AKHBÅRI SCHOLARS FROM ASTARÅBÅDI TO THE END OF THE THIRTEENTH CENTURY AH

The list below is by no means comprehensive, and contains only the most
prominent Akhbåri scholars found in the bio-bibliographical literature.
The nature of biographical compendia was such that in the šrst
150 years of the Akhbåri school, little reference was made to the
Akhbåri (or any other) allegiance of the scholars.1 I have restricted
the list below to scholars who composed Akhbåri works and who
were referenced as such in the Shia biographical tradition. The list
takes us to the end of the Thirteenth Century AH. The large number
of Thirteenth Century Akhbåri scholars, many of whom had personal
connections with Mirzå Muªammad al-Akhbår and/or were based in
India is an indication of the possibilities for future research on the
post-Mirzå Muhammad and modern Akhbåri school. The increase in
the number of Akhbåris in this list after Mirzå Muhammad al-Akhbåri
does not necessarily reflect increased Akhbåri activity. Rather, it probably
reflects other factors: proximity of time (and hence greater records
available to the principally modern biographical works cited here), a
greater willingness of biographical writers to identify their fellow scholars
as Akhbåris in the Thirteenth Century (as compared to the Eleventh),
and finally a minority loyal to Mirzå Muhammad himself.
Scholars not mentioned elsewhere in this book are provided with
single reference (many more could be given). The scholars are ordered
by death date when known. When death dates are not known I have
inserted scholars in what I judge to be an appropriate position in the
list. Scholars whose Akhbåri allegiance is doubtful or disputed are
marked with an asterisk*.


Eleventh Century AH


Mir Yusuf `Ali al-Husayni (d. early Eleventh Century). Described as an Akhbari in Tihrani, Tabaqat, v. 5, p. 645, though this is a late source.
`Abd Allah al-Tustari (d. 1021)
Majid al-Bahrani (d. 1028)
Muhammad Amin al-Astarabadi (d. 1036)
Fakhr al-Din Haydar al-Lankari (d. after 1031)
`Isa al-Duzmari (d. not known)
Safi al-Din Muhammad (d. after 1033)
`Abd al-Hadi al-Husayni al-Tustari (d. not known)
Husayn b. al-Hasan b. Yunis al-Tahiri (alive in 1051)
Zayn al-`Abidin b. Nur al-Din al-Kashani (d. after 1040)
`Ali Naqi al-Shirazi (d. 1060)
Zayn al-Din b. Muhammad b. al-Hasan al-`Amili (d. 1064)
Muhammad Taqi al-Majlisi (Majlisi I, d. 1070)
`Abd al-`Azhim b. `Abbas al-Astarabadi (d. late Eleventh Century). Described as an Akhbari by al-Bahrani (Lu’lu’a, p. 66).
*`Abd Allah al-Tuni (d. 1071)
Husayn b. Shihab al-Din al-Karaki (d. 1076)
`Abd `Ali b. Jum`a al-`Arusi al-Huwayzi (alive 1079)
Ibrahim b. `Abd Allah al-Astarabadi known as al-Khatib (d. after 1081)
*Muhammad Salih al-Mazandarani (d. 1081 or 1086)
Muhammad Mu’min b. Dawsat (or D ̈st) al-Astarabadi (d. 1087)
Khalil al-Qazwini (d.1089)
Muhsin Fayd al-Kashani (d. 1091)
`Ali Asghar al-Qazwini (alive 1092)
Radi al-Din al-Qazwini (d. 1096)
Muhammad Tahir al-Qummi (d. 1098)

Twelfth Century


Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Yusuf al-Maqabi al-Bahrani (d. 1102)
Muhammad b. al-Hasan al-Hurr al-`Amili (d. 1104)
Hashim b. Sulayman al-Bahrani (d. 1107)
*Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi (d. 1111)
Sayyid Ni`mat Allah al-Jaza’iri (d. 1112)
*`Abd Allah b. al-Husayn al-Yazdi (alive 1113), Al-Tihrani suggests (Tabaqat, v. 6, p. 447) that this is the same person as `Abd Allah b. al-Husayn al-Ujri.
Nur al-Din Muhammad al-Kashani al-Akhbari (d. 1115)
Muhammad Salih al-Harawi/al-Harati (alive in 1119). Pupil of al-Hurr, author of the Akhbari work Wasílat al-ma`ad fí dhamm al-ijtihad: see (Mashhad Fihrist, v. 16, p. 603, MS’3030, where an ijaza to one Na‚r Allah al-Mudarris is recorded, another possible other Akhbari in Khorasan, see Tihrani, Tabaqat, v. 6, p. 376).
Muhammad Raaim b. Muhammad al-Harawi/al-Harati (no death date known). Another pupil of al-Hurr with the same nisba, and author of the Akhbari work of fiqh, Anís al-Mustawahishín, see Mashhad Fihrist, v. 16, pp. 74–75 MS’1600 and Tihrani, Tabaqat, v. 6, p. 261.
Sulayman b. `Abd Allah al-Bahrani (d. 1121)
`Abd Allah b. Salih al-Samahiji (d. 1135). He gave an ijaza to one Nasir b. al-Jarudi al-Qatifi, another possible, Baarayni Akhbari (see Schmidtke, ÆThe ijaza”).
`Abd Allah b. Nur al-Din al-Jaza’iri (alive in 1151)
Sadr al-Din b. Na‚ir al-Din b. Mirza Salih al-óaba†abaÞi al-Yazdi (d.1153). Akhbari teacher in Yazd, his son Muhammad b. Sadr al-Din al-Akhbari, no death date known, was also an Akhbari (see Tihrani, al-Dhari`a, v. 6, p. 42 and p. 198). The son was forced to defend his father’s Akhbarism and `irfani tendencies (see Tihrani, Tabaqat, v. 6, p. 377).
Nur al-Din b. Ni`mat Allah al-Jaza’iri (d. 1158)
Unknown 12th Century Akhbari, who wrote an important commentary on al-Hurr’s Hidayat al-Umma, see Tihrani, al-Dhari`a, v. 14, p. 172.
Muhammad Ja`far b. Muhammad Tahir (born 1080, no death date known, though the recent editor of his work argues for 1175, making him 95 at the time of his death). An Akhbari pupil of Majlisi II and al-Hurr, who wrote an appendix to Sahib al-Rijal’s biographical compendium entitled Iklíl al-Manhaj;2 see Amin, A`yan al-Shi`a, v. 9, p. 204 and described as an Akhbari at al-Husayni, Tilamidhat al-Majlisí, p. 88.
2 This has been published in 1425 AH. One would not be able to detect his Akhbari allegiance from the work itself.
Yusuf b. Ahmad al-Bahrani (d. 1176)
Shaykh Hasan Akhbari (d. 1181)—a poet and Akhbari, with an ijaza for ijtihad from Karbala, but based in Bushehr and then Bahrayn (Amin, A`yan al-Shi`a, v. 5, pp. 260–261).

Thirteenth Century


Muhammad b. `Abd al-Nabi al-Akhbari (d. 1232)
Fath `Ali Zand al-Shirazi (d. after 1236)
Shaykh al-Husayn b. Muhammad b. `Ali b. `Aythan (or Ghayshan) al-Bahrani (d. before 1240). Referred to as an Akhbari by both Mirza Muhammad al-Akhbari and Fath `Ali Zand al-Shirazi (see his al-Fawa’id al-Shiraziyya, f.107b.11). Probably the Akhbari who posed questioned to Shaykh Ahmad al-Ahsa’i (see Ahsa’i, al-Risala fí Jawab Masa’il Husayn al-`Usfur, pp. 42–46).
Hasan `Ali Khan al-Akhbari (d.1240). Composed al-Wazíriyya on the difference between Akhbaris and Usulis (Kint ̈ri, Kashf al-Hajab, p. 600 ’3372) for one Wazir al-Din al-Akhbari.
Muhammad al-Kirmani (d. 1240?). An Akhbari pupil of Fath `Ali Zand (Tihrani, al-Dhari`a, v. 2, p. 67).
Muhammad Baqir al-Tabrizi (died after 1242). Author of an Akhbari work of `irfan (!) Masalik al-Atwar (Tihrani, al-Dhari`a, v. 20, p. 377).
Habib al-Din Muhammad b. `Ali Asghar al-Jurfadaqani (d. after 1244). Author of al-Malhama biàl-‚awab, supposedly a work of `irfani akhabari kalam (Tihrani, al-Dhari`a, v. 22, p. 223).
Jawad Siyahpush b. Muhammad al-Zayni b. Ahmad b. Zayn al- Hasani al-Husayni (d.1248). A pupil and ijaza recipient of Mirza Muhammad al-Akhbari (Amin, A`yan al-Shi`a, v. 4, p. 280).
Muhammad Sa`id b. Mahdi al-Qummi (death date not known). A pupil of Mirza Muhammad al-Akhbari (Tihrani, al-Dhari`a, v. 22, p. 169).
Muhammad Ibrahim b. Muhammad `Ali al-óabasi (death date not known). Another pupil of Mirza Muhammad al-Akhbari (Tihrani, al-Dhari`a, v. 21, p. 161 and Tihrani, al-Dhari`a, v. 24, p. 71).
Muhammad Mahdi al-Astarabadi (d. 1259). An Iranian who moved to Lucknow.
Hasan b. Husayn b. Muhammad b. Ahmad al-Darazi al-Bahrani Al- `Usfurii (d.1261) a pupil of Fath `Ali Zand, who died in Bushehr, and is mentioned in al-Fawa’id al-Shiraziyya (f.123a.5). Composed various works refuting ijtihad and defending the Akhbariyya.
`Ali b. Mirza Muhammad al-Akhbari (d. 1275). Youngest son of Mirza Muhammad al-Akhbari, wrote a refutation of ijtihad (Tihrani, al-Dhari`a, v. 24, p. 267).
`Abd al-Sahib b. Muhammad Ja`far al-Dawwani al-Khashti al-Farisi (d. circa 1274). A pupil of Mirza Muhammad al-Akhbari and author of the Akhbari defence Tuhfat al-Habib(Amin, A`yan al-Shi`a, v. 8, p. 16).
Muhammad Baqir b. Muhammad `Ali al-Dasti al-Lari (date of death unknown). An Akhbari pupil of Mirza Muhammad who wrote a refutation of the Bab (Amin, A`yan al-Shi`a, v. 8, p. 308).
Mustafa b. Isma`il al-Musawi (date of death unknown). A pupil of Mirza Muhammad al-Akhbari who wrote an Akhbari work entitled al-Lawami` al-Muhammadiyya for Muhammad Shah Qajar, a copy of which is to be found in the University of Tehran Central Library (University Fihrist, Elahiyat section MS’463D)
Hasan b. `Ali b Muhammad al-Akhbari (date of death unknown). Grandson of Mirza Muhammad al-Akhbari: see Tihrani, al-Dhari`a, v. 16, p. 286. Brother of Muhammad b. `Ali b. Muhammad al- Akhbari (about whom nothing else is known).
Muhammad Najaf al-Kirmani al-Mashhadi al-Akhbari (d. 1292). An `arif Akhbari, who composed a number of works of an Akhbari character (I`timad al-Saltanah, Ma’athir wa’l-Athar, p. 173).
`Ali b. Isma`il al-Akhbari (d. after 1295). Wrote Hamalat al-Layth, an attack on the Usulis (Tihrani, al-Dhari`a, v. 9.3, p. 740).
Yad `Ali b. Mumtaz (date of death unknown). A pupil of Mirza Muhammad al-Akhbari (Mustadrak A`yan al-Shi`a, v. 2, p. 286).
Inayat Allah b. Hasan `Ali b. Mirza Muhammad (date of death unknown). Grandson of Mirza Muhammad al-Akhbari, who wrote a work on tawaíd (Tihrani, al-Dhari`a, v. 4, p. 481).
Muhammad b. `Ali b. Muhammad al-Akhbari (date of death unknown). Grandson of Mirza Muhammad al-Akhbari who appears to have taken a moderate Akhbari path, writing a work of inductive law ( fiqh istidlalí, normally a hallmark of an Usuli) (see Tihrani, Tabaqat al-Aölam, v. 6, p. 745).
Muhammad b. `Ali Husayn or al-Husayni (d. Thirteenth Century). Described as an Akhbari (Mustadarkat A`yan al-Shi`a, v. 2, p. 26).