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CLICK HERE FOR LECTURES ON THE BOOK AL KAFI ONLINE: A Course on the book of Usool Al-Kafi By: Dr. Sayed Khalil Tabatabai Based on the book: Al-Kafi (Al-Usool)by: Shaikh Abu Jafar Muhammed ibn Ya'Qub Ibn Ishaq Al-Kulayni Arrazi. Great Shi'i Works 'Al-Kafi' by Al-Kulayni Dr. I. K. A. Howard Al-Serat, Vol. 2 (1976), No. 1 The Author The author of al-Kafi was thiqat al-Islam, Abu Ja'far Muhammad b. Ya'qub b. Ishaq al-Kulaini al-Razi. He died in 328 A.H. or 329 A.H. (939 or 940 A.D.). Very little is known of his life and there is some dispute as to whether the nisba by which he is known is al-Kulaini or al-Kulini. However, it is agreed that it refers to a village in Iran, Kulain or Kulin; both were villages there.[1] He first worked as a religious scholar and faqih (student of fiqh or religious law) among the Imami-Shi'i scholars of al-Raiy in Iran. Then he moved to Baghdad and became head of the religious and legal scholars of the Imamis during the time when al-Muqtadir was Caliph. Al-Kulaini's life's work took place during the time of the sufara' of the Mahdi (the agents who acted on behalf of the Hidden Imam during the lesser occultation, al ghaiba al-sughra).[2] Al-Kulaini is accredited with several works during this period. Among these are, as well as al-Kafi, a Kitab al-rijal, (a book in which men are assessed as authorities for traditions), al-Radd 'ala 'l-Qaramata ("Refutation of the Carmatians", Rasa' il al-a'immata "Letters of the Imams" and an anthology of poetry about the Imams. Only al-Kafi appears to have survived.[3] Al- Kafi Al-Kafi is a collection of the traditions taught by the Prophet and the Imams and handed down to the Muslim Community by the disciples of the Imams. The name al-Kafi means "that which is sufficient" that is, the book was intended to be a comprehensive collection of Imami-Shi'i traditions. This is explained by al-Kulaini in his introduction to the work: "...You wanted to have a book which would be sufficient (for your religious needs) (kafin), which would include all kinds of knowledge ('ilm) of religion, which would be adequate for the student, and to which the teacher might refer. Thus it could be used by anyone who wanted knowledge of religion and of legal practice ('amal) according to sound traditions (athar) from the truthful ones (the Imams) ..." It is claimed that it took al-Kulaini twenty years to complete al-Kafi. It is indeed a very full and comprehensive work, divided into three sections, al-usul, al-furu and al-rawda. The usul give traditions concerning the principles of religion and principles on which religious law is based. The furu' concern the traditions which elaborate the details of religious law, while the rawda is a collection of traditions outlining various points of religious interest and including some of the letters and speeches of the Imams. One of the principal features of the work is that the traditions are presented systematically in chapters according to their subject matter. This is a system which Islamic scholars had begun to use in the second half of the second century and in the third century of the Islamic era. Al-Kulaini was not the first Imami scholar to use the method. There are other works of traditions which use the same method, notably Kitab al-Mahasin of Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Khalid al-Barqi (d. 274/887).[4] However it seems to have been the first work to present such a comprehensive survey of Imami traditions in this manner. The source collections of traditions were known as usul. These were collections of traditions, either heard directly from the Imam or at least at second hand. There were said to have been four hundred of such collections.[5] These traditions were not arranged in chapters according to subject but arranged in the order in which the traditions were heard, regardless of subject matter or which particular Imam they were heard from.[6] It was these usul as well as earlier edited collections which were the basis of al-Kulaini's collection as he heard them taught by earlier scholars. Unfortunately with the development of the comprehensive collections, the usul must have become less important, and only a few survive in manuscript. Traditionists before al-Kulaini and traditionists after him, examined the isnads (chain of authorities) with great care. Their purpose was to make sure that all reporters of a particular tradition were men of true faith; al-Kulaini himself seems to be less concerned with the isnad than with the matn or content of the tradition. Thus he sometimes reports traditions with men in the isnad, who were not strictly speaking disciples of the Imams; sometimes they belong to a different persuasion like the Zaidis, sometimes they are ghulat, extremists in their views. Some men in the isnads are those who regarded one of the earlier Imams as the final Imam and there are even men entirely unconnected with Shi'i views.[7] The scholars of tradition elaborated a system of categorising the different traditions according to the level of authenticity of a tradition, in terms of isnad and subject matter. The number of traditions in al-Kafi is 15,181;[8] according to another reckoning 15,176.[9] If the traditions reported in different sections are counted, the number is over 1,000 more. Of the basic traditions, 5,072 are considered sound (sahih) by scholars, i.e. first category; 144 are regarded as good (hasan), second category; 178 are held to be trustworthy (muwaththaq), third category; 302 are adjudged to be strong (qawi), fourth category; and 9,484 are considered weak (da'if), fifth category.[10] The fact that a tradition is considered weak does not mean that it is not true. What it means is that the scholars of tradition have found some weakness in the tradition, usually one of the persons in the isnad, which suggests the possibility that the tradition might not go back to the Imam as claimed. The science developed by Islamic scholars of tradition in order to examine the isnads and subject matter of traditions is a very specialised study; it involves, in particular, `ilm al-rijal, the study of the backgrounds of individual traditionists who have handed on the tradition. The usul of al-Kafi are divided into eight kutub or chapters and most of the kutub are divided into abwab or sections. The eight kutub are. Kitab al-'aql wa-'l'jahl, "The Chapter of Reason and Ignorance". This chapter presents the theological distinction between reason and ignorance. Kitab fadl al-'ilm, "The Chapter of the Excellence of Knowledge". In this chapter knowledge ('ilm) is dealt with on the basis of its basic early Islamic meaning of the traditional knowledge of Islam, i.e. knowledge of religion that has been passed on and inherited. In the course of this chapter, sections deal with the methods of approaching Islamic traditional knowledge; the methods of judging the truth of the subject matter of traditions, a description of traditions from the Imams and arguments against the use of personal opinion (ra'y) and analogy (qiyas). Kitab al-tawhid, "The Chapter of Unity". This, as its name suggests, deals with the theology of God. Kitab al-hujja, "The Chapter of the Proof". This deals with the need for man and the world to have "a proof". That "proof" is the Imams, and before them it was the prophets. It also includes an historical section on the Imams. Kitab al-Iman wa-'l-kufr, "The Chapter of Faith and Unbelief". This is a comprehensive survey of the elements of faith (iman) and unbelief (kufr). It includes such important topics as "the pillars of Islam", and it also deals with the difference between faith (iman) and submission to God (Islam). Kitab al-du'a', "The Chapter of Prayer". This does not concern the statutory salat which is also translated "prayer". This chapter deals with personal prayers (du'a') as distinct from the salat which is performed in a prescribed manner at prescribed times. It records prayers recommended by the Imams for a variety of situations and occasions. Kitab al-fadl al-Qur'an, "The Chapter of the Excellence of the Qur'an". The title of the chapter shows that it concerns the advantages that accrue to the believer who recites the Qur'an, as well as advising on the methods of recitation. Kitab al-'ishra, "The Chapter of Companionship". At first sight it seems rather surprising to find such a chapter included in the usul or principles of religion. The main concern of the other chapters has been man's relationship with God. This chapter emphasizes that that relationship with God also encompasses man's relationship with his fellow men. The furu' of al-kafi are concerned with the elaboration of the details of Islamic law. Islamic law, as is well known, concerns the whole man and his conduct towards God is as much a matter of Islamic law as his conduct towards his fellow men. The furu' contain many more traditions than the usul and there are 26 kutub. It opens in the traditional Islamic manner with the Kitab al-tahara , "The Chapter of Purity", which concerns the ritual purification that is necessary before prayer (salat) and when the state of ritual purity is broken. The next book Kitab al-haid, "The Chapter of Menstruation" concerns one of the important states in which ritual purity is broken, that of menstruation. The third book also concerns a state which breaks ritual purity, that of death and Kitab al-jana'iz, "The Chapter of Funerals" deals with funerals and other matters concerned with burial rites. The Kitab al-salat, "The Chapter of Prayer" outlines the rules for ritual prayer, and also gives details of superrogatory prayer. Following Kitab al-salat is another pillar of Islam, the alms tax (al-Zakat) paid as a Muslim. After this comes the Kitab al-siyam, "The Chapter of Fasting". Here the rules of the prescribed fast of Ramadan are outlined as well as those of voluntary fasts, and fasts performed as an act of expiation. Kitab al-Hajj, "The Chapter of the Pilgrimage" gives the rules of that great Islamic rite. Al-Kulaini also includes in this chapter a section on visiting the tombs of the Prophet and the Imams (al-Ziarat). The next chapter Kitab al-jihad presents traditions on the regulations for holy warfare. It is followed by Kitab al-ma'isha which conerns the manner of earning one's living. All sorts of trading problems are treated in this chapter. Marriage (nikah) is the subject of the next book. There are numerous details including a very detailed section on mut'a or temporary marriage. Marriage is naturally followed by the birth of children and the next book deals with what is necessary and what is recommended at that time. Although it deals with a variety of matters concerned with the birth and bringing up of children, it is called Kitab al-'aqiqa. Aqiqa is actually a sacrifice performed on behalf of a seven-day old child. The hair of the child is cut off and its weight in silver given as sadaqa "charity". The Prophet performed this sacrifice on behalf of al-Hasan and al-Husain and Fatima gave away the sadaqa. After marriage and children, the next subject is that of divorce (al-talaq). The different laws concerning divorce are detailed in traditions from the Prophet and the Imams. Then the different kinds of slaves and the different methods of freeing them are discussed in kitab al-'itq wa'-l-tadbir wa-'l-katiba. The next two chapters concern hunting (said) and ritual slaughter (dhaba'ih). There follow three chapters on daily living: one is concerned with foods (at'ima) another drinks (ashriba), and the third with clothes, ornaments and courteousness (al-ziq wa-'l-tajammul wa-'l-muru'a). After this comes a chapter on domestic animals (dawajin). Two chapters deal with inheritance. The first entitled al-wasaya deals with bequests while the second al-mawarith outlines the ordinary laws of inheritance. The remaining chapters all concern the administration of the law. Kitab al-hudud outlines the circumstances and the manner in which punishments, which have the authority of the Qur'an, and the Prophet should be administered, while al-diyat concerns the laws of blood vengeance and details the compensation that must be given if someone harms another physically. Kitab al-shahadat concerns the requirements for testimony in legal cases, and Kitab al-qada' wa-'l-ahkam outlines the code of behaviour incumbent upon judges and what type of people they should be. The furu closes with a discussion of oaths, vows and the manner of atonement when the former two are broken in Kitab al-aiman wa-l-nudhur wa-'l-kaffarat. In the rawda of al-Kafi, al-Kulaini does not follow the systematic method he had used in the usul and the furu'. The traditions follow one another in what appears to be a fairly inconsistent order. It certainly lacks the detailed systematic approach that is so obviously present in the other two parts of the book. In presenting the traditions in al-Kafi, al-Kulaini's main approach seems to have been to let the traditions speak for themselves. He intervenes very little himself. Sometimes he thinks it necessary to explain some discrepancy or apparent inconsistency, but these occasions are very rare. His main contribution to the task has been the massive work of collecting and editing. The importance of al-Kafi as a work of tradition is considerable. It is regarded as one of the four major works of Shi'i traditions. This has led to considerable number of commentaries being written about it by later writers. The most important of these is Mir'at al-'uqul fi sharh akhbar al al-rasul by al-Majlisi (d. 1110/1698). Other commentators include Mulla Sadr al-Din al-Shirazi (d. 1050/1640), al-Mazandarani (d. 1080/1699), al-Qazwini (d. 1089/1678) and Muhammad Baqir b. Damad (d. 1040/1630). All these commentaries have been published, though most of them nearly a hundred years ago. In addition to these commentaries, there are numerous others, many of which have also been published.[11] The great value of al-Kafi to Shi'i Muslims is emphasized by the number of outstanding scholars of their community who have considered it worthwhile to write commentaries on the work. Al-Kafi represents a decisive moment in the collection of traditions from the Prophet and the Imams and their systematic presentation. Notes: Cf. 'Ali Akbar al-Ghaffari's introduction to his eight volume edition of al-Kulaini's al-Kafi Teheran, 3rd edition 1388-), I, 9-13 Ibid. I 13-14 Ibid. I 14 Ibid. I 23-24 citing page 8 of al-Kulaini's text. This work has been edited in two volumes by Jalal al-Din al-Husaini and published in Teheran, 1370 A.H. On the Usul, see Agha Buzurg al-Tihrani al-Dhari'a ila tasanif al-Shi'a (Najaf and Teheran, 1963-), II, 125-129. Hashim Ma'ruf al-Hasani Dirasat fi '1-Kafi wa'-l-Sahih (Sur 1968) 137-8 Based on a count of the various categories of Traditions given by Agha Buzurg al-Tihrani op.cit. XVII 245. This number is given by Ali Akbar al-Ghaffar'i in his introduction to al-Kafi, I, 28 footnote 3 Agha Buzurg al-Tihrani, op.cit., XVII, 245. F. Sezgin, Geshichte des arabischen Schrifttums (Leiden 1967-), I, 541-2. SOURCE: THE INTERNET at: http://www.al-islam.org/al-serat/kulayni-howard.htm
CLICK ALSO HERE FOR AL KAFI ONLINE TOO: Kitab Al-Kafi Translated By Muhammad Sarwar. IS AL-KAFI SAHI? An essay on the worth of the claim regarding the authority/authenticity of the traditions contained within the book al-Kafi by al-shaykh al-Kulayni by HI Shaykh Arif Abdulhussain. As such the discussion is not restricted to al-Kafi but extends itself to the Four Books of Shi'te tradition. Here we will look at the claim and its worth generally in relation to all the four books and conclude by making observations in particular with al-Kafi. The point of debate being the claim made chiefly by the traditionists (akhbariyun) in relation to the authenticity and validity of the traditions contained within the four books of tradition and their issuance from the Imams (as) and hence the needlessness of scrutinising the worth of the traditions through subjecting every link of the chain of the reporters to in depth biographical studies (rijali). This entailing a criticism of the futility of the quadruple categorisation of the solitary narration by Allamah al-Hilli1 into authentic (sahih), trustworthy (muwathaq), meritorious (hasan) and weak (da'if), by the reasoning that the shiite traditions are derived from these four books whose compilers in turn derive them from the authentic traditions recorded by the companions of the Imams popularly known as usul arba'ah miah (the four hundred principles). The four books being- 1. Al-Kafi by Abu Jafar Muhammad b Yaqub al-Kulayni al-Razi (d.328/29 h) 2. Man La Yahduruhu al-Faqih by Abu Jafar Muhammad b 'Ali b al-Husayn b Musa b Babaway al-Qummi (d.381 h) 3. Tahdhib al-Ahkam and al-Istibsar by Abu Ja'far Muhammad b al-Hasan al-Tusi (d.460 h) According to Dr. Hadi Fadli in his book titled ulum al-Hadith the controversy began from the assertions of Mirza Muhammad Amin al-Asterabadi,2 a traditionist who in his work al-Fawaid al-Madaniyah maintains that the traditions contained within the four books should be deemed as authentic and the existence of permissibility of adhering to them due to the fact that the traditions are continuous (mutawatir) in their transmission from the authors to their compilers. He goes on to mention twelve reasons in support of his claim. Astarabadis views were supported by a group of scholars most of them traditionists like himself but in particular he was supported by Hur al-Amili3 the author of wasail al-Shi'ah who has stated twenty-two reason in support of the claim. The most substantial of the reasons according to the scholars extended by the above two being- a. The claims of the compliers as to the authenticity of the traditions contained within their works b. The strictness observed by the earlier scholars in ensuring the authenticity of what they transmitted and recorded through various means and methods. As for the second point (b) we find great evidence in support of it. It was standard practise among the companions of the Imams to exert themselves in the prope retention and recording of the traditions until the time of the three Muhammads4 who in turn compiled them in their four books. Such care and emphasis normally results in the attainment of surety as to the authenticity of the claim that the traditions are from the Imams.5 As an example we see in the case of the book al-Taklif written by Abu Jafar Muhammad b Ali al-Shalamghani 6 being sought for and checked by al-Shaykh Abu al-Qasim al-Husayn b Ruh al-Nawbakhti, the third ambassador of the 12th Imam during the minor occultation. After checking the book (every tradition is reported from the Imams (as) except for two or three which are falsely attributed to them).7 Again in the case of al-Shaykh Abu al-Qasim al-Husayn b Ruh al-Nawbakhti who himself sent his book al-Ta'dib to the scholars of Qum for their opinion regarding the validity of its contents. They verified the book apart from the instance of the zakat al-fitr where he states that it is half sa whereas the scholars were of the opinion that it is a whole sa .8 Also the book Yawm Wa Laylah of Yunus b Abd Rahman which he gave to the 11th Imam al-Hasan al-Askari to verify. The Imam after reading the book said, (Allah will give him light in place of every word [he has written] on the day of Resurrection).9 With this standard it would seem unlikely that the three Muhammads would not have taken due care in having the contents of their compilations verified or having knowledge of the verification of the traditions from those they reported from especially Shaykh al-Kulayni who lived during the period of the minor occultation. However such a presumption at the most according to Baqir Irawani in his book durus tamhidiyyah fi al-qawid al-rijaliyyah yields knowledge or satisfaction regarding most of the contents of the books not all of them especially when the compilers themselves show their uncertainty about the authenticity of various traditions. He supports this claim by citing certain instances where some of the compilers themselves have stated the unknown nature of a reporter and the weakness of the links contained within some of the chains as done by al-Shaykh al-Tusi in his work al-Istibsar regarding tradition 230 and 231. Again the statement of al-Shaykh al-Saduq10 regarding a tradition in the chapter of a guardian preventing an inheritor [from inheriting] recorded by Shaykh al-Kulayni saying (I have not found this tradition except in the book of Muhammad b Yaqub and I have not reported it except from his path). Had al-Saduq been of the opinion that whatever is recorded by al-Kulayni is authentic then would remain no need for him to trace the path of tradition through other chains. Also the scrutinising of Shaykh al-Mufid of the chain of reporters concerning the tradition of the month of Ramadan never being less than thirty days contained in al-Kafi and ManLla Yahduruhu al-Faqih is indicative of his uncertainty as regards the traditions contained in those books. All of these examples clearly show the uncertainty of the scholars regarding some of the traditions within these books. As for the claim made by al-Asterabadi and Sayyid Bahr al-Ulum that the tradition contained within the four books of the three Muhammads from the usul arba'ah mi'ah are continuous in relation to the chain between them and the four books just as there is continuity as regards the four books from the time of their compilation to the present day, Irawani in the same work makes an observation that continuity of the books to their authors does not necessitate the continuity of their contents. There exists a possibility of introduction or omission of matter not contained within the original works and the possibility of error especially when the books are reproduced and copied by hand as was the case. With this in mind it would seem prudent to adhere to the precepts of caution in relation to discerning the worth of the reporters of the traditions contained within these books. In respect of the first point (a) that the compilers themselves have asserted that whatever they have recorded in their works is authentic, the argument is that they were without a shred of doubt just people of the highest rank and in accordance with the implication of the verse of surah al-hujurat and numerous traditions their word should be taken as the truth even though there may exist a slight possibility of error. Thus by this reasoning there should remain no need to verify the worth of any of the traditions contained within the four books even when, according to some, there exists no valid chain between the three Muhammads and the usul arba'ah mi'ah as is the case with some of the Masha'ikh of the compilers of the four books.11 It can be said of this claim as stated by al-Sayyid Muhammad Tabatabai 12 in Mafatih al-Usul that,(the testimony of al-Kulayni as to the authentic nature of what he has recorded in al-Kafi, just as there exists a possibility that he has stated this through his knowledge and certainty of the issuance of the traditions from the Imams, in which case it would be permissible to adhere to them based on the authority of the report of a just person, there also exists a possibility that his statement is an expression of his personal conviction based on his ability as an expert of the traditions to discern the authentic from the non-authentic. In this case it would not be proper to adhere to those traditions without scrutiny, since the methodology adopted by al-Kulayni in discerning the traditions may not be valid as far as we are concerned and so will not be a proof on his likes (i.e. other researchers) as is apparent from the actions of other scholars [by scrutinising of the traditions contained in the four books]. And since there is no preference for the first possibility it becomes necessary to discern the worth of the traditions [independently]). Although both of the points are strong in establishing the worth of the traditions contained within the four books yet there is enough criticism of both the points to cause sufficient doubt in relation to at least some of the traditions and since these few traditions are not specified, caution will have to be observed in regards to all of them. Another discussion is of the meaning of the word authentic tradition (sahih). The term has been subject to development from the time of the four books to the time of 'Allamah al-Hilli. Thus it can be said that whatever al-Kulayni considered as authentic may not be authentic by modern standards. However this argument can easily be defeated by the fact that whatever al-Kulayni let us say understood as authentic is permissible to adhere to by the reasoning that it was endorsed in the era of legislation and was commonly acknowledge as valid in the era of the minor occultation irrespective as to how it may be categorised by modern terminology. This is unless it can be proven that the likes of al-Kulayni and those that came after him introduced the term authentic in a particular meaning which did not exist prior to them nor did they receive the seal of approval either directly from the Imam or through his specific ambassadors during the minor occultation or by other means of ascertaining the approval or endorsement of the Imam (as). This presumption that al-Kulaynis understanding of the term authentic has received approval from the Imam directly or indirectly would then undermine the claim as stated by al-Shaykh al-Turayhi in Jami al-Maqal that the later division of the tradition was, in accordance, with the later scholars due to the fact that many of the Usul Arbaah Mi'ah were destroyed by the instructions of the various prevailing despotic regimes, fear of persecution and the difficulties entailed in reproduction. This together with the confusion regarding the frequently transmitted laws within the Usul from those not transmitted so frequently and the ignorance in relation to the factors that lead the earlier scholars to authenticate certain traditions. All of this impelled the later scholars (such as Allamah) to develop a more elaborate system of discerning the authentic and authoritative traditions from the weak and untrustworthy and hence postulated a new terminology for the traditions and categorised them in accordance with it. So there seems to remain no need, for general use, of further investigation into what al-Kulayni has stated as being authentic. ENDNOTES 1 Born in 648 ah and died in 726 ah approximately 400 years after al-Kulayni 2 He is the most renowned and the foremost of the traditionists to mount criticism upon the legists. He died in Mecca in the year 1030/1033 ah 3 Died in 1330 ah 4 The three compliers of the four books under question 5 Durus Tamhidiyah Fi al-Qawaid al-Rijaliyah by Baqir Irawani 6 He was killed in the year 322 ah. Was a twelver in faith then due to his envy of al-Shaykh Abu al-Qasim al-Husayn b Ruh al-Nawbakhti, the third ambassador of the 12th Imam moved away from the Imamate school of thought (al-Dhariah) 7 Al-DhariahIila Tasanif al-Shi'ah vol.4 by Aqa Buzurgh al-Tahrani. 8 As above vol.3 also al-sa is equivalent to three kilograms 9 Mujam al-Rijal under no. 13834 of al-Sayyid al-KhuI 10 Abu Jafar Muhammad b Ali b al-Husayn b Musa b Babaway al-Qummi (one of the three compilers) 11 Durus Tamhidiyyah of Baqir Irawani p.226 12 He died in 1242 ah. Al-Dhariyyah Shaykh Arif will, inshallah, continue his introduction to the validity of Furu al-Kafi and the early Shia collections of ahadith in the following issues of the Journal.-Ed.
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