Istebsar
Al- Istebsar is an Arabic work and one of the four collections of traditions on Shia religion. Concerning juridical commandments and Hadiths, composed by the outstanding sheikh Tousi.
The author
Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Hasan Tusi, outstanding Shia scholar, great traditionist and celebrated commentator (995 – 1067), Tus (town in Khorasan – Iran).
He passed the primary studies in his birth place. At the age of 23 went to Baghdad.
Masters:
Sheikh Tusi studied for 5 years in the presence of Sheikh Mufid (leading Imami Shia theologian and jurist; 948 – 1032). After the death of Sheikh Mufid, he continued in the presence of Seyyed Murteza Alam al-Hoda, for 23 years.
Sheikh Tusi also studied under: Hossein Ibn Ubayd Allah Qazayeri, Ibn Junayd Iskafi, Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Aba Salt Ahwazi.
Sheikh Tusi started teaching in Baghdad. He was known all over the Islamic world. Many students from different Islamic countries came to Baghdad to attend his classes.
Over 300 Shia jurists and scholars studied in his presence, and also hundreds of Sunni scholars.
In time of Saljuqs (Turkish princely family which ruled over wide territories in Central Asia and near the East) there was a terrible situation. Many Shias were killed and a large number of libraries, houses, scientific centres were burnt.
Saljuqs set fire to Sheikh Tusi’s library as well; most of his books and his own works were burnt in fire.
Also one of the greatest and most famous libraries of that time which was built by “Shapur Ibn Ardashir” (The vizier of Baha al-Din Daylami) and thousands of invaluable and unique books in manuscript and illuminated Qurans, were burnt by Saljuqs.
Sheikh Tusi went to Najaf and built the greatest religious school for Shias.
He was buried in his own house.
Works:
1- al-Nahayat (The End)
2- al-Mabsut
3- Khelaf
4- On Imamate
5- On Principles(Osul)
6- al-Rejal
7- al-Fehrest (Index)
8- On theology (Kalam)
9- Riyaz al-Oqul (The gardens of intellect)
10- al-Tebyan Fi Tafsir al-Koran (The Quranic exegesis)
11- On banning beer
12- The problems of Damascus
13- The problems od Aleppo
14- The problems of al-Haeriya
15- The problems of Alyasiya
The book structure
The book includes over 5000 Hadiths (prophetic Traditions).
The outer first presents the reliable traditions (according to the sources to which he had refered) then the traditions which are against them, are mentioned.
Al- Istebsar contains the sections as follows:
- Prayer
- Purification
- Worship
- Alms
-Evidences
- Fasting, etc.
Many annotations by great scholars been written to the book , some of the annotators as follows.
- Mullah Muhammad Amin Astarabadi
- Nur Allah Shushtari
- Mir sayyad Ahmad Hosseini, etc.
Sources :
1- Islamic Encyclopedia
2- Shia Encyclopedia
3-Persian Encyclopedia