Al-Shaykh al-Tusi (d. 460 AH/1067 AD): His Scholarly Life and Role in Establishing the Scholarly School in Najaf

Abstract

This study examines the life of Abu Ja‘far Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Tusi (385–460 AH/995–1067 AD), one of the most prominent scholars of the fifth century AH and a leading figure of the Imami scholarly tradition. The study focuses on his upbringing and intellectual formation, his journey to Baghdad, and his studies under leading scholars, particularly al-Shaykh al-Mufid and al-Sharif al-Murtada. It also examines his migration to Najaf as a consequence of the political and sectarian disturbances in Baghdad under the Seljuk rule. Furthermore, the study discusses his teachers and students, his scholarly excellence, his intellectual position among the scholars of his time, and his major scholarly works in Hadith, jurisprudence, and other religious sciences. The study concludes that al-Tusi played a significant role in establishing Najaf as an important center of scholarship and that his scholarly legacy and students contributed to the continuity and development of its intellectual tradition. The research problem lies in trying to uncover the nature of the scientific role played by Sheikh Al-Tusi in scientific life during the fifth century AH, and the extent of his contribution to the transfer of the center of scientific activity from Baghdad to Najaf Al-Ashraf and the consolidation of its position as a center of religious sciences.

The nature of the subject necessitated dividing the research into three sections, preceded by an introduction and followed by a conclusion:

The first section deals with Sheikh al-Tusi: his life and his journey to Najaf.

The second section is dedicated to Sheikh al-Tusi's teachers and their influence on his scholarly development, as well as his students and their role in transmitting his scholarly legacy.

The third section addresses Sheikh al-Tusi's scholarly standing and his works. The research concludes with the most important findings, sources, and references.