelievers, yet we never heard that he considered as halal, nor did he ever permit the burning of anyone who was reluctant to acknowledge his being a Prophet and, hence, refused to swear the oath of allegiance to him?!
To what extent did enmity to and jealousy of his family and negligence of his will reach so they confronted such a family and threatened to burn it with fire?
All rational people have testified that thus was the oath of allegiance to him: forcing people to swear the oath of allegiance runs contrary to each and every divine legislation, to the ways of the Prophets, and to customs. Ibn Mas`ad has narrated saying, “We were in the company of the Messenger of Allah (A.S.) when we passed by a colony of ants, and it was burn. The Prophet (A.S.) objected to it by saying, `Nobody should ever use a norm of torment which is the sole prerogative of Allah Almighty.’” `Abd al-Mahmad said, “Since when are the family of the Prophet (A.S.) less important than ants?!” How did they dare to say that they would torment them by a torment used by Allah, i.e. the fire?! By Allah! These issues are the most serious of all times.[3]
As for Ali (A.S.), you have already come to know what happened to him, how he was deprived of his status and right to be the caliph, and how they went as far as burning him with the fire and violating his privacy.[4]
Ibn Tawus continues to say that the man (Abu Bakr) was not satisfied with all of that till he sent `Omer to the door of Ali (A.S.) and Fatima (A.S.), who had with them al-`Abbas and a number of Bani Hashim, and they were all busy mourning the demise of Prophet Muhammed (A.S.) and with his funeral. He ordered them to be buried if they did not come out to swear the oath of allegiance to him as mentioned by the author of Al-`Iqd al-Farad in Vol. Four of his book as well as by a group of those whose narratives nobody doubts. It is something which no previous Prophet ever had to endure, nor any wasi, nor anything as cruel as committed by kings who were well known for their cruelty, nor even the kings of unbelievers. None of these had ever burnt those who refused to swear the oath of allegiance to them with the fire, nor did they even threaten anyone to be killed or beaten.
It has never come to our knowledge that any of such kings had a Prophet or a divine authority. These folks had a sultan who made them rich following their poverty, who rid them of humility and harm, who led them to happiness in the life of this world and in that in the hereafter, conquering through his Prophethood the lands of the mighty Ones (A.S.). Then he died, leaving among them one single daughter from his own loins. He said to them, “She is the Head of the Women of Mankind” and two children with her and by her who were seven or less years old. They rewarded such a Prophet (A.S.), or such a king, the subjects that they were, when they brought fire to burn his grandsons and daughter who were in the status of hiws\ own soul and heart.[5]
He also argues with others telling them that al-Waqidi has stated that `Omer went to Ali (A.S.) leading a group of men including Asad ibn al-Hasan (the correct name is actually al-Hudayr) and Salamah ibn Salamah al-Ashhali and said to Ali (A.S.) and the others, “Come out or else we shall burn you...”[6]
[1]Al-Tara’if, p. 274.
[2]Ibid., p. 245.
[3]Al-Tara’if, pp. 245-46.
[4]Ibid., p. 195.
[5]Kashf al-Mahajja, pp. 120-21.
[6]Al-Tara’if, pp. 238-39. Al-Tasatturi, Ihqaq al-Haqq, Vol. 2, p. 370.+
