Alaa al-Rahman commentary (Divine gifts)

Alaa al-Rahman fi Tafsir al-Koran is a Koranic commentary, composed by the prominent commentator “Sheikh Javad Balaqi”.

The author

Ayatollah Sheikh Javad Balaqi Najafi, great Shia jurisconsult, philosopher and traditionist; was born in (1866 – 1934) in Najaf.
Allameh Balaqi studied the primary lessons in Najaf in the presence of great scholars.

Mastres:

1-    Mullah Kazem Khorasani
2-    Reza Hamedani
3-    Sheikh Muhammad Taha Najaf
4-    Seyyed Muhammad Hendi
5-    Mirza Ali Naqi Baraqani Haeri

In 1909 Allameh Balaqi traveled to Samarra and studied in the presence of Muhammad Taqi Shirazi. He stayed for 10 years, then went to Kazimayn and after 2 years returned to Najaf.
During his residence in Kazimayn established a good relationship with the Jewish and Christian scholars and learnt Hebrew, Armenian and English languages. He also received useful information about the Christianity and Jewishness and their holy books.
In a short time he became so famous that his works were translates into English and other languages.
The prominent shia scholar Ayatollah Seyyed Abul Qasem Khoee was one of his students.

Works:

1-    Guidance towards Islam (2 volumes. On the rejection of Christianity)
2-    The true delivery of message
3-    The treatise “Monotheism and Trinity”
4-    The lights of guidance (on the rejection of materialists)
5-    On the rumours and lies
6-    Treatise on the rejection of Wahhabism (Muslim puritan movement founded by Ibn Abd al-Wahhab)
7-    Treatise on the rejection of Wahhabism’s fatwa on destroying the holy shrines of Mecca and Medina
8-    Treatise on the commentary attributed to Imam Hasan Askari (the 11th Imam of Shias)
9-    Alaa al-Rahman Fi tafsir al-Quran (The Quranic exegesis) , etc.

The book structure

Alaa al-Rahman is known as one of the greatest Shiite commentaries of the Koran.

It is written in Arabic.

The book is composed in two chapters:

The 1^st chapter includes commentary of the surahs “Baqarah” (2.cow) and “Aal-e Imran” (3.the House of Imran) and the 2^nd chapter, commentary of the surah “Nesa” (4.women) commentary of this surah is performed up to the verse58) and also commentary of the surah “Maedeh” (5.the Table), commentary of this surah is done, up to the 6^th verse). This Koranic exegesis is incomplete due to the death of the author.

The following are other Koranic subjects considered in the book:

- The truth of miracle indicating the truth of prophets

- Variety of miracles

- Why the Koran descended as a miracle?

- Superiority of the Koran over other miracles

- Reviving the soul after death

- Intercession (on the Day of Judgment by prophets and Imams)

- Fatalism and free will

-Explicit and implicit verses

-polygamy in Islam

-prophecy of Jesus the prophet

- Temporary marriage, etc.

The book was published in 1933.

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