Al-Nawbakhti (Arabic: ٱلنَّوْبَخْتِيّ, an-Nawbakhtīy; Persian: نوبختی, Nowbakhtī, meaning "Rebirth" or "Good Luck"),[1] is the Persian surname of several notable figures in Islamic, especially Shia Islamic, theology, philosophy and science. Several variations include Nawbakht, Nūbukht, Nibakht, Naybakht and Ibn Nawbakht. Many members of the Nawbakht family, or clan (Banu Nawbakht), distinguished themselves in the science of the stars[2] and made decisive contributions to the development of the Twelver Shia faith at a time of confusion following the Minor Occultation of the 12th Imam.[3]The clan's theological accomplishments include the formal integration of Mutazila rationalist doctrine into Twelver Shi'ism, explaining the Occultation and defending it against Shia doubters, developing the Imamate doctrine (with emphasis upon such qualities as infallibility) and to lay the groundwork for the authority of the Twelver scholars over their communities.[4]
