As at‑Tabrisi himself says concerning the verse of the Cave (see at‑Tawbah...

As at‑Tabrisi himself says concerning the verse of the Cave (see at‑Tawbah, 9:40): “The Shi'ahs have something to say in connection with this verse concerning the Prophet (may the prayers of Allah and peace be upon him and his family) and the sakinah (i.e., the peace or tranquility which was sent down by Allah), which we have thought better not to relate so as not to be accused of anything (i.e., fanaticism).”[^1] The author of I'lamu'l‑Wara bi A'lami'l‑Huda, Ash-­Shaykh Aminu'd‑Din Abu 'Ali al‑Fadl ibn al‑Hasan ibn al‑Fadl at ‑Tabrisi (c.

468 ‑ 548/1076 ‑1154), was one of the foremost scholars, jurists and Qur'an commentators of the Imami Shi`i community. He is the author of the well‑known commentary on the Qur'an, Majma'u'l‑Bayan li `Ulumi'l Qur'an. The author studied with a large number of both Shi`i and Sunni scholars. His disciples and those who transmitted ahadith (traditions) from him were likewise numerous, and all were well‑recognized scholars.

at ‑Tabrisi wrote books and treatises on many religious, scientific and literary subjects. A detailed account of at‑Tabrisi and of his life, teachers, students and works (already written) will accompany the preface to a future complete translation of this important work. of the author ‑ as it is our hope that Allah, the Ex­alted, will soon provide us the means to complete this work.

Here, however, we will confine ourselves to what was said concerning him by two figures prominent in the fields of, belles‑lettres, and biography. At‑Tabrisi's contemporary and townsman the well known historian, 'Ali ibn Abi 'l-Qasim ibn Funduq al‑Bay­haqi (493 ‑ 565/ 1100 ‑1169 or 70) says: “al‑Imam as‑Said Abu 'Ali, was originally from Tabris, a place between Qashan and Isfahan.

He then settled in Mashhad‑i Sanabad (i.e., present day Mashhad) at Tus, and his tomb is now to be found there near the Qatlagah Mosque . . . The Imam was unique in his age in the science of grammar . . . and had expertise in the other sciences such that many were able to benefit and learn from him. He moved to Bayhaq in 523/1129, and settled there, where a school was founded for him in the quarter of Darwazah‑i `Iraq (`Iraq Gate).

He also composed a great quantity as well of poetry in his youth . . ., and has many other words also. He was distin­guished in arithmetic and algebra.