Steps Needed to Complete Allameh Hakimi’s Project
The main lesson learned from the project is the importance of paying attention to the society’s present-day needs. His other lesson for society is revealing the practicality of the tradition,
Although Hakimi’s attention to the tradition based on the needs of the day is not a secret, it should be noted that it is not sufficient. Rereading the tradition requires at least two things: being methodical and presenting solutions.
In Al-Hayat, Hakimi has not offered much explanation about his method and the reason or reasons why each narration is accepted. Also, to what extent can Al-Hayat be considered a comprehensive encyclopedia? Has the methodology of the author been such that it has led him to see and report all narrations?
Another point to which more attention could have been paid in Al-Hayat is offering ways for implementing the narrations, especially those related to economy.
Today we are witnessing the emergence of various economic schools. On the other hand, there have been many Hadiths offering advice on how to reach justice. It is necessary that different economic schools as well as Islam’s economic system be discussed so that concerns in this regard do not remain at the level of theory.
That said, Al-Hayat is a valuable work that cannot be ignored. Hakimi’s efforts should be considered as a first step in rereading the tradition. Now his legacy is there for Islamic seminaries and universities to study it methodically and add to it Hadiths that have been neglected in order to enrich it.
Such an effort can also lead to a theory from which Islam’s economic system can be worked out. And then one can hope that steps will be taken to offer ways to implement these teachings.
