فصلنامه تاریخ اسلام
پیاپی 73 (بهار 1397)

Biography production, is a highly old branch of the Islamic historiography, and Medina is the first centre in which the biography of the holy prophet was written. The first Shiite work on biography, Tasmia Man Shahada Ma’a Amir al-Mumenin Ali, al-Jamala va Seffin va an-Nahrevan min as-Sihaba which was produced in the second half of the first Hijri century. As it can be interpreted from the mentioned work, the Shiite biography production, during the two eras of the holy prophet’s mission and the caliphate, began mainly focused on protecting the Imams’ ideology so that, based on (the biographical works done during) the holy prophet’s mission prove that Imam Ali is the (Heavenly appointed) successor of prophet. Thereby, taking another step, the Shiite started to write the prophetic biography so as to look for their theological ideology in the biography of the holy prophet of Islam.
Utilising the descriptive-analytical method, the present paper attempts to analyse the Shiite biography production through studying the written biographical works and based on such works temporal development from the beginning of the fifth Hijri century. Exploring the issues such as foundation, promotion, continuation of the biography production, different kinds of ideology and how the Shiite biography producers used to cooperate. It concludes that in the Shiite scientific circles, the biography writing started with some non-organised works, however they became organised through the time, some organised movements were formed and deep and accurate works started to be written. Through two internal sub-movements and relying on the ideas of Imams (PBuT), and in order to pass the political-ideological challenges, the Shiite extended the geographical domain of biography production from Medina to Iraq, they also developed its cultural dimension up to the Shiite groups, broke the monopoly of a specific circle in this regard and opened some new paths in the biography production.

Along with the scientific development of the Islamic world in the third Hijri century, especially the Translation Movement, relying on the specific Shiite Rationalism, and being committed to its ideological principles, the Shiite welcome the importing sciences and the applied sciences like geography. Utilising the Shiite and non-Shiite Rijali resources, and through the analytical-descriptive method, the present paper examines the biographies, geographical written works, the existing local histories, and the different geographical forms and fields studied by the Shiite scholars during the sixth Hijri Century. The findings of the present paper demonstrate that, although many of the Shiite written geographical have been lost during the time for some different reasons, they had a substantial part in writing the geographical works. Although mostly being centred in some specific cities and regions, and similar to the Sunni writers, in their own geographical studies and works the Shiite paid a special attention to the geography of the Arabian Peninsula and prepared some resources on the Arab tribes, their residence and the natural phenomena. The Shiite, in their works on introduction of the Shiite-resided cities and regions, specifically the Iraqi ones, the holy areas, the haven and burial sites of Sadat (descendants of the holy prophet), Alavids, and some fewer works on the natural, astronomical and human geography.

The Basra School of Historiography has long been important and played part in registration of the historical events, accordingly the present paper deals with the Imami followers’ historiographical activities as the knowledge provided through Imami historians’ contributions within Basra School of Historiography helps us analyse the Imams’ history. Using the analytical-historical method, and based on the hypothesis that “the Imami had focused on the historical and historiographical debates in order to defend their theological (Kalam) ideology and the same as other intellectual groups, they were actively involved in registering/writing the historical events and then revised their works”, the present research attempts to measure the share and role of the Imami, as an important intellectual and political movement in the development of the Basra Historiography.

Muhammad bin Ibrahim Thaqafi, the prominent historian and hadith narrator of the third Hijri century, is a great Shiite figure and scholar who had played a significant part in the development and promotion of the Islamic sciences. He is a scholar who wrote so many works on different fields including morality, history, theology, Fiqh and interpretation, however all his works, but “al-Gharat” book are no longer accessible. The present paper, using the historical and hadith resources, examines Thaqafi’s narratives and works and his part in the development of the Islamic sciences in the third Hijri century.

The migration of the Shiite scholars to Syrian areas and some Shiite government ruling there are some factor impacting the development of the different rational and narrative sciences. Using some Rijali lists and resources, biographies, general, local and dynastic histories, the present paper attempts to examine the reason of the Shiite scholars migration to and presence in Syria and their part in the development of the Islamic culture and sciences up to the end of the seventh Hijri century. According to the findings of the present research and due to the lasting written and non-written works, it can be claimed that the Shiite scholars played a significant part in this regard.

In the beginning of the eighth Hijri century, and simultaneously with the conversion of the Ilkhanate Dynasty,religious system, the required ground was provided for the greater development of the Shiite ideology, and in order to defend their own ideology, the Shiite scholars wrote so many books in some different fields. For instance some works on genealogy of the Alavids and Sadat were written by authors such as ibn Teqteqi (709 H.Q.), ibn Quti (723 H.Q), ibn Muayyaa (776 H.Q.) and ibn Inaba (828 H.Q.) . The present research is conducted through the descriptive-analytical method and based on frequent reference to the historical, Rijali and library resources. Therefore it attempts to answer the question “what was the part of the Shiite historiographers in the composition of the genealogy books during the eighth century? And what was their purpose doing so?” The research contexts suggest that, due to the nobility of the prophet’s family and the different between the members of the said family and other Muslims, the production of genealogy by the Shiite in the aforesaid century, the same as what done in other eras, was done aiming at recognition of the prophet’s descendants.

A noteworthy event during the era of the Safavid Dynasty, is the tension between the false Sufis and the Shiite scholars, including the Muslim philosophers and hadith narrators. Through the descriptive-analytical method, the present paper examines the part played by Mulla Sadra and Allameh Majlesi, as the representative of two ideologies, in standing against the deviations made by the false Sufis. According to the findings of the research, it can be said that Mulla Sadra, as a philosopher and Arif, introducing the pure Irfan through correction of the Irfani concept, providing the heavenly knowledge on the one hand, and assuming the real leadership for the guidance of the people in the society on the other hand, along with Allameh Majlesi, who, as a Faqih (jurisprudent) and hadith narrator, criticising the false Sufis’ deviation from the Sharia and remiss activities, with other Faqihs and scholars of his time, wrote some hadith collections in the fluent and simple Arabic and Persian, provided some explanation on the original and ancient religious texts and also provided some rejection letters on the said groups activities and beliefs, both attempted to promote the real Sharia and truly render the religious concepts for standing against the said Sufis ideological deviations.