Born 359 A.H.
Died: 406 A.H.
1. The tongue spoke up from consciousness and a pleasing countenance
is the sign of a giver of glad tiding. 2. Now, you made the hearts free of
malice. 3. With the light of the bright morning darkness went to rest. 4.
Happiness and ease were disloyal to you and the day of Ghadeer was
occasion of its fulfillment. 5. The day when the successor encompassed it,
when he was given the title of Amir. 6. Then on this day give consolation and
return the trust to its owner. 7. A long life accompanied by happiness
prevails on a life of sorrow. 8. We remove grief through the clear drink for a
heart other than your heart. 9. At the time of demanding, do not be content
with less. 10. Requesting for less is like asking for a little water, which is in a
deep hole. 11. It is now time that they would fulfill the needs and change the
small hopes for big. 12. So, let your soul-increasing breeze to blow upon us in
excess. 13. You are not needful of a companion and servant, as you are
between teats producing excess milk. 14. The effect of your thanks is in my
mouth and the sign of your love is there in my heart. 15. This virgin verse is
like a green and fresh garden. 16. As the owner himself becomes pleased due to the joy of numerous trees by the pond of water.1
Introduction to the poet
Sayyid Razi – Zul Hasbain – Abul Hasan Muhammad bin Abu Ahmad
Husain bin Moosa bin Muhammad bin Moosa bin Ibrahim Ibne Imam Abu
Ibrahim Moosa Kazim (a.s.).
His mother was Sayyida Fatima, daughter of Husain bin Abu Muhammad
Hasan Atrosh bin Ali bin Hasan bin Ali bin Umar bin Ali Ibne Abi Talib (a.s.).
His father, Abu Ahmad commanded great respect in the government of
Abbasids and Buwaihids and he made singular contribution to Shia religion and
was absolutely determined in his efforts.
He was born in 304 A.H. and passed away on Friday, 25 Jamiul Awwal, 400 A.H.2
Poets have composed numerous poems in his praise among them being his
two sons: Sayyid Razi and Sayyid Murtada, and Mahiyar Dailami.
Sayyid Razi was the pride of the Holy Progeny and an expert of science of
religion and literature. He was the owner of knowledge inherited from his
ancestors and in morals and conduct, he was liked by all.
He possessed a dominant view, magnanimous nature, the best of morals,
exceeding good manners, noble lineage, ancestry of Prophet, Alawite nobility,
Fatimid greatness and Kazimite leadership of the first degree.
His teachers
Among his teachers were:
- Abu Saeed Hasan bin Abdullah bin Marzaban Nahwi, famous as Sairafi (d.
368 A.H.). When Sayyid Razi was not even ten years old, he became his
student in Arabic grammar.3
- Abu Ali Hasan bin Ahmad Farsi Nahwi (d. 377 A.H.).
- Abul Fatah Uthman bin Jinni Mosuli (d. 392 A.H.).
- The great teacher, Shaykh Mufeed, Abu Abdullah bin Muallim Muhammad
bin Noman (d. 413 A.H.). Sayyid and Razi and his brother, Alamul Huda,
Sayyid Murtada studied traditions and jurisprudence under Shaykh Mufeed.
The author of Ad-Darajatul Rafia4 says:
“Shaykh Mufeed had a dream that he was in the Masjid in Karkh when Lady
Fatima Zahra (s.a.), daughter of Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) came to him
accompanied by Imam Hasan and Imam Husain (a.s.), who were young and she entrusted them to the Shaykh, saying: “Teach jurisprudence to these two.”
The Shaykh woke up and was amazed at this dream. The next morning,
Fatima, daughter of Nasir, came to Shaykh Mufeed in the Masjid surrounded by
her maids, with her two young sons: Ali Murtada and Muhammad Razi. The
Shaykh arose from his place, welcomed and greeted her with respect.
Fatima said: ‘O Shaykh, I have brought these two sons of mine so that you
may teach jurisprudence to them.’
The Shaykh cried and mentioned his dream and undertook the instruction of
the two boys. Almighty Allah endowed them with a special favor and they
expounded numerous topics of religion for which they have become immortal
forever.”
His students and those who have narrated from him
A number of Shia and Sunni scholars have narrated from him, among them being:
- Shaykhut Taifah, Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Hasan Tusi (d. 460 A.H.).5
- Qaazi Abul Maali Ahmad bin Ali bin Qudama (d. 486 A.H.).
- Abu Bakr Ahmad bin Husain bin Ahmad Nishapuri Khuzai.
Books and writings
- Nahjul Balagha, it is a book, which the past and present scholars have
memorized like memorization of Quran and through this, they seek divine
rewards. From the time of Sayyid Razi, till date, around seventy commentaries
are written upon it. Following are some commentators of Nahjul Balagha:
- Sayyid Ali bin Nasir, contemporary of Sayyid Razi. He entitled his commentary: Aalaame Nahjul Balagha. It is the most ancient commentary of Nahjul Balagha.
- Abul Husain Saeed bin Hibatullah Qutubuddin Rawandi (d. 573 A.H.). He entitled his commentary as Minhajul Baraat.
- Kamaluddin Shaykh Mitham bin Ali bin Mitham Bahrani (d. 679). He has written a long, medium as well as a short commentary on Nahjul Balagha.
- Allamah Hilli Jamaluddin Abu Mansur Hasan bin Yusuf bin Mutahhar (d. 726 A.H.).
- Shaykh Bahai Amili (d. 1031 A.H.) – his commentary is not complete.
- Sayyid Nimatullah bin Abdullah Jazaeri Shustari (d. 1112 A.H.). His commentary comprises of three volumes.
- Shaykh Muhammad Abduh (d. 1323 A.H.).
- Haaj Mirza Habibullah Musawi Khoei (d. 1326 A.H.). His detailed commentary is entitled Minhajul Baraa.
Other writings
- Khasaisul Aaimma: He has mentioned this book in the beginning of Nahjul Balagha and has described it.
- Majazatul Aatahrun Nabawiya.
- Collection of verses.
Poetry of Sayyid Razi
It is clear that one, who is aware of the personal qualities of the Sayyid and
his lofty rank in knowledge and leadership, he would regard poetry to be below
his dignity, and find him higher in rank than the best of poets, and conclude that
poetry has not added anything to his stature, has not left any effect on his
loftiness and majesty and has not brought him any greatness; because he used to
compose verses during his childhood when he was not even ten years old.
Sometimes he saw himself as the best in poetry, sometimes regarded his
own compositions better than those of Bahtari and Muslim bin Walid, and
sometimes, he was humble and compared himself to Farazdaq or Jarir or saw
himself an equal of Zuhair; sometimes he looked at his poetry with submissive
eyes and regarded his compositions better than that of others, and majority of
scholars have consensus that he was the most righteous from the poets of
Quraish.
Birth and death
According to the consensus of historians, Sayyid Razi was born in 359 A.H.
in Baghdad and lived there only. As mentioned in Fehrist Najjashi, he passed
away there only on Sunday, 6th Mohurrum 406 A.H.6
Numerous writers7 say that he was buried in his house in Karkh locality.
After that his remains were shifted to Kerbala and he was buried near his father
Abu Ahmad Husain bin Moosa. It is concluded from history that his grave was
widely believed to be in the middle part of the shrine of Imam Husain (a.s.)
[between 6th to 9th Hijri].8