🔸 Eminent scholars who were buried in their libraries [thread]
1️⃣ Allamah Abdul Hussein Amini, author of the al-Ghadeer Encyclopedia, chose to be buried at his library in the holy city of Najaf. He is said to have reviewed 100,000 books/manuscripts to compile his magnum opus.
1️⃣ Allamah Abdul Hussein Amini, author of the al-Ghadeer Encyclopedia, chose to be buried at his library in the holy city of Najaf. He is said to have reviewed 100,000 books/manuscripts to compile his magnum opus.
His library now boasts over 500,000 books, including a collection of rare manuscripts, available to the public.
After al-Ghadeer (translated to Urdu by Syed Akhtar Rizvi), Allamah Amini write an autobiographical appendix on his travels in a quest to compile the encyclopedia.
After al-Ghadeer (translated to Urdu by Syed Akhtar Rizvi), Allamah Amini write an autobiographical appendix on his travels in a quest to compile the encyclopedia.
An English biography of Allamah Amini was published recently, entitled Devoted to the Truth, which is a translation of his biography in Farsi
2️⃣ Ayatollah Mar’ashi Najafi also asked to be buried at his library; a massive repository of books that he painstakingly collected throughout his blessed life. He famously worked through austerity and labored to purchase the books, now comprising over one million printed books..
As well as 42,000 handwritten manuscripts and rare pieces, including original copies of books by their authors (like this Wasa’el al-Shi’a, by Hurr al Ameli), which are meticulously catalogued and archived (some digitally as well). A truly priceless collection
The Ayatollah Mar’ashi’s mausoleum and library also boasts an impressive collection of foreign books, including religious manuscripts pertaining to Jewish, Christian, and Hindu religions, a fact that’s attracted diplomats and scholars from across the globe
3️⃣Finally, the mausoleum and library of Ayatollah Sayed Mohsen al-Hakeem in the holy city of Najaf. This is where the Grand Ayatollah spent much of his time, researching and teaching his inner circle, before giving his classes at Masjid al Hindi, a mosque adjacent to the building
This obviously isn’t an exhaustive list of such scholars, but meant to highlight the significance that Shi’a scholars afforded the study of Islam, going as far as to wish to be buried near their book collections, despite having the option of burial at holy shrines!
This was probably to attract visitors and encourage research, but also because they felt a strong sense of connection to these books and their authors, given how much time they spent meticulously studying every word. May God bless those scholars and help us follow their lead
