Mulla Abdolrasoul Madani Kashani and an Investigation into his Majma Al-nasayeh Epistle

The deceased "Mulla Abdolrasoul Madani Kashani" is one of the scholars, jurists and pietists in the realms of culture, literature and art; A great man who brimmed with piety and abstinence in conjunction with modernism and revitalization, and besides writing religious, jurisprudential, theological and philosophical treatises, he was not oblivious of the political, social, historical issues as well as the current events of his time and constitutionalism and public dispute resolution in particular. His astuteness, critical spirit and desire to struggle with perversion and injustice inspired him to write works such as the Ensafieh treatise (in constitutionalism), as a scholar who was attuned to the current issues and problems, to fulfil his duty towards his homeland as well as constitutional movement, liberty and law and to establish a proper pattern of Islamic political and social decrees.
On the other hand, compiling and authoring a collection of pieces of advice, precepts and sober aphorisms by Iranian wise men and philosophers before and after the rise of Islam had been of great intellectual and cultural concern to Mulla Abdolrasoul. However, he fulfilled this ambition by authoring Majma Al-nasayeh epistle which is deemed to be as a great favor towards promoting the culture and literature of Iran. In this valuable epistle, the author has provided a collection of pieces of advice and precepts and precious speeches by the prophets and saints of Allah as well as scholars, philosophers, wise men, kings and historical-mythological figures of the ancient Iran and Greece. Moreover, having developed the ethical and social themes as well as doctrines such as theosophy and wisdom, benevolence and optimism, contentment and satisfaction, self-esteem and magnanimity, doing justice and benevolent deeds, etiquette of speech, refinement of morals, abstaining from ambitious pursuits, greed and avarice, lie, deceit, hypocrisy and egoism, the author has left a valuable and great collection as a memorial in the realm of epistle writing. Initially, this paper laconically deals with the biography as well as intellectual and personality traits of Mulla Abdolrasoul, and accordingly, introduces the prominent contents and themes of Majma Al-nasayeh.