Defending the Attributing the Book “Taṣḥīḥ al-I’tiqādāt” to Sheikh Mufīd

Subject Areas :

Amidreza Akbari ¹

1 - Graduate of Level III of Qom Seminary and PhD student in Hadith Sciences, Qom University, Qom, Iran.

Received: 2019-07-21 Accepted : 2019-11-30 Published : 2020-08-22

Keywords: al-Shaykh al-Mufīd, Taṣḥīḥ al-I’tiqādāt, al-Ra'd ‘alā Ibn Bābiwayh, Narrations of Ibn Shahr-e-Āshūb,

Abstract :

It has long been common to describe and critique the works of scholars of different sects, especially in theological subjects. However, some of these books have been lost or have not received much attention throughout the history of Islam. Sheikh Mufīd's book, “Taṣḥīḥ al-I’tiqādāt”, which is a commentary on Ibn Bābiwayh’s al-I’tiqādāt, was less considered in the Middle Ages, and this, along with some of the opinions contained in this book, has caused some contemporaries to doubt the authenticity of the book and even make it unoriginal and faked which was made in the late period. In this study, by criticizing the documents of the deniers of the authenticity of the work, we have sought evidence that confirms the attribution of the book to Sheikh Mufīd. Among them, Ibn Shahr-e-Āshūb's repeated reports of a version of the Sheikh Mufīd's work; A version whose contents are mentioned as a commentary on Ibn Bābiwayh’s al-I’tiqādāt. Also evidence confirms that the book entitled Jawābāt Abi Ja’far al-Qumī wa al-Ra'd ‘alā Ibn Bābiwayh, which is mentioned by Najashi and Ibn Shahr Ash'ub, among the works of Sheikh Mufīd, is probably this book. This book is highly consistent with the works of Sheikh Mufīd in terms of sources, principles and literature.