AhlulBayt News Agency: Despite the importance of his works, many Muslims remain unaware of their existence. The complete collection of these books was eventually presented to Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi in an encounter described by Hojjat al-Islam Zamani, a seminary teacher and adviser on religious-sectarian affairs to the heads of the country’s seminaries.
Hojjat al-Islam Zamani shared the account of how he discovered the writings of Christian author Suleiman Kattani and arranged for his complete collection to be presented to Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi.
Discovering Suleiman Kattani’s works
Zamani said that the literary portrayal of Hazrat Fatima Zahra and the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt—their personalities, virtues and spiritual qualities—in the writings of the renowned Christian scholar Suleiman Kattani reflects the profound stature of the Prophet’s family.
He recalled first coming across one of Kattani’s books before the Islamic Revolution in Iran. Its Persian translation had been published under the title Fatima Zahra, Niyay-e Niyam. The book had attracted considerable attention, including internationally, and introduced him to Kattani’s writing and ideas.
Around ten years ago, Zamani attended the International Islamic Unity Conference in Tehran. He said he was particularly interested in meeting new thinkers and intellectuals from different parts of the world and learning about their perspectives.
During the conference, he asked one of the organisers which new personalities were participating that year. After mentioning several names, the organiser told him that a Christian Shia scholar was also attending. The scholar was introduced as Adil Kattani.
The surname reminded Zamani of Suleiman Kattani, whose book he had read years earlier. He asked whether he could meet the scholar. When Adil Kattani arrived, Zamani asked whether he was related to Suleiman Kattani.
Adil confirmed that he was Suleiman Kattani’s nephew and the inheritor of his uncle’s books and literary legacy.
Zamani told him that he had previously read Persian translations of two of Suleiman Kattani’s works: *Fatima Zahra, Niyay-e Niyam* and *Imam Ali, Mash'al wa Deez*. Adil then asked whether he had seen some of his uncle’s other books.
A collection devoted to the Prophet and the Imams
Adil Kattani introduced Zamani to several works that he had not previously encountered. Among them was *Muhammadun Shati wa Sahab*, described as a book portraying Prophet Muhammad as a messenger who came as an ocean of mercy for the people of the earth and a cloud of mercy for the inhabitants of the heavens.
He also mentioned Al-Imam Ali, Nibras wa Mitras, which had been translated into Persian under a title referring to Imam Ali as a lamp of guidance and an impregnable fortress against oppressors.
Another work was Fatimatuz Zahra, Witrun fi Ghimd, whose Persian translation was published in Iran as Fatima Zahra, Niyay-e Niyam.
The collection also included books on Imam Hasan, Imam Husayn and Imam Zain al-Abidin. Adil described *Al-Imam al-Hasan, Al-Kawthar al-Mahdur* as portraying Imam Hasan as a pure and flowing source of knowledge and divine teachings from which history had not been able to benefit sufficiently.
He also mentioned *Al-Imam al-Husayn fi Hillat al-Birfir*, concerning Imam Husayn and his struggle against oppression, and *Al-Imam Zain al-Abidin, Anqud Murassa*, a work presenting the Imam as a precious collection of prayers and supplications.
Other books included *Al-Imam al-Baqir, Najiyur Rasul* and works devoted to other Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt, particularly Imam Musa al-Kazim.
Adil also drew attention to Suleiman Kattani’s final book, *Al-Imam al-Khumayni, Shararatun Ilahiyyah*, which portrays Imam Khomeini as a divine spark whose fire scorched oppressors.
Zamani said he was astonished to learn that Kattani had written so extensively about Prophet Muhammad, Hazrat Fatima Zahra, Imam Ali, Imam Hasan, Imam Husayn, Imam Zain al-Abidin, Imam Muhammad al-Baqir, Imam Musa al-Kazim and other prominent figures of the Ahl al-Bayt.
When he asked whether the books had been published and were available to readers, Adil confirmed that all of them had been published and could be found in different countries.
For Zamani, the discovery highlighted how little many Muslims knew about important scholarly and literary efforts dedicated to introducing the Ahl al-Bayt to the world.
The complete collection brought to Qom
Zamani asked Adil whether he could see and obtain the books. Adil said he had the entire collection with him and agreed to bring it.
It was around midnight when Adil went to his room on the upper floor of the hotel and returned with all the books. Zamani said he found that the works Adil had mentioned were indeed published and available as a complete collection.
Impressed by the discovery, Zamani suggested that they travel together to Qom. Adil initially explained that he had a ticket to return to Beirut the following day. Zamani asked him to change his ticket and postpone his journey by a week. Adil agreed, and the two travelled to Qom that same night with the complete collection.
The following morning, they visited Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi. Zamani greeted the senior cleric and told him that he had brought a gift.
He asked Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi whether he was familiar with Suleiman Kattani. The cleric replied that he was. Zamani then explained that Kattani had authored *Al-Imam Ali, Nibras wa Mitras*, which had been translated into Persian, as well as a book on Hazrat Fatima Zahra.
He went on to explain that Kattani had also written several books on Prophet Muhammad, Imam Hasan, Imam Husayn and other Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt. Zamani then presented the complete collection as his gift.
Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi calls for translations
According to Zamani, Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi was both surprised and pleased to see the collection. He described the books as highly valuable and important works and stressed the need to translate them so that Iranian society could benefit from their contents.
He particularly emphasised that young people in Iran, whether Shia or Sunni, should become familiar with these books and learn about the stature and virtues of the Ahl al-Bayt.
Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi, as recounted by Zamani, noted that the Ahl al-Bayt’s virtues were so widely recognised that even Christian scholars had devoted their intellectual abilities and a significant part of their lives to writing about their lives and qualities.
The encounter led to a decision to begin translating the collection so that its contents could reach scholars, researchers and the wider public. One of the aims was also to introduce young people from the Sunni community to the extensive body of literature on the virtues and legacy of the Ahl al-Bayt.
Zamani said the episode demonstrated the importance of making such works better known, particularly among Muslims who may remain unaware of the literary contributions made by scholars from other religious backgrounds.
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