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Risalah ( Arabic: رسالـة) is the Arabic word for treatise, but among the Shia, the term is used as shorthand for a risalah-yi'amaliyyah ( Arabic: رسالهی عملیه) or treatise on practical law. These treatises are also known as collections of juridical edicts or clarifications of questions ( Arabic: توضيح المسائل). They are usually written by a mujtahid [1] as part of the process of becoming a Marja'-e-Taqlid, i.e. a Grand Ayatollah. [2] These books contain the cleric's practical rulings on the application of Islam to daily life. [3] They are arranged according to topics such as ritual purity, worship, social issues, business, and political affairs. In considering each application they outline the principles and texts used to reach a specific ruling. They are used by a Marja''s followers to conform their behaviour to Islam. [3]

All resalahs begin with an explicit disclaimer stating that no proof shall be given for any of the five articles of faith in the roots of religion ( usul al-din).[ citation needed]

See also

Notes and references

  1. ^ Among the Shia, a mujtahid is a person generally accepted as an original authority in Islamic law, i.e. an ayatollah.
  2. ^ Siddiqui, Kalim (1980). The Islamic Revolution: Achievements, Obstacles & Goals. London: Open Press for The Muslim Institute. p. 26. ISBN  978-0-905081-07-6.
  3. ^ a b Hairi, Abdul-Hadi (1977). Shi-ism and Constitutionalism in Iran: A Study of the Role Played by the Persian Residents of Iraq in Iranian Politics. Leiden: Brill. p. 198. ISBN  978-90-04-04900-0.