The city of Issues (Madinat Al-Masä’el)
Due to the Ayatollah Abdol- Nabi Najafi’s death tragedy, this treatise did not finished and that part which has not been printed during his life, is available. This treatise is in the form of questioning and answering. In each chapter has been asked a question considering to its subject and then their answers have been explained by Sheikh Iraqi, also in each chapter has been mentioned the issues.
The author’s brief biography:
Haj Sheikh Abdol-Nabi Araki was born in the night of holy ####prophet’s “mab’as” (p.b.u.h.) in Arak-Iran in a religious family in 1890A.D. (1307A.H.). [Mab’as means: the time of the appointment of Mohammad as prophet]. He learn reading and writing in the schoolhouse of a person by the name of Seyyed Ahmad and also Noor-Ali Beyg. After that he learn the literature in the presence of Mirza Mahmud (one of his father’s relatives), in presence of the Late Mirza Hashem, Mirza Razi and Mirza Isma’il, etc. Then he immigrates to Hamadan and about 2 years he continues his study in the Late Äkhund’s school there. Then return to his birth place Arak and about 4yerars participate in presence of his famous masters. At 20 ages he finishes the elementary studies (Doruse sat’h) and starts the higher Islamic studies” (dares kharej). About two years present in the presence of great men such as: Äqä Noor Al-Din Iraqi, Mirza Mohammad Ali-Khan and Mirza Abul Hassan and during this short time, very benefited by them. In 1909A.D. (1327A.H.) for completing his studies and passing the higher scientific education he went to Holy Najaf.In Najaf’s seminary, aside from learn the mathematics and astronomy in presence of Sheikh Shams Al-Din Bokharai, also participate in the presence of seminary’s great authorities” (maraje’) and scholars. According to the late Ayatollah Seyyed Abul Hassan Isfahani’s invitation, Ayatollah Araki migrate to the “holy shrine towns” (atabät) in 1928A.D. (1346 A.H.) for instructing in Najaf’s seminary and instruct in Hendi mosque. In addition to knowing the jurisprudence, “methodology” (usool) and kaläm he was master in occult sciences and dream interpretation. The sage scholar, Ayatollah sheikh Abdol-Nabi Iraqi, after a lifetime asceticism and piety, effort and endeavor, propagation and popularizing the shiism pure culture died in 1965A.D. (1385.7.A.H./1344.8.S.H.). He was buried near Fatima Al-Masoomeh (p.b.u.h.).
The book structure:
Each chapter has been mentioned by the name of “Book”:
-the book of “principles of religion” (usul Din),
-the book of “Ijtihad” (religious endeavor),
-the book of “imitation “ (means imitating a mujtahid),
-the book of “purity” (tahärat),
-the book of “salät” (prayer),
-the book of fasting
-the book of “Itikäf” (taking seclusion in mosque or holy shrine for prayer),
-the book of “one Fifth” (khums),
-the book of “alms” (zakät),
-the book of “fetrat” (here means zakät fitreh which is charity given to the poor at the end of the fasting in the Islamic holy month of Ramadan),
-the book of “jihad” (holy warfare),
-the book of “greater jihad” (jihad akbar),
-the book of commanding the good
-the book of forbidding the bad
-the book of Hajj
-the book of Umrah
-the book of “buying and selling” (bay’)
-the book of”Eqälah”(dissolution of a contract),
-the book of “partnership” (sherkat),
-the book of “division” (qesmat),
-the book of “ shofa’a” (means the right of precedence of one partner to buy the share of the other),
-the book of “peace” (sulh) [peace here concerns property affairs],
-the book of “hire” (ejarah),
-the book of “reward”(ja’alah),
-the book of “muzäre’e” (agricultural partnership for farming),
-the book of “musäqät” (agricultural partnership for orchards),
-the book of “prohibition” (hajr),
-the book of “bankruptcy” (efläs),
-the book of ”representative” (wakalah),
-the book of “debt” (deyn),
-the book of “debt” (qarz),
-the book of “hawälah”,
-the book of”bail” (kefälah),
-the book of ”mortgage” (rahan),
-the book of “surety” (zemän),
-the book of “trust” (wadiyah),
-the book of “lending” (ariyah),
-the book of “misappropriation” (qasb),
-the book of “confessing” (Iqrär),
-the book of ”testimony” (shahädat),
-the book of “arbitration” (qaza),
-the book of “enlivening the dead” (ihiya al-mawat),
-the book of “found things” or ownerless property” (laqte),
-the book of “stray or lost” (zäleh),
-the book of “giving or gift” (hebah),
-the book of ”muzärebe” (partnership of capital and labor),
-the book of marriage
-the book of divorce
-the book of “khul’e” (type of divorce),
-the book of “mabarät” (type of divorce),
-the book of “zahär”(kind of divorce),
-the book of “Iyl’ä” (vows of abstention),
-the book of"cursing” (l’än),
-the book of hunting and slaughtering (seyd and zebäha),
-the book of eating and drinking
-the book of ”taking an oath” (nazr),
-the book of “covenant” (ahd),
-the book of oath
-the book of “atonement” (kafäreh),
-the book of ”slavery” (reqq),
-the book of ”freeing of slaves” (Itq),
-the book of “tadbir” (acquiring freedom through will),
-the book of “mukätibeh” (kind of acquiring freedom by purchase),
-the book of “enetaq” (relating to the freeing of slaves in the form of non-optional),
-the book of endowment” (waqf),
-the book of ”soknä” (is one of the endowment kinds),
-the book of “ omrä” (is one of the endowment kinds),
-the book of “roqbä”(is one of the endowment kinds),
-the book of “alms-giving” (sadaqeh),
-the book of “will” (wasiyat),
-the book of inheritance
-the book of “Hudud” (crimes with a fixed punishment ),
-the book of “blood money or financial recompense),
-the book of miscellaneous
Sources :
The city of Issues (Madinat Al-Masä’el) by Ayatollah Abdol-Nabi Najafi Iraqi