Abstract:
The preceding articles in this series
explored the historical origins of important religious
seminaries in the Shi‘a world given its importance in
promoting the instructions of the Qur’an and the Ahlul
Bayt, and its role in engendering a unique culture in the
scientific, social, and political spheres. The seminaries
created knowledgeable and pious Shi‘a scholars who
pursued ijtihad with the use of the Qur’an, sunnah, and
reason to respond to the needs of the Muslim community.
The previous part focused on the Islamic Seminaries of
Jabal Aamel, Isfahan, and Mashhad. This article delves
into the history of the Islamic seminaries of Qum. Using
Islamic traditions and historical records, the significance of
Qum according to the Ahlul Bayt will be stated, along
with its link to Lady Ma‘sumah’s arrival to the city and its
impact on the future of the seminaries’ success.
Machine summary:
"During this period, the Islamic seminaries of Qum were very superior to other Shi’a seminaries in terms of quality and quantity; the narrators in Qum are said to have been two hundred thousand and important figures like Ahmad ibn Isa Ash’ari, Muhammad ibn Isa Ash’ari Qummi, Abdul Aziz ibn Muhtadi Qummi, Ali ibn Husayn ibn Babuyeh Qummi, Ibn Waleed Qummi, Muhammad ibn Hasan Furukh us-Saffar, Ibrahim ibn Hashim Qummi and Shaykh Saduq were among the scholars.
Refer to: Najjashy, Ahmad ibn Ali, Rijal al-Najjashy, page 76 and 77 and Musawy Khouyi, Sayyed Abulqasim, Mu’jam Rijal il-Hadith, Volume 3, Page 49-61 36 For more information refer to: Jabbary, Muhammad Reza, Maktab-e Hadithi-ye Qum, Page 107- 115 and Muaddab, Sayyed Reza, Tarikh-e Hadith, Page 119 and 120 and Ma’aref, Majid, Tarikh-e Umumi-e Hadith, page 328 37 Principles of jurisprudence (usul) are the texts which were compiled by the early Shi’a scholars.
39 In the fourth century, the seminaries of Rey flourished and this overshadowed the seminaries of Qum, since with the presence of figures like Shaykh Saduq in Rey, students of Islamic studies preferred Rey over Qum. However, hadith scholars had the tendency not to stay in a specific city for long, and by the means of their travels, in addition to spreading the hadiths of the Infallibles, they would learns hadiths from the teachers of other areas as well."