Story 1
Allāma
Tabātabā’ī narrates an account of the early days of his studies
in the following manner:
In the early days of my studies,
when I was occupied with studying Sarf and Nahw, I did not have a deep desire
to continue my studies. As a result however much I studied I did not fully
understand [the material]. I passed four years in this manner. Then one day
Divine favor grabbed a hold of me and changed me and I felt a sense of
infatuation and restlessness in relation to gaining knowledge, such that from
that day onwards until my studies came to a completion approximately 18 years
later, I never once felt tired or reluctant when it came to learning and
thinking, and I completely forgot both the beauty and the unsightliness of the
world.
I ended all dealings I had with
those who were not part of the scholarly and academic tradition. I satisfied
myself with the least possible amount of time for eating, sleeping and other
necessities of life, and spent the rest of my time in my studies. It was very
common, especially in spring and summer, for me to study from night until dawn.
I would always study the following day’s lesson from before. If a problem arose
I would solve it even if it meant exerting myself to the utmost degree, so that
when I would attend class I would be aware of what the teacher presented. I
would never take an issue or a problem to the teacher.
‘Allāma
Tabātabā’ī
Story 2
Allāma
Tabātabā’ī describes his entrance into Najaf and the beginning
of his studies in the following manner:
When I left Tabriz for Najaf with
the intention of continuing my studies of Islamic sciences, I was unaware of
the situation in Najaf. I didn’t know where to go and what to do. On the way
there I was in constant thought of what I should study and whose student I
should become, and what path and route I should choose so that I might become
the source of Divine pleasure and acceptance. When I reached the entrance of
the holy city of Najaf, I turned towards the dome and court of Amīr
ul-Muminīn and said:
“O Alī! I have come in your
presence so that I might continue my studies, but I do not know which path to
take, and what program to choose. I want you to guide me to that in which there
is goodness and moral soundness.”
I [then] rented a place, and took
up residence there. In those same first few days, before I had participated in
any study sessions, I was sitting at home and thinking about the future when
suddenly somebody knocked on the door. I opened the door, and saw that it was
one of the prominent scholars. I greeted him, and he entered the house. He sat
in the room and wished me well. His luminous face was striking and attractive.
With complete pleasantness and sincerity he sat talking and I had a chance to
get to know him better. During the conversation he recited poetry for me, and
said something along the lines of:
“It is beneficial for someone who
comes to Najaf with the intention of studying that in addition to increasing
his intellect, he does not ignore self-purification.”
After telling me this he left. In
that session I had become enamored with his manners and his Islamic behavior.
The precise and effective words of that saintly scholar left such an effect on
my heart that I realized my plan for the future. During the time when I was in
Najaf, I never left the presence of that pious scholar, participating in his
classes of Akhlāq and benefiting from his company. That great intellectual
was none other than Ayatullah Hāj Sayyid Mīrzā Alī
Aghā Qādhī – may God be pleased with him.
‘Allāma
Tabātabā’ī
Story 3
(Narrated by ‘Allāma) …One
day I was standing in the madrasa when suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder
and heard this sentence:
“O son! If you want this world
then pray the Night Prayer (Namaze Shab/Salatul Layl), and if you want
the Hereafter then pray the Night Prayer.”
These words had such a profound
effect on me that from that day onwards until I moved to Iran five years later,
I spent day and night in his presence. Not for a moment did I withhold from
being in his blessed presence, and we kept in touch at all times until the end
of his life. Throughout this time he used to give me prescribed instructions (dastūrat).
He was none other than the late Ayatullah Hāj Sayyid Mīrzā
Alī Aghā Qādhī Tabrīzī.
‘Allāma
Tabātabā’ī
Story 4
‘Allāma
Tabātabā’ī was so devoted to this teacher of his (Ayatullah
Sayyid Qādhī) that when a friend offered him a bottle of perfume out
of sincerity and affection, he replied:
“From the time of the death of
the late Qādhī to this day, I haven’t worn perfume and haven’t felt
like making myself sweet-smelling”.
Story 5
One of ‘Allāma
Tabātabā’ī’s eminent teachers in Najaf was the great Ayatullah
Hāj Sayyid Mīrzā Alī Aghā Qādhī Tabrizi, a
Gnostic of great dignity, a jurist of elevated status, and one who enjoyed
spiritual disclosures (mukāshafāt).
Ayatullah Hasanzādeh
Āmulī
He, Sayyid Mīrzā
Alī Aqā, was the son of Mīrzā Husayn
Tabātabā’ī Tabrīzī Qādhī. He was a pious,
moral, learned scholar and a jurist (mujtahid), whose friendship and
acquaintance I had for tens of years. I saw him thus: That he had steadfastness
and forbearance when it came to the path and method of akhlāq, and that
his behavior was noble and magnanimous…
From among the memorable sayings
of the late Qādhi is the following:
“It is befitting if an individual
spends half of his life searching for insāne kāmil (one of the
special friends (awlīyā) of God)”.
‘Allāma Shaykh
Aghābuzurg Tehrāni
There are numerous accounts of
the spiritual disclosures (mukāshafāt) of the late
Qādhī. For example, he used to prepare the hearts of his students for
accepting inspirations from the unseen (ilhāmāte-ghayb) by
providing them with directives according to Islamic Law. He used to have a room
in Masjide Kūfa and Masjide Sahla, where he would occasionally spend the
night alone.
It is sufficient to narrate this
one sentence from ‘Allāma Tabātabā’ī, who was himself such
a great scholar and commentator, about his teacher the late Qādhī, in
order to understand Sayyid Qādhī’s position:
“Whatever I may have, I received
it from the late Qādhī, for it is either that which I learnt from him
and gained from his presence, or it is that which I attained from this path
which I also learnt from the late Qādhī”.
‘Allāma
Tabātabā’ī
Story 6
One of ‘Allāma
Tabātabā’ī’s admirable characteristics was his acknowledgement
of the efforts and work of men who contributed to the culture of pure
Islām (Shī’ism), even if his own views were not in accordance with
their views.
‘Allāma often highly praised
his late teacher Ayatullah Hāj Mīrzā Alī Qādhī
Tabātabā’ī and repeatedly used to say whatever we might have,
it is from the late Qādhī.
‘Allāma
Tabātabā’ī used to often mention the name of Bū Alī
Sīna (Avicenna) and recognized him to be stronger in the art of
intellectual proof (burhān) and philosophical reasoning (istidlāl)
than Mulla Sadra, even though he greatly favored Mulla Sadra and his
philosophical style and ability to change Greek philosophy, as well as his
views of the doctrine of the fundamentality of existence (asālatul
wujūd) and unity and gradation (wahdat wa tashkīk) in
existence (wujūd).
‘Allāma
Tabātabā’ī was of the opinion that Mulla Sadra brought
philosophy out from antiquity and breathed a new soul and spirit into the
subject. As a result of this Mulla Sadra is known as the one who brought
Islamic philosophy back to life. (zindekunandeye falsafe)
‘Allāma
Tabātabā’ī considered Bū ‘Alī, Fārābī,
Khāja Nasruddīn Tūsī, Bahmanyār, Ibn Rushd, and Ibn
Turke a few of the most outstanding and eminent philosophers.