Abu 'Abd Allah Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Nu'man al-'Ukbari al-Baghdadi

 Baghdad,Baghdad Province, Iraq

History

Abu 'Abd Allah Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Nu'man al-'Ukbari al-Baghdadi known as al-Shaykh al-Mufid and Ibn al-Mu'allim (c. 948–1022 CE), was a prominent Twelver Shia theologian.

He was among the greatest Twelver Shi'a scholars of the second half of 4th/10th century and early 5th/11th century. He was among great revivers of Islamic sciences and among the hardworking preachers of Shi'a culture and Imamiyya fiqh.

Before al-Shaykh al-Mufid, following the appearance of hadiths was very common and using intellect and rational approach for drawing out religious rulings was not very popular and this had made an obstacle on the way of development of sciences and the progress of scholars. Al-Shaykh al-Mufid stood against the dominant stagnation and by compiling the principles of fiqh, founded a new fiqh in practice. This approach in ijtihad was a middle way between hadith approach of al-Shaykh al-Saduq and the comparative approach of Ibn al-Junayd in fiqh. At the beginning, al-Shaykh compiled some principles in al-Tadhkira bi-usul al-fiqh for drawing out the rulings, and al-Sayyid al-Murtada in his al-Dhari'a and al-Shaykh al-Tusi in 'Uddat al-usul followed al-Shaykh al-Mufid's initiative. However, al-Shaykh himself received the inspiration for this approach from Ibn Abi 'Aqil al-'Ummani.

For his al-I'lam fi ma Ittafaqat al-Imamiyya 'alayh min al-ahkam, al-Shaykh has been regarded as the founder of comparative fiqh, whose work was complemented and promoted by al-Sayyid al-Murtada's al-Dhari'a, al-Shaykh Tusi's al-Khilaf and al-'Allama al-Hilli's Tadhkirat al-fuqaha.

Birth and Childhood

Muhammad b. Muhammad b. Nu'man b. 'Abd al-Salam b. Jabir b. Nu'man was born on Dhu l-Qa'da 11, 336/948 or 338/950 in 'Ukbara, a small town to the north of Baghdad, from where he migrated to Baghdad with his family at an early age. Muhammad's father was a teacher, and thus he became also known as Ibn al-Mu'allim ("Son of Teacher").

In his childhood, Muhammad went to Baghdad with his father and began learning knowledge under great scholars of theology such as Abu 'Abd Allah al-Husayn b. Ali al-Basri known as Ju'al among the great teachers of Mu'tazilites of his time, who was famous in fiqh and theology and Abu Yasir, student of the famous scholar of theology, Abu al-Jaysh Muzaffar b. Muhammad al-Khurasani al-Balkhi who was apparently called al-Tahir. Following the advice of Abu Yasir, Muhammad attended the class of 'Ali b. 'Isa al-Rummani, the famous Mu'tazilite scholar. After a debate between Muhammad and al-Rummani, when Muhammad won the debate, in a letter, al-Rummani recommended him to Abu 'Abd Allah al-Ju'al and titled him as "al-Mufid".

According to reports, al-Mufid narrated hadiths since the age of five by permission. Muhammad b. Muhammad b. Nu'man b. 'Abd al-Salam b. Jabir b. Nu'man was born on Dhu l-Qa'da 11, 336/948 or 338/950 in 'Ukbara, a small town to the north of Baghdad, from where he migrated to Baghdad with his family at an early age. Muhammad's father was a teacher, and thus he became also known as Ibn al-Mu'allim ("Son of Teacher").

In his childhood, Muhammad went to Baghdad with his father and began learning knowledge under great scholars of theology such as Abu 'Abd Allah al-Husayn b. Ali al-Basri known as Ju'al among the great teachers of Mu'tazilites of his time, who was famous in fiqh and theology and Abu Yasir, student of the famous scholar of theology, Abu al-Jaysh Muzaffar b. Muhammad al-Khurasani al-Balkhi who was apparently called al-Tahir. Following the advice of Abu Yasir, Muhammad attended the class of 'Ali b. 'Isa al-Rummani, the famous Mu'tazilite scholar. After a debate between Muhammad and al-Rummani, when Muhammad won the debate, in a letter, al-Rummani recommended him to Abu 'Abd Allah al-Ju'al and titled him as "al-Mufid".

According to reports, al-Mufid narrated hadiths since the age of five by permission. He was taught the Islamic science of hadith by Al-Shaykh al-Saduq.

As the Head of Shi'a

About the age of forty, he became the leader of Shi'a in fiqh, theology, and hadith and in defense of Shi'a, debated scholars of other sects.

The life of al-Shaykh al-Mufid was full of ups and downs, so that he was exiled from Baghdad three times in 392/1001-2 or 393/1002-3, 398/1007-8, and 409/1018-19. However, he had a high position before caliphs and his high influence in the society at his time can be understood from cursing him by Sunni biographers, especially al-Khatib al-Baghdadi. From his statement, it can be understood that many people became Shi'a because of him and this made disputant angry.

In religious conflicts of the time of al-Shaykh al-Mufid, Shi'a-resident areas of Baghdad such as Karkh and Bab al-Taq many times caught huge fires. In 361/971-2 (or 362/972-3), during the rule of 'Izz al-Dawla, due to bigotry of Hajib Sabuktagin, revolt and chaos erupted in Iraq and grew every day. At that time, Abu al-Fadl, the minister of 'Izz al-Dawla ordered to burn Karkh. Karkh was an important part of Baghdad, its Shi'a-resident area and the biggest commercial center of Abbasids. In that accident, many people were burnt. In 363/973-4, Karkh caught fire once again after religious struggles. Toward the last years of al-Shaykh al-Mufid's life, in 408/1017-18, al-Qadir, the Abasid caliph, supported by Mahmud of Ghazni, killed, exiled, and imprisoned many opposing religious groups including – according to Sunni historians –Rafidis. Al-Shaykh al-Mufid was the leader of Twelver Shi'a at such a difficult time.

Personal Traits

Al-Mufid had great spiritual states. His charity works were many. He had a nice humble manner. Prayed a lot, fasted, and worn harsh clothes, so that he was even called Shaykh Mashayikh al-Sufiyya (the master of the masters of Sufis).

Abu Ya'la al-Ja'fari, al-Shaykh al-Mufid's son-in-law, said, "he did not sleep but a part of night and then got up and prayed, studied, taught, or recited the Qur'an."

His appearance has been described as: a person who was thin with average height and tawny skin.

Al-Mufid died on the third day of Ramadan in 413 AH. According to the Shia writer Shaykh Tusi, "The day of his death drew the largest crowd ever seen in any funeral, and both friends and foes wept uncontrollably". He remained buried in his own house for two years, after which his body was moved to Al Kadhimiya Mosque and buried next to his teacher, Ibn Qulawayh al-Qummi. His grave is near the feet of two of the Shia Imams, Musa al-Kadhim and his grandson Muhammad al-Jawad. The ninth day of Azar in Iran's official calendar is the commemoration day of Shaykh al-Mufid.

Additional Info

On a number of occasions al-Mufid was a critical of his teacher, Al-Shaykh al-Saduq, and his Tashih al-Itiqadat was a correction of al-Saduq's Risalat al-Itaqadat. Not limiting himself to theological matters, al-Mufid rejected al-Saduq's resort to akhbar al-ahad (single tradition), particularly when a legal statement is to be issued. However, he did not object to al-Saduq's views concerning the extent of the Quran; he only criticized his views on the nature of the Quran.

  How to Reach: From Baghdad International Airport the mosque is around 26 KM. It is 6 KM from Baghdad Railway station and 11.7 KM from Baghdad Bus station.,

Nearest City : Baghdad
Nearest Bus Stop : Al - Kadhimiya Al - Orouba Square
Nearest Airport : Baghdad International Airport
Nearest Railway Station : Baghdad Railway station
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