Al Amaali: The Dictations of Sheikh al-Mufid

“Muhammad b. Muhammad b. al-No’man, al-Mufid, had the kunya Abu Abdillah, and was well known as Ibn-al-Muallim. He was a jurist (Faqih) of the advanced order, a man of polite demeanour, he was perspicacious and quick at repartee” wrote Sheikh Tusi, introducing his mentor Sheikh al-Mufid, in his al Fihrist. 

Sheikh al-Mufid wrote nearly 194 books and treatises, out of which few have survived passage of time, and meticulously planned destruction of the Shia resources. Among the surviving ones, we have his “Al Amaali” which also known as “Al-Majaalis”. This is the first ever English translation of his dictations. 

These were sessions held in the month of Ramadhan where al-Mufid read the traditions giving the chain of narration ending up to himself and the students write them down. 

The session began in the month of Ramadhan, 404 Hijra at the residence of one of his students Dhamrah Abul Hasan Ali b. Muhammed Ibn Abd al Rahman al-Farsi who lived in Baghdad. It ended in the month of Ramadhan 411 Hijra, just two years before his death. It has 42 sessions of varying durations.