Al-Muhaqqiq Al-Hilli(died 676 A H) And his Effect in Flourishing the Scientific and Juristic Movement

المحقِّقُ الحليّ(ت 676 هـ) وأثرُهُ في ازدهارِ الحركةِ العلميَّةِ والفقهيَّةِ

Abstract

Praise be to Allah and peace and blessings be upon His
most righteous of all Prophets and Messengers and his refined
and good family.
A scientific(scholarly) and intellectual renaissance has
occured in Al-Hilla since its establishment at the hands of
Prince Seifuddawlah Sadaqa bin Mansour bin Dubais bin Ali bin
Mazyad Al-Asadi in 495 AH.
He erected Al-Hilla on the right riverbank of the Euphrates in
a place known as Al-Jam'ain. Ever since, it has become a centre of
Imami thought in its various aspects .
Al-Hilla flourished in its scientific assemblies(majalis), which
embraced scholars, orators, commentators, philosophers,
literary men and poets. Many men of science proceeded straight
away towards it from far and near countries. It should be pointed
out that the scientific status of Al-Hilla during the the sixth,
seventh and eighth centuries A H coincided with the status
of the Holy Najaf School. Therefore, a scientific interaction
between the Holy Najaf School and Al-Hilla School was very
energetic in the seventh and eighth centuries A H.
The geographical site of Al-Hillah made easier the contact
with other cultural centers in Iraq, like Baghdad, Kufa, Najaf,
Karbala and Basra. Its scientific movement reached its highest
point in the seventh century A H. «This movement expanded and
ramified and the number of its distinguished personalities had
increased compared to its status in the sixth century. Many
scholars became outstanding and famous in various scientific
specializations, which led to the flourishing and development
of the city: it became a distinguished intellectual centre» .
During that century, many scientists emerged in Al-Hilla.
One of the most distinguished was the scholar we are writing
about: Najmuddin Jaafar bin Al-Hassan bin Yahya bin Sa'eed
Al-Muhaqqiq al-Halli(died 676 A H). In his time, the scientific
movement had reached a great extent until Al-Hilla became
one of the Islamic scientific centres.
His effect was intelligible in those who came after him, to the
extent that «all who came after him made use of his words» .