Shia Theosophical School in Lucknow; A Case Study of Ijtihadi family

Until now, the Shia theosophical school in Lucknow has not been studied in terms of the history of Imamate theosophy. However, nurturing prominent Shia thinkers and scholars and leaving a substantial theosophical heritage in twelfth century, Lucknow has been an important Shia center which managed to pass Shia knowledge on to the posterity and to pave the way for scientific development of the Indian subcontinent.

Among what we need to know about Lucknow are its outstanding theosophical figures and typology of their work, the features of its theosophical school and the latter’s interaction with and opposition to other then movements, and the causes of the stagnation of the school. In this writing, we have discussed these issues using the descriptive-analytical method.

Sayyid Dildar Ali, titled Sayyid al-Ulama and Ayatullah fi al-Alamain, and known as Ghufran Ma’ab, can be academically regarded as the founder of the Lucknow school. After him, among the most influential theosophical figures in Lucknow school are Sultan al-Ulama Sayyid Muhammad, Sayyid al-Ulama Sayyid Hussein, Sayyid Muhammad Taqi the son of Sayyid Hussein (also known as Mumtaz al-Ulama), and Sayyid Muhammad Hadi the son of Sayyid Mahdi in the Ijtihadi family.

Their main compositions include Mir’at al-Uqul known as Imad al-Islam, Hadiqa al-Sultaniyya, Wasila al-Najat, Ijala Nafi’a, Samsam-i Qati’ (The Keen Sword), Gawhar-i Shahwar (The Kingly Gem), and several refutations of Tuhfa Ithna Ashariyya such as al-Sawarim al-Ilahiyyat fi Qat’i Shubahat’i Abidi al-Uzza wa-l-Lat, Hisam al-Islam wa-Saham al-Malam, Khatima al-Sawarim al-Ilahiyyat, Risali-yi Ghaybat (A Treatise on The Occultation), Ihya’ al-Sunna wa-Imata al-Bid’a bi-Ta’n al-Asinna, Ta’n al-Rimah, Zu al-Fiqar wa-Bawariq al-Mubiqa.

The school is characterized by its entrance into the political arena and interaction with the government; making Shia an official denomination after a period of severe straitjackets and of taqīyya (dissimulation of religious beliefs and practice in the face of persecution); establishment of an official academic institution and increasing the scientific strength of the Shia community; scrutinizing questions and answers as well as doing extensive meditations on and research into theosophical debates and views and writing great works; facing rival movements such as the Hindus, Hanafi Sunnis, Salafis, Sufis, Akhbaris, Philosophers and Shaykhis; cleansing Shia of wrong views and accurate explanation of the knowledge of Ahl al-Bayt (AS); making direct quotations from the opponents and weakening the latter’s position using strong proof; criticizing and refuting the foundations and consequences of the opponents’ beliefs as well as using intellectual (aqlī) and transmitted (naqlī) reasons together.