Mawsu`ah Mizan al-Hikmah

(Encyclopedia of Scale of Wisdom)

Muhammad Muhammadi Rayshari

With the collaboration of a group of scholars,

 1st ed., 2004, Vol. 1, 508 pages, Arabic.

 Dar al-Hadith, Qom, Iran

The Quran and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) are the two eternal gems and endless treasures whose collection proper understanding on the side of each other has been among the preoccupations of the Muslim thinkers over the centuries. These constructive, educative teachings - that are the best and most effective programs for mans felicity and success as well as the management of human society - have been always respected and emphasized by the Quran and the Holy Prophet of Islam (PBUH). In fact, reliance on the two sources will wipe out darkness and ignorance and will help achieve light and salvation. 
Mawsuah Mizan al-Hikmah is an attempt to offer the shining gem of the Quran and Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) of Islam as well as the narrations of the Infallible Imams (PBUT) in an organized manner. In the detailed introduction, the author has discussed subjects such as the meaning of the Sunnah and its inclusion of the Hadiths handed down from the Household of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) of Islam and the role of the Sunnah in the understanding of religious teachings. Also after studying the sublime status of the Sunnah, he investigates various approaches and their reasons, and finally elucidates his own viewpoint, which is the inextricability of the Quran and Sunnah.
In the introduction of the present work, the author reviews the prerequisites for understanding of the Hadith (such prerequisites as Biography and Verification of Transmitters of Hadith (Rijal), knowledge of the terminology of Hadith (Diraya) awareness of the criticism of the content of Hadith, and the issues related to any probable contradiction between the Hadith and the Quran). Also a brief history of the collection ofHadiths, a brief report on the early books and collections of the Hadiths written before the Four Books (Kutub Arbia) as well as a bibliography ofthe later collections of the Hadiths of the Sunnis and Shiites have been given in the introduction of the present work. 
It should be borne in mind that theses collections have been compiled on the basis of the approaches of their authors as well as the requirements of their times. Hence the passage of time and daily requirements necessitate other collections with the following specifications: 
1. Introducing the Hadith on the side of the Holy Quran. 
2. Covering all the cases, including the general and particular, absolute and definite. 
3. Specific classification in order to categorize the related hadiths in one section. 
4. Brevity through elimination of similar hadiths. 
5. Critical study and removal of probable contradictions. 
6. Easy access to the desired chapters. 
7. Describing the status and identity of each hadith regarding its sources, etc. 
By describing these features for his favorite collection of hadiths, the author has tried to take them into the consideration in the present encyclopedia. 
In the concluding parts of the introductory section, the author refers to the process of compilation of the present study, explains his motives for its compilation as well as the formation of a research center called Dar al-Hadith and then introduces the present research, that is, Mawsuah Mizan al-Hikmah. In this section, referring to various stages of research and extraction of the existing hadiths for the Mawsuah Mizan al-Hikmah, he describes his own method for the setting and arrangement ofthe hadiths. 
Mawsuah Mizan al-Hikmah is more comprehensive and thorough than the Mizan al-Hikmah, discussing the hadiths and related issues on an alphabetic-topical basis. In fact the present encyclopedia is an extended and more complete version of the Mizan al-Hikmah. Relying on the Quranic verses and hadiths of the Infallibles (PBUT), the present Encyclopedia elucidates religious subjects, concepts, and entries which cover a wide range of topics such as religious, ideological, ethical, political, economic and cultural concepts. There are indexes and subsidiary topics under every subject (entry), classified in a logical manner, while quoting the related Quranic verses and hadiths. 
Regarding the references, in the first place the Quranic verses related to each subject have been mentioned and followed by the related hadiths of the Infallibles (PBUT) on a numerological basis on the order of the life history of the Infallibles (PBUT) starting from the Holy Prophet of Islam (PBUH) and ending up with those related to Imam Mahdi (May God hasten his reappearance). Where the hadiths help the interpretation and elucidation of the verses, they have been given priority and mentioned after the verses. In case a hadith is attributed to more than one Infallible, the hadith attributed to the Holy Prophet (PBUH) has been written in the text and the rest in the footnotes. 
Another feature of the present Encyclopedia is that eloquence and comprehensiveness have been the criteria for preference and priority in quotation of several hadiths. The sources and references given in the footnotes have been classified on the basis of their authenticity and validity. In quoting the Sunni and Shiite hadith sources, in the first place the Shiite sources and then the Sunni sources have been mentioned to prevent any confusion regarding the resources. 
The first volume of the encyclopedia has been assigned to the following entries: sacrifice, monopoly, leasing, instant of death and the Hereafter. In the beginning of each entry the literal meaning of the entry has been given by relying on authentic dictionaries and encyclopedias and then the main subtopics and related issues have been elucidated in brief. In the next step, the Quranic verses and hadiths related to each topic have been given under each main topic, while mentioning their references in the footnotes. 
The second volume covers the following topics: brotherhood, politeness and call to prayers (A than). 
The third volume covers the following entries: hurting others, history, earth, example and consolation. 
The Persian translation of these three volumes along with the Arabic text has been published with the following bibliographical data: Mizan-al-Hikmah Encyclopedia, trans. Hamid Ridha Sheikhi, Dar al -Hadith, Qom l edition, 2005, 3 volumes. 
It is pertinent here to mention that before the publication of the alphabetic version of the collection, some parts of the Mawsuah Mizan al-Hikmah have already been published in separate forms. Some of them are: Ahl al-Bait fi al-Kitab wa alSunnah, AI-11m wa al_Hikmah fi al-Kitab wa al-Sunnah, AITanmiyat al-Iqtisadiyah fi al-Kitab wa al-Sunnah, Al Aql wa al-Jahl fi al-Kitab wa al-Sunnah, Al-Salat fi al-Kitab wa al-Sunnah, AI-Hajj wa al-Umrah fi al-Kitab wa al-Sunnah, AITabligh fi al-Kitab wa al-Sunnah, Al-Khair wa al-Barakah fi alKitab wa al-Sunnah, AI-Hiwar bayn al-Hidhaaraat fi al-Kitab wa al-Sunnah, Shahr Allah fi al-Kitab wa al-Sunnah, and AIMahabbah fi al-Kitab wa al-Sunnah. The said sections will be incorporated in their proper places in the new encyclopedia in an alphabetic order.

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