<\/p>\n
Shia Islam: Sh\u012b\u02bfa contributions to Islamic civilization \/ 33 \u2013 a<\/p>\n
Sh\u012b\u02bfa contributions to Islamic civilization
\nThe history of human civilization is such a vast topic that we cannot even offer a summary discussion of it in these pages. However, we will mention a few salient points: In the course of human history, Man has established various civilizations, each with their own particular features. Some of the most influential of these have been the Chinese, Egyptian, Babylonian, Roman, Iranian and finally Western civilizations.<\/p>\n
Islamic civilization, which filled the gap between the ancient civilizations and modern Western civilization, is one of the most developed civilizations with regards to attention it has shown to science, philosophy and literature, and ultimately served as a foundation for much of Western civilization\u2019s later achievements.<\/p>\n
Both Muslim and non-Muslim scholars have written numerous books and encyclopedias on the subject of the Islamic civilization and detailed what this civilization\u2019s contributions to humanities. Islamic civilization is not an Arabic civilization established by Arabs, rather, it is a civilization created by various peoples including Arabs, Turks, Persians and others. As these nations integrated within Islam, they put aside their ethnicity and focused only on Islam. Whenever scholars speak about Islamic civilization, they mean a civilization whose most remarkable feature is Islam, which has been created and strengthened by Muslims and all have lived under the auspices of monotheism and the Prophetic mission. Muslims in the first centuries of Islam carried their religion to different parts of the world. Ultimately, Islamic civilization spanned from China from the east to the Atlantic Ocean, the coasts of Africa, and Europe in the West. In his book, The Story of Civilization, Will Durant considers four constituent elements for any civilization:<\/p>\n
Economic elements
\nPolitical structure
\nCulture
\nScience and technology
\nHe says that this applies to all civilizations, both religious and secular. However, Islamic civilization and religious civilizations are based on Man\u2019s awareness of, and belief in God and Resurrection, to the extent that this belief is considered as the foundation for his commitment to ethics principles and Islamic teachings. Therefore, any civilization not rooted in belief in God and spirituality is a secular rather than a religious one.<\/p>\n
The founder of the Islamic civilization was the Prophet himself, who introduced a complete program for Muslims\u2019 individual and social lives. At the same time, he encouraged Muslims to explore nature\u2019s mysteries and learn how to benefit from them. Thus, he ultimately organized a society on the basis of ethical and political principles, as a close study of the history of Islam and the life of the Prophet will confirm. Muslims, following the teachings of the Qur\u2019an and Sunna, were able to build a civilization and gain political, economic, and cultural ascendency. In addition, they developed an advanced system of ethics. They also sought to develop the material sciences of their time. As a result, famous scientists and scholars appeared whose efforts contributed to the development of both religious and secular learning. The works of these scientists are still considered important contributions to human development. In fact, non-Muslim nations, in order to catch up with the Islamic civilization, translated their books and thus benefited from Islamic learning.<\/p>\n
However, Islamic civilization was not one-dimensional, such that it prioritized the economic aspects of civilization while overlooking the human ones. Rather, it considered and devoted attention to all possible aspects of human life to the extent that it was able.<\/p>\n
Here, we wish to study the participation of Sh\u012b\u02bfa scientists and scholars in the development of the Islamic civilization and the particular contributions they made to its fourth essential element of it, namely science and technology. Since science and technology are the ultimate fruits of civilization and, as such, help to distinguish a civilization from those coming before and after it. The other three essential elements mentioned by Durant, namely the economic, political and cultural, are not the part of our discussion. We are focusing on the Sh\u012b\u02bfa participation in the development of Islamic sciences and technology in order to show that they have served the cause of Islamic learning science and service to the Qur\u2019an and religious tradition as much, if not more, than scholars from other sects. We shall leave the discussion of the three other elements to another time, as these do not fall within the scope of the present work.<\/p>\n
Arabic literature
\nAs the sacred scripture of Islam is in Arabic, Muslims had to clearly determine the rules of Arabic both to preserve their book and to make it understandable to future generations. Before the Arabs mixed extensively with other nations, they spoke Arabic correctly. However, as the number of non-Arab Muslim increased, the Arabic language began to change, as is natural with all languages. Thus, it was necessary for scholars to record the rules of this language to be used by both native and non\u00ad-native speakers (T\u0101r\u012bkh Adab al-Lugha al-\u02bfArabiyya, 1\/219).<\/p>\n
We shall now briefly introduce some of these scholars:<\/p>\n
Ab\u016b al-\u02bf\u0100swad al-Du\u02beal\u012b
\nWho was it that first began recording the grammar of the Arabic language and what motivated him to do this? This figure was none other than Ab\u016b al-\u02bf\u0100swad al-Du\u02beal\u012b who laid down the first grammatical rules for the Arabic language. The person who directed and supported him in this task was Imam \u02bfAl\u012b. Thus, Ab\u016b al-\u02bf\u0100swad al-Du\u02beal\u012b is the founder of grammar or the first collector of its rules. This person did not see the Prophet and therefore is considered to belong to the generation of the Successors (T\u0101bi\u02bf\u012bn). These were Muslims who were born after the death of the Prophet Muhammad but who were contemporaries of the Prophet\u2019s Companions. He was among the Companions of Imam \u02bfAl\u012b, and took part in the Battle of \u1e62iff\u012bn before finally settling in Basra. The Syrian grammarian, Shaykh Ab\u016b al-\u1e24asan Salama, writes: \u2018Once Ab\u016b al-\u02bf\u0100swad visited \u02bfAl\u012b and found him grieved. \u2018What troubles you?\u2019 he asked. The Commander of the Faithful replied: \u2018I have noticed that some people speak incorrectly, so I have decided to write a book and collect the grammatical rules of the Arabic language in it.\u2019 I told him if he does so he will save Arabic language from destruction. Then he gave me some sheets of paper on which the following sentences were written:<\/p>\n
\u201cSpeech is made of nouns, verbs and particles. Nouns are names of things, verbs provide information, and particles complete the meaning. He says the Imam then elaborated more upon the subject.\u201d<\/p>\n
I asked, \u2018May I complete what you said?\u2019 Afterwards I offered him what I had written and the Imam added and omitted some points. (Ta\u02bes\u012bs al-Sh\u012b\u02bfa, 51)<\/p>\n
Needless to say, these rules do represent the grammar of the Arabic language in its entirety; nonetheless, they constitute the first ever foray into the field of Arabic grammar. Ab\u016b al-\u02bf\u0100swad, inspired by the Imam\u2019s words, persevered and presented what he had written to his teacher. Therefore the inventor of Arabic grammar is Imam \u02bfAl\u012b and its compilation was done by Ab\u016b al-\u02bf\u0100swad al-Du\u02beal\u012b, one of his students.<\/p>\n
In his Fihrist, Ibn al-Nad\u012bm writes that most scholars agree that the study of Arabic grammar was initiated by Ab\u016b al-\u02bf\u0100swad al-Du\u02beal\u012b, and that he took it from the Commander of the Faithful, \u02bfAl\u012b. He then quotes \u1e6cabar\u012b, who says that the reason this science was named \u2018na\u1e25w\u2019 was that when Imam \u02bfAl\u012b wrote the basics of this science in some pages and gave them to Ab\u016b al-\u02bf\u0100swad, he asked permission to \u2018produce something in the manner (na\u1e25w) you did,\u2019 that is why this science was named \u2018nahw.\u2019 (Ibn al-Nad\u012bm, Fihrist, 66)<\/p>\n
Although Ab\u016b al-\u02bf\u0100swad al-Du\u02beal\u012b was the founder of grammar, it was Khal\u012bl b. A\u1e25mad al-Far\u0101h\u012bd\u012b, a student of Imam al-S\u0101diq, who developed this science further. Ab\u016b Bakr Mu\u1e25ammad b. \u1e24asan Zubaydi> writes that Khal\u012bl b. A\u1e25mad was unrivalled in his time as an outstanding scholar of his nation, and was a great teacher with many students. He is the one who developed grammar, strengthened its foundations, removed its weaknesses, explained its meaning and brought it to the highest point of perfection. These two Sh\u012b\u02bfa scholars surely played key roles in invention and development of Arabic grammar.<\/p>\n
Obviously we can\u2019t deny the roles of other Muslims in the development of Arabic grammar; however, as our subject is the Sh\u012b\u02bfa contribution to the invention and development of sciences, we only mention the Sh\u012b\u02bfa scholars who played pivotal roles in the development of these sciences.<\/p>\n
\u2018\u02bfAt\u0101\u02be b. Ab\u012b al-\u02bf\u0100swad
\nIn his Rij\u0101l, Shaykh al-\u1e6c\u016bs\u012b mentions him in the chapter on the Companions of \u1e24usayn b. \u02bfAl\u012b. In his Suy\u016b\u1e6d\u012b in his \u1e6cabaq\u0101t describes \u02bfAt\u0101 as the teacher of al-A\u1e63ma\u02bf\u012b and Ab\u016b \u02bfUbayda. (Ta\u02bes\u012bs al-Sh\u012b\u02bfa, 65)<\/p>\n
Ab\u016b Ja\u2019far Mu\u1e25ammad b. Ab\u012b Sara al-Raw\u0101s\u012b al-K\u016bf\u012b
\nSuy\u016b\u1e6d\u012b says that he is the first among Kufans to write a book on grammar and called it al-Faysal. He is the teacher of al-Kis\u0101\u02be\u012b and Farr\u0101\u02be. (ibid., 67)<\/p>\n
Naj\u0101sh\u012b says that Ab\u016b Ja\u2019far and his father narrated traditions from Imams al-B\u0101qir and S\u0101diq and he himself is the author of several books such as Kit\u0101b al-Waqf wa al-Ibtida>\u02be, Kit\u0101b al-Humaz and Kit\u0101b I\u02bfr\u0101b al-Qur\u02be\u0101n.<\/p>\n
\u1e24umr\u0101n b. A\u02bfy\u0101n
\nHe is the brother of Zur\u0101ra b. A\u02bfyan and he is known as a preeminent authority in the science of grammar. \u1e24umr\u0101n learned the knowledge of grammar and recitation from Ab\u016b al-\u02bf\u0100swad\u2019s sons, and Farr\u0101\u02be also studied under him. He was assiduous in learning traditions, grammar and the Qur\u2019an; he took a\u1e25\u0101d\u012bth from the Imams Sajj\u0101d, al-B\u0101qir, and al-S\u0101diq. The family of al-A\u02bfyan was, in fact, one of the most important Sh\u012b\u02bfa families in Kufa. to the extent that Ab\u016b Gh\u0101lib Zur\u0101r\u012b (d. 286 AH) wrote a book about them. He writes in his book that \u1e24umr\u0101n was among the elders of Sh\u012b\u02bfa and had expertise in grammar and lexicography. (Ris\u0101lat \u0100l A\u02bfyan, 3)<\/p>\n
Ab\u016b \u02bfUthm\u0101n M\u0101zin\u012b
\nHis name is Bakr b. Mu\u1e25ammad. Naj\u0101sh\u012b says that he was the leader of scholars in grammar and his Muqaddima is quite well-known amongst scholars. He was a scholar of the Im\u0101miyya who was trained by Ism\u0101\u02bf\u012bl b. Maytham. He wrote a book on Arabic literature entitled al-Ta\u1e63r\u012bf and another book under the title of Ma Yulhan f\u012bhi al-\u02bf\u0100mma. He died in 248 AH. (Naj\u0101sh\u012b, 277; Ibn al-Nad\u012bm, Fihrist, 90; T\u0101r\u012bkh Baghd\u0101d, 93, no. 3529)<\/p>\n
Ibn al-Sikk\u012bt
\nHis name was Ya\u02bfq\u016bb b. Is\u1e25\u0101q and he was a close companion of the Imams al-Jaw\u0101d and al-H\u0101d\u012b. He has narrated from Imam al-Jaw\u0101d and has asked some questions from him. Mutawakkil had him killed in 242 AH because of his commitment to Shi\u2019ism. He was a leading scholar in Arabic language and literature in his time. His books include: (1). I\u1e63l\u0101\u1e25 al-Man\u1e6diq (2) Kit\u0101b al-Alf\u0101\u1e93 (3) Ma Ittafaqa Laf\u1e93ahu wa Ikhtalafa Ma\u02bfn\u0101hu (4) Kit\u0101b al-A\u1e0dd\u0101d (5) Kit\u0101b al-Mudhakkar wa al-Mu\u02beannath (6) Kit\u0101b al-Maq\u1e63\u016br wa al-Mamd\u016bd. (Naj\u0101sh\u012b, no. 1215)<\/p>\n
He suffered a gruesome martyrdom because of his love for \u02bfAl\u012b and the Prophet\u2019s Household; before this, he had been the teacher of Mutawakkil\u2019s sons. One day, Mutawakkil asked him are these two sons of mine dearer to you or \u1e24asan and \u1e24usayn? Ibn Sikk\u012bt replied, \u2018to me, Qanbar, the servant of \u02bfAl\u012b, is superior to you and your sons.\u2019 Hearing this, Mutawakkil became enraged and ordered his tongue to be torn out. He wrote more than 20 books on poetry and vocabulary. (T\u0101r\u012bkh Adab al-Lugha al-\u02bfArabiyya, 1\/224)<\/p>\n
Ibn \u1e24amd\u016bn
\nHe was known as A\u1e25mad b. Ism\u0101\u02bf\u012bl b. D\u0101w\u016bd b. \u1e24amd\u016bn and was considered a master of Arabic grammar. Naj\u0101sh\u012b introduces him saying, \u2018He is the master of grammarians, and their foremost figure, Ab\u016bl \u02bfAbb\u0101s (Tha\u02bflaba), learned grammar from him. He was among the close companions of Imam al-H\u0101d\u012b and Imam al-\u02bfAskar\u012b and wrote many books,\u2019 before listing Ibn \u1e24amd\u016bn\u2019s works. (Naj\u0101sh\u012b, nos. 1215, 228)<\/p>\n
Ab\u016b Is\u1e25\u0101q Na\u1e25w\u012b
\nHis name is Tha\u02bflaba b. Maym\u016bn. Naj\u0101sh\u012b says: \u2018He was a linguist, the master of recitation, the jurist of his time, and an expert in grammar. He narrated a\u1e25\u0101d\u012bth from Imam al-S\u0101diq and Imam al-K\u0101\u1e93im.\u2019 (Naj\u0101sh\u012b, no. 300; Lis\u0101n al-M\u012bz\u0101n, 1\/332)<\/p>\n
Qutayba Na\u1e25w\u012b
\nQutayba Ju\u02bff\u012b is from Kufa. Naj\u0101sh\u012b says about him, \u2018he is the master of recitation and a man of letters.\u2019 (Naj\u0101sh\u012b, no. 867)<\/p>\n
Ibr\u0101h\u012bm b. Ab\u012b al-Bilad
\nNaj\u0101sh\u012b says about him: \u2018He is a reliable narrator, a reciter of the Qur\u2019an, a literary scholar who has narrated \u1e25ad\u012bth from Imam al-S\u0101diq and K\u0101\u1e93im.<\/p>\n
Mu\u1e25ammad b. Salama Yashakr\u012b
\nNaj\u0101sh\u012b says, \u2018He is a great man among our Kufan Companions. He is held in high esteem is a reciter, a jurist and a grammarian. He lived for a while among Bedouins and learned the pure Arabic language from them. Ya\u02bfq\u016bb b. Sikk\u012bt enjoyed his erudite company.\u2019<\/p>\n
Ab\u016b \u02bfAbd All\u0101h Na\u1e25w\u012b<\/p>\n
His name is \u1e24usayn b. A\u1e25mad b. Kh\u0101luwayh. He resided in Aleppo and was a Sh\u012b\u02bfa, knowledgeable in the sciences of Arabic language and poetry. His works include Musta\u1e25san al-Qir\u0101\u02be\u0101t, al-Shawadhdh and Kit\u0101b f\u012b al-Lugha. (Naj\u0101sh\u012b, no. 159)<\/p>\n
As Suy\u016b\u1e6d\u012b writes in his \u1e6cabaq\u0101t: \u2018He was the leading scholar in linguistics and Arabic sciences. He died in 314 AH in Baghdad.\u2019 (1\/529, no. 1099)<\/p>\n
Ab\u016b al-Q\u0101sim Tan\u016bkh\u012b
\nIbn Shahr\u02be\u0101sh\u016bb says: \u2018He is among the poets who praised the Prophet\u2019s Family in their poems.\u2019 (Ma\u02bf\u0101lim al-\u02bfUlam\u0101\u02be, p. 149) Y\u0101q\u016bt writes: \u2018He was a leading scholar in linguistics, astronomy, and prosody. He knew many poems by heart.\u2019 (Ta\u02bes\u012bs al-Sh\u012b\u02bfa, 139)<\/p>\n
Here, we have mentioned some of the leading scholars of grammar and prominent figures of this science. The majority of these scholars lived in the first four centuries of the Islamic history \u2013 If we were to mention all great Sh\u012b\u02bfa scholars of grammar we would need to write a separate book on them! The late \u1e24asan \u1e62adr has listed in his book as many as 140 Sh\u012b\u02bfa grammarians active up until the 7th century AH.<\/p>\n
It suffices to know that Shar\u012bf al-Ra\u1e0d\u012b, Shar\u012bf Murta\u1e0d\u0101, Ibn Shajar\u012b, and Najm al-\u0100\u02beimma were also remarkable Sh\u012b\u02bfa scholars in this field of knowledge. Once again, we are not overlooking the contribution other scholars made to the development of this science. However, we aim to introduce a group scholars efforts have remained unknown, often for sectarian reasons.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Morphology (\u02bfIlm al-\u1e62arf)
\nBefore the time of Ab\u016b \u02bfUthm\u0101n M\u0101zin\u012b (d. 248 AH), morphology was part of grammar. The first person who differentiated it from grammar and wrote a separate book on it was Ab\u016b \u02bfUthm\u0101n M\u0101zin\u012b. (Kashf al-\u1e92un\u016bn, 1\/249) Ab\u016b al-Fat\u1e25 \u02bfUthm\u0101n b. Jinn\u012b (d. 392 AH) wrote a commentary on it, however this science was not warmly welcomed until the time of Najm al-\u0100\u02beimma, Mu\u1e25ammad b. Ra\u1e0d\u012b Astar\u02be\u0101b\u0101d\u012b Gharaw\u012b, wrote a complete commentary on Ibn \u1e24\u0101jib\u2019s Sh\u0101fiya in morphology, he also wrote a commentary on his K\u0101fiya in grammar.<\/p>\n
The author of Kashf al-\u1e92un\u016bn states that that there are various commentaries on Ibn \u1e24\u0101jib\u2019s K\u0101fiya. The most comprehensive of them is the commentary of Ra\u1e0d\u012b. Suy\u016b\u1e6d\u012b believes nothing like this has been ever written and that in all the works of grammar there is no book as complete as this. Thus, people have welcomed and trusted this book. Ra\u1e0d\u012b has put forward certain ideas in this book that are different from those of other grammarians. He completed this book in 683 AH in the holy city of Najaf.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Semantics (Ilm al-Lugha)
\nBy semantics, we mean the study of the meaning of Arabic words in light of heir etymology and derivation, in order to determine their precise sense. The fruit of this endeavour is the production of dictionaries and lexicons; some dictionaries are on a specific category such as animals, humans, bears, horses, and camels. This kind contains the species\u2019s members and that of their body parts. For example, Kit\u0101b al-\u1e24ayw\u0101n by al-J\u0101\u1e25i\u1e93 and \u1e24ay\u0101t al-\u1e24ayw\u0101n by Dam\u012br\u012b and Tha\u02bflab\u012b. These books are known as \u2018technical lexicons.\u2019<\/p>\n
Other dictionaries aim to include the totality of words in the Arabic language regardless of a particular topic. The first to writing such a dictionary was Ab\u016b \u02bfAbd All\u0101h Khal\u012bl b. A\u1e25mad al-Far\u0101h\u012bd\u012b. He is the first to record Arabic vocabuly and he is the founder of Arabic prosody (\u02bfilm al-\u02bfur\u016b\u1e0d). His dictionary follows a special method which is no longer common these days; he arranged the Arabic alphabet according to their place of articulation from the pharynx to the lips. He entitled this book Kit\u0101b al-\u02bfAyn. This book is recently published and some have organized the book, following the model of modern dictionaries, alphabetically.<\/p>\n
Khal\u012bl b. A\u1e25mad
\nThere is no doubt that Khal\u012bl b. A\u1e25mad was a Sh\u012b\u02bfa. He was born in the year 100 AH and passed away in 170 or 175 AH. In addition to his dictionary, he wrote a book about the Imamate. Mu\u1e25ammad b. Ja\u2019far Mar\u0101gh\u012b has mentioned all of Khal\u012bl\u2019s works in his book, entitled al-Khal\u012bl\u012b.<\/p>\n
Naj\u0101sh\u012b says that Mu\u1e25ammad b. Ja\u2019far was also active in the area of theology and wrote the books Mukht\u0101r al-Akhb\u0101r and Khal\u012bl\u012b on the Imamate and the metaphors in the Qur\u2019an and another book on figures of speech in the Qur\u2019an. (Naj\u0101sh\u012b, no. 1052)<\/p>\n
\u02bfAll\u0101ma al-\u1e24ill\u012b writes in his Khul\u0101\u1e63a: \u2018He was superior to all others in Arabic literature and his authority in language is beyond dispute. He invented prosody. His knowledge is so profound that it can\u2019t be described. He was an Im\u0101m\u012b Sh\u012b\u02bfa.\u2019 (Khul\u0101\u1e63a, Part 1, no. 67)<\/p>\n
Ibn D\u0101w\u016bd says Khal\u012bl b. A\u1e25mad was the leading scholar in the literary arts. His knowledge and piety are too great to be denied. He was a Twelver. (Rij\u0101l, Part 1, p. 574)<\/p>\n
Ab\u0101n b. Taghlib
\nHe was a close companion of the Imams B\u0101qir and S\u0101diq. Naj\u0101sh\u012b says, \u2018He was among the well-known reciters, a jurist and linguist. He heard the language from the Bedouins and quoted it.\u2019 (Naj\u0101sh\u012b, no. 6)<\/p>\n
Y\u0101q\u016bt says that he was a reliable narrator, a scholar of great standing, a Qur\u2019an reciter, a jurist and a linguist.<\/p>\n
Ibn \u1e24amd\u016bn
\nShaykh al-\u1e6c\u016bs\u012b says in his Fihrist that Ibn \u1e24amd\u016bn was a leading linguist and a well-known scholar. (no. 56.) He was the teacher of Ab\u016bl \u02bfAbb\u0101s.<\/p>\n
Ab\u016b Bakr Mu\u1e25ammad b. al-\u1e24asan b. Durayd al-Azadi
\nKha\u1e6d\u012bb Baghd\u0101d\u012b says that Ab\u016b Bakr was a man of letters and a great linguist. He is the writer of a dictionary entitled al-Jamhara f\u012b al-Lugha. Coincidently, he and Ab\u016b al-H\u0101shim Jub\u0101\u02be\u012b passed away on the same day, and people said most regretfully that with the death of Ibn Durayd and Hashem, semantics and theology had died as well.<\/p>\n
He wrote al-Jamhara f\u012b al-Lughah in the manner of Khal\u012bl\u2019s al-\u02bfAyn. \u1e62\u0101\u1e25ib b. \u02bfAbb\u0101d abridged and entitled it Jawharat al-Jamhara.<\/p>\n
\u1e62\u0101\u1e25ib b. \u02bfAbb\u0101d
\nAn outstanding figure in knowledge and literature; \u1e62ad\u016bq (306-381 AH) dedicated the book \u2018Uyun Akhb\u0101r al-Ri\u1e0d\u0101 to him. Among his works is the 7-volume work on lexicography entitled al-Mu\u1e25\u012b\u1e6d. His being a Sh\u012b\u02bfa is beyond doubt; it suffices to consider two lines of one of his odes to establish this:<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t you know the guardian is one \/ who gave alms when he was in the prayers?<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t you know the guardian is one \/ whom Ghad\u012br judged superior to the Companions?<\/p>\n
Obviously the number of Sh\u012b\u02bfa scholars who contributed to the development of Arabic grammar is greater than those mentioned here. The late Sayyid \u1e62adr in his book, Ta\u02bes\u012bs al-Sh\u012b\u02bfa included the biography of 24 such figures. However, since we aim to keep this discussion brief, we will not elaborate further.<\/p>\n
Prosody (\u02bfIlm al-\u02bfUr\u016b\u1e0d)
\nNot only did Sh\u012b\u02bfa formulated the rules of grammar under the direction of the Gate to Prophetic Knowledge, \u02bfAl\u012b, but they also invented the science of prosody. We will only mention the inventor of this science and name two prominent authors in this field.<\/p>\n
Khal\u012bl b. A\u1e25mad al-Far\u0101h\u012bd\u012b
\nIbn Khallik\u0101n says that Far\u0101h\u012bd\u012b discovered the science of prosody and created it from scratch. He limited its types to five circles from which fifteen meters are inferred. (Waf\u0101y\u0101t al-A\u02bfy\u0101n, 1\/244, no. 225).<\/p>\n
\u1e62\u0101\u1e25ib b. \u2018\u02bfAbb\u0101d
\n\u1e62\u0101\u1e25ib b. \u2018\u02bfAbb\u0101d, usually Known as K\u0101f\u012b al-Kuf\u0101t, is a famous man of letters. He has a book entitled al-Iqn\u0101\u02bf f\u012b al-Ur\u016b\u1e0d. (Kashf al-\u1e92un\u016bn, 1\/132)<\/p>\n
After him a number of other great Sh\u012b\u02bfa scholars wrote in the field of prosody, two of whom are mentioned below:<\/p>\n
Sayyid Hibat al-D\u012bn Shahristani
\nHe wrote a book entitled Raw\u0101shih al-Fuy\u016b\u1e0d f\u012b \u02bfIlm al-Ur\u016b\u1e0d, published in 1364 AH in Tehran.<\/p>\n
Shaykh Mustafa Tabrizi (1298-1338 AH)
\nHe is the writer of a most beautiful and pleasant ode. His dear friend Ab\u016b al-Majd Shaykh Mu\u1e25ammad Ri\u1e0d\u0101 I\u1e63fah\u0101n\u012b has commented on the poem and named it Ad\u0101\u02be al-Mafr\u016b\u1e0d f\u012b Shar\u1e25 Arj\u016bzat al-Ur\u016b\u1e0d. A few lines of this poem are quoted below:<\/p>\n
\u0627\u0644\u062d\u0645\u062f\u0644\u0644\u0647 \u0639\u0644\u0649 \u0627\u0633\u0628\u0627\u063a \u0645\u0627 \u02bf\u02bf\u02bf \u0623\u0648\u0644\u0649 \u0644\u0646\u0627 \u0645\u0646 \u0641\u0636\u0644\u0647 \u0648\u0623\u0646\u0639\u0645\u0627<\/p>\n
Praise be to All\u0101h for conferring upon us all His blessing<\/p>\n
Giving to us the best of His bounty and blessing<\/p>\n
\u0648\u062e\u0635\u0651\u0646\u0627 \u0645\u0646\u0647 \u0628\u0648\u0627\u0641 \u0648\u0627\u0641\u0631 \u02bf\u02bf\u02bf \u0645\u0646 \u0628\u062d\u0631 \u062c\u0648\u062f\u0647 \u0627\u0644\u0645\u062f\u064a\u062f \u0627\u0644\u0632\u0627\u062e\u0631<\/p>\n
Allocated to us abounding sufficiently<\/p>\n
From His endless generosity constantly yielding<\/p>\n
\u0635\u0644\u0649 \u0639\u0644\u0649 \u0646\u0628\u064a\u0646\u0627 \u0627\u0644\u0645\u062e\u062a\u0627\u0631 \u02bf\u02bf\u02bf \u0645\u0627 \u0639\u0627\u0642\u0628 \u0627\u0644\u0644\u064a\u0644 \u0639\u0644\u0649 \u0627\u0644\u0646\u0647\u0627\u0631<\/p>\n
Be All\u0101h\u2019s blessing on our chosen Prophet<\/p>\n
Continually day and night<\/p>\n
\u0648\u0622\u0644\u0647 \u0645\u0639\u0627\u062f\u0646 \u0627\u0644\u0631\u0633\u0627\u0644\u0629 \u02bf\u02bf\u02bf \u0628\u0647\u0645 \u064a\u062f\u0627\u0648\u0649 \u0639\u0644\u0644 \u0627\u0644\u062c\u0647\u0627\u0644\u0629<\/p>\n
And his family, the treasuries of his message<\/p>\n
Through them the causes of ignorance are removed<\/p>\n
\u062e\u0630\u0647\u0627 \u0648\u062f\u0639 \u0639\u0646\u0643 \u0631\u0645\u0648\u0632 \u0627\u0644\u0632\u0627\u0645\u0631\u0629 \u02bf\u02bf\u02bf \u0643\u0639\u0627\u062f\u0629 \u062a\u062c\u0644\u0649 \u0639\u0644\u064a\u0643 \u0628\u0627\u0631\u0632\u0629<\/p>\n
\u062a\u062c\u0645\u0639 \u0643\u0644 \u0638\u0627\u0647\u0631 \u0648\u062e\u0627\u0641 \u02bf\u02bf\u02bf \u0641\u0649 \u0639\u0644\u0645\u0649 \u0627\u0644\u0639\u0631\u0648\u0636 \u0648\u0627\u0644\u0642\u0648\u0627\u0641\u0649(() )<\/p>\n
Accumulated herein all hidden and shown are two sciences of prosody and rhyme.<\/p>\n
This ode has been recently published along with a comprehensive study in Esfahan.<\/p>\n
We content ourselves with this brief mentioning of Sh\u012b\u02bfa contribution to the development of the science of prosody.<\/p>\n
Sh\u012b\u02bfa and the poetic arts
\nWhat we mean by poetry is not composing utterances in verse and arranging them in certain poetic forms. Rather, it is the creation of poetic expressions with excellent meaning that reinforce ethics and inspire man to perservere. A concept of poetry as such serves as the pillar of civilization, and progress in this area provides the foundation for a nation\u2019s culture and facilitates its development. The type of poetry marked by commonplace and immoral content is not our concern and surely can\u2019t serve as the foundation for human civilization. When the Qur\u2019an criticizes poetry and poets, its targets are the \u201cprofessional\u201d poets who make a business out of their poetry, praising injustice and portraying the oppressed as the oppressor. therefore the Qur\u2019an identifies them with certain characteristics, saying: \u2018As for the poets, [only] the perverse follow them. Have you not regarded that they rove in every valley, and that they say what they do not do?\u2019 (Q26:224-226)<\/p>\n
When speaking about poetry in the sense of virtuous poets, the Sh\u012b\u02bfa are surely pioneers in this field. The poets of the first centuries, in particular, excelled against others by composing poems in praise of the Prophet\u2019s Family and inviting their readers to intellectual and cultural struggle. To prove this point, it suffices for the reader to consider the works of Sh\u012b\u02bfa poets such as Kumayt\u2019s ode, H\u0101shimayyat, Sayyid Ism\u0101\u02bf\u012bl \u1e24imayr\u012b\u2019s \u02bfAyniyya, Di\u02bfbal\u2019s T\u0101\u02beiyya, and the like. That is why the Sh\u012b\u02bfa have always appreciated these faithful poets who dedicated their poetry to the promotion of justice and virtue. Some of these figures are as follows:<\/p>\n
Qays b. Sa\u02bfd b. \u02bfUb\u0101da
\nSa\u02bfd b. \u02bfUb\u0101da, the great Companion of the Prophet was the leader of Khazraj tribe. His son Qays b. Sa\u02bfd was an esteemed leader among his people. He was a follower of Imam \u02bfAl\u012b, who appointed him to govern Egypt. During the events of Saq\u012bfa, he and the tribe of Khazraj chanted: \u2018We swear allegiance to no one but \u02bfAl\u012b.\u2019 (\u1e6cabar\u012b has reported the event in the second volume of his T\u0101r\u012bkh in the chapter on the events of Saq\u012bfa)<\/p>\n
Kumayt b. Zayd (d. 160 AH)
\nHe was a leading poet, a knowledgeable scholar of Arabic language and history, and held the foremost position among the poets of the tribe of Mu\u1e0dar. He was a follower of \u02bfAl\u012b and always took pride in his loyalty to the Prophet\u2019s Household. His H\u0101shimayyat, an ode composed of about 587 lines, eulogizes the Prophet\u2019s Family. His praise is based on the Qur\u2019an and Sunna and this has made his name and his odes everlasting. The odes in H\u0101shimayyat are not all of the same rhyme. Some are m\u012bmiyya, some others b\u0101\u02beiyya, r\u0101\u02beiyya and so on.<\/p>\n
The complete works of Kumayt have been repeatedly published and Mu\u1e25ammad Sh\u0101kir Khayy\u0101\u1e6d and R\u0101fi\u02bf\u012b have commented on his poems.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Sayyid \u1e24imyar\u012b(d. 173 AH)
\nIsm\u0101\u02bf\u012bl b. Mu\u1e25ammad, nicknamed Sayyid, is a famous poet. He is among those poets who while prolific in producing uniquely beautiful poems. He, along with Bashsh\u0101r and Ab\u016b al-\u02bfAt\u0101hiya, are the three poets who have composed the greatest number of poems. Sayyid, however, differs from the other two in his being immersed in the love of the Prophet\u2019s Household and in openly expressing their virtues. He never praised the enemies of the Prophet\u2019s Household and at suitable times sharply criticized them. Among his famous odes are the \u02bfAyniyya and the B\u0101\u02beiyya.<\/p>\n
Di\u02bfbal Khuz\u0101\u02be\u012b (d. 246 AH)
\nAb\u016b \u02bfAl\u012b, Di\u02bfbal b. \u02bfUthm\u0101n b. \u02bfAl\u012b Khuz\u0101\u02be\u012b was born into a family known for their knowledge, piety and literary talent. He was a descendant of Bad\u012bl b. Warq\u0101\u02be Khuz\u0101\u02be\u012b, the man whom the Prophet had prayed for. Naj\u0101sh\u012b says that Di\u02bfbal wrote a book entitled \u1e6cabaq\u0101t al-Shu\u02bfar\u0101\u02be (\u2018The Classes of Poets\u2019), which indicated his comprehensive knowledge of contemporary and past poets. If one is to have a thorough understanding of him, they must look at him from four angles:<\/p>\n
His pre-eminence in poetry, history and letters.
\nHis contribution to the narration of \u1e25ad\u012bth, either by quoting \u1e25ad\u012bth from others or others quoting from him.
\nHis loyalty to the Prophet\u2019s Family which motivated him to compose the majority of his poems for them.
\nHis interaction with the Caliphs of his time.
\nLuckily, the late Am\u012bn\u012b has thoroughly discussed these four categories. (see Ghad\u012br, 2\/369-86.)<\/p>\n
Ab\u016b Fir\u0101s al-Hamad\u0101n\u012b (320-357 AH)
\nHis name is H\u0101rith b. Ab\u012b al-\u02bfAl\u0101\u02be. Tha\u02bflab\u012b describes him as \u2018peerless in his time, a shining example of courtesy, generosity, bravery, eloquence, and poetry. His poems had beauty, ease, eloquence, sweetness, and magnificence.<\/p>\n
As well as these poets we have mentioned above, notable Sh\u012b\u02bfa poets include Ibn \u1e24ajj\u0101j Baghd\u0101d\u012b (d. 321), Shar\u012bf al-Ra\u1e0d\u012b (d. 406), Shar\u012bf al-Murta\u1e0d\u0101 (d. 436) and Mahy\u0101r Daylam\u012b (d. 448). Interested readers can refer to the following books for more information:<\/p>\n
Al-Adab f\u012b \u1e92ill al-Tashayyu\u02bf by Shaykh \u02bfAbd All\u0101h Ni\u02bfma<\/p>\n
Ta\u02besis al-Sh\u012b\u02bfa by Sayyid \u1e24asan al-\u1e62adr, Chapter 6.<\/p>\n
Al-Ghad\u012br by \u02bfAll\u0101ma Am\u012bn\u012b, in 11 volumes.<\/p>\n
Shia Islam: Imam al-Mahd\u012b \/32<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n