Allama Muhammad Al-Baqir Majlisi was a scion of a very erudite family. His ancestor was Maqsood ‘Ali Majlisi who migrated from Jabal Aamil to Isfahan city in Iran. He had two sons, Muhammad Taqi and Muhammad As-Sadiq. Both of them received instruction in Islamic Studies from Allama Abdallah Shustari. Allama Muhammad Taqi Majlisi, himself an erudite Islamic Scholar, was the father of Allama Muhammad Al-Baqir Majlisi. Allama Al-Baqir was born in the year 1037 H (1616 AD).
He opened his eyes in a scholarly atmosphere. His two elder brothers, Mulla Azizullah and Mulla Abdallah were scholars of high repute and his sisters too were ladies of high learning. Within no time, the young Muhammad Al-Baqir acquired mastery in logic, philosophy, mathematics, hadith(traditions), fiqh(jurisprudence), literature and Qur’anic commentary.
Allama Muhammad Al-Baqir Majlisi’s tutors too were of very high repute. Among them were Hasan ‘Ali bin Abdallah, Sayed Muhammad Haidar Tabataba’i, Mir Muhammad Mu’min and Allama Muhsin Faid. When the scholarly atmosphere honed his capabilities, Muhammad Al-Baqir commenced his authorship. The work that the erudite scholars did in a millennium, Allama Majlisi achieved in a short span of 77 years.
It is a fact that what Allama Muhammad Yaqub Kulaini commenced, Allama Majlisi took up capably as a rena’Isance to his efforts. Bihar Al Anwar is Allama Majlisi’s monumental work consisting of 25 volumes. Mirath ul Uqool fi Sharh el Kafi is a commentary on authentic and weak narrations.
Allama Majlisi had hundreds of disciples studying under him. His prominent students were Allama Sayed Nematullah Jazairi, Mirza Abdallah Affendi, Mulla Abdallah Ardabeli, Mulla Muhammad Fadil, Mulla Muhammad bin Hasan Isfahani and Mulla Muhammad Husayn bin Yahya Noori.
This great luminary of Islamic learning passed away at the age of 77 years in 1111H (1690 A.D.).
Source: www.Al-Islam.org
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