ʿAllāma Majlisī, Jalāʾ al-ʿUyūn (Polish of the Eyes), 9th ed., 1 vol., Qom: Sorūr Publication, 1382, 1016 pp.
According to the famous prophetic narration quoted in both Shiʿa and Sunni sources, it is obligatory for every Muslim to know the Imām of their time. Based on this, throughout history, Shiʿa scholars have paid special attention to the compilation of books about the biography, virtues, miracles and the conduct of the Ahl al-Bayt (a). Jalāʾ al-ʿUyūn in Persian by ʿAllāma Majlisī is an attempt to introduce the 14 Infallibles (the Prophet (s), Lady Zahrā (a), and 12 Imāms (a)).
ʿAllāma Muḥammad Bāqir Majlisī, one of the prominent Shiʿa scholars in the 11th century, was born in Isfahan in 1037 AH. He, who is the son of Muḥammad Taqī Majlisī, wrote dozens of outstanding works in various fields, especially ḥadīth, the most important of which is Biḥār al-Anwār in 110 volumes. Among his other works, mention can be made Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl, Ḥayāt al-Qulūb, Ḥilyat al-Muttaqīn, and ʿAyn al-Ḥayāt. ʿAllāma Majlisī died in 1110 AH at the age of 73 and was buried next to his father in Isfahan Grand Mosque.
In his introduction to Jalāʾ al-ʿUyūn, ʿAllāma Majlisī explains that in his Biḥār al-Anwār, he has already discussed the lives of the fourteen Infallibles (a) in detail, and in Ḥayāt al-Qulūb, he has also given some brief information. However, as the first book was not useful for the public and the second book was not available, despite his many occupations, he has authored a new work in Persian on the history of the Fourteen Infallibles (a). Since part of the content of this book is about the misfortunes of the Ahl al-Bayt (a), and on the other hand, according to narrations, shedding tears for their misfortunes is a cause of bright eyes, Jalāʾ al-ʿUyūn (Polish of the Eyes) was chosen as the name of this book.
This book consists of an introduction and 14 chapters equal to the number of the Infallibles (a). In the introduction, the author narrates several narrations about the importance, virtue and reward of shedding tears for the sufferings of the Ahl al-Bayt (a), including this narration from Imām Ḥusayn who is quoted as saying, “Whoever sheds a single tear in us, the Ahl al-Bayt’s calamity, God will place him in Paradise.”
The content of each chapter is as follows:
- The first chapter about the Prophet (s) in 6 sections:
- section 1: name and ancestry of the Prophet (s)
- section 2: the beginning of the light of the Prophet (s)
- section 3: his blessed birth
- section 4: his advises
- section 5: his demise
- section 6: miracles after his burial
- The second chapter about Lady Zahrā (a) in 8 sections:
- section 1: birth of Lady Zahrā (a)
- section 2: her virtues
- section 3: her miracles
- section 4: her life-style and morals
- section 5: marriage of Imām ʿAlī (a) and Lady Zahrā (a)
- section 6: the association of Imām ʿAlī (a) and Lady Zahrā (a)
- section 7: her martyrdom
- section 8: her complaints
- The third chapter about Imām ʿAlī (a) in 5 sections:
- section 1: birth of Imām ʿAlī (a)
- section 2: announcing his martyrdom
- section 3: his martyrdom
- section 4: his burial ceremony
- section 5: the state of his killer
- The fourth chapter about Imām Ḥasan (a) in 6 sections:
- section 1: birth, name and titles of Imām Ḥasan (a)
- section 2: his virtues
- section 3: his morals
- section 4: his miracles
- section 5: his peace treaty
- section 6: his martyrdom
- The fifth chapter which is the most detailed chapter of this book about Imām Ḥusayn (a) in 23 sections, including:
- section 1: birth of Imām Ḥusayn (a)
- section 2: his virtues
- section 3: his morals
- section 4: his imamate and miracles
- section 5: the reward for shedding tears for his martyrdom
- section 6: his martyrdom
- The sixth chapter about Imām Sajjād (a) in 3 sections:
- section 1: birth and martyrdom of Imām Sajjād (a)
- section 2: his sufferings
- section 3: his followers’ sufferings
- The seventh chapter about Imām Bāqir (a) in 2 sections:
- section 1: life of Imām Bāqir (a)
- section 2: what happened between him and his adversaries
- The eighth chapter about Imām Ṣādiq (a) in 4 sections:
- section 1: birth of Imām Ṣādiq (a)
- section 2: his sufferings
- section 3: his martyrdom
- section 4: his followers’ sufferings
- The ninth chapter about Imām Kāẓim (a) in 3 sections:
- section 1: birth of Imām Kāẓim (a)
- section 2: his martyrdom
- section 3: his followers’ sufferings
- The tenth chapter about Imām Riḍā (a) in 2 sections:
- section 1: life of Imām Riḍā (a)
- section 2: the prophecy of his martyrdom by his ancestors
- The eleventh chapter about Imām Jawād (a) in 2 sections:
- section 1: life of Imām Jawād (a)
- section 2: his martyrdom
- The twelfth chapter about Imām Hādī (a) in 2 sections:
- section 1: life of Imām Hādī (a)
- section 2: his martyrdom
- The thirteenth chapter about Imām ʿAskarī (a) in 2 sections:
- section 1: life of Imām ʿAskarī (a)
- section 2: his martyrdom
- and finally, the last chapter about the birth of Imām Mahdī (a).
This book has been translated into Urdu and Arabic, and its translation into English is recommended.
