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Ma‘alim al-Madrasatayn (The Signs of the Two Schools)
Expected: Late 2027- 4-6 Volumes

Ma‘alim al-Madrasatayn (The Signs of the Two Schools)

Ma‘alim al-Madrasatayn (The Signs of the Two Schools) is a significant academic work by Shi'a scholar Sayyid Murtada al-Askari that analyzes the theological and historical differences between the school of the Caliphs (Sunni) and the school of the Ahl al-Bayt (Shi'a).

Author: Murtadha Askari
Translator: Blake Archer Williams
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  • Methodology: The book is noted for its objective, academic approach rather than purely polemical arguments, utilizing primary sources from both schools.
  • Focus: It investigates the sources of Islamic jurisprudence, historical events following the Prophet's death, and the distinct perspectives on the "Companions" (Sahaba) and the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt.
  • Author: Sayyid Murtada al-Askari was a well-known researcher in Islamic history and hadith studies.

Outline of Allāma Askarī’s Muʻālim al-Madrisatayn

Volume 1

Preparatory Discussions

  1. Preamble
  2. The origin of the difference between the two schools of the Imams and the Caliphs
  3. Attributes of God and the origin of differences in their understanding
  4. Attributes of the Prophets and the origin of differences in their understanding
  5. Differences relating to the commemoration of past prophets
  6. Differences relating to the construction of shrines
  7. Differences relating to weeping for the deceased
  8. Differences relating to the exegesis of certain Quranic verses
  9. Summary and Conclusion

Sources and Texts for Creedal Beliefs and Sacred Law in the Two Schools

First Discourse: Companionship and the Companions of the Prophet

  1. The term ‘Companion’ as defined by the Two Schools
  2. The “Soundness” of the Character of the Companions as defined by the Two Schools
    1. The Problem with the Criterion of Companionship in the School of the Caliphs
  3. Summary of the Discussion

Second Discourse: The Position of the Two Schools on the Imamate and the Caliphate

  1. Historical realities relating to the formation of the caliphate in the formative period
    1. The Writing of the last will of the Prophet
    2. ‘Umar’s Reaction to the death of the Prophet
    3. The Episode of the Saqifa and the pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr
    4. The burial of the Prophet and those present at the ceremony
    5. The assembly at Lady Fatima’s House
    6. Those who pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr
    7. The death of Abu Bakr and the accession of ‘Umar
    8. The episode of ‘the consultation’ and the pledge of allegiance to Uthman
    9. The pledge of allegiance to Imam ‘Ali
  2. Leadership of the community from the perspective of the School of the Caliphs
    1. The position of the School of the Caliphs and its various bases
      1. The episode of the writing of the Prophet’s will
      2. Umar’s posture while the Prophet was in the throes of death
      3. The episode of the Saqifa and the pledge of fealty to Abu Bakr
      4. The burial of the Prophet and those present thereat
      5. The gathering at the house of Lady Fatima
      6. Those who demurred from giving the Pledge of fealty to Abu Bakr
      7. The death of Abu Bakr and the succession of Umar
      8. The consultative council and the succession of Uthman
      9. Imam Ali knowing that the caliphate has slipped away from him (but participates anyway)
      10. The pledge of fealty to Imam Ali
    2. The position of the Two Schools on the Imamate and the Caliphate
      1. The position of the School of the Caliphs and its bases
      2. The requirement to obey the caliph even if this contravenes the Prophet’s sunna (exemplary mode of conduct)
      3. The position of the School of the Caliphs in recent centuries
    3. Terminology of the discussion on the leadership of the community (the imamate versus the caliphate)
      1. Consultative council
      2. Pledge of fealty
      3. Successor (khalifa) and God’s vice-gerent on earth (khalifatallah fe’l-arḍ)
      4. Imam
      5. Amr and ul al-ʻamr
      6. Will (wasi’at) and legatee (wasĩ)
    4. Analysis of the Position of the School of the Caliphs on the Determination of Leadership of the Community
      1. Critique of the argument based on consultation
      2. Critique of the argument based on pledges of fealty as faits accomplis
      3. Critique of the argument based on acts of the companions
      4. Critique of the argument based on might
  3. Leadership of the community from the perspective of the School of the Ahl al-Bayt
    1. The inerrancy (isma) of the House (ahl al-bayt) of the Prophet
    2. Instances of the Prophet of God determining Those in Authority (ul al-ʻamr)
    3. Received textual evidence of such determination
    4. The Prophet’s legatee, vizier, heir-apparent and successor
    5. The School of the Caliphs conceals hadith about the heirship of Ali and explain away those hadith which pass the censors
    6. The suppression of the merits of and the cursing Imam Ali, and the reasons thereof
    7. The enmity of the Umayyads and Abbasids toward Imam Ali
  4. Ten types of suppression and distortion in the sunna of the Prophet and of his House, and of their companions
    1. The elimination of a part of the hadith of the Prophet, and its alteration to an ambiguous word
    2. Etc. (all 10 to be filled out)
  5. Extant texts of the words of the Prophet relating to his Ahl-e Bayt and their right to governance
  6. The appointment of Imam Ali as heir-apparent and legatee of the Prophet
  7. Governance and sovereignty (wilaya and ul al-ʻamr) in the Quran
  8. The Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt, Ali and his progeny, are the delegates of the Prophet of God
  9. Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn are (cut from the same cloth) as the Prophet and are his progeny
  10. The Prophet gives glad tidings of the advent of the Mahdi (the Guided One) in the end times
  11. Texts affirming the imamate of the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt

Summary of the Position of the Two Schools on the Imamate and the Caliphate (27)

  1. Historical realities relating to the Formation of the Caliphate (Recap of Saqifa, Quill, Etc.)
  2. The Position of the School of the Caliphs (incl. keywords: bay'at, showra, wasi, etc.)
  3. Critique of Same: showra, bay'a, acts of the Companions
  4. Leadership of the Community from the perspective of the School of the Ahl al-Bayt


Outline of Allāma Askarī’s Muʻālim al-Madrisatayn

Volume 2

Third Discourse: Sources and Bases for Sacred Law in the Two Schools

Introduction - Five Keywords: Quran, Sunna, Bid'a, Fiqh, Ijtihad

1. The Position of the Two Schools concerning the Quran

2. The Position of the Two Schools concerning the prophetic sunna

The Position of the Two Schools concerning the efficacy of narrators

The Position of the Two Schools concerning the dissemination of ahadith

The Prevention of the Dissemination of ahadith

3. The Position of the Two Schools concerning Fiqh & Ijtihad

3.1 The Evolution of the Meaning of the Word Ijtihad in the School of the Caliphs

3.2 The " Ijtihad " Nomenclature

3.3 Early Mujtahids & Examples of their Ijtihad from the perspective of the Caliphs

3.4 Commentary on the above instances of Ijtihad

3.5 Abu-Bakr & Omar's " Ijtihad " on the Issue of khums

3.6 The " Ijtihad " of Omar on Term Marriage

3.7 Ijtihad from the 2nd C on & use of the Acts of the Companions as a Source of Law

4. The Quran & the Prophetic Sunna: the two Sources of Law in the School of the Ahl al-Bayt

5. Summary of the Discourse of the Two Schools re: Sources and Methodology of Law

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