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The book Makarim al-Akhlaq, by Shaykh Abu Nasr Hasan b. Fadl al-Tabarsi, a scholar in the sixth century A.H, is one of the most renowned works, which has become an important source of Islamic morality and manners.
The Holy Quran introduces the Prophet (s) as the noble paradigm for mankind, and the Prophet (s) himself declared the purpose of his mission was to perfect the honorable morals. Because of his for many years Islamic scholars have, inscribed and recorded the virtuous manners of the Prophet (s) and his noble characteristics. Among these writing, the book Makarim al-Akhlaq, by Shaykh Abu Nasr Hasan b. Fadl al-Tabarsi, a scholar in the sixth century A.H, is one of the most renowned works, which has also become an important source of Islamic morality and manners.
Radi al-Din Hasan b. Fadl al-Tabarsi, a jurisprudent, traditionist and Shiite scholar was born in a scholarly household. There is no precise information available on the ant date and location of his birth. His father, Amin al-Din Fadl b. Hasan (d. 548 A.H), is the author of the famous exegesis of the Quran, Majmaʻ al-Bayān li ʻUlūm al-Qurʼan, and the book, Jawāmiʻ al-Jāmiʻ, which he wrote per his son’s request. There is some uncertain, regarding the exact date of al-Tabarsi’s death as well. Some have mistakenly associated the information regarding a trip to Sabziwar, passing away in 548 A.H, being transported afterwards to Mashhad, and buried in Gatlqāh to him, instead of his father. The fact that al-Tabarsi has narrated from al-Masmūʻāt, of Muhammad b. Ismāʻīl Mashhadi in Makarim al-Akhlaq implies that he probably resided in Mashhad in the final years of his life. However, it is also possible that Ibn Ismāʻīl Mashhadi might have traveled to Sabziwar or met al-Tabarsi elsewhere. On the other hand, since al-Tabarsi concluded the compilation of Makarim al-Akhlaq before his father’s demise (548 A.H) and subsequently commenced writing his other book, al-Jāmiʻ, in the middle of which he passed away, he must not have lived too long after his father. According to Husayn Nuri Tabarsi, the author had passed the age of fifty when he composed the book.
Bibliographic Information
Title: An Introduction to al-Tabarsi’s Makarim al-Akhlaq
Author(s): Alireza Maktabdar
Published in: Spiritual Quest, Winter and Spring 2013. Vol. 3. No. 1
Language: English
Length: 20 page
An Introduction to al-Tabarsi’s Makarim al-Akhlaq
