Al-Bahrani
Ali ibn Maytham | |
|---|---|
| File:Al-Bahrani.png Shaykh al-Bahrani calligraphy | |
| Title | Kamal al-Din Shaykh al-Shia |
| Personal | |
| Born | 1238 |
| Died | 1299 Mahooz, Bahrain |
| Religion | Islam |
| Era | Islamic Golden Age |
| Denomination | Shia |
| Jurisprudence | Twelver |
| Creed | Ja'fari |
| Main interest(s) | Hadith, Shia fiqh |
| Notable work(s) | Shahr Nahj al-Balagha |
Ali ibn Maytham (Arabic: علي ابن ميثم, 1238 – 1299), commonly known as Al-Bahrani (Arabic: البحراني), also known as Shaykh Al-Bahrani (Arabic: الشيخ ميثم البحراني) was a prominent Twelver Shia theologian, author and philosopher.
Life and work
Al-Bahrani wrote on Twelver doctrine, affirmed free will, the infallibility of prophets and imams, the appointed imamate of `Ali, and the occultation of the Twelfth Imam.[1] Along with Kamal al-Din Ibn Sa’adah al-Bahrani, Jamal al-Din ‘Ali ibn Sulayman al-Bahrani, Al-Bahrani was part of a 13th-century Bahrain school of theology that emphasised rationalism.[2]
At the same time, Al-Bahrani was profoundly influenced by the disciplines of philosophy and mysticism.[2] He wrote widely on such theology related philosophical issues as epistemology and ontology.
Legacy
Al-Bahrani's scholarship took in both Twelver Imami and Sunni sources; according to University of Bahrain academic, Ali Al Oraibi:
Maytham expresses admiration for certain Sunni theologians and quotes Sunni traditions, to the extent that it is said in Shi’i circles that while the Sunni ibn Abi al Hadid can be mistaken for an Imami, the Imami Maytham can be mistaken for a Sunni.[3]
In the 13th Century, the Twelvers, who were particularly mystics,[2] were a growing influence in Bahrain, which had previously been dominated by the Ismaili Qarmatian sect.[citation needed]
The Bahrain school of thought's integration of philosophy and mysticism into Imami Shiasmhad an enduring legacy, influencing fourteenth century theologians such as Ibn Abi Jumhur al-Ahsai'i. Politically, the intellectual vitality of al-Bahrani and his contemporaries is credited with converting the Ilkhanid monarch, Öljaitü, to convert to Shia Islam and announce a Shia state.[4][2] He is buried in Mahooz, Bahrain, where a shrine and mosque have been constructed, known as the Masjid al-Bahrani.
See also
References
- ^ Juan Cole, Sacred Space and Holy War, IB Tauris, 2007 p33
- ^ a b c d Clarke 2001, p. 331–336.
- ^ Ali Al Oraibi, Rationalism in the school of Bahrain: a historical perspective, in Shīʻite Heritage: Essays on Classical and Modern Traditions By Lynda Clarke, Global Academic Publishing 2001 p332
- ^ Saeed 2004, p. 138–139.
Bibliography
- Saeed, Alizadeh (2004). Iran: A Chronological History. Alhoda UK. ISBN 9789640614136.
- Clarke, L. (2001). Shi'ite Heritage: Essays on Classical and Modern Traditions. Global Academic Publishing. ISBN 9781586840662.
- Rival Empires of Trade and Imami Shiism in Eastern Arabia, 1300-1800, Juan Cole, International Journal of Middle East Studies, Vol. 19, No. 2, (May, 1987), pp. 177–203
External links
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