Shahid Awwal
Encyclopedia
Muhammad Jamaluddin al-Makki al-Amili (1334–1385) also known as Shahid Awwal (Arabic: ash-Shahid al-Awwal الشهيد الأول) was the first Islamic martyr and the author of Al-Lum'ah ad-Dimashqiya(اللمعةArabic: الدمشقية "The Damascene Glitter"). He was one of the greatest Shi'a scholars.
He was killed on Thursday the ninth of Jumada al-awwal
, 786 A.H. (ca. 1385).
According to the fatwa
of a jurisprudent from the Maliki
sect which was endorsed by a jurisprudent of the Shaf'i sect, he was martyred.
He was a pupil of the pupils of Allamah Hilli, amongst them Allamah's son, Fakhr ul-Muhaqqeqin. The Shi'a schools were banned and almost detoriarated in Jabal 'Amel. When Mohammad bin Makki was 16 years old he ventured to al-Hilla in Iraq where he was certified by Fakhr al-MuHaqqiqin the son of the famous al-Hilli
.
By the age 21, he returned to Jabal 'Amel and was already certified to narrate hadiths by many other famous scholars of Shi'a and Sunni doctrines of Najaf
, Hebron
, Makka, Medina
, Quds, Damascus
, and Baghdad
. He also built good relations with Sultan Ali ibn al-Mu'ayyad (Arabic: علي بن المؤيد) of Khorasan.
He was killed by the sword then crucified
and then stoned in Damascus
in the days of the Sultan Barquq after he was imprisoned one full year. Due to the crusaders wars
the area was suffering from poverty and ignorance was rampant as the Mamlukes took over and established a despotic rule in the region.
Shahid Awal came from a very distinguished family, and the generations that succeeded him preserved this honour. He had three sons who were all 'ulema and jurisprudents, and his wife and daughter were likewise jurisprudents.
Muhammad ibn Makki, known as Shahid Awal ("the First Martyr"), one of the great Shi'ite jurisprudents. He is of the rank of Muhaqqiq Hilli and Allamah Hilli. He was from Jabal 'Amel, an area in today's south Lebanon which is one of the oldest centres of Shi'ites and still is today a Shi'ite area.
The famous books of Shahid Awal on jurisprudence include Al-lum'ah which he composed during the brief period he remained in prison awaiting his martyrdom. Amazingly, this noble book was subject to a commentary two centuries later by another great jurisprudent who suffered the same fate as the author. He too was martyred and thus became called Shahid al-Thani ("The Second Martyr"). The famous book Sharh ul-lum'ah which has been the primal textbook of the students of jurisprudence ever since is the commentary of Shahid Thani
.
Other books of Shahid Awal include Durou, Thikra, Bayan, Alfiyeh and Qawa'id. All of the books of the First Martyr are among the priceless writings of jurisprudence.
Life
Shahid Awal was born in 734 A.H (ca. 1334 ) in Jabal 'Amel.He was killed on Thursday the ninth of Jumada al-awwal
Jumada al-awwal
Jumada al-awwal is the fifth month in the Islamic calendar.We can also find the alternative spelling Jumada al-Ula.The origin of the word is as follows: the word Jumda, from which the name of the month is derived, is used to denote dry parched land: land devoid of rain, and hence denote the dry...
, 786 A.H. (ca. 1385).
According to the fatwa
Fatwa
A fatwā in the Islamic faith is a juristic ruling concerning Islamic law issued by an Islamic scholar. In Sunni Islam any fatwā is non-binding, whereas in Shia Islam it could be considered by an individual as binding, depending on his or her relation to the scholar. The person who issues a fatwā...
of a jurisprudent from the Maliki
Maliki
The ' madhhab is one of the schools of Fiqh or religious law within Sunni Islam. It is the second-largest of the four schools, followed by approximately 25% of Muslims, mostly in North Africa, West Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and in some parts of Saudi Arabia...
sect which was endorsed by a jurisprudent of the Shaf'i sect, he was martyred.
He was a pupil of the pupils of Allamah Hilli, amongst them Allamah's son, Fakhr ul-Muhaqqeqin. The Shi'a schools were banned and almost detoriarated in Jabal 'Amel. When Mohammad bin Makki was 16 years old he ventured to al-Hilla in Iraq where he was certified by Fakhr al-MuHaqqiqin the son of the famous al-Hilli
Al-Hilli
Jamal ad-Din Hasan ibn Yusuf ibn 'Ali ibn Muthahhar al-Hilli , also known as al-Allamah al-Hilli , born December 15, 1250 CE , died December 18, 1325, was a Twelver Shia theologian and mujtahid. Known as a Marja , he was one of the greatest Muslim jurists and scholars of his time...
.
By the age 21, he returned to Jabal 'Amel and was already certified to narrate hadiths by many other famous scholars of Shi'a and Sunni doctrines of Najaf
Najaf
Najaf is a city in Iraq about 160 km south of Baghdad. Its estimated population in 2008 is 560,000 people. It is the capital of Najaf Governorate...
, Hebron
Hebron
Hebron , is located in the southern West Bank, south of Jerusalem. Nestled in the Judean Mountains, it lies 930 meters above sea level. It is the largest city in the West Bank and home to around 165,000 Palestinians, and over 500 Jewish settlers concentrated in and around the old quarter...
, Makka, Medina
Medina
Medina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...
, Quds, Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
, and Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
. He also built good relations with Sultan Ali ibn al-Mu'ayyad (Arabic: علي بن المؤيد) of Khorasan.
He was killed by the sword then crucified
Crucifixion
Crucifixion is an ancient method of painful execution in which the condemned person is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang until dead...
and then stoned in Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
in the days of the Sultan Barquq after he was imprisoned one full year. Due to the crusaders wars
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
the area was suffering from poverty and ignorance was rampant as the Mamlukes took over and established a despotic rule in the region.
Shahid Awal came from a very distinguished family, and the generations that succeeded him preserved this honour. He had three sons who were all 'ulema and jurisprudents, and his wife and daughter were likewise jurisprudents.
Works
While imprisoned he wrote the most famous Shi'a book of the time and still referenced to today The Damascene Glitter(Arabic:al-lum'ah al-Dimashqiyaاللمعة الدمشقية) in which he combined all religious practices according to shi'a school of thought. It is said that he wrote it in seven days.Muhammad ibn Makki, known as Shahid Awal ("the First Martyr"), one of the great Shi'ite jurisprudents. He is of the rank of Muhaqqiq Hilli and Allamah Hilli. He was from Jabal 'Amel, an area in today's south Lebanon which is one of the oldest centres of Shi'ites and still is today a Shi'ite area.
The famous books of Shahid Awal on jurisprudence include Al-lum'ah which he composed during the brief period he remained in prison awaiting his martyrdom. Amazingly, this noble book was subject to a commentary two centuries later by another great jurisprudent who suffered the same fate as the author. He too was martyred and thus became called Shahid al-Thani ("The Second Martyr"). The famous book Sharh ul-lum'ah which has been the primal textbook of the students of jurisprudence ever since is the commentary of Shahid Thani
Shahid Thani
Zayn al-Din al-Juba'i al'Amili was the second martyr .- Career :Thani was one of the greatest shi'a scholars. He studied under famous Sunni and Shi'a in Jabal 'Amel, Damascus, Cairo, Jerusalem among many others. He was known and respected by sunnis in Baalabeck for this...
.
Other books of Shahid Awal include Durou, Thikra, Bayan, Alfiyeh and Qawa'id. All of the books of the First Martyr are among the priceless writings of jurisprudence.
See also
- The Five Martyrs
- Shahid AwwalShahid AwwalMuhammad Jamaluddin al-Makki al-Amili also known as Shahid Awwal was the first Islamic martyr and the author of Al-Lum'ah ad-Dimashqiya. He was one of the greatest Shi'a scholars.- Life :Shahid Awal was born in 734 A.H Muhammad Jamaluddin al-Makki al-Amili (1334–1385) also known as Shahid Awwal...
- Shahid ThaniShahid ThaniZayn al-Din al-Juba'i al'Amili was the second martyr .- Career :Thani was one of the greatest shi'a scholars. He studied under famous Sunni and Shi'a in Jabal 'Amel, Damascus, Cairo, Jerusalem among many others. He was known and respected by sunnis in Baalabeck for this...
- Shahid Salis
- Shahid RabayShahid RabayMirza Muhammad Kamil Dehlavi also known as Shahid Rabay was the author of Nuzhat-e-Isna Ashariya . This book was a complete response to Shah Abdul Aziz Dehlavi's Tauhfa Ithna Ashari...
- Shahid Khamis
External links
- http://www.annabaa.org/nba48/aalamshia.htm and references therein.