Mohammad Jawad al-Balaghi
Ayatollah Sheikh Muhammad-Jawad al-Balaghi al-Najafi (Arabic: محمد جواد البلاغي النجفي; 1865 – December 10, 1933) was an Iraqi Shia religious authority, author, poet, and polemicist.[1][2][3]
Muhammad-Jawad al-Balaghi | |
|---|---|
الشيخ محمد جواد البلاغي النجفي | |
| Personal | |
| Born | 1865 |
| Died | December 10, 1933 (aged 67–68) |
| Resting place | Imam Ali Shrine |
| Religion | Islam |
| Parent | Sheikh Hassan al-Balaghi (father) |
| Jurisprudence | Twelver Shia Islam |
It is reported that besides his native Arabic language, al-Balaghi was also well-versed in English, Hebrew and Persian.[4]
He was a prominent student of Mirza Muhammad-Taqi al-Shirazi, supporting him throughout the Iraqi revolt of 1920; and Muhammad-Kadhim al-Khurasani.
Family[edit]
al-Balaghi was from the prominent religious al-Balaghi family. Their origins go back to the Rubeya clan of the tribal Arab Adnanite confederation. al-Balaghi's great ancestor, Sheikh Muhammad al-Balaghi immigrated to Karbala in 1457 to seek a religious education. The patriarch of the intellectual family was Sheikh Muhammad-Ali al-Balaghi who died in Karbala in 1592, who was a grand religious authority, and one of the disseminators of Usul al-Kafi. Later, Sheikh Muhammad-Ali's grandson, Sheikh Hassan al-Balaghi travelled to Najaf, and settled in 1693. al-Balaghi's lineage is as follows:[5][6][7][8]
Muḥammad-Jawād bin Ḥassan bin Ṭalib bin ʿAbbās bin Ibrahīm bin Ḥusayn bin ʿAbbās II bin Ḥassan bin ʿAbbās I bin Muḥammad-ʿAli bin Ḥassan bin Muḥammad bin Balāgh bin Walī-Allāh bin Darwīsh [leading to] Asad bin Rabīʿa bin Nizar bin Maʿad bin ʿAdnan.
Early life and education[edit]
al-Balaghi was born to Sheikh Hassan al-Balaghi (d. 1882) in November 1865. He grew up in Najaf, and moved to Kadhimiya in 1888 to pursue a religious education.[4]
Education[edit]
Upon completing his muqadamat (introductory studies), he returned to Najaf in 1894. Whilst in Najaf he studied under scholars like Sheikh Muhammad-Kadhim al-Khurasani, Sheikh Muhammad-Taha Najaf, Sayyid Muhammad al-Hindi, and Muhammad-Hassan al-Mamaqani. He then travelled to Samarra in 1908, to study under Mirza Muhammad-Taqi al-Shirazi. He remained in Samarra for ten years studying in its seminary.[3]
During the siege of Kut, Mirza Taqi travelled to Kadhimiya, who feared that Samarra could end up like Kut, and that way many from the religious sphere would die. al-Balaghi followed Mirza Taqi, and remained in Kadhimiya for two years. He then returned to Najaf in 1920 after his mentor was poisoned.[2]
Students[edit]
Some of al-Balaghi's most notable students included:
- Sayyid Muhammad-Hadi al-Milani
- Sayyid Abu al-Qasim al-Khoei
- Sheikh Muhammad-Amin Zayn al-Din
- Sheikh Muhammad-Ridha Tabsi
Works[edit]
al-Balaghi enjoyed a library of publications, and wrote about many things include jurisprudence, principles of jurisprudence, Quranic exegesis, inter-faith matters. Some of his books included:[3][7]
- al-Huda Ala Din al-Mustafa (Guidance on the religion of al-Mustafa). 2 volumes. A response to the Christian Ethiopian hermit Abd al-Thaluth al-Habashi.
- al-Rihla al-Madrasiyah (The School Journey). 3 volumes. A critique of other faiths.
- Anwar al-Huda (The Light of Guidance). A deconstruction of atheism.
- Nasa'ih al-Huda (Advice of Guidance). A deconstruction of Bábism.
- Risalat al-Tawhid wal-Tathleeth (Letter of Oneness and Threeness)
- A'jeeb al-Akatheeb (Wonders of Lies)
- Ajiwabat al-Masa'il al-Baghdadiya (Answers to Baghdadi Questions). A book of principles of jurisprudence.
- al-Balagh al-Mubeen (The True Eloquence). A book of mysticism.
- Alaa' al Rahman Fi Tafsir al-Quran (The Mercifuls Wonders in the Exegesis of the Quran). A book of Quranic exegesis.
Personal life[edit]
al-Balaghi married the daughter of Sayyid Musa al-Jazayeri al-Kadhimi in 1889, whilst he was in Kadhimiya. He only had daughters, and no sons.[9]
Death[edit]
He died in the early hours of Friday December 3, 1933. He is buried in the third southern room of the west wing of the courtyard of the Imam Ali Shrine.[2]
See also[edit]
- Mirza Jawad Maleki Tabrizi
- Hibatuddin Shahrestani
- Mohammad Hossein Esheni Qudejani
- Noureddin Qudejani Esheni
References[edit]
- ^ "Allamah Shaykh Muhammad Jawad Balaghi Najafi || Imam Reza (A.S.) Network". www.imamreza.net. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
- ^ a b c al-Tehrani, Agha Buzurg (2009). Tabaqat A'lam al-Shia; Nuqaba al-Bashar Fi al-Qarn al-Rabi' 'Ashar [Levels of the Notables of the Shia (14th Century)]. Vol. 13. Cairo, Egypt: Dar Ihya' al-Turath al-Arabi. pp. 323–26.
- ^ a b c al-Hasun, Muhammad (2009). al-Alama al-Balaghi: Rajul al-Ilm wal-Jihad [al-Balaghi Scholar: Man of Knowledge and Religious Strive] (in Arabic). Beirut, Lebanon: Manshoorat al-Rafid.
- ^ a b "BALĀḠĪ, MOḤAMMAD-JAWĀD – Encyclopaedia Iranica". www.iranicaonline.org. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
- ^ al-Balaghi, Dr. Sanad (2016). Safha Min Tarikh al-Najaf: Muhammad-Ali al-Balaghi [A Page from the History of Najaf: Muhammad-Ali al-Balaghi] (in Arabic). Vol. 1. Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Rafidain. p. 102.
- ^ al-Hilfi, Kathim. I'rif Nasabak [Know Your Ancestry] (in Arabic).
- ^ a b "Brief History of al-Balaghi". Al-Balaghi. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
- ^ al-Mahbooba, Jafar (1986). Madhi al-Najaf Wa Hadhiriha [History of Najaf and its Present] (in Arabic). Vol. 2. Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Adhwa'. p. 58.
- ^ al-Balaghi, Dr. Sanad (2016). Safha Min Tarikh al-Najaf: Muhammad-Ali al-Balaghi [A Page from the History of Najaf: Muhammad-Ali al-Balaghi] (in Arabic). Vol. 1. Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Rafidain. p. 554.
Further reading[edit]
External links[edit]
- al-Balaghi's Library by al-Feker E-book Network
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