Day 5

The lesson

1. Al-Tabrisi collected his debates: with atheists on the existence of God, among them Ibn Abi l-Awja' and Abu Shakir al-Daysani; with Abu Hanifa on the method of jurisprudence and especially analogy (qiyas); and with Mu'tazili scholars on how a ruler is chosen (al-Ihtijaj). Al-Kafi records debates in which his students argued before him while he oversaw them.
2. Among his well-known teachings is Tawhid al-Mufaddal, given to al-Mufaddal ibn Umar over four sessions, on the creation of the world and of man, the wonders of animals and of the heavens and earth, and the wisdom of death; it was once called Kitab Fakkir, for its repeated words: Think, O Mufaddal. Also from him is the Maqbula of Umar ibn Hanzala, on judgment and conflicting hadiths (al-Kafi).
3. He kept away from armed revolt. When Abu Muslim al-Khurasani wrote inviting him to take the caliphate, he answered: You are not one of my helpers, and the time is not my time (al-Milal wa l-Nihal of al-Shahrastani). When Abu Salama wrote the same, he burned the letter (Muruj al-Dhahab of al-Mas'udi). He named the lack of faithful supporters as his reason (Manaqib Ibn Shahrashub). At al-Abwa', when Abd Allah al-Mahd sought allegiance for his son as the Mahdi, he told him his son was not the Mahdi and foretold that rule would go to al-Saffah and al-Mansur (Maqatil al-Talibiyyin of Abu l-Faraj al-Isfahani).

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