Additional information
by Shia Heritage Foundation (Translator)
"Wasa'il al-Shia" stands as one of the most monumental collections of Shi'i jurisprudential hadith, rigorously documenting every dimension of religious law. Compiled by the illustrious Shaykh Hurr Amili (d. 1693), this encyclopedic masterpiece comprises approximately 36,000 traditions across 30 volumes.
Driven by the necessity of engaging directly with the explicit words of the Ahl al-Bayt, Shaykh Hurr Amili designed this collection as a complete, self-sufficient constitution for both knowledge and practice. Systematically organized by topic, the work aggregates traditions from reliable and mass-transmitted textual sources, expanding beyond the Four Canonical Books to gather the preserved notebooks of the early faithful.
Above all, it serves as an unaltered conduit to the Infallibles, offering the greatest gift possible: the ability to base one's religion firmly upon the pristine teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt.
Volume 15 of "Wasa'il al-Shia" systematically explores two fundamental dimensions of Jihad: Jihad Al-Aduw (the external struggle against the enemy) and Jihad Al-Nafs (the internal struggle against the self). The first section provides extensive jurisprudential rulings on warfare, detailing the conditions for military engagement, the protection of non-combatants, the treatment of prisoners, and the strict distribution of spoils. It outlines the ethical parameters of conflict, prohibiting treachery and placing limits on the means of fighting, while clarifying the rules regarding the protected status of Dhimmi populations. The volume then transitions deeply into the greater spiritual struggle, Jihad Al-Nafs. This section emphasizes the paramount obligations of internal refinement: controlling base desires through intellect, cultivating patience and humility, avoiding major and minor sins, and the absolute necessity of sincere repentance and maintaining a balance of fear and hope in Allah.
Translated by the Shia Heritage Foundation, this edition provides researchers, university students, and seminarians with a precise, authoritative text. It stands as an indispensable resource for the rigorous study of classical law and the practical implementation of early jurisprudential doctrine.
