Personality and Theological opinions of Ali b. Isma’il b. Sho’ayb b. Meitham Tammar

Ali b. Isma’il b. Sho’ayb b. Meitham Tammar was one of the companions of  Imam Kazem (p.b.u.h) and Imam Reza (p.b.u.h) and one of the greatest Islamic scholars in the second and third centuries. His ancestor, Meitham was a great disciple of Imam Ali (p.b.u.h). According to historians Ibn Meitham, considering his level of knowledge, was in a high position. He was one of the scholars, who had debated with Whqefites who did not accept Ali b. Musa al- Reza as their Imam.  In addition to Kalam, Islamic theology, he was famous in the Islamic science of  Hadith and was a great figure who continued the school of thought of his teacher, Hisham b. Hakam. He conveyed his teacher’s opinions to Baqdad and Basreh. He had his own especial ideas and followers. While it is said that he had founded a sect which called Meithamiya some others considered  him as a founder of the sect which called Qatiya. He has also been accused of believing in Gholov (exaggeration), assimilation, incarnation, falsification of the Quran, wrong idea about God’ will, and heterodoxy by bringing something from Judaism in to Shiism, but all these accusations are  questionable. Ibn Nadim believed him as the first scholar who discussed Shia Kalam, theology. Some of Shia and Sunni scholars believe that Ibn Meitham was the first debater from among the Shia theologians  or the first author is this field. The great scholars, Najashi did not discuss about Ibn. Meitham. Ibn Meitham within the discussion of God’s unity, interpreted faith as inner insight, utterance by tongue and practice. The next important issue is that Ibn Meitham believe in very especial position for Imam. He believes that Imam has scientific authority beside his political leadership and Imam has been appointed by the prophet not through election by people. The traditional book which called Moshaf Fatima is one of the signs of Shia Imams. He also believes that Imam knows birds conversation and knowledge of unseen world and that universe is under the supervision of Imam.