Sharh al-Muqaddama fi 'l-kalam

The Imami scholar Abu Ja?far Tusi (d. 459-60/1066-7) was born in Tus in Khurasan. Having completed his basic education there, he left for Baghdad, which at the time was ruled by the Shi?i Buwayhid dynasty. In Baghdad he attended the classes of various prominent scholars, notably the leading Imami rationalist of his time, al-Shaykh al-Mufid (d. 413/1022) and his successor al-Sharif al-Murtada (d. 436/1044). After the death of al-Murtada, Tusi, who had already made a name for himself as a thinker and a writer, became the undisputed leader of the Imami community. About ten years later Baghdad was invaded by the Saljuqs and Tusi's house and libraries were laid to waste. Tusi fled to Najaf where he remained until his death. Al-Muqaddima fi 'l-kalam on concepts in theology figures among Tusi's most important works. The commentary by Najib al-Din al-Husayni (d. 582/1186) printed in facsimile here are lecture notes, made by one of his students.