Shining Sun: In Memory of ‘Allamah Tabataba’i

Shining Sun (a translation of Mihr-i Taban) is a tribute to the life and thought of the renowned Islamic scholar, Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Tabataba’i, written soon after his death by one of his students. Shining Sun includes an overview of Tabataba’i’s life and transcriptions of discussions between Tabataba’i and his student. These discussions cover history, philosophy, mysticism, theology, and the Qur’an.

"Since its original publication in Persian in 1981, Shining Sun has lit the way for seekers of the guidance of ‘Allamah Tabataba’i in the spiritual quest. Now that Tawus Raja has done such a careful job with the translation, this tradition of wayfaring becomes available to English readers. Readers will be treated to a dimension of Tabataba’i’s personality which is, in a sense, the deepest dimension – that of ‘irfan." - Hajj Muhammad Legenhausen, IKERI, Qum, Iran

"‘Allamah Tabataba’i is undoubtedly the major Shi‘a thinker of modern times, and his impact on Persian philosophy and theology is incomparable. It is wonderful to see the Persian tradition of respecting great intellectual personalities continuing in modern times." - Oliver Leaman, University of Kentucky, United States

Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Tabataba’i (1902-1981), commonly referred to as the ‘most learned’ (‘Allamah), was a prominent Muslim scholar who breathed new life into the Shi‘a seminaries by establishing courses on the interpretation of the Qur’an and by introducing a novel method of Qur’anic interpretation. He was a master of Islamic philosophy and a model of spirituality.

Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Husayni Tihrani (1926-1995) was a close student and friend of Tabataba’i who enjoyed a long affiliation with him. Tihrani was an eloquent speaker and a prolific writer, who established and propagated the spiritual school of Tabataba’i and Tabataba’i’s chain of spiritual masters.