Shi’a: The corpus of Allame Tabatabai’s negotiations with professor Henry Corbin
The first volume of the book has been published in 1960A.D. (1339S.H.) by the name of “The Shiism School”, and in 1978A.D. (1357S.H.) after the general revision, appendices and corrections by the name of “Shi’a: The corpus of Allame Tabtabai’s negotiations with professor Henry Corbin” and in 1991A.D. (1370S.H.) by the name of “Shi’ism Mission In Today World” (another discussion with Henry Corbin). The books’ text of “Corpus of Negotiations” and writings of Allame Seyyed Mohammd Hossein Tabatabai with processor Henry Corbin French, the master of philosophy in Sorbonne ####(university) of France and Tehran university, the chairman of France and Iran institute who is one of the famous orientalist of France and Iranologist, is relevant to the1959A.D. (1338S.H.), which with adding explanations for completing the discussion and studying, has been within the reach of interested ones.
The brief biography of Author:
Seyyed Mohammad Hossein Tabatabi Tabrizi was born in 1903A.D.(1321A.H./1281solar year). He went to school one year before his father’s death, but after finishing the seventh grade, it is deemed advisable to study at home. For this reason, he and his brother learn the Arab literature under the supervision of a competent literary man by the name of “Sheikh Mohammad Ali Saräi” and also learn the art of calligraphy under the supervision of “Mirza Ali Naghi Khatät. The late Alläme, at the age of 21 in 1924A.D.(1303) married with the daughter of “the late Haj Mirza Mahdi Agha Tabatabi Mahdavi” who was his father’s relative. Aläme, in 1925A.D.(1304 solar year), after finishing the seminary courses of Tabriz, left for the Holy Najaf along with his wife, brother and newborn son. Acquaintance with Haj Mirza Ali Aghaye Ghazi, had such influence in him, that during 11 years living in “Najaf”, in addition of jurisprudence (fegh), methodology (osool), mathematics, philosophy, Rejal and commentary, had learned the “practical mysticism”(erfän amali) at the presence of this great master and profited from “spiritual journey”(seyr and solook) and “self-purification”(Tazkiyeh Nafs). [REJAL: is a science that studying the biographies of the transmitters of Hadith]. The late Mohammad Hossein Tabatabi”, in the latter part of life, in Najaf, spend his life with difficulty, so that, in the year of 1935A.D.(1314) because of financial problems, left for Iran and dwelled in the “Shäd Äbäd” village of Tabriz. For acquisition of learning, he left for “Qom” and forever bade farewell to Tabrize. He came to “Qom” in 1944A.D.(1325) and thus began his scientific productive life. He lived in this city for about 35 years and did the most services to Islam and theological schools. He started the philosophy lesson with new style. The life of this great scholars who is one of the great glories of Islam and rare researcher, ended and died in the morning of 9 o’clock in “Qom” in 1981/Nob/15(1360/8/24). Some works that he provided in Tabriz consists of:
1- A treatise on Names and Attributes
2- A treatise on Acts
3- A treatise on intermediaries between God and Man
4- A treatise on before world
5- A treatise in world
6- A treatise on after world
7- A treatise on guardianship
8- A treatise on prophecy
9- Genealogy book of Azarbijan’s Tabatabies.
A brief about Alläme’s services in Qom:
1- Founding a new method of commentary that is completely new and innovative
2- The dissemination of philosophy and intellection thought
3- Efforts in explaining the philosophy subjects and making tangible of many difficult(complex) subjects
4- Try to publish the works of “Household” (p.b.u.th).
5- Coincidence between quranic concepts with whatever have been related in news of “Household of the messenger” (khändäne resälate)
6- The dissemination of Shiite thought, outside the Islam world.
7- Training and educating scientific and intellectual personages.
8- Valuable compilations whether published or unpublished..
9- Etc.
The book’s features:
This book is a sincere effort for declaring the message of “We are party of God and supporter of His religion”. It has been written for creating good understanding, removing the improper pessimism, foiling the ill (bad) propagation, announcing that always should open the door of scientific dissuasion and research, and with continue effort in this field, take out the opportunity from those who want to hit to the Islamic unity with absurd words.
The books structure:
The book of “Shi’a: The Corpus of Allame Tabatabi’s Negotiations with professor Henry Corbin including:
1- Shiism school- including:
-preface
-the problems which shia foresee: the first problem: the falling of Guardianship and Islamic government. The second problem: the falling of Household “authority”(marja’iyyat).
-The method of shia in sciences
-the Dr. Corbin’s questions and the Allame Tabatabi’s answers
2- The shia Imams’ words and philosophical thought:
2-1- the text of author’s letter as a completion and division of the discussions
2-2- the manner of philosophical thought in shia leaders’ words
2-3- comprehensive explanation about contents of written traditions
2-4- the subjects of guardianship (the relationship of prophecy and guardianship).
3- An answer on the criticism of shia’s book:
In this chapter has been related the useful and interesting information that are the result of many researches about different dimensions (fields) which relevant to the shia
4- Explanation written by Ali Ahamdi and Hadi Khosro Shähi
5- The documents of explanations
The book of Shiism’s Mission in Today’s World including:
1- preface (another step in the way of ),
2- what is the shi’ism’s “good news”(annunciation) for humanity?
3- The ways of guiding the Man
4- the effects and results of church incarnation: This part is one of the important discussions in this book which is about Christianity, church and the incarnation of church. Because of its importance, this part has been put in the beginning of the book, in the next printings, by one of the publishers.
5- Eschatology from the viewpoint of shia
6- emergence or appearance of spiritual journey and “mysticism”(Gnosticism),
7- Toward spiritual life
8- explanations and the documents of explanations
In the end of book also has been related the French text of Henry Corbin’s preface.
The Spirituality of Shiism is another title of this book which is enclosed with some articles by Allame. Its preface is by Allame Hassan Zade Amoli which including 22 parts:
1- The shiism’s spirituality
2- guardianship and leadership
3- the motive of creation
4-the role of “Metaphysics”(transphyscis) in society
5- If Islam also is doable today?
6- Social personality of women
7- why prophet married so much?
8-temporary marriage
9-the outline of ownership
10-alcholid beverages, the factor of humanity‘s retrogression
11- why should cut the thief’s hand?
12- Mohammad (p.b.u.h.) in the mirror of Islam?
13- a words about Imam’s science
14- the purpose of contracts
15- Ijtehad and imitating (a mujtahid) in shia [ijtehad means: deducting facts from the Quran and hadith],
16- a short research about Jesus and Bible
17-following the superstitions
18- If dream is real?
19- What is miracle?
20- the story of “splitting of the moon” (shaghol ghamar) and the “Venus” (Zohre),
21- “decisive” (mohkam), “allegorical” (moteshäbe) and interpretation in Quran
22- message to the conference of Tustari’s commemoration
Sources :
1- Shi’a: the corpus of Allame Tabatabai’s negotiations with professor Henry Corbin
2- shiism spirituality by the effort of Mohammad Badi’i
3- the Shiism Mission in today’s world
4- shiism encyclopedia, vol.10
5- commentators groups of shi’a, vol.1, p.195
6- shi’a’s great scholars, p. 440
7- Persian dictionary of proper nouns, p. 471
8- Allame Tabatabai’s bibliography/ Ghanbar Ali Kermäni