Mohammad Ibn Hasan Saffar's Figure and Theological Opinions

Studying the personality and theological views of early scholars of the early Imāmi in various periods can provide a basis for comprising a comprehensive history of Imamiyah and satisfy the need. Mohammad ibn Hassan Saffar has been one of the great figures of Qom school in the third century AH. The result of the historical data is that he, among religious sciences, has been most concerned with jurisprudence. Nevertheless, considering his theological traditions, he may also be regarded as a theologian. Some of his works, including Al-radd al al-Gholat and Basa`ir al-Darajat may be regarded as evidence in the field. This research, with a descriptive-analytical approach, is intended to explain the character and theologian statements of this influential Imami scholar. As his most important theological opinions one may refer to natural state of human knowledge of God, human knowledge of God through Names and Attributes, any Divine likeness to creatures as polytheism, tauqifi state of Names and Attributes, Divine Will as attribute of action and the occurrence of bida` for God. In the field of Prophecy and Imamate, the necessity of recognizing the prophets and obeying them, delegating the affairs of religion to the Prophet Muhammad (S) among Divine prophets, the Prophet's being most aware with regard to others, religiously essentiality of Imāmate, necessity for the existence of Imam, Divine establishment of Imams, Imams` state of being the most of knowledge, vastness of Imams` sources and fields of knowledge, Imams` infallibility and authority in takwin