Al-Mantiq (1)

The book consists of Sheikh Muzaffar's lectures regarding logic since 1357/1938-9 in al-Muntada al-Nashr College. The book is taught as a textbook in both the Islamic Seminaries and Universities. It was taught first in the Najaf Seminary and then in Iran too.

The author, Sheikh Muhammad Rida Al-Muzaffar was a well-known figure in Najaf seminary. He was a Shia Marja', philosopher and jurist. He started his education in Najaf. After learning to read and write, he began studying in the Islamic Seminary at the age of 13. He studied the principles of Arabic literature and grammar with Shaykh Muhammad Taha al-Huwayzi. He then studied fiqh (jurisprudence) and usul al-fiqh (principles of jurisprudence) with prominent scholars of these fields. 

Al-Muzaffar tried to provide textbooks of Islamic disciplines in an up-to-date and simple style. His written works are free of complexities usually observed in older works of fiqh and usul al-fiqh. They are easy to comprehend. His style of writing is said to be affected by his familiarity with literature and modern teaching.

The books, al-Mantiq (logic), usul al-fiqh, and 'Aqa'id al-Imamiyya (Imamiyya beliefs), upgraded the way textbooks of Islamic seminaries were written. They are textbooks of Islamic seminaries today. His book in Islamic sciences is Usul al-Fiqh or the principles of jurisprudence written according to the thought school of Agha Shaykh Muhammad Hosein Isfahani, one of the Shia Marja's.

Some advantages of the book "Al-Mantiq" are:

• Eloquent and yet easy to understand text especially when compared to the other books in the field
• Written for an educational purpose
• Contemporary
• Good examples
• Refraining from most of the unuseful logical discussions