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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Maqtal al-Husayn Author’s Biography In the Name of Allah, the most Gracious, the most Merciful Authors’ Background The author is a defender of the Imams of Guidance who carried on the Shari’a of the Master of Messengers (S), raised the salient features of the creed, explained the Sunnah and promoted righteousness.

The said Imams (‘a) disseminated the Islamic teachings whenever they had the opportunity to do so, braving numerous trials and tribulations, persevering in every hostile environment. Their foes envied them while those who despised and hated them harboured a great deal of grudge against them. The intestines of some of them were cut open while the livers of others were chopped. Swords severed their joints, and they were hurled into dark dungeons.

Despite all of this, the light of the truth did, indeed, dispel the darkness of misguidance. Truth always subdues falsehood. Generations have been obliterated and new ones have come as the scholars of the Infallible Household remain vigilant as guardians of the Shari’a . They took upon themselves to study and clarify its obscurities and comprehend its pith.

The knowledge of (‘a) has received a great deal of attention and awarded a great deal of concern; therefore, major Islamic cities have been filled with many a genius and a scholar. These set up the rules and established the branches. Their pens delved into each and every field and wrote about every branch of knowledge and scholarship.

I find myself at this juncture reluctant to discuss the branches of knowledge about which they wrote or the arts they categorized according to queries, or the precious treasures for whose safeguarding they dedicated themselves. The libraries of the Western world, at major cities, are filled with large numbers of such great works.

The halls of their institutes are crowded with thousands of books which their pillars have recorded, not to mention what is available at Islamic cities in the East of great books and magnificent literary works. Publishing houses and scientific institutes came to their universities and scientific institutes and took to serious work, verifying what is written and bringing out what is treasured. They kept explaining and critiquing, clarifying, comparing, and examining.

Critics' pens dived into the depths in order to take out the jewels and the treasures therein.