They delved into the depths of the disciplines in order to...

They delved into the depths of the disciplines in order to reveal their subtleties and fully comprehend their fundamentals and branches. Sometimes the studies were conducted under the supervision of the master during the lessons or outside class, and in the form of debates among students. This was the situation of our author and his peers throughout their stay in Samarra. He spent about seventeen years there engaged in incessant academic pursuit.

He followed closely in the footsteps of the Imam and those of his other eminent teachers, retracing the steps of the leaders of the seminary at Samarra. He explored the methods of research employed by great Imamiyyah scholars deliberating on their procedures of confirmation and revocation of proofs during the process of deduction so that he could adopt the best and most balanced methodology.

Thus, he acted according to these verses of the Holy Qur’an: “Those who listen to what is said and follow the best thereof. Those are the ones guided by Allah and those are men of understanding.” Our author’s time was spent in attending the classes of his master, taking part in discussions with his learned peers, delivering lectures to his students, writing and worship. He had special discussions daily with his master, the great researcher, al–Muqaddas Mirza Muhammad Taqi al–Shirazi.

This practice continued for twelve years. Having spent a very active period both intellectually and practically, he left for Kazimiyyah, his birth place, two years after the demise of his master. A Brief Biography of his Teacher A Brief Biography of his Teacher [^1] He was the Imam, the reviver[^2] of religion, ‘the proof’[^3] of Islam, the honorable Sayyid Muhammad Hasan ibn Mirza Mahmud ibn Ismail al–Husayni al–Shirazi, who came from a noble family in Shiraz.

He was born in Shiraz in mid–Jumada al–Ula, 1230 A. H. and started his studies there. He later went to Isfahan during the time of the two noble scholars Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al–Rashti and Sayyid Sadr al–Din al–Amuli and met pious and accomplished teachers[^4] and studied under them. Then he migrated to the holy city of Najaf in 1250 A. H.

where he applied himself to studies under the guidance of its notable scholars until his main teacher Imam Sahib al–Jawahir testified to the fact that he had reached the level of absolute ijtihad . [^5] He then continued his studies and research exclusively under the supervision of the grand master, Sheikh Murtada al–Ansari, surpassing all other disciples.