Ali b. Husayn b. Musa b. Muhammad b. Musa b. Jaʿfar b. Muhammad b. Ali b. Husayn b. Ali b. Abi Talib al-Sharif al-Musawi. Murtaza bore the title Dhū’l-Majdayn. He was older than his brother Dhū’l-Hasabayn. He had beautiful poems. He wrote poems related to the Imamiya and Muʿtazila schools, and he engaged in debates on these matters. All kinds of debates concerning every school were held in his presence. He authored classified works on Shiism and on the principles (uṣūl) and branches (furūʿ) of Shiism. Ibn al-Jawzi transmitted some of his rare opinions concerning Shiism. For example:
Prostration (sajda) can only be performed upon the earth or upon something of the same kind as the earth.
Istijmār (purification with stones) suffices only for major impurity, not for minor impurity.
It is forbidden to marry women from the People of the Book (ahl al-kitāb).
The meat of animals slaughtered by the People of the Book is also not permissible to eat. The food prepared by the People of the Book and other disbelievers (kāfir) is also forbidden.
Divorce can only take place in the presence of two witnesses. In the case of a conditional divorce, even if the condition is fulfilled, the divorce does not take effect.
If someone does not perform the night prayer (ʿishāʾ) and sleeps until the middle of the night, it becomes obligatory (wājib) for him to make up this prayer and to fast the next day as expiation for this sin.
If a woman cuts her hair, it becomes obligatory for her to pay an expiation (kaffāra) similar to that for accidental manslaughter.
If someone tears his garment during a calamity, it becomes obligatory for him to pay the expiation for an oath (kaffārat al-yamīn).
If someone unknowingly marries a married woman, it becomes obligatory for him to give five dirhams in charity.
The punishment for a thief is the cutting off of the fingertips.
Ibn al-Jawzi said: “I have transmitted these statements by looking at the handwriting of Abu’l-Wafāʾ b. ʿUqayl, and this is truly nothing but a collection of strange opinions. It is contrary to consensus (ijmāʿ). What is even stranger is the disparagement of the Companions (ṣaḥāba). May Allah be pleased with the Companions.”
After this, he also transmitted his vile statements in which he claimed that ʿUmar, ʿUthmān, ʿĀʾisha, and Ḥafṣa were disbelievers (kāfir). May Allah disgrace Sharif Murtaza and those impure and filthy Rāfiḍīs and disbelievers like him—if they have not repented from these sins.
Ibn al-Jawzi narrated that Abu’l-Qāsim b. Burhān said:
“I went to Sharif Murtaza. He had turned his face to the wall and was saying: ‘Abu Bakr and ʿUmar assumed leadership. They went astray. They sought mercy. Mercy was shown to them.’ I said to him: ‘Do you mean that after becoming Muslim, they became apostates (murtadd)?’ Then I got up and left. As soon as I reached the threshold of his house, I heard him sobbing. He died this year at the age of eighty-one. Ibn Khallikān mentioned Sharif Murtaza, and, as was his custom in praising other poets, he praised him as well and overlooked his faults. He also transmitted some of his brilliant poems. Then he said: ‘According to what is said, the one who fabricated the book Nahj al-Balāgha is Sharif Murtaza.’”