Sheikh Murteza Ansari

Sheikh Murteza Ansari, prominent Iranian jurisconsult, born in 1800 in Dezful – Iran. He studied in the presence of his father up to the age of 20, then travelled to Iraq and studied four years under great masters. When he returned to Iran, went to Kashan and continued in the presence of “mullah Ahmad Naraqi”, then travelled to Mashhad, Isfahan and Boroojerd in order to continue his studies. In 1839 he travelled to Iraq and started teaching. His two famous books “Rasael” and “Makaseb” are the course book of students in religious schools. Many #### different glosses have been added to his books. After Muhaqeq Helli and Allameh Helli and Shahid-e Awal (celebrated scholars), Sheikh Ansari is the only scholar whose books have been added glosses by the later scholars. Sheikh Ansari not only cared about his students but also helped the poor; many poor people had a fixed salary each month which was given to them, but they did not know where it was from. When Sheikh Ansari died, the poor understood that the salary had been given to them by Sheikh Ansari! Many glosses and marginal notes have been added to his books and writings by over 200 celebrated scholars: Mullah Kazem Khorasani, Seyyed Kazem Yazdi, Mirza Habib Allah Rashti and Mirza Hashem Ashtiani and many other great scholars.

Some of his masters:
1- Ayatollah Sheikh Hossein Ansari
2- Ayatollah Seyyed Muhammad Mujahed
3- Ayatollah Sharif al-Olama Mazandarani
4- Ayatollah mullah Ahmad Naraqi
5- Ayatollah Sheikh Musa Kashef al-Qata
6- Ayatollah Sheikh Ali Kashef al-Qata
7- Ayatollah Sheikh Hasan Saheb Jawaher

Sheikh Ansari was permitted to quote (Hadith) from some of his masters:
Ayatollah Seyyed Sadr al-Din Mousavi
Mullah Ahmad Naraqi
Ayatollah Saeid Qarjeh Daqi

The students:
Over 1000 students were trained in the presence of him, the following are some of them:
1- Ayatollah Mirza Hasan Shirazi
2- Ayatollah Jafar Shushtari
3- Mirza Habib Allah Rashti
4- Ayatollah Seyyed Hossein Kuh Kamari
5- Ayatollah Sheikh Hasan Mamqani
6- Ayatollah sheikh Kazem Khorasani
7- Mirza Hasan Ashtiani
8- Mirza Abul Qasem Kalantar
9- Sheikh Hadi Tehrani
10- Mullah Hossein Hamedani
11- Mirza Hossein Khalili Tehrani
12- Ayatollah Sharibani
13- Seyyed Jamal al-Din Asad Abaadi

Works:
There are left many prominent books of Sheikh Ansari, which show his profound knowledge. The following are some of his writings:
1- al-Makaseb (on jurisprudence)
2- Pearls of methodology (Osul)
3- A treatise on “dissimulation”
4- A treatise on “justice”
5- A treatise on “Khoms” (one fifth)
6- A treatise on “inheritance”
7- A treatise on “Zakat” (poor rate)
8- A treatise on “Tayamum” (ablution with earth or sand)
9- A treatise on marriage
10- A treatise on concubine
11- A treatise on “Taqlid” (following a religious leader)
12- A traetise on conjecture
13- A treatise on rites of haj
14- Principles of jurisprudence
15- A scientific treatise
16- A treatise on “lot”
17- A treatise on method of negligence
18- A treatise on mistakes of prayers
19- A treatise on lactating
etc.

Sheikh Murteza Ansari died in 1865 and was buried in Najaf.

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