Ja'far Murtaza Al-Ameli

Sayyid Ja'far Morteza Ameli, also known as Allameh Sayyid Ja'far Morteza (born 25 Safar 1364 AH – died 27 Safar 1441 AH), was a Muslim cleric, a scholar of Islamic history and Shia Islam, and a Shia scholar of Islamic biography. He was also a scholar at the Qom Seminary and in Lebanon. He wrote books on the lives of the Ahl al-Bayt, including al-Sahih min Sirat al-Nabi al-A'zam and Ma'sat al-Zahra.

Biography

Early life Sayyid Ja'far Morteza Ameli was born on 25 Safar 1364 AH (February 9, 1945), in the village of Aita al-Jabal, about 110 kilometers from Beirut, in southern Lebanon. His family lineage is traced back to Husayn Dhi al-Dam'a, the son of Zayd, son of Ali, son of Husayn.

Education He started learning from his father, who was a teacher. In 1382 AH, he went to Najaf to study religious sciences. There, he stayed at the Ayatollah Borujerdi School and the al-Najaf Religious School, where he studied religious sciences. In 1388 AH, he moved to Qom. At the Qom Seminary, he first completed his remaining courses with Mir-Mohammadi. He then studied with teachers such as Musa Shubayri Zanjani, Morteza Haeri Yazdi, Ali Fani Isfahani, Abdullah Javadi Amoli, and Mohammad Sadeq Rouhani. At the same time, he researched the history and beliefs of Shia Islam. Rasoul Jafarian was also one of his students.

Scientific and Social Activities

Activities in Qom During his years in Qom, Ja'far Morteza researched different topics related to Shia history and beliefs. He also established the Jabal Amel Seminary, known as the Muntada, and taught master's students at Tarbiat Modares University. During these years, he also taught, gave research advice, and helped Lebanese seminary students continue their studies. During his 25 years in Qom, Morteza supported and trained Lebanese seminary students. When needed, he also supported the ideas of the Islamic Revolution and wrote about government based on the lives of the Ahl al-Bayt.

Activities in Lebanon In late 1993, after 25 years in Qom, he returned to Lebanon. He continued his teaching, research, and educational work in southern Lebanon, which was under Israeli occupation at the time. During these years, he researched history and established a research center in Beirut. He also held meetings for young Lebanese Shia and helped train a new generation of religious activists among Lebanese Shia. One of his efforts to teach Shia beliefs was the establishment of the Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib Seminary in Beirut in 1998.

Works He wrote several books on Islamic history and Shia beliefs, including:

Al-Sahih min Sirat al-Nabi al-A'zam: This is Ja'far Morteza's most important work. It is a 35-volume work about the life of Muhammad and covers the life of the Prophet and the history of Islam. The book is written in Arabic in ten parts and uses about 1,700 sources. It has also been translated into Persian in two volumes. In this book, the author tried to remove weak reports about the Prophet's life. He reviewed earlier sources and used reliable reports to write his account. Ja'far Morteza Ameli studied the life and history of the Prophet from a Shia perspective. He used many sources from both Shia and Sunni scholars, including 1,683 books. The first volumes of the book were published in 1982 by the Islamic Publishing House, and publication continued in the following years. The book also received the Book of the Year Award of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The book was translated and shortened into twelve volumes in Persian by Mohammad Sepehri. Ja'far Morteza later objected to the translation. He said that many parts had been changed, shortened, removed, or translated incorrectly. He said that the translated version could no longer be considered a translation of his book and should instead be considered a separate work by Mohammad Sepehri. He also said that he had only allowed accurate and complete translations of his books and had not allowed them to be shortened or changed. He considered this kind of translation and shortening a cause of historical distortion.

Al-Sahih min Sirat al-Imam Ali: This book, also known as Al-Murtada men Sirat al-Murtada, was published in 53 volumes in Qom in 2015.

Ma'sat al-Zahra: This book is about the events in the final years of the life of Fatimah al-Zahra, the daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. In this book, the author tried to answer questions and doubts about the events at the end of Fatimah al-Zahra's life and her death. According to the Persian translation of the book, it was written in response to doubts raised by Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Fadlallah. The book was translated into Persian under the title The Sufferings of Fatimah al-Zahra.

The Political Life of Imam al-Jawad The Political Life of Imam al-Hasan The Political Life of Imam al-Rida Abu Dharr: Neither Socialist nor Mazdakite Revive Our Cause Do You Not Remember? (Discussions on Religion and Belief) Imam Ali and the Prophet Joshua (History Repeats Itself) The Green Island and the Bermuda Triangle Temporary Marriage in Islam (Mut'a): A Study and Analysis The Third Testimony in the Adhan and Iqama (Doubts and Responses) Seasons and Ceremonies Legislative Authority The Ahl al-Bayt in the Verse of Purification (A Study and Analysis) The Story of the Slander The Return of the Sun for Ali The Wrong Done to Abu Talib (History and Criticism) The Wrong Done to Umm Kulthum (A Study and Research) Ali and the Kharijites (History and Study) Ghadir and Its Opponents, or Storms on the Banks of Ghadir Karbala Beyond Doubt (On Doubts and Those Who Raise Them) I Am Not Above Making a Mistake: From the Words of Ali Short and Useful (Questions and Answers on Religion and Belief) Ashura Ceremonies (Doubts and Responses) Ali's Position at Hudaybiyyah The Life of Husayn in Hadith and History The Measure of Truth