Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Chapter 4: Establishment of Muslim Military Forces

Formation of the Islamic Army

During his stay in Mecca and propagation of Islam, the Holy Prophet acted only as a Divinely commissioned leader. His activities were restricted to guiding people and struggling against the idolaters. However, after he settled in Yathrib, his function included both religious and political leadership, because the social conditions had drastically changed in Medina and the Holy Prophet was taking great steps in founding a new society based on Islamic instructions. For this reason, he could clearly envisage the probable hardships and obstacles. As a farsighted political figure, he was constantly searching for proper political solutions. His convention of a brotherly treaty between two groups of Muslims; the initiation and completion of a general treaty; and the convening of a nonaggression pact with the Jews - all these were within his precautionary activities.

The Qur'anic texts carrying political and social orders that were revealed in Medina were all appropriate guidelines for the Holy Prophet's proceedings. Then, he was ordered to prepare for war and defense.83 Consequently, he decided to form a defense force. The establishment of such a force was significant because the Meccan unbelievers, who could no longer torture Muslims after the Holy Prophet's Hegira, might probably plot a military strike at the very center of Islam (i.e. Medina).

For this reason, the Holy Prophet planned initial stages for the formation of an Islamic army so as to encounter any such probabilities. This army was initially very limited in human sources and military equipment. However, within a short time, it developed in both aspects. At the beginning of this army’s formation, garrisons dispatched for military operations or surveillance did not exceed sixty; and this number did not exceed two hundred at most.84 In the second year and the Battle of Badr, the number was a little more than three hundred. However, in the eighth year and during the Meccan siege, the number of the Islam's soldiers was nearly ten thousand well-equipped soldiers.

Thus, the trend of events showed that the Holy Prophet's predictions came true. Beginning with the second year, there were numerous conflicts and confrontations between the believers and the unbelievers. If Muslims had lacked the required military forces, they would have been completely wiped out by their enemies.85

Military Maneuvers

With the small number of the armed forces which the Holy Prophet had at his disposal, he prepared for a series of military operations which could not be considered full-fledged wars. In none of these maneuvers did any military confrontation occur. Examples of such expeditions were the following:

The 30-man strong expedition called Hamzah ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib in the eighth month of Hegira chased the caravan of Quraysh on their return to Mecca.

The 60-man strong expedition called ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Harith in the eighth month of Hegira prosecuted Abu-Sufyan.

The 20-man strong expedition called Sa’d Ibn Abi-Waqqaz in the ninth month of Hegira prosecuted the caravan of Quraysh but did not reach it.86 In the eleventh month of Hegira, the Holy Prophet, accompanied by a group of Muslims, chased the caravan of Quraysh up to the land of Abwa but no confrontation took place. During this expedition, he convened a treaty with the tribe of Banu-®amrah according to which they promised to remain impartial and not to cooperate with the enemies of Islam. In Rabi’ al-Awwal (the twelfth month), the Holy Prophet chased Kurz ibn Jabir al-Fahri, who had plundered a Medinan flock, up to the land of Badr but missed him. In the month of Jumada al-Akhir, the Holy Prophet, accompanied by one hundred and fifty (or two hundred) troops, chased the trade caravan of Quraysh, headed by Abu-Sufyan on his journey to Damascus, but this time, he could not reach the caravan. However, during this time, he convened a treaty with the tribe Banu-Mudlij and returned to Medina.87 These kinds of small military operations could be called military maneuvers and strength show, but not real wars.

The Prophet's Objectives of Military Maneuvers

According to several documents and pieces of evidence, the Holy Prophet's purpose behind these wars was neither plundering the enemies nor creating wars and conflicts, because, as we have already seen, the number of the Islamic troops was small if compared with the enemies. In some of these wars, Ansar took part although they had promised, in the course of the treaty of the second ‘Aqabah, to protect the Holy Prophet at Medina and not to be involved in wars outside it.

Furthermore, the citizens of Medina were farmers and gardeners; they were not in the habit of plundering as the nomad tribes were. The conflicts between Aws and Khazraj were local conflicts and it was the Jews who ignited the fire of difference between these two tribes. They had never plundered any tribe. Furthermore, when confronted by enemies, Muslims never showed any inclination to war. Hamzah, for example, avoided engaging himself in war when an impartial person acted as an intermediary to stop it.88 Considering all these factors, the Holy Prophet carried out all those military maneuvers for specific objectives. The following were among his aims:

(1) The Holy Prophet aimed at threatening the trade route from Quraysh to Damascus. The Meccan trade caravans used to move between Medina and the shores of the Red Sea as they could not go more than 130 kilometers away from the city.89 Through his maneuvers, the Holy Prophet wished to let Quraysh know that if they wanted to hinder the Muslims' free actions in Medina, their trade routes would be endangered and their goods could be confiscated by Muslims.90 This threat was definitely a warning for the Meccan unbelievers for whom trade was of vital significance. This treaty forced them to review their strategies against Muslims.

No doubt, Muslims were right in confiscating the Meccan goods and properties since they had forced Muhajirun out of their homes in Mecca and had confiscated their belongings.91 It should be noted that the conflicts were not personal anymore; rather, these conflicts had turned into conflicts between two powers each of which did its best to weaken the other. Later on, this threat became real and Quraysh, having been worried about the cutting off of the trade route to Damascus, tried to find another route.

From Muslims' point of view, the economic damage to the enemy and the creation of worry and anxiety to them seemed more significant than the booties they could collect. This could be seen in Muslims' not receiving any wealth from the unbelievers at the expeditions of ‘Abdullah Ibn Jahsh and Badr.

(2) These maneuvers were a show of Muslims' military force and a warning to the Meccan unbelievers not to think of military expeditions against them. It was also aimed at showing the unbelievers that Muslims were strong enough to defend themselves. While the Holy Prophet was in Mecca and the number of Muslims was small, chiefs of Quraysh could easily envisage their economic fall. Now that the city of Medina had turned into a stronghold for Islam, how could the money- minded Meccan people ever feel safe? For this reason, Muslims had to be prompt so that they could discourage the unbelievers from planning anything hostile against this city.

(3) Most probably, these military actions were meant to warn the Jews of Medina as well, who had revealed their enmity, so that they might stop their conspiracies and military operations.92

The Expedition of ‘Abdullah Ibn Jahsh

In the month of Rajab of the second year, the Holy Prophet sent ‘Abdullah Ibn Jahsh and eight others on a reconnaissance mission. The Holy Prophet gave him a sealed letter and asked him to open it after two days of walking and do as he is directed to do and not to force any one of his followers to follow him. Having walked for two days, he opened the letter in which the following was written: “If you read my letter, continue with your journey and stand on the land of Nakhlah between Mecca and Ta’if. There, waylay the movements of Quraysh and inform us of the result.”

‘Abdullah told his followers that he would follow the orders. He also told them that if they were ready to be martyred, they could stay lest they were free to leave him. All of them showed readiness. They therefore stayed at Nakhlah. There was a Quraysh caravan, headed by ‘Amr al-Hadhrami, returning to Mecca from Ta’if. ‘Abdullah and his followers wished to attack the caravan but it was the last day of Rajab. They told each other that if Quraysh entered Mecca, they could not attack them; and if they attacked them there, they would disobey and violate the prohibition of war during the sacred months.

Finally, they attacked the caravan, killing ‘Amr and taking two prisoners. Then, they returned to Medina with the booties and the prisoners. However, the Holy Prophet was angry with them for their act. He even refused to receive the prisoners or the booties, saying, “I had already warned you not to fight during the sacred months.”

This event had drastic consequences; Muslims did not appreciate this bloodshed during the sacred months and reprimanded ‘Abdullah for his action. On the other hand, Quraysh used this event as a pretext to defame the Holy Prophet by accusing him of involvement in bloodshed during the sacred months. The Jews, too, started poisoning the environment by saying that Muslims were losers. At this time, the angel of revelation appeared to the Holy Prophet, conveying the following:

They ask you concerning the sacred month about fighting in it. Say: Fighting in it is a grave matter, and hindering men from Allah's way and denying Him, and hindering men from the sacred mosque and turning its people out of it are still graver with Allah, and persecution is graver than slaughter; and they will not cease fighting with you until they turn you back from your religion, if they can. (2:217)

With the revelation of these holy verses, which implicitly exonerated ‘Abdullah, Quraysh was introduced as the agent of sedition and trouble and their sins were considered greater than the involvement in war and bloodshed during the sacred months. Upon the Quraysh representatives’ request, the Holy Prophet released the prisoners one of whom became Muslim.93

The Battle of Badr

This event, which took place following the Prophet’s military maneuvers and the threat against the Quraysh trade route, was the first complete war between Muslims and the unbelievers. As we have seen, in the month of Jumada al-Akhir, the Holy Prophet chased Quraysh’s caravan - headed by Abu-Sufyan - which was heading towards Damascus up to the land of Dhat al-’Ushayrah but he could not catch them. By sending spies to the district of Damascus, he knew about the caravan's return.94 From an economic point of view, this is said to be one thousand and the worth of the merchandise is estimated as high as fifty-thousand Dinars. All Quraysh people had their shares in this investment.95

The natural route of the caravan crossed the district of Badr.96 In order to confiscate the goods,97 the Holy Prophet had three hundred and thirteen troops.98 With the minimum amount of ammunition,99 he headed for Badr. On his way back from Damascus, Abu-Sufyan became aware of the Holy Prophet's decision and sent a messenger to Mecca asking for help.100 He changed his direction to the shores of the Red Sea and speedily got the caravan out of the danger zone.101 Upon Abu-Sufyan's call, nine hundred and fifty soldiers102 left Mecca towards Medina to help the caravan. Abu-Sufyan's obstinacy led his troops to the battle. While Muslims were looking for the signs of the Quraysh caravan, the Holy Prophet became aware of the caravan's arrival at Badr. They had to decide on the spot. This decision was hard to make because Muslims had time to confiscate the caravan, not to be involved in a war the troops of which were three times more numerous than theirs. If they decided to go back, they would lose the effects of their military maneuvers and the enemy would chase them and attack Medina. So, a military council was held in which the Holy Prophet sought consult of Muslims in general and Ansar in particular. Miqdad's zealous speech and Sa’d ibn ‘Abadah’s enthusiastic encouragements brought forth the decision to fight.103

The war started on the seventeenth of Ramadhan.104 At first, Hamzah, ‘Ubaydah and ‘Ali killed Shaybah, ‘Utbah and Walid Ibn ‘Utbah.105 This was a hard blow over the chiefs of Quraysh.106 Then, war broke out. The troops of Islam overcame and by noon, the battle ended with the defeat and retreat of the enemy troops. Out of the unbelievers’ troops, seventy were killed107 and another seventy were taken as prisoners.108 From the Muslim troops, only fourteen were martyred.109

Then, with the permission of the Holy Prophet, the prisoners were freed upon the payment of ransoms. Prisoners who were moneyless but literate were forced to teach ten Muslim individuals reading and writing to earn their freedom.110 Later, the rest of the prisoners were freed thanks to the Holy Prophet's generosity.111

Factors of Victory

The Muslims' unprecedented victory broke the Quraysh’s dignity in their first military confrontation. They were completely overwhelmed and taken by surprise. The defeat of Quraysh’s troops was so sudden that when the Holy Prophet's envoy entered Medina to announce victory, Muslims could not believe what they heard and assumed that the envoy was a defeated soldier who had fled the battlefield.112 However, it was not long before the prisoners of war were taken into the city. The aftermath of this victory reached even the king of Abyssinia, al-Najashi, who became extremely delighted; therefore, he summoned the Muslim migrants to tell them the good news.113 The Holy Prophet said:

The Battle of Badr was the first encounter in which God endeared Islam and humiliated the unbelievers.114

On the day of the Battle of Badr, Satan was extremely humiliated.115

The factors which contributed to this outstanding victory could be summed up as follows:

(1) This battle was excellently managed by the Holy Prophet who showed unmatched bravery.116 Remembering this war, Imam ‘Ali said,

When the fire of war was kindled, we would resort to the Holy Prophet; and in those moments, he was the closest to the enemy.117

(2) Imam ‘Ali showed outstanding bravery, killing half of the slain ones.118 Naming thirty-five of the dead ones in Badr, Shaykh al-Mufid writes down:

Narrators unanimously agree that ‘Ali ibn Abi-Talib killed this group except for those whose slayers are not pinpointed.119

(3) In spite of the fact that some Muslims, while leaving Medina, showed reluctance to take part in the war (Qur'an, 8:5-6) and some leading personalities of Muhajirun surfaced their fear and worry at the military councils,120 uttering despairing words, the majority of Muslim warriors showed great strength in their souls and fought bravely.

(4) Divine contributions (Qur’an 3:123) took place in different ways:

a) Raining at the night before the battle helped Muslims in water-supply and hardened the ground on which they could easily move. (Qur’an 3:123)

b) At that night, Muslims could sleep with tranquility (Qur’an 8:11);121 the Holy Prophet alone was wakeful until morning, praying for victory.122

c) Angels participated in that battle. (Qur’an 8:9)123

d) The hearts of the unbelievers were filled with fear. (Qur’an 8:12)

Results of Muslims' Victory

The victory of the Islamic troops has certain consequences some of which will be dealt with hereinafter:

(1) God has previously promised Muslims victory over the Meccan troops (Qur’an 8:7) and the Holy Prophet informed them about this promise at the end of their military discussions.124 With this victory, Muslims relied more on God's assistance and became stronger in their faith.

(2) Both the hypocrites and the Jews of Medina became upset and humiliated by this victory. When the Holy Prophet's envoy reached Medina to announce the Muslims' victory, the Hypocrites spread the rumor that Muhammad was killed and Muslims were defeated and spread apart.125

The Jews surfaced their hatred.126 Ka’b al-Ashraf, one of the leaders of Jews, said,

“Those who are said to be killed were among the noblemen. If this news is correct, then to die is preferred to living on the earth.127

(3) The tribes living around Medina reckoned this victory as a sign of the truthfulness of Islam and showed inclinations to it. Ya’qubi writes:

“After God granted His Prophet victory in the Battle of Badr and killed many of troops of Quraysh, the Arab tribes showed inclinations to Islam and sent their representatives to the Holy Prophet. Four or five months after the Battle of Badr, the tribe of Rabi’ah, at the district of Dhiqar, fought with Khosrow. They told one another that they should raise the slogan of tihami (Muhammad) in the battlefield. Then, they would utter, O Muhammad, Oh Muhammad. Following this, they won over their enemies.”128

(4) Quraysh realized they had made mistakes in estimating Muhammad's power; they had never imagined that they could be beaten so easily by a group of escapees and farmers! They thus concluded that their trade was endangered and that they could never rely on the Mecca-Damascus trade route which crossed Badr. In a gathering, Safwan ibn Umayyah said:

“Muhammad and his followers have endangered our trade. We do not know what to do with them. They would not abandon the shores as long as the shore-dwellers have united with them. We do not know where to go. Our life subsistence in this city is provided by our summer trip to Damascus and winter trip to Abyssinia. If we are stuck in this city, we have to consume our capital and lose our income and wealth.”

Quraysh, then, decided to make their trade trip to Damascus via Iraq. Safwan headed a caravan towards Damascus through Iraq. His share of the merchandize was three hundred thousand Dinars. When the Holy Prophet knew about this, he sent a one-hundred strong troop under the leadership of Zayd ibn Harithah to confiscate the goods. That was in Jumada al-Akhir, the third year of Hegira. The caravan men fled and the goods were confiscated by the Muslim troops. Moreover, one or two prisoners were taken to Medina.129 This mission is referred to, in books of history,130 as Sariyyat al-Qaradah.131

Breach of Banu-Qaynuqa’ Treaty

Banu-Qaynuqa’ was the first Jewish tribe that violated the nonaggression pact. This was because Muslims' victory was bitter for both the Jews and the infidels. After the Battle of Badr and the victory of Muslims, both the Jews and the hypocrites became so furious. The first group that started incurring animosity of Islam was Banu-Qaynuqa’ although the Holy Prophet had warned them against so and advised them to learn a lesson from the defeat of Quraysh and to be Muslims. He told them they had learned about his traits in their Book.132

Their reply was, “Your victory over Quraysh has made you proud. Quraysh were a trade group. If you ever fight us, you will know how real warriors look like!”

Stricken by false pride, they did not take the Holy Prophet's warnings seriously; rather, they continued in aggression. Once, one of these Jews insulted the wife of one of Ansar in the mart of this tribe outside Medina, creating turmoil. The woman called for help and a Muslim killed that intruder. Then, the Jews collectively killed that Muslim. Although two persons were killed, they could have stopped the situation at this point. However, they returned to their castles and readied themselves to attack. The Holy Prophet ordered their castle to be besieged. After fifteen days of siege, the Holy Prophet accepted the intermediation of ‘Abdullah Ibn Ubayy, who had been already an ally of them, and permitted them to leave Medina after submitting their weapons. They migrated to a place called Adhru’at, in Damascus. This event occurred in the month of Shawwal of the second year of Hegira.133

Having been the bravest Jews,134 Banu-Qaynuqa’ used to take pride in their power. They relied on their allies from Khazraj and Banu-’Awf.135 However, Khazraj could not save them from banishment.136 ‘Abadah ibn Samit al-’Awfi gave them up.137 The two Jewish tribes of Banu’l-Nadhir and Banu-Quray¨ah, who were the previous allies of Aws, could not help them either. Sa’d ibn Mu’adh, the chief of Aws, did not have any role in preventing their interferences in this crisis. Thus, the banishment of this tribe from Medina benefited Muslims in the sense that the power of these three tribes was disintegrated. It was also a warning to the other Jews of Medina not to commit the same mistake.

The Marriage of Imam ‘Ali and Lady Fatimah

Upon the victory in the Battle of Badr that added to the Muslim’s dignity, another auspicious event took place; it was the marriage of Imam ‘Ali and Fatimah that was held at the Holy Prophet’s house.138 Due to her father’s special charisma and high social status in addition to her own supreme personality, Lady Fatimah had numerous suitors some of whom were wealthy. However, the Holy Prophet would not consent139 saying, “I am waiting for the Divine decision.”140 Then, they provoked ‘Ali who was extremely poor to ask her father to marry her to him. Imam ‘Ali did. Upon consulting with Fatimah, the Holy Prophet informed Imam ‘Ali of her consent.141 He said to his daughter,

“I consent to your marriage with a man who is most advanced in moral aspects and adoption of Islam.”142

Then the Holy Prophet said to Imam ‘Ali,

“There are several men of Quraysh who were offended because I could not agree with any one of them to marry Fatimah, telling them that I was awaiting a Divine decision, because I was certain that nobody deserved being Fatimah’s spouse other than ‘Ali.”143

This marriage, which took place in the simplest ceremony and with the least amount of dowry144 and trousseau,145 is one the most obvious manifestations of the spiritual value of the bond of marriage in Islam.

The Battle of Uhud

After the Battle of Badr, Quraysh who had earned a great income through the safe return of their trade caravan prepared themselves to avenge their defeat.146 Having been ensured the cooperation of some tribes, Quraysh left Mecca with ample supplies147 taking a group of women to encourage the soldiers in the battlefield.148 The Holy Prophet, through secret information received from his uncle ‘Abbas at Mecca knew about their plan.149 He discussed the matter with his military consultants as how to confront the enemy. ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy and some merchants from Ansar, as well as some individuals from Muhajirun such as Hamzah, preferred that the confrontation would take place outside the city borders because they believed that if Muslims remained in town, the enemy would become more daring and would consider it weak point.150

Ultimately, the Holy Prophet accepted the proposal of this brave group of consultants and left the town for Mount Uhud151 with a thousand troops.152 On the way, ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy returned with his troops of three hundred to Medina defying the Holy Prophet’s plan, because he had accepted the plans of the younger consultants153 and he assumed that no war would take place (Qur’an 3:167).154 The Holy Prophet stationed the troop which had decreased to the number of seven hundred at the outskirts of Mount Uhud, which became behind the Muslims while Mount ‘Aynayn was on the left side.155 Muslim troops faced the west and the enemy faced the east.156

Looking at the battlefield militarily, the Holy Prophet noticed the significance of Mount ‘Aynayn since the enemy might invade the Muslims while the fight was going on; therefore, he appointed an officer called ‘Abdullah ibn Jubayr to defend that location with fifty archers, declaring, “Whether we win or lose, you must stay here to defend us against the enemy’s attack.”157

Abu-Sufyan, too, engaged himself in the adoption of standard-bearers. In those days, the role of standard-bearers was of crucial importance; only the brave ones could carry the standard. The strength and stamina of a standard-bearer was a source of encouragement for the troops. On the other hand, his fall would lead to the soldier’s discouragement. Having selected the standard-bearer from among the tribe of Banu-’Abd al-Dar who were famous for their courage, Abu-Sufyan told them, “we all are sure that you, Banu-’Abd al-Dar are the worthiest of carrying the standards. Keep hold of the standards and make us feel secure in that issue; a troop falls as soon as its standards fall.”158

Muslims’ victory at the initial stage to the battle

The war flared up on the fifteenth of Shawwal, the third year of Hegira.159 In a short time, Muslims were victorious and the enemy troops absconded. Their defeat was not due to the great number of casualties, which, according to the most reliable sources, did not exceed fifty;160 rather, it was the fall of nine standard-bearers who had been destroyed by Imam ‘Ali,161 causing damage to their spirituality.162

On various occasions after the Battle of Uhud, Imam ‘Ali used to put stress on this event. In the six-member council which was held after the assassination of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab to elect the next caliph, Imam ‘Ali referred to this event as a point of honor and the members of that committee could not deny.163

Upon the destruction of the standard-bearers of Quraysh, there was confusion among the enemy’s troops who chose to take flight. Upon their retreat, Muslims started collecting the booty. Most of the archers left their strongholds, assuming that the battle was over. Thus, they did not listen to the warnings of ‘Abdullah ibn Jubayr concerning the Holy Prophet’s orders. (Qur'an, 3:152)

The Enemy’s Victory

The archers’ mistake and miscalculation had a tremendous effect on the battle, because Khalid ibn al-Walid attacked that position with two hundred troops and killed ‘Abdullah ibn Jubayr with ten others. He then attacked other Muslims from behind. On the other side, ‘Amrah bint ‘Alqamah, together with other women from Quraysh, took up the standards and waved them in the air;164 so, the battle started over again.165 Muslims suffered a great blow this time because there was no coordination between the troops and their commanders. There were secondary factors which contributed to this defeat:

(1) A rumor had it that the Holy Prophet was killed.166

(2) In those days, the two parties of the military conflict did not have a uniform distinguishing them from the other party. At the battlefield, they were recognized only through slogans. The Muslim troops did not recognize one another; they therefore started drawing swords against one another.167 For instance, Husayl ibn Jabir, a Muslim warrior, was killed by his party.168 However, as soon as Muslims became aware of the situation and started uttering slogans, the conditions changed drastically.169

(3) Another factor was the direction of the wind which was blowing from the west, making it hard for Muslims to carry on with the war.170

At any rate, much confusion occurred to the Muslim troops most of whom fled the battlefield or climbed the mountain, leaving the Holy Prophet in the battlefield defending Muslims and asking the escapees to stay firm.171

Imam ‘Ali and a few warriors resisted the enemies in the battlefield.172 He fought bravely next to the Holy Prophet, defending him several times.173

With his unique perseverance, a Divine call echoed in the sky of Uhud, “There is no sword beyond Dhu’l-Faqar (Imam ‘Ali’s sword) and there is no combatant save ‘Ali.”174

In order to weaken the morale of Muslims, Abu-Sufyan started psychological warfare by uttering the slogan, “Be proud Hubal! Be proud Hubal.” Answering him, the Holy Prophet ordered his men to cry out, “Allah is Greater and more Majestic.” Then Abu-Sufyan said, “We have ‘Uzza and you have none.” The Holy Prophet asked a Muslim to reply, “We have Allah as our Master; and you have none.”175

It is reported that in that battle, seventy Muslims, including Hamzah - the Holy Prophet’s uncle - and Muz’ab ibn ‘Umayr, were martyred.

Although Muslims were defeated176 and the troops of Quraysh were intact, the chiefs of Quraysh who were worried about its consequences177 preferred to leave Medina and go back to Mecca. They were merely happy that they had avenged their previous losses. All this happened with no damage done to either Medina or the Damascus trade route.

In order to demonstrate that Muslims were still firm and invincible, the Holy Prophet chased the enemy to the land of Hamra' al-Asad in order to prevent them from attacking Medina.178

Consequences of the defeat at Uhud

(1) Although Muslims were militarily defeated in this battle, they learned not to disregard the Holy Prophet’s orders. Such disobediences never happened in the following wars.

(2) The hypocrites started all sorts of conspiracies; they rejoiced on the Muslims’ defeat and blamed them.179

(3) The Jews, too, surfaced their hatred, saying, “No prophet has been defeated to this degree!”180

(4) The enemies of Islam around Medina were emboldened to initiate conspiracies. Banu-Asad, for instance, attempted to attack Medina. Other events the most famous of which were known as al-Raji’ and Bi’r Ma’unah took place as a result of the Muslims’ defeat at the Battle of Uhud.

(5) Upon the return of Muslims to Medina, the shadow of grief and despair prevailed over the city. Conspiracies of the hypocrites and the Jews worsened the situation. God removed these signs of despair and strengthened the Muslims’ morale through a revelation of some verses. According to Ibn Ishaq, sixty verses were revealed about the Battle of Uhud.181 God, in these verses, mentions the mysteries behind the Muslims’ failure and warns them not to despair even if they suffer a defeat. God the Almighty adds that the very reason for Muslims’ zeal was their seeking of worldly material. Muslims were victorious in the Battle of Badr, because they fought for the sake of God only. However, in the Battle of Uhud, they were after booties:

And Allah did certainly assist you at Badr when you were weak; be careful of your duty to Allah then, that you may give thanks. (Holy Qur’an 3:123)

And be not infirm, and be not grieving, and you shall have the upper hand if you are believers. (Holy Qur’an 3:134)

If a wound has afflicted you at Uhud, a wound like it has also afflicted the unbelieving people; and We bring these days to men by turns, and that Allah may know those who believe and take witness from among you; and Allah does not love the unjust. (Holy Qur’an 3:140)

Do you think that you will enter the garden while Allah has not yet known those who strive hard from among you, and He has not known the patient. (Holy Qur’an 3:142)

And certainly, you desired death before you met it; so indeed you may have seen it and looked at it. (Holy Qur’an 3:143)

And certainly Allah made good to you His promise, when you slew them by His permission, until when you became weak- hearted and disputed about the affair and disobeyed after He had shown you that which you loved; of you were some who desired this world and of you were some who desired the hereafter; then He turned you away from them that He might try you; and He has certainly pardoned you, and Allah is Gracious to the believers. (Holy Qur’an 3:152)

What! When a misfortune befell you, and you had certainly afflicted the unbelievers with twice as much, you began to say: Whence is this? Say: it is from yourselves; surely, Allah has power over all things. (Holy Qur’an 3:165)

The defeat and failure in the Battle of Uhud damaged the Muslims’ military credentials badly and caused the infidels and hypocrites to indulge in conspiracies against them. Choosing this very time to attack Muslims was due to Muslims’ weak points.182 Here are some examples of their conspiracies:

The Unsuccessful Attack of Banu-Asad

The Holy Prophet was informed of Banu-Asad’s intention to attack Medina. He dispatched Abu-Salamah with one hundred and fifty troops and ordered them to attack the enemy before they would have any chance. The troops arrived at the place of Banu-Asad with tremendous speed. The tribesmen became overwhelmed and fled the scene. Abu-Salamah returned to Medina with some prisoners and booties.183

This victory boosted the Muslims’ military credentials to some degree. The hypocrites, Jews and the tribes living around Medina realized that Muslims were not truly defeated.

The Event of Bi’r Ma’unah

This event was even more disastrous than the event of Raji’. It took place in Safar, the 4th year of Hegira. Abu-Bara', the chief of Banu-’Amir, came to see the Holy Prophet in Medina. Showing no inclination to Islam, he made the proposal that the Holy Prophet would send a group of his followers to Najd to invite people to Islam. The Holy Prophet replied, “I fear that the Najd people might hurt Muslims.” Abu-Bara' said, “I will protect them.” The Holy Prophet, then, dispatched seventy184 of the Qur'an instructors and true companions. Arriving at Bi’r Ma’unah, this group sent a letter to ‘Amir ibn Tufayl, who killed the messenger without even looking at the letter. Then, he asked Banu-’Amir to kill the Holy Prophet’s envoy. They refused to do so thanks to Abu-Bara’s promise of protection. ‘Amir ibn Tufayl, together with some branches of Banu-Sulaym, charged at the Holy Prophet’s envoy who, in return, had to defend themselves and all were martyred except for Ka’b ibn Zayd and ‘Amr ibn Umayyah al-®amari185 who had fallen captive to the enemy and then set free. On his return to Medina, he killed two members of Banu-’Amir, without knowing that they had been on a contract with the Holy Prophet.186

Campaign against Banu Nadhir

Following the murder of two members of Banu-’Amir,187 the Holy Prophet expressed his condolences and grief. He said, “I have to pay their blood-money.”188 Banu-’Amir sent a letter to the Holy Prophet demanding with blood-money.189 Because Banu-’Amir had a peace treaty with Banu’l-Nadhir, the Holy Prophet, along with some Ansar, went to their castle around Medina in order to ask for help in paying the blood-money. The chiefs of Banu’l-Nadhir superficially agreed to the Holy Prophet’s proposal but secretly had appointed a man to throw a stone on his head to kill him. Through Divine information, the Holy Prophet became aware of this conspiracy.190 He suddenly left for Medina, ordering them to leave it and allowing them to keep their own possessions. Being frightened, they intended to leave that place forever; but ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy seduced them to resist promising that he would assist them if a war broke out. He told them that if they were expelled from Medina, he would leave there.191

Some historical accounts report that prior to this event, Quraysh had provoked Banu’l-Nadhir to fight against Muslims.192 These provocations were influential in the outcomes of this event.

Having been misled by ‘Abdullah’s false promises, Banu’l-Nadhir preferred to stay. By the command of the Holy Prophet, the Muslim troops surrounded their castle for fifteen days during which there was no sign of supporting troops! Banu’l-Nadhir had to surrender and take their possessions on camels; some going to Damascus and others to Khaybar, including their chief Huyay ibn Akhtab. They were welcomed by the people of Khaybar who showed obedience to their chief.193

Since Banu’l-Nadhir surrendered with no fight, their possessions were at the disposal of the Holy Prophet. After obtaining the consent of Ansar, the Holy Prophet divided these possessions among the emigrants.194

God, in the Holy Qur'an, mentions the treason of Banu’l-Nadhir and their fate with the following words:

He it is Who caused those who disbelieved of the followers of the Book to go forth from their homes at the first banishment; you did not think that they would go forth, while they were certain that their fortresses would defend them against Allah; but Allah came to them when they did not expect, and cast terror into their own hands and the hands of the believers; therefore take a lesson, O you who have eyes.

And had it not been that Allah had decreed for them the exile, He would certainly have punished them in this world, and in the Hereafter, they shall have chastisement of the fire.

That is because they acted in opposition to Allah and His Apostle, and whoever acts in opposition to Allah, then surely, Allah is severe in requiting evil (Holy Qur’an 59: 2-4.)195

The Battle of the Ditch

This battle, which is also called al-khandaq (the ditch) or al-ahzab (the Allies), took place in Shawwal, the 5th year of Hegira196 when Huyay ibn Akhtab, some chiefs of Banu’l-Nadhir who had taken refuge in Khaybar and a group of Banu-Wa’il had visited Quraysh in Mecca and encouraged them to take part in a war against the Holy Prophet. They promised them of all sorts of assistance. Quraysh asked them, “Which one is better; our religion or Muhammad’s?” Although the Jews doctrinally believed in God and they should not have supported idolatry, they answered, “Your religion is better than Muhammad’s and you are closer to the reality.”

Having heard this, Quraysh were encouraged to fight the Holy Prophet. God condemns this hostile judgment of theirs in the following manner:

Have you not seen those to whom a portion of the book has been given? They believe in idols and false deities and say of those who disbelieve: They are better guided in the path than those who believe.

Those are they whom Allah curses you shall not find any helper for him. (4:51-52)

This hostile judgment of the Jewish leaders was so far away from logic and justice that some current Jews condemn it. In his book entitled The History of Judaism in the Land of Arabs, Dr. Israel Wolfinson, a Jewish historian, writes:

“They should not have committed such an obnoxious blunder; they should not have deemed the worshiping of idols superior to the Islamic monotheism even if they would fall out of Quraysh’s love and care. This is because the Israelites have been carrying the banner of monotheists among the idol-worshippers for centuries.197 ”

Next, the Jewish leaders resorted to the chiefs of the Ghatafan tribe asking for assistance in a war against Muslims.198 Out of this tribe, the branches Banu-Fazarah, Banu-Murrah and Banu-Ashja’ declared their cooperation.199 Then the agreement of Banu-Sulaym and Banu-Asad was obtained.200 Quraysh gained the support of their previous allies; Banu-Thaqif and Banu-Kinanah.201 As a result, a strong military force consisting of ten thousand troops202 and headed by Abu-Sufyan started moving towards Medina. On their way, Huyay ibn Akhtab pledged Abu-Sufyan the cooperation of Banu-Quray¨ah who had seventy-five warriors.203

Concerning the great capital which both Quraysh and the Jews had spent on the preparation for this war, they considered it epoch-making and were determined to annihilate Muslims forever.

Through the secret reports of Banu-Khuza’ah who were allies of Muslims, the Holy Prophet knew about the movement of the enemy troops.204 In a military session held by the Holy Prophet, nobody agreed to leave Medina; the vote was unanimous.205

There were palm-groves around the city and they hindered the enemy’s free access.206 Salman proposed that they would dig a ditch around the part of the city in which there were no natural obstructions so that the enemy could not pass.207 The ditch was dug in a short time due to the participation of all Muslims, including the Holy Prophet.208 He had women and children relocated to the castles and shelters inside the city.209 The Islamic forces, consisting of three thousand,210 stayed between the ditch and Mount Sala’, having it behind them.211

The commanders of the allies expected the war to take place outside Medina like the Battle of Uhud. However, this did not happen. Arriving at the city borders and noticing the ditch, they were bewildered, because the digging of the ditch was unprecedented among Arabs as a war technique.212 Thus, they had to surround the city behind the ditch.

The siege lasted for nearly twenty days and both parties started shooting at each other. The warriors of Quraysh started special military maneuvers to frighten the Muslim troops.213 Due to the enemy’s siege of the city, Muslims were caught in a severe plight, which is described by God in the following words:

[Those who believe remember the day] when they came upon you from above you and from below you, and when the eyes turned dull, and the hearts rose up to the throats, and you began to think diverse thoughts of Allah. There the believers were tried and they were shaken with severe shaking. (33:10-11)

The Treason of Banu-Quray¨ah

At this time, something else took place and jeopardized the Muslims’ status even more; Banu-Quray¨ah breached their nonaggression pact with Muslims. They did so on account of Huyay ibn Akhtab’s temptations.214 Moreover, they committed two other acts of treason: first, they brought ammunitions to the allies who were short in supplies. At Quba, Muslims waylaid a caravan, arranged by Banu-Quray¨ah, carrying dates and barely for the enemy and they confiscated it.215 Second, they spread terror in women’s’ shelters. As one of them entered the castle where women were sheltering, he was killed by Safiyyah, the Holy Prophet’s aunt.216 One night, Banu-Quray¨ah decided to attack the center of Medina. For this purpose, they sent Huyay ibn Akhtab to Mecca asking the chiefs of Quraysh for one thousand troops. They also asked Ghatafan the same. Reports of these movements and proceedings reached the Holy Prophet, who, as a result, appointed five hundred warriors to protect the city, which was panic-stricken. These warriors stayed overnight crying out ‘Allahu-Akbar (Allah is the Most Great) and protected the civil sections.217

Reasons of the failure of the Allies

In addition to the digging of the ditch, several factors contributed to the failure of the troops of the Allies:

(1) Disagreement between Banu-Quray¨ah and the Allies

Nu’aym ibn Mas’ud, a member of Ghatafan tribe, had recently accepted Islam. Having acquired permission of the Holy Prophet to use deceptive tactics against the enemy,218 he met with Banu-Quray¨ah and, pretending to be their friends, started reproaching them, saying, “Your position is different from Quraysh’s. If they lose the war, they will return home; but you have nowhere to go to if you lose. Muslims will then destroy you altogether.” He then suggested that they should take as hostages several chiefs of the Allies and keep them to the end of the war. He then revealed this military secret made by Banu-Quray¨ah to the chiefs of Quraysh and Ghatafan, saying, “Banu-Quray¨ah have decided to surrender to Muhammad and give him these chiefs as a sign of goodwill.” He then warned them not to accept such a proposal. This plan worked well; differences developed between these two groups and the Allies were destroyed from within.219

(2) The killing of ‘Amr ibn ‘Abd-Wudd

Quraysh had to bring the war to an end because they were pressure for three reasons:

First: Because the war took a longer period than expected, there was shortage in supplies.

Second: The weather became so cold that they could not bear staying inside tents.

Third: Dhu’l-Qa’dah, one of the sacred months in which fighting was forbidden, was approaching. If the war could not end in Shawwal, it would certainly be postponed for three months.220 Therefore, the Allies were determined to bring the war to an end at all costs. For this purpose, five of the bravest warriors jumped with their horses to the other side of the ditch221 and demanded equal opponents to fight. One of them was the famous Arab warrior, ‘Amr ibn ‘Abd-Wudd, who was famed as the hero of yalyal and the hero of Quraysh.222 Having crossed the ditch, ‘Amr shouted, “Is there any fighter to face me?”. None of the Muslim troops answered him.223 He repeated this call seven time and each time Imam ‘Ali would rise and ask the Holy Prophet to permit him to confront this warrior. Finally, permission was given to Imam ‘Ali. As he proceeded to confront ‘Amr, the Holy Prophet said,

“The entire Islam will face the entire unbelief.”224

In a great duel, Imam ‘Ali could kill ‘Amr. Seeing this, the other four warriors who had passed the ditch flew. One of them had fallen in the ditch with his horse before he was killed by Muslims.225

Seeing this great bravery of Imam ‘Ali, the Holy Prophet said,

“Your deed today is superior to all deeds of Muslims put together. As ‘Amr is killed, all houses of the enemies are miserable and all houses of Muslims feel dignity.”226

On the word of al-Hakim al-Naysaburi, a great Sunni traditionist, the Holy Prophet had declared:

“‘Ali’s fighting with ‘Amr at the ditch is more favorable than the good deeds of all Muslims up to the Resurrection Day.”227

With the killing of ‘Amr, the Allies lost their morale; signs of defeat appeared in their camp so evidently that each tribe decided to retreat.228

(3) Divine Assistance

The last blow to the enemy was done by God Who caused a terrible storm to dominant over them at night. The storm destroyed their tents completely. As a consequence, Abu-Sufyan ordered them to return to Mecca.229 Referring to this victory, God the Almighty states in the Holy Qur'an:

O you who believe; call to mind the favor of Allah to you when there came down upon you hosts; so, We sent against them a strong wind and hosts that you saw not, and Allah is Seeing what you do. (33:9)

And Allah tuned back the unbelievers in their rage; they did not obtain any advantage, and Allah sufficed the believers in fighting; and Allah is Strong, Mighty. (33:25)

Despite the enemy’s great expenditure on his war, the results of were bitter and disastrous because they could neither damage Medina nor free the Damascus trade route. In this way, Abu-Sufyan’s military credit was greatly damaged and the status of Quraysh was badly hurt. After this war, Muslims had more courage to attack their enemy. The Holy Prophet said, “From now on, we will attack and they will have no ability to attack us.”230 The martyrs in this war are reported to be six231 and the enemy casualties were three.232

The War of Banu-Quray¨ah

After the retreat of the Allies, the Holy Prophet was commissioned to go after Banu-Quray¨ah. In the evening of the next day, the Holy Prophet ordered his men to surround the stronghold of Banu-Quray¨ah whose members were shooting from this stronghold and insulting the Holy Prophet.

After a twenty-five day siege, Banu-Quray¨ah had to surrender. Aws who were in a military pact with Banu-Quray¨ah asked the Holy Prophet to treat their allies the same way as he had treated Banu-Qaynuqa’, the Allies of Khazaraj. The Holy Prophet said, “Let your leader, Sa’d ibn Mu’adh, be a judge in this issue.” The people of Aws and Banu-Quray¨ah accepted. Traditionally, Sa’d should have favored Banu-Quray¨ah. Uninfluenced by the recommendation of his tribe, Sa’d declared that he would not fear any criticism. When he obtained the permission of both sides, he issued that men of Banu-Quray¨ah should be killed, their women and children taken as captives and their possessions confiscated. This verdict was immediately put into action. Huyay ibn Akhtab, the chief of Banu’l-Nadhir who had encouraged Banu-Quray¨ah to breach their pact with Muslims, was also killed. In his last moments, he was severely reproached for his acts of treason. Instead of confessing his errors and feeling remorse, he deemed the unfortunate fate of Banu-Quray¨ah and him the result of God’s predeterminism. He addressed the Holy Prophet saying, “I do not regret my enmity to you; rather, one whom God decides to be miserable will be miserable forever.” He then turned to people and said, “We should surrender to God’s wishes; this defeat was imposed by God over the Israelites.233 ”

The Holy Prophet sent a group of captives to Najd in order to buy horses and ammunitions.234 Referring to their disastrous fate, the Holy Qur'an remarks:

And He drove down those of the followers of the Book who backed them from their fortresses and He cast awe into their hearts; some you killed and you took captive another part. And He made you heirs to their land and their dwellings and their property; and to a land which you have not yet trodden, and Allah has power over all things. (33: 26-27)

Analysis and Criticism

Although the details of this issue are ambiguous for historians, we will deal with two views hereinafter:

(1) Some European authors have criticized the treatment that Banu-Quray¨ah received as barbarous and inhumane.235 However, this criticism cannot be held considering the crimes they had committed, because they not only broke their contract with Muslims but also committed acts of treason inside Medina when they supplied the enemies with ammunition. We know that in warfare, these acts could not be pardonable.

The Holy Prophet could have punished them himself; but due to the request of the people of Aws, he accepted the judgment of Sa’d. This proposal was accepted by both Aws and Banu-Quray¨ah. So, there is no room left for criticism.

This question still holds: Who should be treated kindly; and where should affections be used? Should those who have bypassed human values and whose very nature is filled with hatred be eligible to receive mercy?236 Were the Jews of Banu’l-Nadhir, under the leadership of Huyay ibn Akhtab, not pardoned? However, they did not cease conspiring against Muslims and they practically waged a war against Muslims. How could Huyay ibn Akhtab and Ka’b ibn Asad convince others that they would neither resume their previous viciousness nor would they prepare forces to destroy Muslims? Was leniency appropriate in their case? During the siege of Medina, Abu-Sufyan wrote a threatening letter to the Holy Prophet, saying:

“I swear to Lat and ‘Uzza that I have come here with this army to fight you. We will not need any further fight; I am determined to destroy you this time. However, if we return to Mecca, we will make for you a day like the day of Uhud when women will not stop mourning.”237

If this had happened would Banu-Quray¨ah not have cooperated with the Allies?

Sa’d’s judgment was in accordance with the commands in the Torah - whose penal laws must have been known by him - that reads:

“When you approach a city to engage in fight, first propose peace. If they open the doors to you, all of them will fall slaves to you. If they refuse to have peace, then you must fight and kill their men, take their women and children as captives, and confiscate their property.”238

(2) A contemporary researcher has denied the punishment of Banu-Quray¨ah. Referring to some records, he has reckoned impossible such a severe punishment by the Holy Prophet.239 Although his statements could be used as a protection to defend the Muslim status vis-à-vis the European and Zionist propaganda, the reasons this writer has offered are not valid.240 In his reasoning, he has not paid attention to verse 26 of Surah al-Ahzab (No. 33) which refers to this issue. Furthermore, after the Battle of the Allies (Ahzab), there is no mention of Banu-Quray¨ah in historical records. If the issue of punishment had not existed, there should have been some mentions of their existence as such.

The War of Banu’l-Muztalaq

In Sha’ban241 of the sixth year of Hegira, the Holy Prophet was informed that Harith ibn Abi-®irar, the chief of Banu’l-Muztalaq - a branch of Banu-Khuza’ah - had mobilized some men together with some Arabs of that region to attack Medina. The Holy Prophet mobilized Muslim troops and went forward as far as Musayri’ Well242 in the coastal areas of the Red Sea. The war took place there. Banu’l-Muztalaq were easily defeated; many captives were taken and their property was confiscated.243

Juwayriyah, daughter of Harith, was among the captives. In order to free his daughter, Harith met the Holy Prophet in Medina. He embraced Islam when the Holy Prophet told him that he hid two camels which he had determined to offer to the Holy Prophet as her daughter’s ransom. The Holy Prophet first freed Juwayriyah and then married her.244

In honor of the Holy Prophet, Muslims made free the captives who had now become relatives by marriage of the Holy Prophet. For this reason, Juwayriyah is remembered as the Holy Prophet’s most blessed wife.245 This marriage could be regarded as an instance of the Holy Prophet’s marriages purposed for social consequences and personal considerations.

The Journey for ‘Umrah

In the 6th year of Hegira, the Holy Prophet decided to go to Mecca for ‘Umrah (minor pilgrimage). Muslims could not go on such rituals since the emigration. This journey, besides spiritual phases, was a kind of religious demonstration. It attracted the Meccan pilgrims and showed the increasing number of the Holy Prophet’s followers. It also showed that the ceremonies of Hajj and ‘Umrah, which were significant religious events for the infidels, were also accepted by Muhammad’s religion and was among its acts of worship. This fact had tremendous effects on their hearts and affections. If Quraysh tried to stop the ceremony of ‘Umrah, it would have a bad effect on the public opinion and this would be a disadvantage for them. Quraysh had always encouraged pilgrimage; they used to entertain the pilgrims - an act that they always recognized as point of honor. Now if they stopped the Muslim participants, this would bring forth people’s hatred.246

In Dhi’l-Qa’dah, the Holy Prophet entered Mecca with eighteen hundred followers.247 During this journey, he ordered his men to carry only one sword as weapon and take the sacrificial camels from Medina so that everybody could see that they did not intend to fight.

Quraysh became aware of the Holy Prophet’s decision to enter Mecca. For this purpose, they left the city with their military troops. The Holy Prophet unwillingly had to stop at the land of Hudaybiyah. Quraysh sent several couriers to find out his intention. Each time, he informed them, “We have no intention to fight; we have come here to perform the ceremony of ‘Umrah.” However, Quraysh still made trouble for their entrance into Mecca.

The Ridhwan Allegiance

Ultimately, the Holy Prophet sent ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan to explain to Quraysh the Holy Prophet’s aims. It took long for ‘Uthman to return. Rumors had it that he was killed.248 Now, the Holy Prophet asked his men to gather under a tree to convene an allegiance for perseverance.249 After this ceremony, it turned out that the rumor of ‘Uthman’s death was not true. Since this allegiance was held under a tree and God was pleased with the believers who participated in it, this pledge of allegiance was called Ridhwan (Pleasure) Allegiance or the Pledge of the Tree.250

The Hudaybiyah Truce

After the fruitless return of ‘Uthman, Suhayl ibn ‘Amr was sent to the Holy Prophet on the part of Quraysh for negotiation. He specified as a pre-condition of a conclusion of a truce that Muslims would not perform ‘Umrah that year.251 This negotiation terminated in the convention of the famous Hudaybiyah Truce that contained the following paragraphs:

(1) The two parties agree on ten-year ceasefire, protection of people’s security, refraining from molesting one another.

(2) Muhammad and Muslims should not enter Mecca that year. The next year, Quraysh would leave Mecca for three days during which Muslims would enter there to perform ‘Umrah on condition that each Muslim could carry one sword only.252

(3) If an individual from Quraysh joins Muhammad without his father’s consent, Muhammad shall send him back to Mecca; but if one of Muhammad’s followers joins Quraysh, he will never be sent back.

(4) Every tribe is free to enter into treaties with Muhammad or Quraysh.253

(5) No party will betray the other or enter in a truce with the other party’s enemy and no party will practice any act of aggression against the other.

(6) Following the faith of Islam is free in Mecca and nobody is persecuted because of his belief.254

(7) Anyone of Muhammad’s followers who enters Mecca for Hajj or ‘Umrah or for trade shall have his or her life and property protected.255

The Prophet’s Prediction

After reaching an agreement over the principles of truce, Imam ‘Ali wrote down the written form of the truce beginning with, ‘Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim (In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful)’. The representative of Quraysh objected to this statement and to the title of ‘Rasul Allah (the Messenger of God)’ given to the Holy Prophet. It took them a long time to settle this dispute. Finally, the Holy Prophet consented to it after realizing its benefits. While Imam ‘Ali was erasing the statement, the Holy Prophet foretold him, “One day, this will happen to you and you will have to accept.”256

This prediction came true when Imam ‘Ali had to erase the title of ‘Amir al-mu'minin (the Commander of the Believers)’ during the truce he had to sign with Mu’awiyah immediately after the Battle of Siffin.257

Bearings of the Hudaybiyah Truce

Because they could not foresee the results, Muslims regarded this truce as loss.258 Some of them insisted on the Holy Prophet not to sign it.259 However, he predicted that this truce would carry numerous political and social benefits for Muslims some of which were the following:

(1) The enemy recognized Muslims and their creed through signing the truce. Before that, the unbelievers had never confessed Islam as an independent religion. Moreover, they always worked and wished for destroying this religion.

(2) The invulnerable wall between Muslims was broken by this truce. Due to opening a free passage between Mecca and Medina and the communications between the two parties, many unbelievers became Muslims after they had listened to the reasoning of Islam. The number of converts was more than the number of Muslims up to that point.260 It is worth noting that the Holy Prophet’s followers during this journey numbered no more than 1800, but two years later and during the conquest of Mecca, the number was more than ten thousand. Considering this favorable situation for Muslims, Imam al-Sadiq says,

“Two years after the Hudaybiyah Truce, Islam was almost the prevailing religion of Mecca.”261

(3) Before the Hudaybiyah Truce, the enmity and aggressions of Quraysh had not given a chance to the Holy Prophet to propagate his ideology inside and outside the Arabian Peninsula. After that, the Holy Prophet could liquidate the surroundings of Medina and dispatch several missionaries to different territories. Inviting the world leaders to Islam could take place only after the Hudaybiyah Truce.

(4) This truce indirectly led to the seizure of Mecca because, in accordance with it’s forth paragraph, the alliance of tribes with Quraysh or Muslims was a matter of free choice and the tribe of Khuza’ah allied with Muslims. However, Quraysh attacked this tribe and thus breached the truce causing the Holy Prophet to seize Mecca.

Regarding such bright results, the Hudaybiyah Truce can be seen as a great victory for Muslims. Surah al-Fath was revealed to the Holy Prophet when he was on his way to sign on this truce.262 God called this treaty as a clear victory.263

Notes

1. Yaqut al-Hamawi, Mu’jam al-Buldan, 4:238.

2. Montgomery Watt, Muhammad at Medina, pp. 294.

It is said that the Jews had had fifty-nine castles and dwelling-places at Yathrib before the tribes of Aws and Khazraj resided there. On the other side, the Arab tribes had only thirteen castles and dwelling places. See op cit, pp. 293; Wafa al-Wafa 1:165.

This vividly shows the social distances between these two.

3. Ibn Husham, op cit, 2:70; Tabari, op cit, 2:234; al-Bayhaqi, Dala'il al-Nubuwwah 2:128; Ibn Shahrashub, Manaqib 1:51; Tabarsi, I’lam al-Huda, pp. 56.

Although they had been expecting the advent of the Promised Prophet, the Jews stood against the Holy Prophet. For this reason, the Holy Qur’an reprimanded them in the following manner:

And when there came to them [the Israelites] a book from Allah verifying that which they have, and aforetime they used to pray for victory against those who disbelieve, but when there came to them prophet that which they did not recognize, they disbelieved in him; so Allah's curse is on the unbelievers. (2:89).

4. Tabarsi, op cit, pp. 57.

5. Ibn Husham, op cit, 2:67-70; Tabari, op cit, 2:233; al-Buladhari, Ansab Al-Ashraf 1:238; al-Bayhaqi, op cit, 2:118.

6. Ibn Husham, op cit, pp. 70-73; Tabari, op cit, pp. 234-235; al-Bayhaqi, op cit, 2:128; al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 19:25.

7. ‘Aqabah, meaning a pass, is situated to the west of Mecca.

8. Five of them had sworn allegiance with the Holy Prophet in the last year, while seven paid homage this year.

9. This treaty was termed bay’at al-nisa', because the issues of war not included in it. After the conquest of Mecca, the Holy Prophet asked women to swear their allegiance. This issue is brought up in a verse in Surah al-Mumtahanah that reads,

O Prophet! When believing women come to you giving you a pledge that they will not associate aught with Allah, and will not steal, and will not commit fornication, and will not kill their children, and will not bring a calumny which they have forged of themselves, and will not disobey you in what is good; accept their pledge, and ask forgiveness for them from Allah; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (60:12).

10. op cit, Ibn Sa’d, Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra 1:220.

11. Muz’ab was a young man from a rich family that belonged to Banu-’Abd al-Dar, Quraysh. Although his parents loved him passionately, he was deprived of everything due to his belief in Islam. He was a zealous Muslim who had migrated to Abyssinia twice. See Ibn al-Athir, Usd al-Ghabah 4:368-370.

12. Al-Bayhaqi, op cit, pp. 132-140, Ibn Husham, op cit, pp. 81-90; al-Buladhari, op cit, pp. 240-254; Ibn Sa’d, op cit, pp. 221-223; Tabari, op cit, pp. 237; Tabarsi, I’lam al-Wara, pp. 54; al-Majlisi, op cit, 19:25-26.

13. al-Buladhari, op cit, 1:357; Tabari, op cit, 2:240-241; Ibn Sa’d, op cit, 1:226; al-Majlisi, op cit, pp. 26.

14. Ibn Husham, op cit, 2:111; Ibn Shahrashub, al-Manaqib 1:182, Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah wa’l-Nihayah 3:169.

15. Halabi, al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah 2:189.

16. op cit.

17. The event of Dar al-Nidwah (House of Consultation) and Laylat al-Mabit (the Night of Staying) have been recorded in the following reference books, yet with little difference: Tarikh al-Tabari 2:242-245; al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 2:124-128; Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra 1:227-228; Dala'il al-Nubuwwah 2:147; Ansab al-Ashraf 1:259- 260; al-Kamil fi’l-Tarikh 2:101-103; Tarikh al-Ya’qubi 2:32; I’lam al-Wara, pp. 61; Shaykh al-Tusi’s al-Amali, pp. 245- 247 and 463- 471; Ibn Shahrashub’s Manaqib 1:182- 183; al-Khawarzmi’s Manaqib, p73; al-Karajaki’s Kanz al-Fawa'id 2:55; Ibn Kathir’s al-Bidayah wa’l-Nihayah 3:175-180; Ibn Husham’s al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 2:189-206; al-Khatib al-Baghdadi’s Tarikh Baghdad 13:191-192; Bihar al-Anwar 19:47- 65.

18. Al-Fattal al-Naysaburi, Rawdhat al-Wa’i¨in, pp. 117; Ibn al-Athir, Usd al-Ghabah 4:25; Shablanji, Nur al-Abzar, pp. 86; Tabarsi, Majma’ al-Bayan 1:301; Ibn Abi’l-Hadid, Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah 13:262; Sibt ibn al-Jawzi, Tadhkirat al-Khawazz, pp. 35; Abu-Bakr Hamawi, Thamarat al-Awraq, pp. 20; ‘Allamah Amini, al-Ghadir 2:48. ‘Allamah Amini has reported this event from different reference books, such as, al-Mu¨affar’s Dala'il al-Sidq 2:80. Al-Mu¨affar, al-Tha’labi, al-Qanaduzi, al-Hakim al-Naysaburi, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Abu’l-Sa’adat, al-Ghazzali, al-Fakhr al-Razi, and al-Dhahbi - all these Sunni master scholars report that this verse was revealed about Imam ‘Ali’s self-sacrifice at that night.

19. Saduq, al-Khizal 2:367; Mufid, al-Ikhtizaz, pp. 165.

20. Ibn Husham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 2:129; Tabari, op cit, 2:247; al-Buladhari, Ansab al-Ashraf 1:261; Ibn Shahrashub, al-Manaqib 1:183.

21. Shaykh al-Tusi, al-Amali, pp. 468; Mufid, al-Ikhtizaz, pp. 147; al-Suyuti, Tarikh al-Khulafa', pp. 166.

22. Muhammad Ibn Sa’d, Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra 1:292; al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 19:87.

23. Ibn Husham, op cit, pp. 137; Tabari, op cit, pp. 248; Tabarsi, I’lam al-Wara, pp. 64; al-Buladhari, op cit, pp. 263; al-Bayhaqi, Dala'il al-Nubuwwah 2:172

24. Ibn Shahrashub, op cit, op cit, 1:185; al-Bayhaqi, op cit, pp. 166, 172; Tabari, op cit, 2:249.

25. Ibn Husham, op cit, pp. 138; Tabari, op cit, pp. 249.

26. Ibn Shahrashub, op cit, pp. 183; see I’lam al-Wara, pp. 66; Tarikh al-Ya’qubi 2:34

27. op cit.

28. Tarikh al-Ya’qubi 2:135; Mas’udi, al-Tanbih wa’l-Ishraf, pp. 252, Ibn al-Athir, Al-Kamil fi’l-Tarikh 1:10; ‘Abd al-Qadir Badran, Tahdhib Tarikh Dimashq 1:23-24.

29. Tarikh al-Tabari 2:252; Nur al-Din al-Samhudi, Wafa' al-Wafa' 1:248; al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 40:218 as reported by Ibn Shahrashub.

30. al-Buladhari, Futuh al-Buldan, pp. 71-72. In the body of this document, the name of ‘Ali ibn Abi-Talib is recorded; see 3:46-48.

31. ‘Abd al-Hayy al-Kittani, al-Taratib al-Idariyyah 1:181.

32. Husayn Diyarbakri, Tarikh al-Khamis 1:368.

33. al-Waqidi, al-Maghazi 2:531.

34. A branch of Banu-Bakr tribe.

35. al-Waqidi, op cit, pp. 534.

36. Murtadha al-’Amili, al-Sahih min Sirat al-Nabi al-A’¨am 3:55.

37. Tabari, op cit, pp. 252; Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah wa’l-Nihayah 7:73-74; Ibn Abi’l-Hadid, Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah 12:74; Ibn al-Athir, Al-Kamil fi’l-Tarikh 1:10-11.

38. Ibn Shahrashub, Manaqib 1:175; Murtadha al-’Amili, al-Sahih min Sirat al-Nabi al-A’¨am 3:35. Refer to this book for further information.

39. Yaqut al-Hamawi, Mu’jam al-Buldan 5:430.

40. Ibn Sa’d, Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra 1:239; Tabari, Tarikh 2:256; al-Bayhaqi, Dala'il al-Nubuwwah 2:187; Ibn Shahrashub, al-Manaqib 3:215; al-Halabi, al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah 2:252; al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 19:124.

41. One of these two chambers was for Sawdah and the other for ‘A'ishah. See Ibn Sa’d, al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, op cit, pp. 240; al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah, op cit, pp. 273.

42. Ibn Husham, Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 2:143; Ibn Shahrashub, Manaqib, op cit, pp. 186.

43. Ibn Wadhih, Tarikh al-Ya’qubi 2:34.

44. Ibn Sa’d, op cit, pp. 255; Nur al-Din al-Samhudi, Wafa' al-Wafa' 2:453-458; al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 17:81, 22:66, 118, 310, 70:128-129, 72:38; Majma’ al-Bayan 2:386; ‘Abd al-Hayy al-Kittani, al-Taratib al-Idariyyah 1:473-480.

45. Abu-Na’im Izfahani, Hilyat al-Awliya' 1:339-340. Abu-Na’im has given a detailed account of the Suffah Followers. He introduces all the members of this group who were fifty-one in number one by one. Among them, there is no name of any woman. Some of them were Bilal, al-Bara' Ibn Malik, Jundab ibn Janadah, Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman, Khabbab ibn al-Aratt, Dhu’l-Bihadayn, Salman, Sa’id ibn Abi-Waqqaz, Sa’d ibn Malik (Abu-Sa’id al-Khidri), Salim (Abu-Hudhayfah’s freed slave) and ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud.

46. These are the Jews of Banu-’Amr ibn ‘Awf and other native Jews of Medina. However, the other three Jewish tribes of Banu-Qaynuqa’, Banu’l-Nadhir, and Banu-Quray¨ah signed another treaty with the Holy Prophet the description of which will be given later.

47. Ibn Husham, op cit, 2:147-150. For more information concerning the paragraphs of this contract, see Furugh Abadiyyat 1:462-465.

48. Muslim historians have asserted that this treaty was signed after the Holy Prophet's first sermon in Medina, which shows that it was one of the first actions of the Holy Prophet in this city.

49. That was five or eight months after Hegira. See al-Samhudi, op cit, 1:267; al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 19:130.

50. Ibn Husham. op cit, 2:150; Ibn Sa’d, op cit, 1:238; Halabi, op cit, 2:292; al-Majlisi, op cit, 19:130. This fraternization was based on the common Faith, as confirmed in the following narration, “Allah’s Messenger associated as brothers between Muhajirun and Anzar by the brotherhood of faith.” See Tusi, al-Amali, pp. 587.

51. Ibn Husham, op cit, 2:150; ‘Asqalani, al-Izabah 2:507; Qanaduzi, Yanabi’ al-Mawaddah 1:55; Sibt ibn al-Jawzi, Tadhkirat al-Khawazz, pp. 20, 22,23; Musnad Ahmad; Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, al-Isi’ab 3:35; Halabi, op cit, 2:292; Samhudi, op cit, 1:268; Al-Mu¨affar, Dala'il al-Sidq 2:268-271.

52. Qanaduzi, op cit, 1:55 as quoted from Musnad Ahmad; Amini, al-Ghadir 3:112; Murtadha al-’Amili, al-Sahih min Sirat al-Nabi al-A’¨am 3:60; Tusi, al-Amali, pp. 587.

The reports of the brotherhood between Imam ‘Ali and the Holy Prophet are authentic. Accordingly, the statements of Ibn Taymiyah and Ibn Kathir reveal their personal attitudes. They lack any scientific authenticity. See al-Ghadir 3:112-125, 174, 227 and 7:336.

53. Al-Waqidi, al-Maghazi 1:379; Ibn Shabbah, Tarikh al-Madinah al-Munawwarah 2:289.

54. Musnad Ahmad 3:204; Halabi, op cit, 2:292; Ibn Kathir, op cit, 3:338; Ibn Shabbah, op cit, pp. 490.

55. There are disagreement among historians concerning the birthplace, previous homeland, and lineage of these three Jewish tribes. It is said that after the pressures which were leveled at them by the Roman Empire at Damascus, the Jews came to the Arabian Peninsula, specifically Yathrib, and lived there. See Mu’jam al-Buldan 5:84; Wafa' al-Wafa' 1:160.

Then, the Qahtani tribes, namely Aws and Khazraj, went there to live after the destructions of the Ma’rib Dam. See Mu’jam al-Buldan 1:36; Ibn al-Athir, Al-Kamil fi’l-Tarikh 1:656.

As we have already said, there were continual conflicts between these two groups. However, some historians contend that they were the Arab natives of the Arabian Peninsula and they had adopted this religion due to Jewish propagation. See Ahmad Susah, Mufazzal al-’Arab wa’l-Yahuf fi’l-Tarikh, pp. 627-629.

Some others ascribe the Jewish settlement at Yathrib to the time of Prophet Moses. This, However, seems to be legendary. See Mu’jam al-Buldan 5:84; Wafa’ al-Wafa’ 1:157.

According to some historical documents and narrations, the Jews, having realized some of the signs of the forthcoming advent of the Promised Prophet, went to Fadak, Khaybar, Tayma' and Yathrib in search of his emigration. They thus settled there. See Mu’jam al-Buldan 5:84; Wafa’ al-Wafa’ 1:160; Shaykh al-Kulayni, al-Rawdhah min al-Kafi, pp. 309; al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 15:226.

This issue is in harmony with the first hypothesis. Upon receiving a lot of pressures from Rome, the Jews might have headed of this place from prophecies. Some narrations confirm this issue. See Badran, Tahdhib Tarikh Dimashq 1:351; Wafa’ al-Wafa’ 1:160.

There are some disagreements concerning the lineage of these three Jewish tribes as to whether they belonged to the Israelites or the Arabs. The majority of scholars emphasize the second view. See Ahmad Susah, op cit, pp. 627. Ya’qubi, too considers the tribes of Banu’l-Nadhir and Banu-Quray¨ah as Arabs. See Tarikh al-Ya’qubi 2:40, 42; Wafa’ al-Wafa’ 1:162.

The following evidence confirms the validity of the first view:

(1) Numerous verses of the Holy Qur’an are addressing the Jews as Israelites.

(2) The Jews’ opposition to the Holy Prophet is based on racial grounds; that is to say, the Holy Prophet did not belong to the Israelites.

(3) Arab genealogists have not referred to these Jews as Arabs.

56. Tabarsi, I’lam al-Wara, pp. 69; al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 1:176, 365, 367 and 2:464; Ibn Husham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 3:231; Tarikh al-Ya’qubi, 2:43. After that, the Holy Prophet punished these three tribes because they breached their treaties with him.

57. al-Majlisi, op cit, pp. 69, 110.

58. Ibn Husham, op cit, 2:160, 166; al-Nuwayri, Nihayat al-Irab 1:332.

59. Halabi, al-Sirat al-Halabiyyah 1:337; al-Nuwayri, op cit, p339; Ibn Husham, op cit, pp. 174.

60. Ibn Husham, op cit, pp. 237-238; al-Bayhaqi, op cit, 2:165; al-Nuwayri, op cit, 1:338; Ibn Shabbah, Tarikh al-Madinah al-Munawwarah 1:357; Dahlan, Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah wa’l-Athar al-Muhammadiyyah 1:184.

61. Mas’udi, al-Tanbih wa’l-Ishraf, pp. 237.

62. Qur’an 7:157; 2: 26, 89, 101; 3: 81, 187; 6: 114; 28: 52

63. Halabi, op cit, 1:302; al-Bayhaqi, op cit, 2:186; Ibn Shahrashub, Manaqib 1:51; al-Maghazi 1:367.

64. Qur’an 4:153; Qur’an 3:183.

65. Ibn Husham, op cit, 2:160; Ibn Shahrashub, Manaqib 1:54; Halabi, op cit, 1:321-322; Zayni Dahlan, Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 1:178-180.

66. Ibn Husham, op cit, 2:204-205; Halabi, op cit, 2:319-320.

67. Qur'an, 2:96.

68. Qur’an 2:90, 109; 4:54; Ibn Husham, op cit, 2:160; Zayni Dahlan, op cit, 1:176; al-Maghazi 1:365.

69. Banu-Qaynuqa’ were engaged in silversmith's trade. (Montgomery, Muhammad at Medina). There was a market in Medina carrying their name. (Ibn Shabbah, Tarikh al-Madinah al-Munawwarah 1:306; Yaqut al-Hamawi, Mu’jam al-Buldan 4:424).

Banu’l-Nadhir and Banu-Quray¨ah constructed housing buildings and castles in the outskirts of Medina. They were engaged in agriculture and gardening. (Yaqut al-Hamawi, op cit; al-Samhudi, Wafa' al-Wafa' 1:161)

70. Qur’an 4:161.

71. Ibn Husham, Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 2:188.

72. Qur’an 9:31.

73. Qur’an 2:79, 3:187, 9:34; al-Bayhaqi, Dala'il al-Nubuwwah.

74. Qur’an 2:97-98; Ibn Sa’d, Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra 1:175; Halabi, al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah 1:329.

75. Qur’an 4:46, 155-158, 9:30.

76. Murtadha al-’Amili, al-Sahih min Sirat al-Nabi al-A’¨am 3:106; Sahih al-Bukhari 7:486; Sahih Muslim 14:80.

77. Murtadha al-’Amili, op cit, 1:175-176.

78. Sahih al-Bukhari, 9:772.

79. Halabi, op cit, 1:372; Ibn Shahrashub, Manaqib 1:52.

80. Halabi, op cit, 2:332.

81. Ibn Wadhih, Tarikh al-Ya’qubi 2:34; Ibn Sa’d, op cit, 1:242; al-Hurr al-’Amili, Wasa'il al-Shi’ah, pp. 216; Tabataba'i, al-Mizan 1:331.

The date of the change of kiblah is reported to have been between seven and eighteen months after the migration. See Wafa' al-Wafa' 1:361-364; Bihar al-Anwar 19:113. As for ‘Allamah Tabataba'i, he confirms that it was seventeen months after the migration.

82. Tabataba’i, al-Mizan 1:333. Based on some reports, the Holy Prophet never turned his back to the Kaaba throughout his residence in Mecca. See Wasa'il al-Shi’ah 3:216.

However, the Holy Prophet considered the Kaaba to be equal to Jerusalem; therefore, he used to face both directions in prayer. See Halabi, al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah 2:357.

83. Permission to fight is given to those upon whom war is made because they are oppressed, and most surely Allah is well able to assist them; those who have been expelled from their homes without a just cause. (Qur'an, 22:39-40)

See al-Mizan 14:383; Tarikh Ya’qubi 2:36.

84. Ibn al-Athir, Al-Kamil fi’l-Tarikh 2:112.

85. The number of the wars in which the Holy Prophet took part is said to be twenty-six, while expeditions were thirty-six. See Ibn Shahrashub, Manaqib 1:186; Tabarsi, I’lam al-Wara, pp. 72.

Some historians have considered the number of such expeditions to be more than this number. See Mas’udi, Muruj al-Dhahab 2:282.

Bukhari recognizes this number to be nineteen. See Sahih al-Bukhari 6:327.

86. al-Waqidi, al-Maghazi 1:9-11; al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Umam wa’l-Muluk 2:259; Ibn Husham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 2:245, 251. Ibn Ishaq states that these expeditions took place in the second year of Hegira. (Tabari: op cit). If we accept this, we have to set the date of the formation of the Islamic army at the second year of Hegira. This too, would not take away anything of the significance of the Holy Prophet's preventative procedures.

87. al-Waqidi, op cit, pp. 11-13; Tabari, op cit, pp. 259-261.

88. al-Waqidi, op cit, pp. 9.

89. Montgomery, Muhammad at Medina, pp. 5.

90. Later on, this threat was implemented. As a consequence, Quraysh tried to find another route for trade because they worried about the cut off of the trade route to Damascus.

91. After the Holy Prophet's emigration, ‘Aqil confiscated his residential area in Mecca as well as the houses of Banu-Hashim's emigrants. When the Holy Prophet conquered Mecca, he established a tent at Hajun outside Mecca. He was asked why he had not gone to his pervious house. He answered, “Has ‘Aqil left any house for us?” See al-Waqidi, al-Maghazi 3:828; Ibn Sa’d, Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra 2:136; Qastalan, al-Mawahib al-Ludaniyyah 1:318.

‘Aqil's heirs sold that house to al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf’s brother with one hundred thousand Dinars! See Halabi, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 1:101-102.

After the emigration of Banu-Jahsh ibn Ri'ab, their houses were empty. Under the pretext that his daughter was the wife of one of those, Abu-Sufyan confiscated their houses. Ibn Husham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 2:145.

Besides, when Suhayb emigrated to Medina, The unbelievers started to chase him and took away from him his money but he escaped to safety (Ibn Husham, op cit, 2:121).

92. Muhammad Hasanayn Haykal, Hayat Muhammad, pp. 224-248.

93. Ibn Husham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 2:255; al-Buladhari Ansab al-Ashraf 1:371-372; al-Waqidi, op cit, 1:13-19; al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Umam wa’l-Muluk 2:262-264; Ibn Shabbah, Tarikh al-Madinah al-Munawwarah 1:472-477.

94. al-Waqidi, op cit, 1:20.

95. Al-Waqidi, op cit, pp. 27; al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 19:245-274.

96. Badr is located in the southwest of Medina. Today, it is a city. The highway between Jeddah and Mecca passes through this district. It is 153 kilometers away from Medina and 343 kilometers from Mecca. See Muhammad ‘Abduh al-Yamani, Badr al-Kubra, pp. 25.

Since the construction of Medina-Mecca highway, pilgrims do not cross this direction during the Hajj ceremonies.

97. Ibn Husham, op cit, 2:258.

98. Muhammad ibn Sa’d, Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra 2:20, Tabari, op cit, 2:272.

99. Muslims had seventy camels; several persons would ride one camel. (al-Waqidi, op cit, pp. 26; Ibn Husham, op cit, pp. 264.) They had only one horse. (Shaykh al-Mufid, al-Irshad, pp. 73; Ibn Shahrashub, Manaqib, 1:187; al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 19:323; Musnad Ahmad 1:125) Some historians say that they had two horses. (al-Waqidi, op cit, pp. 26; Ibn Sa’d, op cit, pp. 12-24; Tarikh Ya’qubi 2:37). They had six armors and eight swords. (Ibn Shahrashub, op cit, pp. 187; al-Majlisi, op cit, 19:323)

100. Ibn Husham, op cit, 2:258; Al-Waqid, op cit, 1:28.

101. Ibn Husham, op cit, pp. 270; Al-Waqid, op cit, pp. 41.

102. Ibn Husham, op cit, 2:269; Ibn Sa’d, op cit, 2:15; Is op cit, 1:187; al-Majlisi, op cit, 19:219.

103. Ibn Husham, op cit, pp. 266-268; al-Waqidi, op cit, pp. 48-49; Ibn Sa’d, op cit, pp. 14.

104. Ibn Husham, op cit, pp. 278; Ibn Sa’d, op cit, pp. 15-19; pp. 20.

105. Ibn Husham, op cit, pp. 277; Ibn Sa’d, op cit, pp. 17-23; al-Majlisi, op cit, 19:279; Ibn al-Athir, Al-Kamil fi’l-Tarikh 2:125.

106. Shaykh Mufid, al-Irshad, pp. 69.

107. Ibn Sa’d, op cit, pp. 18; Tabari, op cit, 2:294; Tarikh al-Ya’qubi 2:37.

108. Ibn Sa’d, op cit, pp. 18-22; al-Waqidi, op cit, pp. 116; Tabari, op cit, pp. 294; Tarikh al-Ya’qubi 2:37; Ibn Shahrashub, al-Manaqib 1:189; al-Majlisi, op cit, 19:291.

109. Ibn Sa’d, op cit, pp. 17; Tarikh al-Ya’qubi 2:37; Ibn Shahrashub, op cit, p189.

110. Zayd ibn Thabit learnt reading and writing in this way. (Ibn Sa’d, op cit, pp. 22-26)

111. Ibn Sa’d, op cit, pp. 18.

112. al-Waqidi, op cit, pp. 115.

113. op cit, pp. 121.

114. op cit, pp. 21.

115. op cit, pp. 78.

116. Prior to his prophethood, the Holy Prophet did not have any military experience. Historians refer to his limited war experience in his youth during the Battle of al-Fujjar. Yet, he acted in the Battle of Badr as an experienced warrior.

117. Ibn Sa’d, op cit, 2:23; Musnad Ahmad 1:126; Ibn Abi’l-Hadid, Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah.

118. Ibn Abi’l-Hadid, op cit, 1:24; Shaykh al-Mufid, Kitab al-Irshad, pp. 72

119. Shaykh Mufid, op cit, pp. 70-72; al-Buladhari and al-Waqidi state that this group consisted of eighteen members. (Ansab al-Ashraf 1:297-301; al-Maghazi 1:152; Bihar al-Anwar 1:293). During the Battle of the Allies (al-Ahzab, also called the Battle of al-Khandaq) in the third year of Hegira, ‘Amr ibn ‘Abd-Wudd, a great Arab warrior, called for an opponent to fight. It was Imam ‘Ali who faced him. Belittling Imam ‘Ali, ‘Amr said, “Your father was a friend of mine, I do not desire to kill you.” Ibn Abi’l-Hadid writes, “‘Amr was a liar; he had seen how Imam ‘Ali fought in the Battle of Badr; therefore, he was sure that ‘Ali would kill him. That is why he bluffed.”

120. al-Waqidi, op cit, pp. 4; Halabi, al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah 2:385-386; al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 19:247.

121. al-Waqidi, op cit, pp. 54; Halabi, op cit, pp. 392. The army of Quraysh could not sleep due to their worry; they even could not eat. (al-Waqidi, op cit, pp. 54).

122. Shaykh Mufid, op cit, pp. 73; Musnad Ahmad 1:125; al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 19:279.

123. Al-Waqidi, op cit, pp. 76-79; Ibn Husham, op cit, 2:286.

124. al-Waqidi, op cit, pp. 49.

125. al-Waqidi, op cit, pp. 115; al-Buladhari, Ansab al-Ashraf 1:294.

126. Tabari, op cit, 2:297.

127. al-Waqidi, op cit, 1:121; Ibn Husham, op cit, 3:55; al-Bayhaqi, 2:341.

128. Tarikh al-Ya’qubi 2:38.

129. al-Waqidi, op cit, 1:197-198.

130. It is also called Sariyyat al-Qardah. See Bihar al-Anwar 20:4; Tabari, op cit, 3:5.

131. Ibn Husham, op cit, 3:53-54; al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 20:4-5.

132. “Say to those who disbelieve: you shall be vanquished, and driven together to hell; and evil is the resting-place Indeed there was a sign for you in the two hosts which met together in encounter; one party fighting in the way of Allah and the other unbelieving, whom they saw twice as many as themselves with the sight of the eye; and Allah strengthens whom He pleases most surely there is a lesson in this for those who have sight.” (Qur’an 3:12-13)

133. al-Waqidi, op cit, 1:176; Ibn Husham, op cit, 3:50-52; al-Buladhari, op cit, 1:308-309; Tabari, op cit, 2:297-298.

134. al-Waqidi, op cit, pp. 178.

135. al-Waqidi, op cit, pp. 178; Ibn Husham, op cit, 3:50.

136. It seems that the Holy Prophet accepted the arbitration of ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy because he was superficially Muslim and the Holy Prophet would do everything to keep the unity of Muslims.

137. al-Waqidi, op cit, pp. 179.

138. al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 43:97

139. al-Majlisi, op cit, pp. 108; Ibn Wadhih, Tarikh al-Ya’qubi 2:34.

140. Ibn Sa’d, Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra 8:19.

141. al-Majlisi, op cit, pp. 93.

142. Amini, al-Ghadir 3:20.

143. al-Majlisi, op cit, pp. 92.

144. al-Majlisi, op cit, pp. 112.

145. For further information, refer to Ja’far Shahidi, Zandegani Fatimah, pp 44-76; Al-Khayyami, Zawjat al-Nabi wa-Awladuhu, pp. 322-328.

146. al-Waqidi, op cit, 1:200; Ibn Husham, op cit, 3:64; Ibn Sa’d, Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra 2:37.

147. The number of the enemy troops was three thousand, seven hundred of whom wore armors. They had two hundred horses and one thousand camels. See al-Waqidi, op cit, pp. 203-204; Ibn Sa’d, op cit, pp. 37; Ibn Abi’l-Hadid, Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah, 14:217.

148. al-Waqidi, op cit, pp. 202-203, Ibn Sa’d, op cit, pp. 37, Ibn Husham, op cit, 3:66.

149. al-Waqidi, op cit, pp. 204, 206; Ibn Abi’l-Hadid, op cit, 14:37. According to some narrations, Banu-Khuza’ah, the allies of the Holy Prophet, relayed the information to the Holy Prophet who might have received it from both sources. See Ibn Abi’l-Hadid, op cit, pp. 218.

150. al-Waqidi op cit, pp. 210, 212, 213; Ibn Husham, op cit, 3:67; Ibn Sa’d, op cit, pp. 38.

151. Mount Uhud is to north of Medina. Due to the natural obstacles to the south, the enemy could not penetrate into Medina; they had to go around the city to attack it from the north. See Muhammad Hamidullah, Rasul Akram dar Maydan Jang, pp. 79-85.

152. Ibn Shahrashub, Manaqib 1:191; al-Majlisi, op cit, 20:117.

153. al-Waqidi, op cit, 1:219; Ibn Sa’d, op cit, 2:39; Ibn Husham, op cit, 3:68.

154. al-Waqidi, op cit, pp. 219; Tabarsi, Majma’ al-Bayan 2:533.

155. al-Waqidi, op cit. pp. 220; Ibn Sa’d, op cit, pp. 39; al-Samhudi, Wafa' al-Wafa' 1:225.

156. al-Waqidi, op cit p,220.

157. al-Majlisi, op cit, 20:49; Ibn Husham 3:70; Ibn Sa’d, op cit, 2:34-40; Samhudi, op cit, 1:285; Tabari, Tarikh al-Umam wa’l-Muluk 3:14.

158. al-Waqidi, op cit, 1:221; Ibn Husham, op cit, 3:106.

159. Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 20:18; al-’Asqalani, al-Izabah 1:354. Other historians state that the battle broke out on the third, seventh, eighth, ninth, or eleventh of Shawwal. See Tarikh al-Tabari 3:14; al-Samhudi, Wafa' al-Wafa' 1:281.

160. Al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah 2:547. It is also said that the casualties of the enemies were twenty-three or twenty-eight. See Ibn Abi’l-Hadid, Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah 15:54; Ibn Sa’d, al-Tabaqat al-Kubra 2:43; al-Buladhari, Ansab al-Ashraf 1:328.

161. Shaykh al-Mufid, Kitab al-Irshad, pp. 88; al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 20:51; al-Tabrisi, Majma’ al-Bayan 2:496.

162. Tarikh al-Tabari 3:17; Ibn Sa’d, al-Tabaqat al-Kubra 2:41; al-Samhudi, Wafa' al-Wafa' 1:288; al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 20:26.

163. Shaykh al-Saduq, al-Khizal, pp. 560.

164. Ibn Husham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 3:83; Tarikh al-Tabari 3:17; al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 20:51; al-Tabrisi, Majma’ al-Bayan 2:496. Referring to this incident, Hassan ibn Thabit, the Holy Prophet’s poet, composed the following:

Had it not been for the banner of that woman of Banu-Harith,

They would have become a cheap commodity in marts!

See Ibn Husham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 3:84; Ibn Abi’l-Hadid, Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah 14:217.

165. Ibn Sa’d, al-Tabaqat al-Kubra 2:41-42; Ibn Husham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 3:82; Tarikh al-Tabari 3:17, al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 20:26-29.

166. Ibn Husham, op cit, 3:82; al-Majlisi, op cit, 20:26-27.

167. Ibn Sa’d, op cit, 2:42; al-Samhudi, Wafa' al-Wafa' 1:286.

168. Ibn Sa’d, op cit, 2:43, 45; Ibn Husham, op cit, 3:93; al-Samhudi, op cit, 1:288; Sayyid ‘Ali-Khan Madani, al-Darajat al-Rafi’ah, pp. 283.

169. al-Buladhari, Ansab al-Ashraf, pp. 322.

170. Ibn Sa’d, op cit, 2:42.

171. Holy Qur’an 3:153-154; al-Buladhari, op cit, pp. 318; Tabari, op cit, 3:20; Ibn Sa’d, op cit, 2:47; Ibn Abi’l-Hadid, op cit, 15:23, 25.

172. Ibn Sa’d, op cit, 2:47; Ibn Abi’l-Hadid, op cit, 15:21, 29.

173. Shaykh al-Mufid, Kitab al-Irshad, pp. 89; Tabari, op cit, 3:17; Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil fi’l-Tarikh 2:154; Ibn Abi’l-Hadid, op cit, 14:250; Ibn ‘Asakir, Tarikh Madinat Dimashq 1:150; al-Majlisi, op cit, 20:88.

174. Tabari, op cit, 3:17; Ibn Abi’l-Hadid, op cit, 14:251; Shaykh al-Mufid, op cit, pp. 87; al-Majlisi, op cit, 20:54, 103, 105, 107.

175. Ibn Sa’d, op cit, 2:47-48; al-Buladhari, op cit, 1:327; Tabari, op cit, 3:24; Ibn Abi’l-Hadid, op cit, 15:30-31; Khargushi Sharaf al-Nabi; Halabi, op cit, 2:531; al-Majlisi, op cit, 20:32 and 45.

176. al-Buladhari, op cit, 1:328; Tabarsi, I’lam al-Wara, pp. 82; Khargushi, op cit pp. 346; Samhudi, op cit, 1:291-292; al-Majlisi, op cit, 20:18; Halabi 2:547.

177. Ibn Husham, op cit, 3:110; Halabi, op cit, 2:550.

178. Ibn Husham, op cit, 3:107, 110; Ibn Abi’l-Hadid, op cit, 15:31, 33; Halabi, op cit, 2:550; al-Majlisi, op cit, 20:40, 41, 99.

179. al-Waqidi, op cit, 1:317-318.

180. al-Waqidi, op cit, 1:317; Halabi, op cit, 2:549.

181. Ibn Husham, op cit, 3:112.

182. al-Waqidi, op cit, 1:342.

183. Al-Waqidi, op cit, pp. 340-343: Muhammad Ibn Sa’d. Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra 2:50.

184. According to some accounts, it was forty people. See Tabari, Tarikh al-Umam wa’l-Muluk 3:34; Ibn Husham al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 3:194; al-Waqidi, al-Maghazi 1:347.

185. Tabari, op cit, 3:33-34; Tabarsi, Majma’ al-Bayan 2:533; Ibn Shahrashub, Manaqib 1:195-196; al-Majlisi, op cit, 20:147-148; al-Waqidi, op cit, pp. 346-348; Ibn Husham, op cit, 3:193; Ibn Sa’d, al-Tabaqat al-Kubra 2:51-53.

186. Tabari, op cit, pp. 34; Ibn Husham, op cit, 3:195; Ibn Sa’d, op cit, pp. 53.

187. Some historians have set the date of this event prior to the Battle of Uhud, mentioned other reasons. Sayyid Ja’far Murtadha al-’Amili consents to this opinion. Al-Sahi min Sirat al-Nabi al-A’¨am 6:32-44.

188. Ibn Sa’d, Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra 2:53; Ibn Husham, op cit, 3:195; Tabari, Tarikh al-Umam wa’l-Muluk 3:35; al-Waqidi, op cit, 1:352.

189. al-Waqidi, op cit, pp. 352, 364.

190. al-Bayhaqi, op cit, pp. 335; al-Waqidi, op cit, 1:365-366; Tabarsi, I’lam al-Wara, pp. 88.

191. Holy Qur’an 59:11; Tabarsi, Majma’ al-Bayan 10:264; al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 20:165, 169.

192. Samhudi, op cit, 1:298.

193. Ibn Husham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 3:199-203; Tabari, op cit, 3:36-39; al-Waqidi, al-Maghazi 1:363-380; al-Buladhari, Ansab al-Ashraf, pp. 339; Samhudi, Wafa' al-Wafa' 1:297-298.

194. Samhudi, op cit, pp. 299; Ibn Husham, op cit, pp. 201; al-Waqidi, op cit, 1:377; al-Majlisi, op cit, pp. 171-172.

195. Ibn ‘Abbas gives Surah al-Hashr the name of Surah Banu’l-Nadhir. See Tabarsi, Majma’ al-Bayan 10:258.

196. al-Buladhari, op cit, 1:343; Ibn Sa’d, op cit, 2:65; Ibn Husham, op cit, 3:224.

197. Muhammad Hasanayn Haykal, Hayat Muhammad, pp. 329.

198. They promised to pay the yield of dates of Khaybar to Ghatafan due to their alliance. See al-Buladhari, op cit, 1:343; al-Waqidi, op cit, 2:44.

199. Tabari, op cit, 3:44; Ibn Husham, op cit, 3:225.

200. Muhammad Ibn Sa’d, op cit, 2:66; al-Waqidi, op cit, 2:443; Ibn Shahrashub, Manaqib 1:197; al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 20:197.

201. al-Buladhari, op cit, 1:343.

202. Ibn Sa’d, 62, pp. 66; Tabari, 63, pp. 46; Ibn Husham, 3, pp. 230; Samhudi, 1, pp. 301; al-Majlisi, 20, pp. 200.

203. al-Waqidi, op cit, 2:454.

204. Halabi, al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah 2:631.

205. Shaykh al-Mufid, al-Irshad, pp. 96; Ibn Shahrashub, op cit, 1:197.

206. Halabi, op cit 2:636; al-Waqidi, op cit, 2:66.

207. al-Buladhari, op cit, pp. 343; Ibn Sa’d, op cit, pp. 2, pp. 66; Tabari, op cit, 3:44; Ibn Shahrashub, op cit, 1:198; Tabarsi, I’lam al-Wara, pp. 90; al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 20:218.

208. According to Ibn Sa’d, it took them six days to dig the ditch. (Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra 2:67). Muhammad Hamidullah, a contemporary researcher who has observed the battlefields of the Muslim wars closely, believes that the ditch was built in the shape of the letter N, being five and a half kilometers long (Rasul Akram dar Maydan Jang, pp. 113-114). The basis of this calculation has most probably been the fact that at the time of digging, all of the three thousand troops were divided in groups of ten individuals, and each group dug forty cubits (Tabari, op cit, 3:46; al-Majlisi, op cit, 20:198). Each person had to dig four cubits, which was equal to six kilometers.

209. Ibn Sa’d, op cit, 2:67; Tabari, op cit, 3:46; Halabi, op cit, 2:636.

210. Ibn Sa’d, op cit, 2:66; Tabari, op cit, 3:46; Ibn Husham, op cit, 3:231; al-Majlisi, op cit, 20:200, Samhudi, op cit, 1:301.

211. al-Buladhari, op cit, pp. 343; Muhammad Ibn Sa’d, op cit, 2:66; Ibn Husham, op cit, 3:231; Tabari, op cit, 3:46; Samhudi, op cit, 1:301.

212. al-Buladhari, op cit, 1:343; Tabari, op cit, 3:48; Ibn Wadhih, Tarikh al-Ya’qubi 2:41; Halabi, op cit, 2:636, 657.

213. Ibn Sa’d, op cit, 2:67; Halabi, op cit, 2:636-637

214. Ibn Sa’d, op cit, pp. 67; Ibn Husham, op cit, 3:231; Tabari, op cit, 3:46-47; Samhudi, op cit, 1:303; al-Majlisi, op cit, 20:200-201.

215. Samhudi, op cit, 1:304; Halabi, op cit, 2:647.

216. al-Buladhari, op cit, 1:347; al-Waqidi, 2, pp. 462-463; Tabari, op cit, 3:50; Samhudi, op cit, 1:302.

217. al-Waqidi, op cit, 2:460; Halabi, op cit, 2:636.

Abu-Bakr is reported to have said that during the Battle of the Allies and due to Banu-Quray¨ah’s treason, the danger of Banu-Quray¨ah on the lives of women and children inside Medina was greater than the danger of Quraysh and Ghatafan al-Waqidi, op cit, pp. 460.

218. The Holy Prophet is reported to have said, “War depends upon tactics.”

219. Ibn Sa’d, op cit, 2:64; Ibn Husham, op cit, 3:240; Tabari, op cit, 3:50-51; Halabi, op cit, 2:650; Samhudi, op cit, 1:304; al-Majlisi, op cit, 20:207.

220. Muhammad Hamidullah, Rasul Akram dar Maydan Jang, pp. 128.

221. Ibn Sa’d, op cit, 2:68; al-Waqidi, op cit, 2:470; Tabari, op cit, 3:48; Shaykh al-Mufid, al-Irshad; al-Majlisi, op cit, 20:203.

222. At a place called Yalyal, ‘Amr, alone, fought a group of enemies. See Bihar al-Anwar 20:203.

Because he had been wounded at the Battle of Badr, he did not participate in the Battle of Uhud. See Ibn Husham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 3:235; Tabari, Tarikh al-Umam wa’l-Muluk 3:48; Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil fi’l-Tarikh 2:181.

223. al-Waqidi, op cit, 2:470; Ibn Abi’l-Hadid, Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah 13:291 and 19:63; al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 20:203.

224. Ibn Abi’l-Hadid, op cit, 19:61; al-Majlisi, op cit, 20:215.

225. al-Buladhari, op cit, 1:345; Muhammad Ibn Sa’d, op cit, 2:68; Ibn Husham, op cit, 3:236; Tabari, op cit, 3:48; Samhudi, op cit, 1:303.

226. Al-Karajaki, Kanz al-Fawa'id 1:298; al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 20:205-216.

227. Al-Hakim al-Naysaburi, al-Mustadrak ‘Ala’l-Sahihayn 3:32.

228. Al-Karajaki, op cit, pp. 299.

229. al-Buladhari, op cit, 1:345; Ibn Sa’d, op cit, 2:71; Tabari, op cit, 3:51-52; Ibn Shahrashub, Manaqib 1:198; Tabarsi, I’lam al-Wara, pp. 92; Samhudi, op cit, 1:305; al-Majlisi, op cit, 20:208-209.

230. Shaykh al-Mufid, al-Irshad, pp. 106; Sahih al-Bukhari 5:215; Tabarsi, Majma’ al-Bayan 8:345; al-Majlisi, op cit, 20:209.

231. Ibn Wadhih, Tarikh al-Ya’qubi 2:42; al-Waqidi, al-Maghazi 2:492; Ibn Husham al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 3:264; Tabari, op cit, 3:58; Ibn Shahrashub, Manaqib 1:198.

The number of the martyrs of this war is reported to have been higher than this. See Muhammad Ibrahim Ayati, the History of the Prophet of Islam, pp. 372.

232. al-Waqidi, op cit, 2:496; Ibn Husham, op cit, 3:265; Tabari, op cit, 3:59; Ibn Shahrashub, op cit, 1:198. Ya’qubi has recorded the number of martyrs as eight.(Tarikh al-Ya’qubi 2:42).

233. For further information concerning this war, refer to the following reference books: Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra 2:74-78; Tarikh al-Umam wa’l-Muluk 3:53-58; al-Maghazi 2:496-524; al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 3:244-261; Wafa' al-Wafa' 1:305-309; Bihar al-Anwar 20:233-238.

234. Ibn Husham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 3:256; Tabari, Tarikh al-Umam wa’l-Muluk 3:58.

The Holy Prophet sent another group to Damascus under the leadership of Sa’d ibn ‘Abadah. (al-Waqidi, al-Maghazi 2:533). For further information about the Battle of the Allies and Banu-Quray¨ah, refer to al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an 16:291-303.

235. Montgomery Watt, Muhammad at Medina, pp. 327. The writer criticizes this verdict. Referring Banu-Quray¨ah's treason, he writes, “At the Battle of the Allies and the siege of Medina, the status of Muslims was extremely perilous and there was the danger of Banu-Quray¨ah’s joining the enemies. In that case, Muslim's conditions would have become even worse and the Islamic movement would have ceased for ever. They should have been treated kindly by Muhammad.” See Mustafa Husayni Tabataba’i, Treason in the Historical Accounts 3:164-165.

236. The secret reports of Banu-Quray¨ah show their extreme aggression and obstinacy. Although one of them, together with his wife and children, was pardoned by the Holy Prophet upon the request of some Muslims, he preferred death to stopping obstinacy! See Ibn Husham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 3:253-254.

237. al-Waqidi, al-Maghazi 2:492.

238. The Old Testament, Book of Deuteronomy, Chapter 20. For further information about Sa’d’s judgment, see Ja’far Subhani, Furugh-e-Abadiyyat 2:154-157; Mustafa Tabataba’i, Treason in the Historical Accounts 3:161-173.

239. Sayyid Ja’far Shahidi, Tarikh Tahlili Islam ta Payan Umawiyyan, pp. 73-75.

240. Sayyid ‘Ali Mir Sharifi, A quick Look at the War of Banu-Quray¨ah.

241. Some historians, including al-Buladhari, al-Waqidi, and Muhammad Ibn Sa’d, reckon this war among the events of the firth year of Hegira. For this reason, they have put it before the Battle of the Allies. Some reasons confirm their position. See al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 3:302; Wafa' al-Wafa' 1:314.

242. For this reason, it is also called the Battle of Musayri’.

243. Ibn Husham, op cit, 3:302-308; Tabari, op cit, 3:63-66; al-Majlisi, op cit, 20:281-290.

244. Ibn Husham, op cit, 3:308; Mufid, al-Irshad, pp. 118-119; Ibn Shahrashub, Manaqib 1:201.

245. Ibn Husham, op cit, 3:307-308; al-Waqidi, op cit, 1:411; Tabarsi, I’lam al-Wara, pp. 94. In some other historical records, there is another account of this marriage.

246. When Quraysh stopped the entrance of Muslims to Mecca, a great man of Mecca, named Hulays ibn ‘Alqamah, threatened that if they continued in this way, he would mobilize his tribe against them. See Ibn Husham, Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 3:326; Tarikh al-Tabari 3:75; Muhammad Ibn Sa’d, Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra 2:96; Halabi, al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah 2:696.

247. Shaykh al-Kulayni, al-Rawdhah min al-Kafi, pp. 322. The number of the Holy Prophet’s companions is said to have been seven hundred, or one thousand and three hundred, or four hundred and twenty-five, or six hundred. See al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah 2:689; al-Maghazi 2:614; Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra 2:95, 98; Tarikh al-Tabari 3:72; Ibn Husham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 3:332; Majma’ al-Bayan 9:110.

248. al-Maghazi 2:602.

249. Ibn Husham, op cit, pp. 330; Tabari, op cit, pp. 78; Ibn Sa’d, op cit, pp. 97, 99; al-Buladhari, Ansab al-Ashraf 1:350; Tabarsi, I’lam al-Wara, pp. 96.

250. The Holy Qur'an reads,

“Certainly Allah was well pleased with the believers when they swore allegiance to you under the tree, and He knew what was in their hearts, so He sent down tranquility on them and rewarded them with a near victory. (48:18)”

251. Tabari, op cit, pp. 78; Ibn Husham, op cit, pp. 331.

252. On the basis of this paragraph, the Holy Prophet and Muslims had to perform the ‘Umrah ceremony in the seventh year of Hegira. It is thus called ‘Umrat al-Qadha'.

253. The tribe of Khuza’ah announced paid homage to the Muslims; while Banu-Bakr convened a contract with Quraysh.

254. Tabarsi, op cit, pp. 97; al-Buladhari, op cit, pp. 350-351; Ibn Husham, op cit, pp. 332; Tabarsi, I’lam al-Wara, pp. 97; al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 20:352; and see Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra 2:97, 101, 102.

255. Tabarsi, I’lam al-Wara, pp. 97; Halabi, al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah, 2:77; al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 20:350, 352.

256. Tabarsi, Majma’ al-Bayan 9:118; al-Majlisi, op cit, 20:334, 350.

For further information regarding the Hudaybiyah Truce, see Ahmad Miyanji, Makatib al-Rasul 1:275, 287; Muhammad Hamidullah, Watha’iq, pp. 66, 68.

257. Nazr ibn Muzahim, Waq’at Siffin, pp. 508-509; Tabarsi, op cit, pp. 97; Ibn Wadhih, Tarikh al-Ya’qubi 2:179; al-Daynawari, al-Akhbar al-Tiwal, pp. 194; Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil fi’l-Tarikh 3:32; Halabi, op cit, pp. 708.

258. al-Majlisi, op cit, 20:350.

259. al-Waqidi, al-Maghazi 2:607; Ibn Husham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 3:331; Tarikh al-Tabari 3:97; Halabi, al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah 2:706. The explicit opposition of some Muslims to the Holy Prophet's resolution was a sign of obstinacy on their part towards him. This issue was repeated several times by some of them and this was the source of many bitter events in the history of Islam. This is in contrast with the view that Muslims should be obedient to God's commands. God says in this regard: “And it behooves not a believing man and a believing woman that they should have any choice in their matter when Allah and His Apostle have decided a matter; and whoever disobeys Allah and His Apostle, he surely strays off a manifest straying.” (Qur’an 33:36)

260. Ibn Husham, op cit, 3:336; Tabari, op cit, 3:81; Halabi, op cit, 2:721.

261. Tabarsi, I’lam al-Wara, pp. 98; al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 20:363.

262. Ibn Sa’d, op cit, 2:104, 105; Ibn Husham, op cit, 3:334; Tabarsi, I’lam al-Wara, pp. 98; Halabi, op cit, pp. 714.

263. “Surely, we have given to you a clear victory. (48:1)

Letter 16

A Hundred Shi’a Authorities Relied upon by Sunnis

Thul-Qi’da 1329

Yes. I will provide you in a hurry with what you have requested, confining myself to some of those personalities who were visited by people from far and wide, on the condition that I will not be required to elaborate on them, since there is no room for that in this brief exposition. Here are their names and the names of their fathers arranged alphabetically:96

1. Aban ibn Taghlib

He was a Kufi] reciter of the Holy Qur'an. Al­Thahbi has recorded his biography in his own Mizan saying, "Aban ibn Taghlib, MAW, of Kufa, is a persistant Shi’a. He, nevertheless, is truthful; so, we will rely on his truthfulness, and let him be punished for his innovation." He has also said that Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Ibn Ma’in and Abu Hatim put their trust in him. Ibn ‘Adi quotes him and says that he is "extremist in Shi’ism." Al­Sa’di describes him as "an open deviator."

Ibn al­Thahbi goes on to describe the man's credentials, counting him as an authority relied upon by Muslim and authors of the fourSunan books, namely Abu Dawud, al­Tirmithi, al­Nisa'i and Ibn Majah, marking his name with the latter's initials.

Refer to his narration ofhadith in Muslim'sSahih , in the fourSunan books through al­Hakam and al­A’mash, in addition to Fudayl ibn ‘Umar. Sufyan ibn ‘Ayinah, Shu’bah, and Idris al­Awdi quote him as recorded in Muslim's book. He died, may Allah have mercy on him, in 141 A.H.

2. Ibrahim ibn Yazid

His name is Ibrahim ibn Yazid ibn ‘Umar ibn al­Aswad al­Nakh’i al­Kufi, thefaqih . His mother is Malika daughter of Yazid ibn Qays al­Nakh’i and sister of al­Aswad, Ibrahim, and ‘Abdel­Rahman, sons of Yazid ibn Qays. Like their uncles ‘Alqamah and Ubay, sons of Qays, they were all among the most reliable and authoritative among all Muslims. Authors of the sixsahih books, as well as others, have all relied upon their authority while keeping in mind thier being Shi’as.

As regarding our man Ibrahim ibn Yazid, he has been included among Shi’a dignitaries by Ibn Qutaybah] on page 206 of his workAl-Ma’arif where he enUmarates a few Shi’a dignitaries, taking his reliability for granted. Refer to hishadith in Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahih books as quoted by the mother of his uncle ‘Alqamah ibn Qays, and by Humam ibn al­Harith, Abu ‘Ubaydah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, ‘Ubaydah, al­Aswad ibn Yazid, his uncle.

Refer also to hishadith in Muslim'sSahih through his uncle from his mother's side, ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Yazid, and through Sahm ibn Munjab, Abu Mu’ammar, ‘Ubayd ibn Nadlah, and ‘Abis. In the twosahihs , he is quoted by Fudayl ibn ‘Umar, al­Mughirah, Ziyad ibn Kulayb, Wasil, al­Hasan ibn ‘Ubaydullah, Hammad ibn Abu Sulayman, and by Sammak. Ibrahim was born in 50 A.H., and he died at the age of either 95 or 96, four months after al­Hajjaj's death.

3. Ahmad ibn al­Mufdil

He is Ahmad ibn al­Mufdil ibn al­Kufi al­Hafri. Abu Zar’ah and Abu Hatim quote him and rely upon him while being fully aware of his status among Shi’as. In Ahmad's biography, as stated inAl-Mizan , Abu Hatim highlights this fact by saying: "Ahmad ibn al­Mufdil is one of the Shi’a chiefs, and he is truthful." Al­Thahbi mentions him in his bookAl-Mizan , putting on his name Abu Dawud's and al­Nisa'i's initials, indicating thereby that they consider him an authority. Refer to hishadith in theirsahih through al­Thawri. He narrates through Asbat ibn Nasir and Isra'i.

7. Isma’il ibn ‘Abbad

His full name is Isma'il ibn ‘Abbad ibn al­Abbas al­Taleqani (Abul­Qasim), better known as al­Sahib ibn ‘Abbad. Al­Thahbi has mentioned him in his bookAl-Mizan , putting "DT" on his name to indicate that both Dawud and al-Tirmithi rely on him in theirsahih books.97 Then he goes on to describe him as "a talented Shi’a, a man of letters".

His being Shi’a is a matter which cannot be doubted by anyone. For this reason, he and his father earned high marks of prestige and greatness in the Buwayhid state. He is the first person among their government ministers to be called "sahib" (companion, friend), since he was, since his adolescence, a companion of Mu'ayyed al­Dawlah ibn Buwayh. This title followed him as he grew up till he was known thereby. Later on, it was used for anyone who held the same reins of responsibility in the government.

First, he was minister to Mu'ayyed al­Dawlah Abu Mansur ibn Rukn al­Dawlah ibn Buwayh. After the latter's demise in Sha’ban of 373 in Jurjan, Abul-Hasan ‘Ali, better known as Fakhr al­Dawlah, brother of Mu'ayyed, seized authority and retained Sahib's position. Fakhr al­Dawlah held Sahib in high esteem and fulfilled his wishes in the same way his own father Abu ‘Abbad ibn al­Abbas did while he was in the service of Fakhr al­Dawlah's father, Rukn al­Dawlah.

When, at the age of 59, as­Sahib died on Thursday night, 24th of Safar, 385, in Rayy, the city of Rayy closed down its shops as a sign of mourning, and people gathered in front of his mansion awaiting his coffin. Fakhr al­Dawlah, accompanied by government ministers and commanders of the army, went there, too, wearing mourning clothes.

When his coffin came out of his house, people cried "Allahu Akbar!" in unison, kissed the ground in glorification, and Fakhr al­Dawlah followed the coffin on foot with the crowd and sat with them during the three days' mourning period. Poets read eulogies, and scholars held commemorative ceremonies in his honour, and he was praised by all those who could not attend his funeral.

Abu Bakr al­Khawarizmi said: "Al­Sahib ibn ‘Abbad grew up in the ministry's lap, learned how to crawl and walk within its precincts, was nursed from the most excellent of its bosoms, and inherited it [ministry] from his own forefathers." Abu Sa’id al­Rustami composed these verses in his praise:

He inherited ministry: a link in a chain,

A great man, he was, heir of great men.

About the ministry of al-Abbas does ‘Abbad narrate,

While from ‘Abbad does Isma’il Narrate.

In his biography of Sahib, al­Tha’alibi says: "I can find no words to fairly describe Sahib's lofty status in knowledge and arts, or the prestige he enjoys for being benevolent and generous, or his unique virtues and possession of various merits. The best statement I can make on his behalf falls short of doing justice to the least among his virtues and eminence, and my best description falls short of being fair to his virtues and characteristics."

Sahib has written many precious books including Al­Muhit in Language in seven volumes; its chapters are arranged alphabetically. He collected an unmatched library. Nuh ibn al­Mansur, one of the kings of Sam’an, wrote to him once to invite him to be in charge of running his cabinet of ministers and managing the affairs of his kingdom. He apologized to him, saying that he needed four hundred camels just to transport the contents of his library. This much about him should suffice.

8. Isma’il ibn ‘Abdul­Rahman ibn Abu Karimah al­Kufi

Better known as al-Sadi, he is the renown interpreter of the Holy Qur'an. Stating his biography, al­Thahbi describes him as "charged with Shi’ism." Husayn ibn Waqid al­Maruzi discusses him, claiming that he heard him once cursing Abu Bakr and ‘Umar. In spite of all these charges, he is quoted by al­Thawri and Abu Bakr ibn ‘Ayyash and many in such class of writers. Muslim and authors of the foursahih books consider him an authority, while Ahmad grants him his full confidence. Ibn ‘Adi says that he is truthful. Yahya al­Qattan says there is nothing wrong with theahadith he narrates.

Yahya ibn Sa’id says: "I never heard anyone speaking ill of al­Sadi; none has deserted him." Ibrahim al­Nakh’i once passed by al­Sadi while the latter was interpreting the Holy Qur'an. Ibrahim said that al­Sadi was interpreting the Holy Qur'an according to the commonly used methods. If you read about al­Sadi in Mizan al-I’tidal, you will find more details about what we have stated above.

Refer to al­Sadi'shadith in Muslim'sSahih from Anas ibn Malik, Sa’d ibn ‘Ubaydah, and Yahya ibn ‘Abbad. Abu ‘Awanah, al­Thawri, al­Hasan ibn Salih, Za'idah, and Isra'il have all quoted him, being their mentor, as stated in the foursahih books. He died in 127 A.H.

9. Isma’il ibn Musa al­Fazari al­Kufi

Al­Thahbi'sAl-Mizan quotes Ibn ‘Uday saying, "People despised his extremist Shi’a views."Al-Mizan also quotes ‘Abdan saying: "Hammad and Ibn Abu Shaybah opposed our visiting him." He asked him once how he fared with "that immoral who curses our ancestors."

In spite of all of this, both Ibn Khuzaymah and Abu ‘Arubah quote him, being the instructor of their class. He is in the same category with Abu Dawud and al-Tirmithi who quote him and rely on his authority in theirsahihs . Abu Hatim mentions him and calls him "trustworthy." Al-Nisa'i says "he is alright." All of this is stated in the man's biography in al-Thahbi'sAl-Mizan .

Refer to hishadith in al-Tirmithi'sSahih and Abu Dawud'sSunan as narrated by Malik, Sharik, and ‘Umar ibn Shakir, a friend of Anas. He died in 245. He was a son of al­Sadi's daughter, although he might have denied that, and Allah knows best.

10. Talid ibn Sulayman al­Kufi, al­A’raj

Ibn Ma’in mentioned him and said: "He used to curse ‘Uthman. Some of ‘Uthman's followers heard that. They threw a rock at him which broke his leg, hence his nickname "al­A’raj," the lame. Abu Dawud has mentioned him and said he is Rafidi who curses Abu Bakr and ‘Uthman.

In spite of all of this, Ahmad and Ibn Namir rely on his authority despite their knowledge of his Shi’a beliefs. Ahmad has said, "Talid is a Shi’a, yet we could not find anything wrong with what he narrated." Al­Thahbi has mentioned him in his bookAl-Mizan , quoting statements about him made by learned men as stated above. He puts al-Tirmithi's initials on his name to indicate that the latter considers him an authority. Refer to hishadith in al-Tirmithi'sSahih through ‘Ata ibn al­Sa'ib and ‘Abdel­Malik ibn ‘Umayr.

11. Thabit ibn Dinar

Thabit is better known as Abu Hamzah al­Thamali. His being Shi’a is as clear as the sun. Author ofAl-Mizan mentions him, stating that the name of ‘Uthman was mentioned once in Abu Hamzah's presence. The latter sarcastically asked: "Who is ‘Uthman?!"

It also states that al­Sulaymani includes Abu Hamzah among the Rafidis. Al­Thahbi puts al-Tirmithi's initials on Abu Hamzah's name as an indication of his being an authority. Waki’ and Abu Na’im quote him and use him as their authority. Refer to hishadith in al-Tirmithi'ssahih through Anas and al­Sha’bi and others of the same calibre. He died, may Allah have mercy on his soul, in 150 A.H.

12. Thuwayr ibn Abu Fakhita

He is better known as Abu Jahm al­Kufi, a freed slave of Ummu Hani', daughter of Abu Talib. Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in hisAl-Mizan and quoted Yunus ibn Abu Ishaq's allegation that he was Rafidi. Nevertheless, both Sufyan and Shu’bah have quoted him, and al-Tirmithi has produced some of hisahadith in his ownSahih through the authority of Ibn ‘Umar and Zayd ibn Arqam.

During the time of Imam al-Baqir (as), he maintained his loyalty to the Imam, and he came to be known as such. In this regard, he made quite a few interesting dialogues with ‘Amr ibn Tharr, the judge, his contemporary Ibn Qays, and al-Salt ibn Bahram testifying to this fact.

13. Jabir ibn Yazid ibn al-Harith al-Ju’fi al-Kufi

Al-Thahbi has narrated his biography in his ownAl-Mizan , describing him as one of the Shi’a‘ulema . He has quoted Sufyan saying that he heard Jabir saying that the knowledge with the Prophet (pbuh) was transferred to ‘Ali (as), then to al-Hasan (as), and so on till it reached Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (as), who was one of his contemporaries.

Muslim has mentioned him in one of the first chapters of his Sahih, quoting al-Jarrah who has heard Jabir saying that he knew seventy thousandahadith of the Prophet all narrated through the authority of the father of Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (as) (i.e. Imam Muhammad al-Baqir, peace be upon him). He has also quoted Zuhayr saying, "I know fifty thousandahadith none of which I have narrated yet."

One day, he quoted onehadith and said, "This is one of the fifty thousandahadith ." According to his biography in al-Thahbi'sAl-Mizan , whenever Jabir narratedhadith through al-Baqir (as), he says: "The successor of the successors of the Prophet related to me that..." In his biography in theAl-Mizan , Ibn ‘Uday says: "Commoners alleged that he [Jabir] used to believe in the return."

Relying on the authority of Za'idah, al-Thahbi has included his biography in hisAl-Mizan and said: "Jabir al-Ju’fi is a Rafidi who curses..." In spite of that, both al-Nisa'i and Abu Dawud rely on his authority.

Refer to thehadith which he narrates concerning accidental prostrations in bothsahihs . Shihab, Abu ‘Awanah, and many of their calibre, quote him. Al-Thahbi, who mentions him in hisAl-Mizan , has put the initials of both Abu Dawud and al-Tirmithi on his name to indicate their reliance on his authority. He also quotes Sufyan saying that Jabir al-Ju’fi is God-fearing while narratinghadith , and that he has said: "I have never seen anyone more pious than him [Jabir]."

He also quotes Shu’bah saying that Jabir is truthful, and "Whenever Jabir narratedhadith , we listened, since he is the most trustworthy of all men." Waki’ used to say, "If doubt entertains your mind, you may doubt anyone other than Jabir al-Ju’fi," and that Ibn ‘Abd al-Hakam heard al-Shafi’i once saying that Sufyan al-Thawri said once to Shu’bah: "If you ever cast doubt about Jabir, that will signal the end of our friendship." Jabir died in either 127 or 128 Hij., may Allah have mercy on his soul.

14. Jarir ibn ‘Abdel-Hamid al-Dabi al-Kufi

In his work Al-Ma’arif, Ibn Qutaybah includes him among Shi’a dignitaries, while al-Thahbi mentions him inAl-Mizan , marking his name to denote the consensus of thesahihs in relying on his authority. He has praised him saying: "He is the learned man of the Rayy on whose authority many authors rely," testifying to the consensus of opinion regarding his reliability.

Refer to hishadith in Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahihs narrated through A’mash, Mughirah, Mansur, Isma’il ibn Abu Khalid and Abu Ishaq al-Shaybani. Qutaybah ibn Sa’id, Yahya ibn Yahya and ‘Uthman ibn Abu Shaybah have all quoted hisahadith as stated in bothsahihs . He died, may Allah rest his soul in peace, in Rayy in 187 Hij. at the age of 77.

15. Ja’far ibn Ziyad al-Ahmar al-Kufi

Abu Dawud has mentioned him saying: "He is a truthful Shi’a." Al-Jawzjani has said: "He has deviated from the path," meaning from al-Jawzjani's path to that of the Prophet's Progeny (as). Ibn ‘Adi has described him as a pious Shi’a.

His grandson al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali ibn Ja’far ibn Ziyad has said: "My grandfather Ja’far was one of the chiefs of Shi’as in Khurasan." Abu Ja’far al-Dawaniqi ordered collars98 to be put around his neck and the necks of a group of other Shi’as and be pulled like dogs; then he kept all of them in dungeons for quite a long time.

Ibn ‘Ayinah, Waki’, Abu Ghassan al-Mahdi, Yahya ibn Bishr al-Hariri and Ibn Mahdi have all quoted hisahadith , being their mentor. Ibn Ma’in and others have considered him an authority on the Prophet's hadith. Ahmad describes hishadith as "sahih ," authentic, accurate. Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in hisAl-Mizan and narrated what is stated above, putting the initials of both al-Tirmithi and al-Nisa'i on his name as an indication of both men's reliance on him. Refer to hishadith as they quote it in theirsahihs through Bayan ibn Bishr and ‘Ata' ibn al-Sa'ib. He is quoted through other men of the same calibre. He died, may Allah have mercy on his soul, in 167 Hij.

16. Ja’far ibn Sulayman al-Dab’i al-Basri (Abu Sulayman)

On page 206 of his Ma’arif, Ibn Qutaybah includes him among Shi’a dignitaries. Ibn Sa’d has mentioned him and emphasized his being a Shi’a and a trustworthy narrator ofhadith . Ahmad ibn al-Miqdam has charged him of being "Rafidi." Ibn ‘Adi has mentioned him saying: "He is a Shi’a. There is nothing wrong with his narration; hisahadith are by no means refutable, and I consider him as one whosehadith is acceptable."

Abu Talib has said: "I have heard Ahmad saying that there is nothing wrong with theahadith narrated by Ja’far ibn Sulayman al-Dab’i." It was said to Ahmad, "But Sulayman ibn Harb says that he did not write down al-Dab’i'sahadith ." Ahmad replied by saying that Ibn Harb did not object that anyone should write down al-Dab’i'sahadith , and that [ibn Harb's prejudice was simply because] al-Dab’i was a Shi’a who quotedahadith regarding ‘Ali [ibn Abu Talib]."

Ibn Ma’in has said: "I have heard certain talk from ‘Abdul-Razzaq which testified to the man's "sectarian beliefs." I said to him: "Your mentors, such as Mu’ammar, Ibn Jurayh, al-Awza’i, Malik, and Sufyan, are all Sunnis. Where did you learn this [Shi’a] sect from?" He answered: "One day, Ja’far ibn Sulayman al-Dab’i visited us, and I saw him to be virtuous, pious, and from him did I learn this sect." I guess Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr al-Muqaddami saw contratiwise! He openly used to say that Ja’far learned "Rafidism" from ‘Abdul-Razzaq; therefore, he used to curse the latter and say: "Nobody corrupted Ja’far's beliefs other than he [‘Abdul-Razzaq]."

Quoting Sahl ibn Abu Khadouthah, al-Aqili has said: "I said to Ja’far ibn Sulayman: ‘I have heard that you curse Abu Bakr and ‘Umar.' He replied: ‘Cursing I do not; but hating, you can say whatever you will.'"

Relying on Jarir ibn Yazid ibn Harun, Ibn Haban has said in his Thiqat, "My father sent me once to Abu Ja’far al-Dab’i. I said to the latter: ‘I have heard that you curse Abu Bakr and ‘Umar.' He replied: ‘I do not curse them. But if you want to say that I despise them, feel free;' therefore, I concluded that he was Rafidi."

In his biography of Ja’far inAl-Mizan , al-Thahbi has included all the above and emphasized as well the fact that the man was a pious ‘alim "in spite of being a Shi’a." Muslim relies on him in hisSahih and quotes some of his uniqueahadith which are published nowhere else as al-Thahbi himself testifies when he narrates Ja’far's biography. Refer to hishadith in thesahih narrated through Thabit al-Banani, al-Ja’d ibn ‘Uthman, Abu ‘Umran al-Jawni, Yazid ibn al-Rashk and Sa’id al-Jariri. Qatan ibn Nasir, Yahya ibn Yahya, Qutaybah, Muhammad ibn ‘Ubayd ibn Hasab, Ibn Mahdi and Musaddid have all quoted hisahadith .

For example, he has said: "The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, dispatched a division of the Muslim army under ‘Ali's command, etc." Anotherhadith he has narrated states: "What do you want of ‘Ali? ‘Ali is of me, and I am of him. He is thewali (master) after me of every believer," as quoted in al-Nisa'i'sSahih and transmitted through Ibn ‘Adi from al-Nisa'i. Al-Thahbi has stated the above while discussing Ja’far in hisAl-Mizan . He died in Rajab of 178 Hij.; may Allah be merciful unto him.

17. Jami’ ibn ‘Umayrah ibn Tha’labah al-Kufi al-Taymi (Taymullah)

Abu Hatim has mentioned his biography in his ownAl-Mizan at the conclusion of which he states: "Al-Kufi is one of the Shi’a nobility whosehadith is authentically narrated." Ibn Haban has mentioned him and stated, as indicated inAl-Mizan , that he is"Rafidi ." I say that al-’Ala' ibn Salih, Sadaqah ibn al-Muthanna, and Hakim ibn Jubayr have all derived their knowledge from him, being their mentor.

TheSunan books quote him thrice. Al-Tirmithi has acclaimed hishadith , as al-Thahbi'sAl-Mizan testifies. He is one of thetabi’in . He learnedhadith from Ibn ‘Umar and ‘Ayesha. One of theahadith which he learned from Ibn ‘Umar states that the latter heard the Messenger of Allah addressing ‘Ali thus: "You are my brother in this life and the life hereafter."

18. Al-Harith ibn Hasirah Abul Nu’man al-Azdi al-Kufi

Abu Hatim al-Razi describes him as one of the Shi’a nobility. Abu Ahmad al-Zubayri has attributed to him the belief in the return. Ibn ‘Adi mentions him saying: "Hishadith is written down in spite of the weakness I have seen therein. He is one of the Kufis who will be burned in the Fire because of their Shi’ism." Thanij has said: "I once asked Jarir: ‘Have you met al-Harith ibn Hasirah?' He answered, ‘Yes, indeed, I have. I met him as an old man who used to stay silent most of the time, and he insisted on something quite magnanimous.'"

Yahya ibn Ma’in has mentioned him and said: "He is trustworthy [though] Khashbi [one of the derogatory names downgrading Shi’as, tr.]." Al-Nisa'i, too, trusts him. Al-Thawri, Malik ibn Maghul, ‘Abdullah ibn Namir, and a group of their calibre, have all quoted him, since he was their mentor in whom they put their trust.

Al-Thahbi has narrated his biography in hisAl-Mizan stating all the above. Refer to hishadith in theSunan through Zayd ibn Wahab, ‘Ikrimah, and a group of their class. Al-Nisa'i quotes ‘Abbad ibn Ya’qub al-Rawajni who quotes a chain of narrators including ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abdul-Malik al-Mas’udi that al-Harith ibn Hasirah, according to Zayd ibn Wahab, reported that ‘Ali (as) was heard once saying: "I am the servant of Allah and the brother of His Messenger; nobody else can say so except a liar."

Al-Harith ibn Hasirah narrates through Abu Dawud al-Subai’i, through ‘Umran ibn Hasin, saying: "I was sitting once in the presence of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, with ‘Ali sitting beside him. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, recited ‘Or who else [other than Allah] that would respond to the one in dire need for help, remove his distress, and make ye vicegerents on earth?' ‘Ali was shaken and moved a great deal; thereupon, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, patted ‘Ali's shoulder and said: ‘Nobody loves you except a true believer [a mu'min], and nobody hates you except a hypocrite till the Day of Judgment.'"

Traditionists such as Muhammad ibn Kuthayyir and others have quoted thehadith cited above from Al-Harith ibn Hasirah. Al-Thahbi has transmitted it while stating the biography of Nafi’ ibn al-Harith through the same chain of narrators. When he comes to Al-Harith ibn Hasirah, he comments saying, "He is truthful; but he is also Rafidi."

19. Al-Harith ibn ‘Abdullah al-Hamadani

He was one of the close friends of the Commander of the Faithful (as) and one of the besttabi'in . His being a Shi’a needs no proof. He is the first of those counted by Ibn Qutaybah in his Ma’arif as Shi’a dignitaries. Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in hisAl-Mizan , admitting that he was one of the most highly recognized‘ulema among thetabi’in ; then he quotes Ibn Haban's statement saying that he was "extremist" in his Shi’a beliefs. After that, he states a great deal about some people's anger with him because of his Shi’a beliefs.

In spite of all this, he also records their consensus that the man is the most knowledgeable, pious, and best informed about rituals. He has also admitted that theahadith narrated by al-Harith are in existence in the four books ofsunan . He declares the fact that Nisa'i, in spite of his prejudice, has strongly relied on the authority of al-Harith, admitting that the public, in spite of belittling the man, kept quoting hisahadith in all religious matters, and that al-Sha’bi called him a liar, then he turned around and quoted him!

Al-Thahbi states the following in hisAl-Mizan : "Obviously, al-Nisa'i falsifies him when it comes to the latter's tone and tale; but when the man narrateshadith , he does not disbelieve in him."Al-Mizan quotes Muhammad ibn Sirin saying: "There were five well-known companions of Ibn Mas’ud. I came to know four of them, but I missed al-Harith whom I never saw. He was the best among them."

A great deal of controversy exists regarding which of the other three, namely Alqamah, Masruq, or ‘Ubaydah, is the best. I say that Allah has enabled trustworthy traditionists to do justice to al-Sha’bi and prove him a liar. This has been pointed out by Ibn ‘Abd al-Birr in his bookJami'‘ Bayanul ‘Ilm which quotes the frank statement made by Ibrahim al-Nakh’i belying al-Sha’bi, addingverbatim : "I think that al-Sha’bi has received his fair punishment for saying the following about al-Harith al-Hamadani: ‘Al-Harith, one of the liars, informed me that..., etc.'"99

Ibn ‘Abd al-Birr has said: "Al-Harith has shown no indication of being a liar; some people have borne grudge against him simply because he loved ‘Ali so much and preferred him over others. This is the reason why al-Sha’bi has called him a liar, since al-Sha’bi favours Abu Bakr, stating that the latter was the first to embrace Islam, and he favours ‘Umar, too."

Among those who bore grudge against al-Harith was Muhammad Ibn Sa’d who included al-Harith's biography in Volume 6 of hisTabaqat , saying that al-Harith speaks "maliciously." He does not do al-Harith, nor any other Shi’a notable, any justice even when it comes to knowledge or feats. The "malicious" talk Ibn Sa’d is referring to is nothing other than allegiance to Muhammad's progeny and his taking them for guides in all matters, as Ibn ‘Abd al-Birr has admitted in his above-quoted statement. Al-Harith's demise took place in 65 Hij.; may Allah have mercy on his soul.

20. Habib ibn Abu Thabit al-Asadi al-Kahili al-Kufi

He was one of thetabi’in . Qutaybah, in his Ma’arif, and Shahristani, in his Al-Milal wal Nihal, have both included him among Shi’a dignitaries. Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in hisAl-Mizan , marking his name with the indication that authors of the sixsahihs rely on his authority without any hesitation. Yahya Ibn Ma’in and a group of other scholars have all trusted him.

Al-Dawalibi, however, has spoken ill of him and classified his traditions as "weak" just because of his being a Shi’a. What truly amazes me is the attitude of Ibn ‘Awn who was unable to find any pretext to cast doubt about Habib's traditions, in spite of his ardent desire to do so; therefore, he had to look down at him and call him "a’war," one-eyed. One's real handicap is sinning and speaking ill of others, not in losing an eye.

Refer to Habib's traditions in Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahihs as narrated through Sa’id ibn Jubayr and Abu Wa'il. Hishadith narrated through Zayd ibn Wahab is recorded only in Bukhari's Sahih. In Muslim's Sahih, hishadith is narrated through Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas, and through Tawus, al-Dahhak al-Mashriqi, Abu ‘Abbas ibn al-Sha’ir, Abu al-Minhal ‘Abdul-Rahman, ‘Ata' ibn Yasin, Ibrahim ibn Sa’d ibn Abu Waqqas, and through Mujahid.

In bothsahihs , Misar, al-Thawri, and Shu’bah have quoted his traditions. In Muslim's Sahih, hisahadith are quoted by Sulayman al-A’mash, Hasin, ‘Abdul-’Aziz ibn Sayah and Abu Ishaq al-Shaybani. He died, may Allah have mercy on his soul, in 119 Hij.

21. Al-Hasan ibn Hayy

Hayy's full name is Salih ibn Salih al-Hamadani, brother of ‘Ali ibn Salih. Both men, who were born twins, are on the top of the list of Shi’a nobility. ‘Ali was born only one hour earlier. Nobody has ever heard his brother calling him by his first name; instead, he used to always refer to him as "Abu Muhammad."

This has been mentioned in Vol. 6 of Ibn Sa’d'sTabaqat , in the chapter dealing with al-Hasan. The author states: "Al-Hasan was one of the dignitaries, but he is inflicted with Shi’ism. He did not participate in the Jum’a prayers, and he preached denunciation of unjust rulers." He also mentions the fact that the man never invoked Allah's mercy on ‘Uthman.

Ibn Sa’d has mentioned him in Vol. 6 of hisTabaqat , saying, "He is trustworthy; he narrates manyahadith , and he is a Shi’a." Imam Ibn Qutaybah has included his name among other narrators ofhadith in his Ma’arif, highlighting his being a Shi’a. At the conclusion of his book, he lists al-Hasan among such narrators. Muslim and authors of thesunan books have all relied on his authority.

Refer to hishadith in Muslim'sSahih as narrated by Sammak ibn Harb, Isma’il al-Sadi, ‘Asim al-Ahwal, and Harun ibn Sa’d. ‘Ubaydullah ibn Musa al-’Abasi, Yahya ibn Adam, Hamid ibn ‘Abdul-Rahman al-Rawasi, ‘Ali ibn al-Ja’d, Ahmad ibn Yunus and all renown men of their intellectual calibre have learnedhadith from him.

In his biography inAl-Mizan , al-Thahbi indicates that Ibn Ma’in and others have trusted his [al-Hasan's]hadith . He adds saying that ‘Abdullah ibn Ahmad has quoted his father saying that al-Hasan is more authentic than Sharik. Al-Thahbi also states that Abu Hatim has said: "He is a trust; he has a sound and authentic memory," and that Abu Zar’ah has said: "He has combined in him accomplishment,fiqh , piety, and asceticism," and that Nisa'i has trusted him.

He also quotes Abu Na’im saying: "I have quoted eight hundred traditionists; I have found none better than al-Hasan ibn Salih," and that he has also said: "I have come across nobody who did not err other than al-Hasan ibn Salih."

He quotes ‘Ubaydah ibn Sulayman saying: "Allah is too shy to harm al-Hasan ibn Salih." He quotes Yahya ibn ‘Ali Bakir asking al-Hasan ibn Salih: "Describe to us how to conduct the ceremonial bathing of the deceased;" he could not do so because of being overcome by tears.

He quotes ‘Ubaydullah ibn Musa saying: "I used to recite the holy Qur'an in the presence of ‘Ali ibn Salih. Having finished reciting ‘Exercise patience [O Muhammad]!; We have granted them a respite only for an appointed time,' his brother fell down snorting like a wounded bull; so, ‘Ali lifted him up, wiped and washed his face then supported him against falling again," and that Waki’ has said: "Al-Hasan and ‘Ali sons of Salih and their mother divided night-time among them into three parts: each alternates in his portion thereof in keeping vigil, spending it in prayers and adoration. When their mother died, they split it into equal halves. Then ‘Ali died; therefore, al-Hasan used to stay all night long worshipping."

Abu Sulayman al-Darani has said: "I have never seen anyone more awe-stricken than al-Hasan son of Salih who stood up one night to recite Chaper 78 of the Holy Qur'an and fainted yet continued reciting till dawn." He was born, may Allah have mercy upon him, in 100 Hij. and he died in 169.

22. Al-Hakam ibn ‘Utaybah al-Kufi

Ibn Qutaybah has indicated the fact that al-Hakam ibn ‘Utaybah was a Shi’a in his Ma’arif and included him among Shi’a nobility. Both Bukhari and Muslim rely on his authority. Refer to hishadith in theirsahihs as narrated by Abu Jahifah, Ibrahim al-Nakh’i, Mujahid, and Sa’id ibn Jubayr.

In Muslim's Sahih, it is narrated by ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Abu Layla, al-Qasim ibn Mukhaymarah, Abu Salih, Tharr ibn ‘Abdullah, Sa’id ibn ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn ‘Abzi, Yahya al-Jazzar, Nafi’ (a slave of Ibn ‘Umar), ‘Ata' ibn Abu Rabah, ‘Imarah ibn ‘Umayr, ‘Arrak ibn Malik, al-Sha’bi, Maymun ibn Mahran, al-Hasan al-’Arni, Mus’ab ibn Sa’d and ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn.

In bothsahihs , hisahadith are quoted by Mansur, Misar and Shu’bah. Particularly in Bukhari's Sahih, hisahadith are narrated by ‘Abdul-Malik ibn Abu Ghaniya. In Muslim's Sahih, hisahadith are narrated by al-A’mash, ‘Amr ibn Qays, Zayd ibn Abu Anisa, Malik ibn al-Maghul; Aban ibn Taghlib, Hamzah al-Zayyat, Muhammad ibn Jehada, Mutraf and Abu ‘Awanah. He died in 115 Hij. at the age of 65.

23. Hammad ibn ‘Isa al-Jehni

He drowned at Juhfa. Abu ‘Ali has mentioned him in his book Muntahal Maqal. Al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali ibn Dawud abridged the said article in his own concise Mukhtasar, in a chapter dealing with biographies of notables, a group of Shi’a‘ulema and authors of biographies and dictionaries who regard him as most trustworthy, a follower of the rightly-guided Imams, peace be upon them. He learned from Imam al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, seventyahadith by the holy Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, but he did not relate more than twenty of them. He has authored a few books with which followers of our faith are familiar.

Once he entered in the presence of Imam Abul-Hasan al-Kazim, peace be upon him, and said: "May my life be sacrificed for you! Please pray Allah to bless me with a house, a wife, a son, a servant, and a pilgrimage every year."

The Imam said: "Lord! I invoke Thee to send blessings unto Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad, and to bless this man with a house, a wife, a son, a servant, and a pilgrimage for fifty years each."

Hammad said: "When he prayed for my performing the pilgrimage fifty times, I became sure I would never live beyond that. I have performed the annual pilgrimage forty-eight times; this is my house with which Allah has blessed me; yonder there is my wife behind the curtain listening to me; this is my son, and this is my servant; I have been blessed with all of these."

Two years later, and having performed the pilgrimage fifty times, he accompanied Abul ‘Abbas al-Nawfali al-Qasir on his fifty-first pilgrimage. When he reached the place where pilgrims put on the ihram garb, he entered the Johfa river for a bath, but the torrent overwhelmed him, and he drowned before being able to perform his 51st pilgrimage. His death, may Allah have mercy on his soul, took place in 209 Hij. His birth-place is Kufa, but he resided in Basrah. He lived over seventy years. We have conducted a thorough research of his biography in our book Mukhtasar al-Kalam fi Mu'allifi al-Shi’a min Sadr al-Islam [A Brief Discourse of Shi’a Authors of Early Islam].

Al-Thahbi has mentioned him and put "TQ" on his name as a reference to those among the authors of theSunan who have quoted him [Tirmithi] and Dar Qutni, and mentioned the fact that he drowned in 208 Hij., and that he narratedhadith through Imam al-Sadiq (as).

The author has shown his grudge towards this man, calling hishadith "weak" for no reason other than his beliefs being Shi’a. Strange enough, Dar Qutni calls hishadith "weak" on one hand, while on the other he uses him as an authority in his ownSunan - thus indeed do some people behave!

24. Hamran ibn ‘Ayinah

He is brother of Zurarah. Both men were among the most reliable Shi’as, custodians of the shari’a, oceans of the knowledge about Muhammad's progeny (as). They were lanterns that shone in the dark and pillars of guidance. They frequented Imams al-Baqir and al-Sdiq (as) and enjoyed a lofty status in the eyes of the Imams among the Prophet's descendants.

Al-Thahbi mentions Hamran in hisAl-Mizan , marking his name with Q to indicate who among the compilers of thesunan relies upon his authority [i.e. Dar Qutni. Then al-Thahbi adds: "He has narratedhadith from Abul Tufayl and others. Hamzah has recited the holy Qur'an to him, and he himself is used to recite it with perfect accuracy." Ibn Ma’in considers hishadith "negligible," while Abu Hatim hails him as a mentor. Yet Abu Dawud labels him "Rafidi."

25. Khalid ibn Mukhlid al-Qatwani

Also known as Abul-Haytham al-Kufi, he is one of Bukhari's mentors, as the latter states in his Sahih. Ibn Sa’d mentions him on page 283, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat , saying, "He was a staunch Shi’a. He died in Kufa in mid-Muharram of 213 A.H. during the reign of al-Ma'mun. He was extremist in his Shi’a beliefs, and writers have documented this fact."

Abu Dawud mentions him saying: "He is truthful; but he follows Shi’ism." Al-Jawzjani says the following about him: "He never ceases denouncing [certain persons], publicly propagating his corrupt sect." Al-Thahbi narrates his biography in his ownAl-Mizan , quoting the views of both Abu Dawud and Jawzjani stated above.

Yet both Bukhari and Muslim have relied upon his authority in several chapters of their respectivesahihs . Refer to hishadith as in Bukhari'sSahih as narrated from al-Mughirah ibn ‘Abdul-Rahman, and in Muslim'sSahih by Muhammad ibn Ja’far ibn Abul Kathir, Malik ibn Anas, and Muhammad ibn Musa. Bothsahihs quote hisAl-Mizan from Sulayman ibn Bilal and ‘Ali ibn Mushir.

Al-Bukhari quotes hishadith in several places of his Sahih, without referring to any chain of narrators, quoting two of hisahadith from Muhammad ibn ‘Uthman ibn Karamah. Muslim narrates hishadith as transmitted by Abu Karib, Ahmad ibn ‘Uthman al-’Awdi, al-Qasim ibn Zakariyyah, ‘Abd ibn Hamid, Ibn Abu Shaybah, and Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Namir. Authors of thesunan have all relied on the authority of hishadith , while being aware of his sect.

26. Dawud ibn Abu ‘Awf (Abul-Hijab)

Ibn ‘Adi has mentioned him saying, "I cannot rely upon his authority due to his being a Shi’a. The majority of theahadith he narrates are related to the virtues of Ahl al-Bayt."

Consider with amazement such a statement! No harm, indeed, can reach Dawud from these Nasibis since both Sufyans quote hisahadith , in addition to ‘Ali ibn ‘Abis and others belonging to the elite among their peers. Both Abu Dawud and al-Nisa'i have relied upon his authority, and so have Ahmad and Yahya.

Al-Nisa'i has said the following about him: "There is nothing wrong with hisahadith ." Abu Hatim has said: "Hishadith is sound." Al-Thahbi has quoted such testimonies in his Sahih. Refer to hishadith in Abu Dawud'sSunan , in al-Nisa'i's through Abu Hazim al-Ashja’i, ‘Ikrimah, and others.

27. Zubayd ibn al-Harith ibn ‘Abdul-Karim al-Yami al-Kufi

Also known as Abu ‘Abdul-Rahman, he is mentioned in al-Thahbi'sAl-Mizan where the author says: "He is a trustworthy tabi’i who inclines towards Shi’ism." Then he quotes statements to prove that Zubayd'shadith has been verified by al-Qattan, and that there are other renown critics and verifiers who regard him trustworthy. Abu Ishaq al-Jawzjani has included a crude statement about him which is typical of his attitude and that of other Nasibis, stating,

"Among the residents of Kufa, there is a faction whose faith is not appreciated [by Nasibis], yet they happen to be masters ofhadith . Among them are: Abu Ishaq, Mansur, Zubayd al-Yami, al-A’mash and other peers. People have tolerated them for no reason other than their truth in narratinghadith , and their narrations testify to the authenticity of one another,"

Up to the conclusion of his statement which truth has dictated to him to reveal. Often, truth is spoken by the fair minded just as it is by the stubborn and obstinant. What harm can reach these lofty pillars of knowledge, the masters ofhadith in Islam, if such a critic does not appreciate their holding in high esteem the holy Prophet's kin who are the gates of salvation, the protectors of all humans on earth after the Prophet (pbuh) himself, his nation's ark of salvation? What harm can befall them from the critic who has no choice except to pursue his quest till reaching their door steps, and no option but to beg their own favours?

If dignitaries of my tribe are pleased with me,

Then let its villains chafe and be angry.

These authorities do not pay any attention to al-Jawzjani or others like him, having been held trustworthy by the authors of thesahih books and by those of allsunan as well. Refer to Zubayd'shadith in both Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahihs as transmitted by Abu Wa'il, al-Sha’bi, Ibrahim al-Nakh’i, and Sa’d ibn ‘Ubaydullah. Only Bukhari quotes hishadith through Mujahid.

In Muslim's Sahih, hishadith is narrated by Murrah al-Hamadani, Muharib ibn Dithar, Ammarah ibn ‘Umayr, and Ibrahim al-Taymi. Hishadith is quoted in bothsahihs as transmitted by Shu’bah, al-Thawri, and Muhammad ibn Talhah. In Muslim's Sahih, hishadith is narrated by Zuhayr ibn Mu’awiyah, Fadil ibn Ghazwan, and Husayn ibn al-Nakh’i. He died, may Allah have mercy on his soul, in 124 A.H.

28. Zayd ibn al-Habab, Abul-Hasan al-Kufi al-Tamimi

Ibn Qutaybah has included his biography among those whose biographies he has included among Shi’a dignitaries in his work Al-Ma’arif. Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in hisAl-Mizan , describing him as "pious, trustworthy, truthful."

He indicates his being vouched as trustworthy by Ibn Ma’in and Ibn al-Madini. He has quoted Abu Hatim and Ahmad describing him as truthful, adding that ‘Adi has said: "He is one of the reliable Kufi traditionists whose trustworthiness is never doubted."

Muslim has relied on his authority. Refer to the latter'ssahih containing hishadith as narrated by Mu’awiyah ibn Salih, al-Dahhak ibn ‘Uthman, Qurrah ibn Khalid, Ibrahim ibn Nafi’, Yahya ibn Ayyub, Saif ibn Sulayman, Hasan ibn Waqid, ‘Ikrimah ibn ‘Ammar, ‘Abdul-’Aziz ibn Abu Salma, and ‘Aflah ibn Sa’id. Hishadith is quoted by Ibn Abu Shaybah, Muhammad ibn Hatim, Hasan al-Hulwani, Ahmad ibn al-Munthir, Ibn Namir, Ibn Karib, Muhammad ibn Rafi’, Zuhair ibn Harb, and Muhammad ibn al-Faraj.

29. Salim ibn Abul Ja’d al-Ashja’i al-Kufi

He is brother of ‘Ubayd, Ziyad, ‘Umran, and Muslim, sons of Abul-Ja’d.

In Volume 6 ofAl-Tabaqat , Sa’d mentions all of them on page 2303 and the succeeding pages. When he comes to Muslim, he says, "Abul-Ja’d begot six sons. Two of them followed Shi’ism. These are Salim and ‘Ubayd. Two others are Murji'is, while the remaining two agree with the Kharijites. Their father used to say: ‘What is the matter with you? I wonder why Allah has made your views vary so much.'" Ibn Qutaybah has discussed them on page 156 of his Ma’arif in a chapter dealing with Shi’atabi’in and their successors.

A group of learned scholars has testified to the Shi’a views of Salim ibn Abul-Ja’d. Qutaybah, on page 206 of his Ma’arif, has included him among Shi’a dignitaries, and so has al-Shahristani in his work Al-Milal wal Nihal on page 27, Vol. 2, in the footnote of his chapter on Ibn Hazm. Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in hisAl-Mizan , calling him a trustworthy tabi’i. He has also stated that hisHadith from al-Nu’man ibn Bashir and Jabir is included in bothsahihs .

In fact, his hadith, from Anas ibn Malik and Karib, is included in bothsahihs as scholars ofhadith already know. Al-Thahbi says that hishadith from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, and from Ibn ‘Umar, exists in Bukhari's Sahih. The latter also contains hishadith from Ma’dan ibn Abu Talha and the latter's father.

Hishadith is quoted in bothsahihs by al-A’mash, Qatadah, ‘Amr ibn Murrah, Mansur, and Hasin ibn ‘Abdul-Rahman. He also knowshadith quoted by al-Nisa'i and Abu Dawud in their respectiveSunan . He died in either 87 or 97 A.H. during the reign of Sulayman ibn ‘Abdul-Malik, or, as some say, during that of ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul-’Aziz, and Allah knows best.

30. Salim ibn Abu Hafsah al-’Ijli al-Kufi

Shahristani includes him in his book Al-Milal wal-Nihal among Shi’a nobility. Al-Fallas says: "He is a weak traditionist who is extremist in his Shi’a beliefs." Ibn ‘Adi says: "People criticize his extremism; but I hope there is nothing wrong with his hadith." Muhammad ibn Bashir al-’Abdi says: "I have seen Salim ibn Abu Hafsah as a fool with a long beard - what a beard! He says: ‘I wish I had been a partner of ‘Ali in everything he possessed.'"

Al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali al-Ju’fi has said: "I have seen Salim ibn Abu Hafsah as a fool with a long beard who used to often say, ‘Here I come, O killer of Na’thal, annihilater of Banu Umayyah!'" ‘Amr ibn al-Salim ibn Abu Hafsah asked him once: "Did you kill ‘Uthman?" He answered: "Did I?!" ‘Amr said: "Yes, you did. You do not condemn his murder." Abu ibn al-Madini has said: "I have heard Jarir saying, ‘I broke my friendship with Salim ibn Abu Hafsah because he used to always defend the Shi’as.'"

Al-Thahbi has detailed his biography, mentioning all the above. On page 234 of Vol. 6 of hisTabaqat , Ibn Sa’d mentions him and says: "He was very staunch in his Shi’a beliefs. He entered Mecca during the reign of the ‘Abbasides crying, ‘Here I come, here I come, O killer of the Omayyads!' His voice was quite loud, so much so that his call was heard by Dawud ibn ‘Ali who inquired: ‘Who is this man?' People informed him that it was Salim ibn Abu Hafsah, and they explained his story and views."

Al-Thahbi has included his biography in hisAl-Mizan commenting, "He was chief of those who belittled Abu Bakr and ‘Umar." In spite of this, however, both Sufyans quote his hadith, and so does Muhammad ibn Fudayl, while al-Tirmithi has relied on his authority, and Ibn Ma’in has held him trustworthy. He died in 137 A.H.

31. Sa’d ibn Tarif al-Iskafi al-Hanzali al-Kufi

Al-Thahbi mentions him, marking his name with TQ as a reference to the authors ofsunan who quote him (i.e. al-Tirmithi and Dar Qutni). Al-Thahbi also quotes al-Fallas saying that Sa’d is "weak, extremist in his Shi’a beliefs." In spite of his being a "Shi’a extremist," al-Tirmithi and others quote him.

Refer to hishadith in al-Tirmithi'sSahih as narrated by ‘Ikrimah and Abul-Wa'il. He also narrateshadith as transmitted by al-Asbagh ibn Nabatah, ‘Uman ibn Talhah and ‘Umayr ibn Ma'mun. Isra'il, Haban and Abu Mu’awiyah all quote him.

32. Sa’id ibn Ashwa’

He is mentioned in al-Thahbi'sAl-Mizan where the author says: "Sa’id ibn Ashwa’ is a famous and truthful Kufi judge. Al-Nisa'i says that there is nothing wrong with his hadith, and that he is a friend of al-Sha’bi. Al-Jawzjani describes him as extremist, heretic, and a Shi’a zealot."

Both al-Bukhari and Muslim rely on his authority in their respectivesahihs . Hishadith from al-Sha’bi is regarded as authentic by authors of bothsahih books. In both Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahihs , hishadith is quoted by Zakariyyah ibn Abu Za'idah and Khalid al-Haththa'. He died during the reign of Khalid ibn ‘Abdullah.

33. Sa’id ibn Khaytham al-Hilali

Ibrahim ibn ‘Abdullah ibn al-Junayd was asked once: "Sa’id ibn Khaytham is a Shi’a. What do you think of him?" He answered: "Let's say that he is a Shi’a, but he also is trustworthy."

Al-Thahbi mentions him in hisAl-Mizan , quoting Ibn Ma’in narrating the gist of what has just been stated above. He has also marked his name with the initials of both al-Tirmithi and al-Nisa'i to indicate that both authors quote hishadith in theirsahihs . He also mentions the fact that Sa’id narrateshadith from Yazid ibn Abu Ziyad and Muslim al-Malla'i. His nephew, Ahmad ibn Rashid, too, narrates his hadith.

34. Selamah ibn al-Fudayl al-Abrash

He was a Rayy judge and a reporter of traditions related to the battles in which the holy Prophet (pbuh) participated as transmitted by Ibn Ishaq. Hiskunyat (surname) is Abu ‘Abdullah. In his biography in theAl-Mizan , Ibn Ma’in says: "Selamah al-Abrash al-Razi is a believer in Shi’ism and a man whosehadith is [often] quoted, and there is no fault in the latter."

Abu Zar’ah has also said in theAl-Mizan that the natives of Rayy do not like him because of his (religious) views. Actually, their attitude is due to their own views regarding all followers of the household of the Prophet (pbuh).

Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in hisAl-Mizan , marking his name with the initials of Abu Dawud and al-Tirmithi and saying: "He is well remembered for his prayers and supplications." He died in 191 A.H.

Ibn Ma’in testifies to the fact that thehadith related to the Prophet's military expeditions as narrated by Selamah is more reliable than anyone else's. Zanih is quoted as having said that he had heard Selamah al-Abrash saying that he had heardhadith related to the expeditions from Ishaq twice, and that he had also written down hisahadith as he had done with those of the expeditions.

35. Selamah ibn Kahil ibn Hasin ibn Kadih ibn Asad al-Hadrami, Abu Yahya

A group of scholars following the faith of the majority of Muslims, such as Ibn Qutaybah in his Ma’arif, who mentions on page 206 his distinction, and al-Shahristani in his Al-Milal wal-Nihal, on page 27, Vol. 2, have included him among Shi’a nobility. Authors of the sixsahihs have all relied on his authority, and so have others. He has learnedhadith from men like Abu Jahifah, Suwayd ibn Ghaflah, al-Sha’bi, ‘Ata' ibn Abu Rabah, all cited in Bukhari and Muslim.

In Muslim, he quoteshadith from Karib, Tharr ibn ‘Abdullah, Bakir ibn al-Ashaj, Zayd ibn Ka’b, Sa’id ibn Jubayr, Mujahid, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Yazid, Abu Selamah ibn ‘Abdul-Rahman, Mu’awiyah ibn al-Suwayd, Habib ibn ‘Abdullah, and Muslim al-Batin. Al-Thawri and Shu’bah have both cited hishadith in these two works, while in Bukhari, hishadith is cited by Isma’il ibn Abu Khalid.

In Muslim, he is quoted by Sa’id ibn Masruq, Aqil ibn Khalid, ‘Abdul-Malik ibn Abu Sulayman, ‘Ali ibn Salih, Zayd ibn ‘Abu Anisah, Hammad ibn Selamah, and al-Walid ibn Harb.

Selamah ibn Kahil died on ‘Ashura of 121 A.H.

36. Sulayman ibn Sa’id al-Khuza’i al-Kufi

He used to be the supreme head of the Shi’as of Iraq, the arbitrator among them, their custodian and advisor. They had all met in his house when they swore the oath of allegiance to Imam Husayn (as). He is the herald of the tawwabin (the penitants) among the Shi’as, those who rose to avenge the murder of Imam Husayn (as).

They were four thousand strong who camped at Nakhila early in Rabi’ al-Thani, 65 A.H., then marched towards ‘Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad and engaged his army at Jazira. They fought fiercely till each and every one of them died. Sulayman, too, was martyred at a place called ‘Ayn al-Warda after Hasin shot him with a deadly arrow. He was 93 years old then. His head and that of al-Musayyab ibn Najba were carried as trophies to Marwan ibn al-Hakam.

His biography is recorded in Vol. 6, Part One, of Ibn Sa’d'sTabaqat , and in the Isti’ab of Ibn ‘Abd al-Birr. All those who wrote the stories of the ancestors have recorded his biography and praised his virtues, faith and piety. He enjoyed a lofty status, a position of honour and dignity among his folks, and his word weighed heavily. He is the one who killed Hawshab, the notorious enemy of the Commander of the Faithful, in a duel at Siffin. Sulayman was keen to notice that the enemies of Ahl al-Bayt had gone astray. Traditionists have sought his audience.

Theahadith he narrates about the Prophet (pbuh), the ones which he directly reported or those transmitted by Jubayr ibn Mut’im relying on his authority, are recorded in both Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahihs .

In the latter, he is cited by Abu Ishaq al-Subay’i and ‘Adi ibn Thabit. Sulyman has narratedahadith which are not included in eithersahihs . These includeahadith from the Commander of the Faithful, his son Imam al-Hasan al-Mujtaba (as), and Abiy. In works other than thesesahihs , hishadith is transmitted by Yahya ibn Ya’mur, ‘Abdullah ibn Yasar, and by others.

37. Sulayman ibn Tarkhan al-Taymi al-Basri

A slave of Qays, the imam, he is one of the most reliable authorities on hadith. Ibn Qutaybah has included him among Shi’a dignitaries in his book Al-Ma’arif. Authors of the sixsahihs , as well as others, have relied on his authority. Refer to hishadith in bothsahihs through Anas ibn Malik, Abu Majaz, Bakr ibn ‘Abdullah, Qatadah, and Abu ‘Uthman al-Nahdi.

Muslim'sSahih quotes hishadith through others. In bothsahihs , hishadith is cited by his son Mu’tamir, and by Shu’bah and al-Thawri. Another party cites hishadith in Muslim's Sahih. He died in 143 A.H.

38. Sulayman ibn Qarm ibn Ma’ath

He is also known as Abu Dawud al-Dabi al-Kufi. Ibn Haban mentions him within the text of Sulayman's biography inAl-Mizan . Ibh Haban has said, "He is a Rafidi - very much so." Nevertheless, Ahmad ibn Hanbal has trusted him. At the conclusion of Sulayman's biography as recorded inAl-Mizan , Ibn ‘Adi says, "Theahadith narrated by Sulayman ibn Qarm are authentic. Moreover, his are by far more reliable than those related by Sulayman ibn Arqam."

Muslim, al-Nisa'i, al-Tirmithi, and Abu Dawud have all cited hisahadith . When al-Thahbi mentions him, he puts the initials of these traditionists on his name. Refer to Muslim'sSahih where Abul-Jawab'shadith is narrated by Sulayman ibn Qarm from al-A’mash, up to the Prophet (pbuh). The saidhadith states that the Prophet (pbuh) has said that a man keeps company with those whom he loves.

In thesunan , hisahadith quote Thabit through Anas successively saying that the Prophet (pbuh) has said: "Seeking knowledge is a religious obligation upon every Muslim." He quotes al-A’mash from ‘Amr ibn Murrah, from ‘Abdullah ibn al-Harith, from Zuhair ibn al-Aqmar, from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar who says that al-Hakam ibn Abul ‘As used to keep company with the Prophet (pbuh) and then would go and narrate it [in a twisted manner] to Quraysh; therefore, the Prophet (pbuh) denounced his behaviour and all his descendants as well till the Day of Judgment.

39. Sulayman ibn Mahran al-Kahili al-Kufi al-Asla’

He is one of the Shi’a nobility and a most trusted traditionist. Many a genius among Sunni men of knowledge, such as Ibn Qutaybah in his Ma’arif and al-Shahristani in his Al-Milal wal-Nihal, as well as many others, have all included him among Shi’a dignitaries.

In his biography of Zubayd, al-Jawzjani says the following in his bookAl-Mizan : "Among the people of Kufa, there are some folks whose sect is not appreciated, yet they are the masters ofhadith among Kufi traditionists. Among them are: Abu Ishaq, Mansur, Zubayd al-Yami, al-A’mash, and other peers.

People tolerate them only because they are truthful in narrating hadith," up to the end of his statement which clearly exposes his stupidity and prejudice. What harm can reach these dignitaries if the Nasibis do not appreciate their commitment to discharge the Divine commandment of seeking the Pleasure of Allah through remaining faithful to His Prophet's kin and kith?

These Nasibis, as a matter of fact, tolerate these men not only because they are truthful in narrating hadith, but rather because they are indispensable. Had they rejected these men's hadith, the majority of the Prophet'sahadith would have then been abandoned, as al-Thahbi himself admits in hisAl-Mizan while discussing the biography of Aban ibn Taghlib. I think that al-Mughirah's statement: "Abu Ishaq and your A’mash have rendered Kufa to destruction" is said due only to these men's Shi’a beliefs. Other than that, both Abu Ishaq and al-A’mash are oceans of knowledge and custodians of the prophetic legacy.

Al-A’mash has left us many interesting incidents which vividly portray his greatness. One of them, for example, is included by Ibn Khallikan in al-A’mash's biograpy in Wafiyyat al-A’yan where the author states:

"Hisham ibn ‘Abdul-Malik once wrote to al-A’mash saying: ‘Recount for me ‘Uthman's virtues and ‘Ali's vices.' Al-A’mash took the letter and tossed it into his she-camel's mouth. Then he turned to the messenger and said: ‘This is my answer.' The messenger, however, pleaded to al-A’mash saying that his master had vowed to kill him if he did not return with an answer. He also pleaded to al-A’mash's brothers to pressure their brother to write something.

Finally, he wrote: ‘In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Had ‘Uthman had all the virtues of the people of the world, they would not have availed you aught, and had ‘Ali had in him all the vices of the people of the world, they would not have harmed you in the least; therefore, worry about your own soul, and peace be with you.'"

Another anecdote is narrated by Ibn ‘Abd al-Birr in his chapter on the‘ulema 's statements evaluating each other's work in his bookJami’ Bayanul ‘Ilm wa Fada'ilih .100

The author quotes ‘Ali ibn Khashram saying, "I have heard Abul-Fadl ibn Musa say, ‘I entered the house of al-A’mash once accompanied by Abu Hanifah to visit him during his sickness.

Abu Hanifah said: ‘O Abu Muhammad! Had I not feared my visits would be a nuisance to you, I would have visited you more often'.

Al-A’mash answered, ‘You are a nuisance to me even at your own home; so, imagine how I feel when I have to look at your face.'" Abul-Fadl continues to say that having left the house of al-A’mash,

Abu Hanifah said, ‘Al-A’mash never observed the fast of the month of Ramadan.' Ibn al-Khashram then asked al-Fadl what Abu Hanifah meant.

Al-Fadl answered, ‘Al-A’mash used to observe the suhur during the month of Ramadan according to the Prophet'shadith as narrated by Huthayfah al-Yemani.'" In fact, he used to observe the Holy Qur'anic verse:

"Therefore, eat and drink till you can distinguish the white thread from the black one, from the dawn, and complete the fast till night-time."

Authors of Al-Wajiza and Bihar Al-Anwar have both quoted Hasan ibn Sa’id al-Nakh’i who quotes Sharik ibn ‘Abdullah, the judge, saying, "I visited al-A’mash when he was sick prior to his demise. While I was there, Ibn Shabramah, Ibn Layla and Abu Hanifah entered and inquired about his health. He told them that he was suffering from an acute feebleness, that he feared God for his sins, and he almost broke in tears.

Abu Hanifah then said to him: ‘O Father of Muhammad! Fear Allah! Look now after yourself. You used to narrate certainahadith about ‘Ali which, if you denounce, would be better for you.' Al-A’mash answered: ‘Do you dare to say this to a man like me?' He even denounced him, and there is no need here to go into that. He was, may Allah have mercy on his soul, as al-Thahbi describes him in hisAl-Mizan , a trusted Imam.

He was exactly what Ibn Khallikan had described while discussing his biography in his own Wafiyyat al-A’yan, a trustworthy and virtuous man of knowledge. Scholars have all conceded his truthfulness, equity and piety. Authors of the sixsahih books, as well as many others besides them, have all relied on his authority.

Refer to hishadith in Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahih books from Zayd ibn Wahab, Sa’id ibn Jubayr, Muslim al-Batin, al-Sha’bi, Mujahid, Abu Wa'il, Ibrahim al-Nakh’i and Abu Salih Thakwan. He is cited in these works by Shu’bah, al-Thawri, Ibn ‘Ainah, Abu Mua’awiyah Muhammad, Abu ‘Awanah, Jarir, and Hafs ibn Ghiyath. Al-A’mash was born in 61 A.H. and he died in 148 A.H., may Allah be merciful unto him.

40. Sharik ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Sinan al-Nakh’i al-Kufi, the judge

Imam Abu Qutaybah, in hisMa’arif , has unreservedly included him among Shi’a nobility. At the conclusion of Sharik's biography as recorded inAl-Mizan , ‘Abdullah ibn Idris swears that Sharik is a Shi’a. Abu Dawud al-Rahawi is quoted inAl-Mizan , too, to have heard Sharik saying, "‘Ali is the best of creation; whoever denies this fact iskafir (apostate)."101

What he meant, of course, is that ‘Ali is the best of all men excluding the Prophet (pbuh), as all Shi’as believe. For this reason, al-Jawzjani, as quoted inAl-Mizan , describes him as "biased," meaning biased towards the faith of Ahl al-Bayt and preferring it to Jawzjani's sect.Al-Mizan also quotes Sharik'sahadith regarding the Commander of the Faithful. He cites Abu Rabi’ah from Ibn Buraydah from his father upto the Prophet who said: "For every Prophet there is a vicegerent and heir."

He was very zealous about disseminating the knowledge pertaining to the virtues of the Commander of the Faithful, and to pressure the Omayyads to recognize and publicize his merits, peace be upon him. In his workDurrat al-Ghawwas , al-Hariri, as in Sharik's biography in Ibn Khallikan's Wafiyyat al-A’yan, says, "Sharik had an Omayyad friend of his. One day, Sharik recounted the attributes of ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib (as). His Omayyad friend said that ‘Ali was ‘a fine man.' This enraged Sharik who said, ‘Is this all that can be said about ‘Ali, that he was a fine man, no more?'"102

At the conclusion of Sharik's biography as stated inAl-Mizan , Ibn Abu Shaybah has quoted ‘Ali ibn Hakim ibn Qadim citing ‘Ali saying that once a complaint was brought with a man to Sharik's attention. The man said: "People claim that your mind is doubtful." Sharik answered: "You fool! How can I ever be doubtful?! I wish I had been present in the company of ‘Ali to let my sword be drenched with the blood of his enemies."

Anyone who studies Sharik's life-style will be convinced that the man was a very loyal follower of the path of Ahl al-Bayt (as). He transmitted a great deal of traditions narrated by the most learned followers of Ahl al-Bayt. His son ‘Abdul-Rahman has said, "My father has learned queries from Ja’far al-Ju’fi, in addition to ten thousand rare traditions."

‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak is quoted inAl-Mizan saying, "Sharik is more knowledgeable about the Kufians'hadith than Sufyan. He was an avowed enemy of ‘Ali's foes, one who spoke ill of them." ‘Abdul-Salam ibn Harb once asked him: "Why don't you visit a sick brother of yours?" He inquired: "And who is that?" The man answered: "Malik ibn Maghul." Sharik, as stated in the latter's biography inAl-Mizan , then said: "Anyone who speaks ill of ‘Ali and ‘Ammar is surely no brother of mine."

Once the name of Mu’awiyah was mentioned in his presence and was described as "clement." Sharik, as stated in his biography inAl-Mizan as well as in Ibn Khallikan's Wafiyyat al-A’yan, said: "Whoever discards equity and fights ‘Ali can never be clement." He narrated onehadith from Asim, Tharr, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud successively indicating that the Prophet (pbuh) had said: "If you see Mu’awiyah on my pulpit, kill him." This is quoted by al-Tabari, and al-Tabari in turn is quoted by al-Thahbi while the latter discusses the biography of Abbad ibn Ya’qub.

Ibn Khallikan's Wafiyyat includes a biography of Sharik where the author quotes a dialogue between Sharik and Mis’ab ibn ‘Abdullah al-Zubairi, in the presence of the ‘Abbaside ruler al-Mahdi. Mis’ab asked Sharik: "Do you really belittle Abu Bakr and ‘Umar?" up to the conclusion of the incident.

In spite of all of this, al-Thahbi has described him as a "truthful imam." He also quotes Ibn Ma’in saying that Sharik is "truthful, trustworthy." At the conclusion of the biography, the author states: "Sharik was a bastian of knowledge. Ishaq al-Azraq learned from him nine thousandahadith ." He also quotes Tawbah al-Halabi saying, "We were at Ramla once, and someone wondered who the nation's man was. Some people said it was Lahi’ah, while others said it was Malik. We asked ‘Isa ibn Yunus to state his view. He said: ‘The nation's man is Sharik,' who was then still alive."

Muslim and authors of the four books ofsunan have all relied on Sharik's authority. Refer to hishadith as they quote it transmitted by Ziyad ibn Alaqah, ‘Ammar al-Thihni, Hisham ibn ‘Urwah, Ya’li ibn ‘Ata', ‘Abdul-Malik ibn ‘Umayr, ‘Ammarah ibn al-Qa’qa’ and ‘Abdullah ibn Shabramah. These reporters have cited Sharik'shadith from Ibn Shaybah, ‘Ali ibn Hakim, Yunus ibn Muhammad, al-Fadl ibn Musa, Muhammad ibn al-Sabah, and ‘Ali ibn Hajar. He was born in either Khurasan or Bukhara in 95 A.H., and he died in Kufa on a Saturday early in Thul-Qi’dah, 177 or 178.

41. Shu’bah ibn al-Hajjaj Abul-Ward al-’Atki al-Wasiti (Abu Bastam)

Born in Wasit but lived in Basra, Abu Bastam is the first to inquire in Iraq about traditionists, and he is credited with helping the weak and the abandoned. He is considered among Shi’a nobility by many highly intellectual Sunni scholars such as Qutaybah in hisAl-Ma’arif , and al-Shahristani in his Al-Milal wal-Nihal. Authors of the sixsahih books and others have all relied on his authority.

Hishadith is ascertained in Bukhari's and Muslim'ssahih books as transmitted by Abu Ishaq al-Subai’i, Isma’il ibn Abu Khalid, Mansur, al-A’mash and others. In both Bukhari's and Muslim's books, hishadith is cited by Muhammad ibn Ja’far, Yahya ibn Sa’id al-Qattan, ‘Uthman ibn Jabalah and others. He was born in 83 and he died in 160 A.H., may Allah be merciful on him.

42. Sa’sa’ah ibn Sawhan ibn Hajar ibn al-Harith al-’Abdi

Imam Ibn Qutaybah describes him on page 206 of hisMa’arif as one of the famous Shi’a dignitaries. Ibn Sa’d states on page 154, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat : "[Sa’sa’ah] is very well known all over Kufa as an orator and a companion of ‘Ali with whom he has witnesed the Battle of the Camel together with his brothers Zayd and Sihan sons of Sawhan. Sihan is known as an orator before Sa’sa’ah, and he was the standard-bearer during the Battle of the Camel.103

Having been killed, Sihan was succeeded in bearing the standard by Sa’sa’ah. Sa’sa’ah has narratedhadith from Imam ‘Ali (as), and also from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas. He is a trusted traditionist although theahadith he has narrated are not many." Ibn ‘Abd al-Birr mentions him in his Isti’ab saying: "He accepted Islam during the life-time of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) although he never met him in person due to his being very young then."

He is chief among his tribesmen, descendants of ‘Abd al-Qays. He is quite an eloquent orator, a man of wisdom who has acquired a total command over the language. He is, indeed, a man of piety, virtues, and wisdom. He is counted among the companions of ‘Ali, peace be upon him. Yahya ibn Ma’in is quoted saying that Sa’sa’ah, Zayd and Sihan sons of Sawhan are all orators, and that Zayd and Sihan were killed during the Battle of the Camel.

He also cites a critical problem which ‘Umar, then caliph, could not solve; therefore, the caliph delivered a sermon in which he asked people for their suggestions. Sa’sa’ah, then a youth, stood and clarified its complexity and put forth a suggestion to it which was unanimously accepted. This should not surprise the reader since the descendants of Sawhan were among the most prominent masters of Arabia, pillars in virtue and descent. Ibn Qutaybah mentions them on page 138 of his chapter on renown dignitaries and men of influence in hisMa’arif .

The author says: "Sawhan's descendants were Zayd ibn Sawhan, Sa’sa’ah ibn Sawhan, Sihan ibn Sawhan, of Banu ‘Abd al-Qays." He adds: "Zayd was among the best of men. He narrated saying that the Prophet (pbuh) had said: ‘Zayd is indeed a good man, and Jandab - what a man he is!' People inquired: ‘Why do you mention these men alone?' The Prophet answered: ‘The arm of one of them will precede in thirty years the rest of his body in entering Paradise, while the other will deal heavy blows so that right is distinguished from wrong.'

The first, as it came to pass, participated in Jalawla' Battle where his arm was chopped off. He also participated in the Battle of the Camel on the side of ‘Ali (as). He asked the Imam: ‘O Commander of the Faithful! It looks like I am going to meet my fate.' The Imam (as) asked him, ‘How do you know that, O father of Sulayman?' He answered: ‘I have seen in a vision my arm stretching from heaven to pull me away from this world.' He was killed by ‘Amr ibn Yathribi, while his brother Sihan was killed during the Battle of the Camel."

It is no secret that the Prophet's prophecy regarding Zayd's arm preceding the rest of his body in entering Paradise is regarded by all Muslims as a testimony for his prophethood, a sign of the truth of the religion of Islam, and a recognition of the men of truth. All biographies of Zayd have mentioned it. Refer to his biography in Al-Isti’ab, Al-Isabah, and others. Traditionists have recorded the above, each in his own way of wording it, adding that [in "spite" of his being Shi’a] he was promised Paradise; so, praise be to the Lord of the Worlds.

Al-’Asqalani mentions Sa’sa’ah ibn Sawhan in Part Three of his Isaba, saying: "He narrates traditions about ‘Uthman and ‘Ali (as). He has participated in the Battle of Siffin on ‘Ali's side. He is an eloquent orator who has encounters with Mu’awiyah." Al-Sha’bi has said: "I used to learn how to deliver sermons from him."104

Abu Ishaq al-Subai’i, al-Minhal ibn ‘Amr ibn Baridah, and others have all cited his hadith. Al-’Ala'i, narrating Ziyad's encounters, says that once al-Mughirah banished Sa’sa’ah, in accordance to an edict which he had received from Mu’awiyah, from Kufa to Jazirah, or to Bahrain (some historians say to the island of Ibn Fakkan), where he died in banishment just as Abu Tharr al-Ghifari had died before him in the Rabatha desert (southern Iraq). Al-Thahbi mentions Sa’sa’ah and describes him as "a well-known and trusted traditionist," citing testimonies to his trustworthiness from Ibn Sa’d and Nisa'i, and marking his name to indicate that al-Nisa'i relies on his authority. Whoever does not rely on his authority does not in fact harm anyone but his own self, as the holy Qur'an says:

"We have not done them any harm; they have only harmed their own selves."

43. Tawus ibn Kisan al-Khawlani al-Hamadani al-Yamani

He is ‘Abdul-Rahman's father. His mother is Persian, and his father is Ibn Qasit, a Namri slave of Bajir ibn Raysan al-Himyari. Sunni intellectuals regard him a Shi’a without any question. Among their dignitaries, al-Shahristani mentions him in his Al-Milal wal-Nihal, and Ibn Qutaybah in hisAl-Ma’arif . Authors of the sixsahih books, as well as others, have all relied on his authority.

Refer to hishadith in bothsahih books where he cites Ibn ‘Abbas, Ibn ‘Umar and Abu Hurayrah, and in Muslim'sSahih where he cites ‘Ayesha, Zayd ibn Thabit, and ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar. Hishadith is recorded in Bukhari alone as transmitted by al-Zuhri, and in Muslim by many renown traditionists. He died in Mecca while performing the rite of pilgrimage one day before the day of Tarwiya (i.e. on the 7th of Thul-Hijjah), in either 104 or 106 A.H. His funeral was quite eventful. His coffin was carried by ‘Abdullah son of al-Hasan son of the Commander of the Faithful (as). He was vying with others to carry it, so much so that his headwear dropped, and his clothes were torn from the back side by the stampede, as narrated by Ibn Khallikan in his biography of Tawus in Wafiyyat al-A’yan.

44. Zalim ibn ‘Amr ibn Sufyan, Abul-Aswad al-Du'ali

His being a Shi’a and a faithful adherent to the faith during the wilayat of Imams ‘Ali, al-Hasan and al-Husayn, as well as other members of the Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon all of them, is more visible than the sun, and it requires no reiteration.105

We have dealt with it in detail in ourwork Mukhtasar al-Kalam fi Muallifi al-Shi’a min Sadr al-Islam . His being a Shi’a is a matter which nobody disputes. In spite of this fact, authors of the sixsahih books have relied on his authority. Refer to hishadith about ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab in Bukhari's Sahih. In Muslim's, hishadith is cited by Abu Musa and ‘Umran ibn Hasin.

In bothsahih books, hishadith is cited by Yahya ibn Ya’mur. In Bukhari's, ‘Abdullah ibn Buraydah quotes him, and in Muslim's, hishadith is narrated by his son Abu Harb. He died, may Allah Almighty have mercy on him, at the age of 85 in Basrah in 99 A.H. by the plague which devastated the city. He is the one who laid down the foundations of Arabic grammar according to rules which he learned from the Commander of the Faithful (as), as we have expounded in our book Al-Mukhtasar.

45. ‘Amr ibn Wa'ilah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar al-Laithi al-Makki

Also known as Abul-Tufayl, he was born in the same year when the Battle of Uhud took place, i.e. 3 A.H. He was for eight years contemporary of the Prophet (pbuh). Ibn Qutaybah has included him among so-called "extremist Rafidis," stating that he was al-Mukhtar's standard-bearer and the last of thesahabah to die. Ibn ‘Abd al-Birr has mentioned him in his chapter on kunayat in his Isti’ab saying, "He resided in Kufa, and he accompanied ‘Ali (as) in all his battles. When ‘Ali (as) was killed, he left for Mecca." He concludes by saying, "He was a virtuous and wise man, swift in providing an accurate answer, eloquent. He was also one of the Shi’as of ‘Ali, peace be upon him."

He also indicates that "Once, Abul-Tufayl approached Mu’awiyah and the latter asked him: ‘For how long have you mourned the death of your friend Father of al-Hasan (as)?' He answered: ‘I have grieved as much as the mother of Moses grieved when she parted with her son, and I complain unto Allah for my shortcomings.' Mu’awiyah asked him: ‘Were you among those who enforced a siege around ‘Uthman's house?'

He answered: ‘No; but I used to visit him.' Then Mu’awiyah asked him: ‘What stopped you from rescuing him?' He retorted: ‘What about you? What stopped you from doing so when sure death surrounded him, while you were in Syria a master among his subjects?!' Mu’awiyah replied: ‘Can't you see that avenging his murder is an indication of my support?' ‘Amir then told Mu’awiyah that he acted exactly like the one implied in the verses composed by the brother of Ju’f the poet in which the latter says: ‘You mourn my death, yet while I was alive, you did not even sustain me against starvation.'"

Al-Zuhri, Abul-Zubair, al-Jariri, Ibn Abul-Hasin, ‘Abdul-Malik ibn Abjar, Qatadah, Ma’ruf, al-Walid ibn Jami’, Mansur ibn Hayyan, al-Qasim ibn Abu Bardah, ‘Amr ibn Dinar, ‘Ikremah ibn Khalid, Kulthum ibn Habib, Furat al-Qazzaz, and ‘Abdul-Aziz ibn Rafi’ have all narrated hishadith as it exists in Muslim's and Bukhari'sSahih books. Bukhari's work contains traditions of the Prophet (pbuh) regarding the pilgrimage which are narrated by Abul-Tufayl. He describes the Prophet's characteristics, and he narrates about the prayers and signs of prophethood from Ma’ath ibn Jabal, and he narrates about fate from ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud.

He narrates from ‘Ali (as), Huthayfah ibn al-Yemani, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas and ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, as is well-known by all researchers of Muslim'shadith besides that of the authors of his musnads. Abul-Tufayl, may Allah Ta’ala encompass his soul with His mercy, died in Mecca in 100 A.H. (some say in 102, while still others say 120), and Allah knows best.

46. ‘Abbad ibn Ya’qub al-Asadi al-Ruwajni al-Kufi

He is mentioned by Dar Qutni who says, "‘Abbad ibn Ya’qub is a truthful Shi’a." Ibn Hayyan mentions him and says, "‘Abbad ibn Ya’qub used to invite people to Rafidism." Ibn Khuzaymah says, "‘Abbad ibn Ya’qub is a man whose traditions are never doubted, though his faith is questioned, etc." ‘Abbad narrates from al-Fadl ibn al-Qasim, Sufyan al-Thawri, Zubayd, Murrah, that Ibn Mas’ud used to interpret the verse

"Allah has spared the Believers from fighting" (Qur'an, 25:33)

to imply that they were spared from fighting ‘Ali. He quotes Sharik, ‘Asim, Tharr, from ‘Abdullah who has stated that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) has said: "When you see Mu’awiyah on my pulpit, kill him." Thishadith is recorded by Tabari and others. ‘Abbad says that anyone who does not mention in his daily prayers that he dissociates himself from the enemies of the Prophet's progeny (as) shall be resurrected in their company. He also says, "Allah Almighty is too fair to let Talhah and al-Zubayr enter Paradise; they fought ‘Ali after swearing allegiance to him."

Salih al-Jazrah has said: "‘Abbad ibn Ya’qub used to denounce ‘Uthman." ‘Abbad al-Ahwazi quotes his trusted authorities saying that ‘Abbad ibn Ya’qub used to denounce "their" ancestors. In spite of all this, Sunni Imams like al-Bukhari, al-Tirmithi, Ibn Majah, Ibn Khuzaymah, and Ibn Abu Dawud rely on his authority, their mentor, in whom they all place their trust.

In spite of his intolerance and prejudice, Abu Hatim has mentioned him and said that he is a trusted shaykh. Al-Thahbi mentions him in hisAl-Mizan and says, "He is one of the extremist Shi’as, leaders of innovators; yet he is truthful when narrating hadith." He goes on to mention what has already been stated above regarding ‘Abbad's views.

Al-Bukhari quotes him directly while discussing tawhid in his own sahih. He died, may Allah be merciful unto him, in Shawwal of 150 A.H. Al-Qasim ibn Zakariyyah al-Mutarraz has intentionally misquoted ‘Abbad's statements regarding the digging the sea and the flow of its water, and we seek refuge with Allah against telling lies about the Believers; He is surely the One Who foils their schemes.

47. ‘Abdullah ibn Dawud

He is father of ‘Abdul-Rahman al-Hamadani al-Kufi. He resided in Al-Harbiyya, a Basrah suburb. Qutaybah has included him among renown Shi’a personalities in his ownAl-Ma’arif , and al-Bukhari has relied on his authority in his own Sahih. Refer to hishadith from al-A’mash, Hisham ibn ‘Urwah and Ibn Jurayh. Hishadith is narrated in Bukhari'sSahih by Musaddid, ‘Amr ibn ‘Ali, and, in some places, by Nasr ibn ‘Ali. He died in 212.

48. ‘Abdullah ibn Shaddad ibn al-Had

Al-Had's full name is Usamah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Jabir ibn al-Bashir ibn ‘Atwarah ibn ‘Amir ibn Malik ibn Laith al-Laithi al-Kufi Abul-Walid, a companion of the Commander of the Faithful (as). His mother is Salma daughter of ‘Amis al-Khayth’ami, sister of Asma'. He is nephew, from the mother's side, of ‘Abdullah ibn Ja’far and Muhammad ibn Abu Ja’far, and brother of ‘Amara daughter of Hamzah ibn ‘Abdul-Muttalib from the mother's side. Ibn Sa’d includes him among residents of Kufa who were distinguished for theirfiqh and knowledge and who belong to thetabi’in .

At the conclusion of his biography, the author states on page 86 of Vol. 6 of hisTabaqat : "During the reign of ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Muhammad ibn al-Ash’ath, ‘Abdullah ibn Shaddad was among those who recite the Holy Qur'an and know it by heart and who fought al-Hajjaj, and he was killed during the Dujail Battle." He also says, "He was a trustworthyfaqih who narrated a great deal of hadith, and he was a Shi’a."

The battle referred to above took place in 81 A.H. All authors of thesahih books have relied on the authority of ‘Abdullah ibn Shaddad. Hishadith is quoted by Ishaq al-Shaybani, Ma’bid ibn Khalid and Sa’d ibn Ibrahim. Theirahadith from ‘Abdullah ibn Shaddad exist in bothsahih books as well as in others, in addition to all musnads. Al-Bukhari and Muslim quote hishadith as transmitted from ‘Ali (as), Maymuna and ‘Ayesha.

49. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar ibn Muhammad ibn Aban ibn Salih ibn ‘Umayr al-Qarashi al-Kufi

Also known as Mishkadanah, he is mentor of Muslim, Abu Dawud, al-Baghwi, and many other peers who all learnedhadith from him. Abu Hatim has mentioned him testifying to his truthfulness. He quotes hishadith and states that he is a Shi’a. Salih ibn Muhammad ibn Jazrah has mentioned him and said that he is a Shi’a "extremist."

In spite of this, ‘Abdullah ibn Ahmad has narratedhadith from his father. Abu Hatim states that Mishkadanah is trustworthy. Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in hisAl-Mizan , describing him as "a truthful man who has learned a great deal ofhadith from Ibn al-Mubarak, al-Dar Wardi, and their group of scholars. Muslim, Abu Dawud, al-Baghwi and many others have recorded a great deal of hisahadith ." He has marked his name with the initials of Muslim and Abu Dawud indicating thereby their reliance on his hadith, and quoting what the learned scholars named above have said about him. He has also stated that he died in 239 A.H.

Refer to hishadith in Muslim'sSahih as transmitted through ‘Abdah ibn Sulayman, ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak, ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Sulayman, ‘Ali ibn Hashim, Abul-Ahwas, Husayn ibn ‘Ali al-Ju’fi and Muhammad ibn Fudayl. In his chapter dealing with causes of dissension, Muslim quotes hishadith directly. Abul-’Abbas al-Sarraj has said that he died either in 238 or 237 A.H.

50. ‘Abdullah ibn Lahi’ah ibn ‘Uqbah al-Hadrami, Egypt's judge and scholar

In hisMa’arif , Ibn Qutaybah has included him among famous shaykhs. In his biography of ‘Abdullah ibn Lahi’ah in hisAl-Mizan , Ibn ‘Adi has described him as an "extremist Shi’a." Quoting Talhah, Abu Ya’li states: "Abu Lahi’ah has said: ‘Hay ibn ‘Abdullah al-Ghafari has narrated through the authority of Abu ‘Abdullah Rahman al-Hibli from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that during his sickness (which preceded his demise), the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) told us to fetch his brother.

We brought him Abu Bakr, but he turned away from him and said: ‘I had asked for my brother'. We then brought ‘Uthman, but again the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) turned away from him. ‘Ali (as) was then brought in his presence. He covered him with his own mantle and inclined his head on his shoulder for a while (as if he was whispering something in his ear). When ‘Ali left, people asked him: ‘What has the Prophet (pbuh) said to you?' He answered: ‘He has taught me a thousand chapters each of which leads to a thousand sections.'"

Al-Thahbi mentions him in hisAl-Mizan , marking his name with DTQ to denote who among the authors of thesahih books quotes him [i.e. Abu Dawud, al-Tirmithi, and Dar Qutni. Refer to hishadith in al-Tirmithi's Sahih, Abu Dawud and all musnads. Ibn Khallikan has greatly praised him in his Wafiyyat al-A’yan. Refer to hishadith in Muslim'ssahih as transmitted by Yazid ibn Abu Habib. In his book Al-Jam’ Bayna Kitabay Abu Nasr al-Kalabathi wa Abu Bakr al-Asbahani [Compilation of Both Books of Abu Nasr al-Kalabathi and Abul-Faraj al-Asbahani, al-Qaysarani includes him among Bukhari's and Muslim's reliable authorities. Ibn Lahi’ah died on Sunday, mid-Rabi’ul Akhir, 174 A.H.

51. ‘Abdullah ibn Maymun al-Qaddah al-Makki

A friend of Imam Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq (as), he is relied upon by al-Tirmithi. Al-Thahbi mentions him and marks his name with al-Tirmithi's initials as an indication that the latter cites his hadith. He adds saying that he narrateshadith through the authority of Imam Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq (as), and of Talhah ibn ‘Umar.

52. ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Salih al-Azdi

His name is Abu Muhammad al-Kufi. His friend and student ‘Abbas al-Duri says that he was a Shi’a. Ibn ‘Adi mentions him and says, "He is burnt in the fire of Shi’ism." Salih Jazrah says that ‘Abdul-Rahman used to oppose ‘Uthman. Abu Dawud says that ‘Abdul-Rahman has compiled a book containing the vices of some of the companions of the Prophet (pbuh), and that he is a bad person.

In spite of all this, both ‘Abbas al-Duri and Imam al-Baghwi narrate his hadith. Al-Nisa'i has quoted him. Al-Thahbi has referred to him in hisAl-Mizan and marked his name with al-Nisa'i's initials as an indication of the latter's reliance on him. He also quotes what the Imams (among the Sunnis) have said about him as stated above. He indicates that Ma’in trusts him, and that he died in 235. Refer to hishadith in theSunan books as transmitted through Sharik and a group of his peers.

53. ‘Abdul-Razzaq ibn Humam ibn Nafi’ al-Himyari al-San’ani

One of the Shi’a nobility and honourable ancestry, he is included by Ibn Qutaybah among renown Shi’as in hisMa’arif . Ibn al-Athir, on page 137, Vol. 6, of hisAl-Tarikh Al-Kamil , mentions ‘Abdul-Razzaq's death in the end of the events of 211 A.H. thus: "In that year, the traditionist ‘Abdul-Razzaq ibn Humam al-San’ani, one of Ahmad's Shi’a mentors, died."

Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi mentions him while discussinghadith number 5994 in his Kanz al-’Ummal, on page 391, Vol. 6, stating that he is a Shi’a. Al-Thahbi, in hisAl-Mizan , says, "‘Abdul-Razzaq ibn Humam ibn Nafi’, Abu Bakr al-Himyari's mentor, is a Shi’a dignitary of San’a, was one of the most trusted traditionists among all scholars."

He narrates his biography and adds: "He has written a great deal, authoring [in particular] Al-Jami’ Al-Kabir . He is a custodian of knowledge sought by many people such as Ahmad, Ishaq, Yahya, al-Thahbi, al-Ramadi, and ‘Abd."

He discusses his character and quotes al-’Abbas ibn ‘Abdul-’Azim, accusing him of being a liar. He states that al-Thahbi has denounced such an accusation. He says, "Not only Muslim, but all those who have memorizedhadith have agreed with al-’Abbas, while the Imams of knowledge rely on his authority."

He goes on to narrate his biography, quoting al-Tayalisi saying: "I have heard Ibn Ma’in say something from which I became convinced that ‘Abdul-Razzaq was a Shi’a. Ibn Ma’in asked him: ‘Your instructors, such as Mu’ammar, Malik, Ibn Jurayh, Sufyan, al-Awza’i, are all Sunnis. Where did you learn the sect of Shi’ism from?' He answered: ‘Ja’far ibn Sulayman al-Zab’i once paid us a visit, and I found him to be virtuous and rightly guided, and I learned Shi’ism from him.'"

‘Abdul-Razzaq, as quoted above, statement in which he says that he is a Shi’a indicates that he has learned Shi’ism from Ja’far al-Zab’i, but Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr al-Muqaddimi thinks that Ja’far al-Zab’i himself has learned Shi’ism from ‘Abdul-Razzaq. He even denounces ‘Abdul-Razzaq for this reason. InAl-Mizan , he is quoted as saying, "I wish I had lost ‘Abdul-Razzaq for good. Nobody has corrupted Ja’far's beliefs other than he." The "corruption" to which he refers is Shi’ism!

Ibn Ma’in has heavily relied on ‘Abdul-Razzaq's authority, in spite of his "admission" that he is a Shi’a as stated above. Ahmad ibn Abu Khayth’amah, as in ‘Abdel-Razzaq's biography inAl-Mizan , has said, "It has been said to Ibn Ma’in that Ahmad says that ‘Ubaydullah ibn Musa rejects ‘Abdul-Razzaq'shadith because of his Shi’a beliefs. Ibn Ma’in has responded thus: ‘I swear by Allah, Who is the only God, that ‘Abdul-Razzaq is a hundred times superior to ‘Ubaydullah, and I have heard ‘Abdul-Razzaq'shadith and found it to be many times more in volume than ‘Ubaydullah's.'"

Also in ‘Abdel-Razzaq's biography inAl-Mizan , Abu Salih Muhammad ibn Isma’il al-Dirari is quoted saying, "While we were in San’a guests of ‘Abdul-Razzaq, we heard that Ahmad and Ibn Ma’in, joined by others, had rejected ‘Abdul-Razzaq's hadith, or say disliked it, because of the traditionist being a Shi’a. The news deeply depressed us. We thought that we had spent our resources and taken the trouble to make the trip there all in vain. Then I joined the pilgrims for Mecca where I met Yahya and asked him about this issue. He, as stated in ‘Abdel-Razzaq's biography inAl-Mizan , said: ‘O Abu Salih! Even if ‘Abdul-Razzaq abandons Islam altogether, we shall never reject his hadith.'"

Ibn ‘Adi has mentioned him and said: "‘Abdul-Razzaq has reportedahadith dealing with virtues, but nobody has endorsed them.106 He also counts the vices of certain people, which views are rejected by others;107 above all, he is believed to be a Shi’a."

In spite of all this, Ahmad ibn Hanbal was asked once, as indicated in ‘Abdel-Razzaq's biography inAl-Mizan , whether he knew of anyhadith better than that reported by ‘Abdul-Razzaq, and his answer was negative. Ibn al-Qaysarani states at the conclusion of ‘Abdul-Razzaq's biography in his own bookAl-Jami’ Bayna Rijalul Sahihain , quoting Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal saying, ‘If people dispute Mu’ammar's hadith, then the final arbitrator is ‘Abdul-Razzaq.'

Mukhlid al-Shu’ayri says that he was once in the company of ‘Abdul-Razzaq when a man mentioned Mu’awiyah. ‘Abdul-Razzaq, as stated in his biography inAl-Mizan , then said: ‘Do not spoil our meeting by mentioning the descendants of Abu Sufyan.'" Zayd ibn al-Mubarak has said: "We were in the company of ‘Abdul-Razzaq once when we recounted ibn al-Hadthan's hadith.

When ‘Umar's address to ‘Ali and al-’Abbas: ‘You (i.e. ‘Abbas) have come to demand your inheritance of your nephew (the Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny), while this man (i.e. ‘Ali) has come to demand his wife's inheritance of her father' was read, ‘Abdul-Razzaq, as stated in his biography inAl-Mizan , said: ‘Behold this shameless, impertinent man using ‘nephew' and ‘father' instead of ‘the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)'!"

In spite of all this, all compilers ofhadith have recorded his traditions and relied on his authority. It has even been said, as Ibn Khallikan states in his Wafiyyat al-A’yan, that people did not travel to anyone after the demise of the Prophet (pbuh) as often as they did to ‘Abdul-Razzaq's. He is quoted by the Imams of contemporary Muslims such as Sufyan ibn ‘Ayinah, among whose mentors ‘Abdul-Razzaq himself was one, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Yahya ibn Ma’in, and others.

Refer to hishadith in all thesahih books, as well as all musnads, which all contain quite a few of hisahadith . He was born, may Allah have mercy on his soul, in 211 A.H. He was contemporary to Abu ‘Abdullah Imam al-Sadiq (as) for twenty-two years.108 He died during the first days of the Imamate of Imam Abu Ja’far al-Jawad (as), nine years before the Imam's demise;109 may Allah resurrect him in the company of these Imams to whose service, seeking of the Pleasure of Allah, he sincerely dedicated his life.

54. ‘Abdul-Malik ibn ‘Ayan

He is brother of Zararah, Hamran, Bakir, ‘Abdul-Rahman, Malik, Musa, Daris, and Umm al-Aswad, all descendants of ‘Ayan, and all are notable Shi’as. They have won the sublime cup for serving the Islamic Shari’a, and they have produced a blessed and righteous progeny that adheres to their sect and views.

Al-Thahbi mentions ‘Abdul-Malik in hisAl-Mizan , citing Abu Wa'il and others quoting Abu Hatim saying that he has reported authenticahadith , and that Ma’in has said that there is nothing wrong with his hadith, while another authority testifies thus: "He is truthful, yet he is Rafidi, too." Ibn Ayinah has said: "‘Abdul-Malik, a Rafidi, has reportedhadith to us." Abu Hatim says that he is among the earliest to embrace Shi’a Islam, and that hishadith is authentic. Both Sufyans have transmitted hishadith and reported it well-documented by others.

In his book Al-Jami’ Bayna Rijalul Sahihain, Ibn al-Qaysarani, as quoted in both works by Sufyan ibn A’yinah, has this to say about him: "‘Abdul-Malik ibn ‘Ayan, brother of Hamran al-Kufi, was a Shi’a whosehadith about tawhid is recorded by Bukhari as transmitted by Abu Wa'il, and about iman as recorded in Muslim's."

He died during the life-time of Imam al-Sadiq (as) who earnestly invoked the Almighty's mercy upon him. Abu Ja’far ibn Babawayh has reported that Imam al-Sadiq (as), accompanied by his disciples, visited ‘Abdul-Malik's gravesite in Medina. May he receive the good rewards and live eternally in peace.

55. ‘Ubaydullah ibn Musa al-’Abasi al-Kufi

He is al-Bukhari's mentor, as the latter acknowledges on page 177 of his Sahih. Ibn Qutaybah has included him among traditionists in his work Al-Ma’arif , stating that the man is a Shi’a. When he recounts a roll call of notable Shi’as in his chapter on sects on page 206 of his bookAl-Ma’arif , he includes ‘Ubaydullah among them.

On page 279, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat , Ibn Sa’d narrates ‘Ubaydullah's biography without forgettig to indicate that he is a Shi’a, and that he narrateshadith supportive of Shi’ism, thus, according to Ibn Sa’d, weakening hishadith in the eyes of many people. He also adds saying that ‘Ubaydullah is also very well familiar with the Holy Qur'an. He records on page 139, Vol. 6, of his Al-Kamil the date of his death at the conclusion of events that took place in 213 A.H., stating: "‘Ubaydullah ibn Musa al-’Abasi, the jurist, was a Shi’a who taught al-Bukhari as the latter himself acknowledges in his Sahih."

Al-Thahbi mentions him in his Al-Mizan saying, "Ubaydullah ibn Musa al-’Abasi al-Kufi, al-Bukhari's mentor, is no question trustworthy, but he also is a deviated Shi’a." Yet the author admits that both Abu Hatim and Ma’in have trusted his hadith. He says, "Abu Hatim has said that thehadith narrated by Abu Na’im is more authentic, yet ‘Ubaydullah's is more authentic than all of them when it comes to theahadith transmitted by Isra'il."

Ahmad ibn ‘Abdullah al-Ajli has said, "‘Ubaydullah ibn Musa is very knowledgeable of the Holy Qur'an, a major authority therein. I have never seen him arrogant or conceited, and he was never seen laughing boisterously." Abu Dawud says, "‘Ubaydullah ibn al-’Abasi was a Shi’a heretic." At the conclusion of the biography of Matar ibn Maymun inAl-Mizan , al-Thahbi states: "‘Ubaydullah, a Shi’a, is trustworthy."

Ibn Ma’in used to learnhadith from ‘Ubaydullah ibn Musa and ‘Abdul-Razzaq knowing that they were both Shi’as. In Thahbi'sAl-Mizan , while documenting ‘Abdul-Razzaq's biography, the author quotes Ahmad ibn ‘Ali Khaythamah saying, "I inquired of Ibn Ma’in once regarding what I heard about Ahmad's alleged rejection of ‘Ubaydullah ibn Musa'shadith because of his being a Shi’a. Ibn Ma’in answered: ‘I swear by Allah Who has no associate that ‘Abdul-Razzaq is superior to ‘Ubaydullah a hundred times, and I have heard from ‘Abdul-Razzaq many times moreahadith than I heard from ‘Ubaydullah.'"

Sunnis, like all others, rely on ‘Ubaydullah'shadith in their respectivesahih books. Refer to hishadith in bothsahih books transmitted by Shayban ibn ‘Abdul-Rahman. Bukhari'sSahih quotes hishadith as reported by al-A’mash ibn ‘Urwah and Isma’il ibn Abu Khalid. Hishadith as recorded in Muslim'sSahih is reported from Isra'il, al-Hasan ibn Salih, and Usamah ibn Zayd. Al-Bukhari quotes him directly.

He is also quoted directly by Ishaq ibn Ibrahim, Abu Bakr ibn Abu Shaybah, Ahmad ibn Ishaq al-Bukhari, Mahmud ibn Ghaylan, Ahmad ibn Abu Sarij, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Ashkab, Muhammad ibn Khalid al-Thahbi, and Yusuf ibn Musa al-Qattan. Muslim quotes hishadith as reported by al-Hajjaj ibn al-Sha’ir, al-Qasim ibn Zakariyyah, ‘Abdullah al-Darmi, Ishaq ibn al-Mansur, Ibn Abu Shaybah, ‘Abd ibn Hamid, Ibrahim ibn Dinar, and Ibn Namir.

Al-Thahbi states in hisAl-Mizan that ‘Ubaydullah died in 213 A.H. adding, "He was well known for his asceticism, adoration, and piety." His death took place in early Thul-Qi’da; may Allah Almighty sanctify his resting place.

56. ‘Uthman ibn ‘Umayr ‘Abdul-Yaqzan al-Thaqafi al-Kufi al-Bijli

He is also known as ‘Uthman ibn Abu Zar’ah, ‘Uthman ibn Qays, and ‘Uthman ibn Abu Hamid. Abu Ahmad al-Zubayri says that ‘Uthman believes in the return. Ahmad ibn Hanbal says, "Abu Yaqzan was joined in dissenting by Ibrahim ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Hasan."

Ibn ‘Adi says the following about him: "He has embraced the bad sect, and he believes in the return, although trusted authorities have quoted him knowing that he was weak." The fact of the matter is that whenever some people desire to belittle a Shi’a traditionist and undermine his scholarly ability, they charge him with preaching the concept of the return. Thus have they done to ‘Uthman ibn ‘Umayr, so much so that Ibn Ma’in has said: "There is really nothing wrong with ‘Uthman's hadith."

In spite of all attacks on him, al-A’mash, Sufyan, Shu’bah, Sharik and other peers have not in the least hesitated to quote him. Abu Dawud, al-Tirmithi and others have all quoted him in theirsunan and relied on his authority. Refer to hishadith as they record it through Anas and others. Al-Thahbi has documented his biography and quoted the statements by notable scholars as cited above, putting DTQ on his name to indicate who among the authors of thesunan quote him.

57. ‘Adi ibn Thabit al-Kufi

Ibn Ma’in has described him as a "Shi’a extremist," while Dar Qutni calls him "Rafidi, extremist, but also reliable." Al-Jawzjani says that the man has "deviated." Al-Mas’udi says, "We have never seen anyone who is so outspoken in preaching his Shi’a views like ‘Adi ibn Thabit."

In hisAl-Mizan , al-Thahbi describes him as "the learned scholar of Shi’as, the most truthful among them, the judge and Imam of their mosques. Had all the Shi’as been like him, their harm would have been minimized." Then he goes on to document his biography and quote the views of the scholars cited above. He recounts the scholars who describe him as trustworthy such as Dar Qutni, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Ahmad al-’Ajli, Ahmad al-Nisa'i, placing on his name the initials of authoers of all the sixsahih books who quote him.

Refer to hishadith in both Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahih books as transmitted by al-Bara' ibn ‘Azib, ‘Abdullah ibn Yazid (his maternal grand-father), ‘Abdullah ibn Abu Awfah, Sulayman ibn Sard, and Sa’id ibn Jubayr. Hishadith reported by Zarr ibn Habish and Abu Hazim al-Ashja’i is recorded in Muslim's Sahih. Hishadith is quoted by al-A’mash, Mis'ar, Sa’id, Yahya ibn Sa’id al-Ansari, Zayd ibn Abu Anisa, and Fudayl ibn Ghazwan.

58. ‘Atiyyah ibn Sa’d ibn Janadah al-’Awfi

He is Abul-Hasan al-Kufi, the renown tabi’i. Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in hisAl-Mizan , quoting Salim al-Muradi saying that‘Atiyyah adhered to Shi’ism. Imam Ibn Qutaybah has included him among traditionists in hisMa’arif following his grandson al-’Awfi, al-Husayn ibn ‘Atiyyah , the judge, adding, "‘Atiyyah , a follower of Shi’ism, has been a jurist since the reign of al-Hajjaj."

Ibn Qutaybah has mentioned a few renown Shi’as in his chapter on sects in hisMa’arif , listing‘Atiyyah al-’Awfi among them. Ibn Sa’d mentions him on age 212, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat indicating his firm belief in Shi’ism. His father, Sa’d ibn Janadah, was a companion of ‘Ali (as). Once he visited the Imam in Kufa and said: "O Commander of the Faithful! I have been blessed with a newly born son; would you mind choosing a name for him?" The Imam answered: "This is a gift (‘atiyyah ) from Allah; therefore, do name him‘Atiyyah ."

Ibn Sa’d has said: "‘Atiyyah ibn al-Ash’ath went out in an army to fight al-Hajjaj. When al-Ash’ath's army fled,‘Atiyyah fled to Persia. Al-Hajjaj wrote an edict to Muhammad ibn al-Qasim ordering him to call him to his presence and give him the option to either denounce ‘Ali or be whipped four hundred lashes, and his beard and head be shaven.

So, he called him and read al-Hajjaj's letter to him, but‘Atiyyah refused to succumb; therefore, he had him whipped four hundred lashes and his head and beard were shaven. When Qutaybah became governor of Khurasan,‘Atiyyah rebelled against him and remained there till ‘Umar ibn Habirah became ruler of Iraq. It was then that he wrote to him asking permission to go there. Granted permission, he came to Kufa where he stayed till he died in 11 A.H." The author adds, "He was, indeed, a trusted authority, and he reported many authenticahadith ."

All his descendants were sincere followers of Muhammad's progeny (as). Among them were noblemen, highly distinguished personalities like al-Husayn ibn al-Hasan ibn‘Atiyyah who was appointed governor of the district of Al-Sharqiyya succeeding Hafs ibn Ghiyath, as stated on page 58 of the same reference, then he was transferred to al-Mahdi's troops. He died in 201 A.H. Another is Sa’d ibn Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn‘Atiyyah , also a traditionist, who became governor of Baghdad.110 He used to quote his father Sa’d from his uncle al-Husayn ibn al-Hasan ibn‘Atiyyah .

Back to the story of‘Atiyyah al-’Awfi . He is considered a reliable authority by Dawud and al-Tirmithi. Refer to hishadith in theirsahih books from Ibn ‘Abbas, Abu Sa’id and Ibn ‘Umar. He has also learnedhadith from ‘Abdullah ibn al-Hasan who quotes his father who quotes his grand-mother al-Zahra', Mistress of the women of Paradise. His son al-Hasan ibn‘Atiyyah has learnedhadith from him, and so have al-Hajjaj ibn Arta'ah, Mis’ar, al-Hasan ibn Adwan and others.

59. Al’ala' ibn Salih al-Taymi al-Kufi

In his biography of Al’ala' inAl-Mizan , Abu Hatim says the following about him: "He is one of the seniors of the Shi’as." In spite of this, Abu Dawud and al-Tirmithi have relied on his authority. Ma’in trusts him. Both Abu Hatim and Abu Zar’ah say that there is nothing wrong with his hadith.

Refer to hishadith in both al-Tirmithi's and Abu Dawud'ssahih books from Yazid ibn Abu Maryam and al-Hakam ibn ‘Utaybah, in addition to all Sunni musnads. Abu Na’im and Yahya ibn Bakir quote him, and so do many of their peers. He must be distinguished from Al’ala' ibn Abul-’Abbas, the Meccan poet. The latter is a Sufyani shaykh.

Hishadith is reported by Abul-Tufayl. He is in a higher rank than Abul-’ala' ibn Salih; the latter is a Kufian, while the poet is Meccan. Both are mentioned in al-Thahbi'sAl-Mizan , where the author inaccurately quotes a statement pertaining to their being Shi’a seniors. Al’ala' the poet has composed poetry in praise of the Commander of the Faithful (as) which serves as irrefutable proof of his dedication and also highlights the truth about the Imam. He has also several poetic eulogies appreciated by Allah, His Messenger, and the believers.

60. ‘Alqamah ibn Qays ibn ‘Abdullah al-Nakh’i, Abu Shibil

He is uncle of al-Aswad and Ibrahim, sons of Yazid. He is also a follower of the Progeny of Muhammad (pbuh). Al-Shahristani, in his Al-Milal wal-Nihal, has included him among Shi’a nobility. He is master among the traditionists mentioned by Abu Ishaq al-Jawzjani who spitefully says, "There has been a group of people among the residents of Kufa whose sect [of Shi’ism is not appreciated; they are the masters among Kufi traditionists."

‘Alqamah and his brother ‘Ali have been companions of ‘Ali (as). They have both participated in Siffin where ‘Ali was martyred. The latter used to be called "Abul-Salat" (man of the prayers) due to his quite frequent prayers. ‘Alqamah drenched his sword with the blood of the oppressive gang. His foot slid, yet he continued to wagejihad in the way of Allah, remaining an enemy of Mu’awiyah till his death.

Abu Bardah included ‘Alqamah's name among the emissary to Mu’awiyah during the latter's reign, but ‘Alqamah objected and even wrote to Abu Bardah saying: "Please remove my name (from the list); please do remove it." This is recorded by Ibn Sa’d in his biography of ‘Alqamah on page 57, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat .

‘Alqamah's fair mindedness and prestige among Sunnis is undisputed in spite of their knowledge of his Shi’a beliefs. Authors of the sixsahih books, as well as others, have all relied on his authority. Refer to hishadith in Muslim and Bukhari from Ibn Mas’ud, Abul-Darda'ah and ‘Ayesha. Hishadith about ‘Uthman and Abu Mas’ud is recorded in Muslim's Sahih.

In bothsahih books, hishadith is narrated by his nephew Ibrahim al-Nakh’i. In Muslim's Sahih, hishadith is transmitted by ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Yazid, Ibrahim ibn Yazid, and al-Sha’bi. He died, may Allah have mercy on his soul, in 62 A.H. in Kufa.

61. ‘Ali ibn Badimah

Al-Thahbi mentions him in hisAl-Mizan quoting Ahmad ibn Hanbal saying, "He has reported authenticahadith ," that he is a pioneer of Shi’ism, that Ibn Ma’in has trusted him, that he narrateshadith from Makrimah and others, and that both Shu’bah and Mu’ammar have learnedhadith from him. He marks his name to indicate that the authors ofsunan have all quoted his hadith.

62. ‘Ali ibn al-Ja’d

He is Abul-Hasan al-Jawhari al-Baghdadi, a slave of Banu Hashim. One of al-Bukhari's mentors, he is included by Qutaybah among notable Shi’as in his bookAl-Ma’arif . His biography inAl-Mizan indicates that for sixty years, ‘Ali used to fast every other day. Al-Qaysarani mentions him in his book Al-Jami’ Bayna Rijalul Sahihain, stating that al-Bukhari alone has narrated twelve thousandahadith reported by ‘Ali ibn al-Ja’d. He died in 203 at the age of 96.

63. ‘Ali ibn Zaid

His full name is ‘Ali ibn Zaid ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Zuhayr ibn Abu Malika ibn Jad’an Abul-Hasan al-Qarashi al-Taymi al-Basri. Ahmad al-’Ajli has mentioned him saying that the man follows the Shi’a School of Muslim Law.

Yazid ibn Zari’ has said that ‘Ali ibn Yazid has been a Rafidi. In spite of all this, the learned scholars among thetabi’in , such as Shu’bah, ‘Abdul-Warith, and many of their peers, have all quoted his hadith. He is one of the three jurists for whom Basrah has acquired fame, the others are Qatadah and 'Ash’ath al-Hadani. They were all blind. When al-Hasan al-Basri died, they suggested to ‘Ali to take his place due to his accomplishments. He was so prestigious that only renown dignitaries were his companions, something not too many Shi’as could enjoy during those days.

Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in hisAl-Mizan stating the above facts about him. In his book Al-Jami’ Bayna Rijalul Sahihain, al-Qaysarani states his biography and says that Muslim has quoted hishadith as reported by Thabit al-Banani, and that he has learned aboutjihad from Anas ibn Malik. He died, may Allah have mercy on him, in 131 A.H.

64. ‘Ali ibn Salih

He is brother of al-Hasan ibn Salih. We have already said a word about his virtues when we recounted the biography of his brother al-Hasan. He is one of the early Shi’a scholars, just like his brother. In his chapter on sales, Muslim relies on his authority.

‘Ali ibn Salih has reportedhadith from Salameh ibn Kahil, while Waki’ has quoted him; they, too, are both Shi’as. He was born, may Allah be merciful unto his soul, and his twin brother al-Hasan, in 100 A.H., and he died in 151 A.H.

65. ‘Ali ibn Ghurab Abu Yahya al-Fazari al-Kufi

Ibn Hayyan has described him as "an extremist Shi’a." Probably for this reason, al-Jawzjani drops him completely. Abu Dawud has said that ‘Ali'shadith has been rejected, while both Ibn Ma’in and Dar Qutni trust him. Abu Hatim has said that there is nothing wrong with his hadith. Abu Zar’ah says he considers him truthful.

Ahmad ibn Hanbal says, "I find him quite truthful." Ibn Ma’in describes him as "the poor man, the man of the truth," while al-Thahbi mentions him in hisAl-Mizan quoting both pros and cons regarding hishadith as mentioned above, and marking his name with SQ to identify which authors of thesunan rely on his authority. He reportshadith from Hisham ibn ‘Urwah and ‘Ubaydullah ibn ‘Umar.

On page 273, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat , Ibn Sa’d says the following about him: "Isma’il ibn Raja' quotes hishadith regarding what al-A’mash had said about ‘Uthman." He died, may Allah have mercy on his soul, in Kufa in early Rabi’ul-Awwal 184, during Harun's regime.

66. ‘Ali ibn Qadim Abul-Hasan al-Khuza’i al-Kufi

He is mentor of Ahmad ibn al-Furat, Ya’qub al-Faswi and a group of their peers who have all learnedhadith from him and relied on his authority. Ibn Sa’d mentions him on page 282, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat and describes him as an "extremist Shi’a." Probably for this reason alone that Yahya regards hishadith as "weak." Abu Hatim says that he is truthful.

Al-Thahbi mentions him in hisAl-Mizan , quoting the above stated views about him, and marking his name to indicate that Abu Dawud and al-Tirmithi have both quoted his hadith. Hishadith is recorded in their books from Sa’id ibn Abu ‘Urwah and Qatar. He died, may Allah be merciful unto his soul, in 213 A.H. during al-Ma'mun's regime.

67. ‘Ali ibn al-Munthir al-Tara'ifi

He is professor of al-Tirmithi, al-Nisa'i, Ibn Sa’id, ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Abu Hatim, and other peers who have all learnedhadith from him and relied on his authority. Al-Thahbi mentions him in hisAl-Mizan , marking his name with TSQ as an indication of which authors of thesunan quote his hadith. He quotes the following from al-Nisa'i: "‘Ali ibn al-Munthir is a staunch Shi’a, very trustworthy."

He states that Ibn Hatim has said that the man is truthful and trustworthy, and that he reportshadith from Fudayl, Ibn ‘Ayinah and al-Walid ibn Muslim. Al-Nisa'i testifies to the fact that he is "a staunch Shi’a," and that he relies on hishadith which is recorded in bothsahih books. This, indeed, provides food for thought for those who cast doubt about his reliability. Al-Munthir, may Allah be merciful unto his soul, died in 256 A.H.

68. ‘Ali ibn al-Hashim ibn al-Barid Abul-Hasan al-Kufi al-Khazzaz al-’Aithi

He is one of Imam Ahmad's mentors. Abu Dawud mentions him and describes him as a "well-ascertained Shi’a." Ibn Haban says that he is an "Shi’a extremist." Ja’far ibn Aban says, "I have heard Ibn Namir say that ‘Ali ibn Hashim is extremist in his Shi’a beliefs." Al-Bukhari has said that both ‘Ali ibn Hashim and his father are over-zealous in their Shi’a beliefs.

Probably for this reason, al-Bukhari has rejected his hadith, but all other five authors of thesahih books have relied on his authority. Ibn Ma’in and others have trusted him, while Abu Dawud has included him among the most reliable traditionists. Abu Zar’ah has said that he is truthful, and al-Nisa'i has stated that there is nothing wrong with his hadith. Al-Thahbi mentions him in hisAl-Mizan , quoting what we have already cited above.

Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi, in a chapter dealing with ‘Ali's character in his own Tarikh (history), Vol. 12, page 116, quotes Muhammad ibn Sulayman al-Baghindi saying that ‘Ali ibn Hashim ibn al-Barid is truthful, a man who used to follow Shi’ism. He also quotes Muhammad ibn ‘Ali al-Ajiri saying: "Once I asked Abu Dawud about ‘Ali ibn Hashim ibn al-Barid. He suggested that I should ask ‘Isa ibn Yunus. The latter has said: ‘He belongs to those who call for Shi’ism.'" All of this is true. He also quotes al-Jawzjani saying that Hisham ibn al-Barid and his son ‘Ali ibn Hashim are extremist in their "corrupt sect."

In spite of all this, authors of fivesahih books rely on ‘Ali ibn Hashim. Refer to hishadith about marriage in Muslim'sSahih as reported by Hisham ibn ‘Urwah, and in his chapter dealing with seeking permission as transmitted from Talha ibn Yahya. Hishadith in Muslim'sSahih is transmitted by Abu Mu’ammar Isma’il ibn Ibrahim and ‘Abdullah ibn Aban. Ahmad ibn Hanbal, too, has reported his hadith, in addition to both sons of Shaybah, and a group of their class of reporters whose mentor was none other than ‘Ali ibn Hashim. Al-Thahbi says, "He died, may Allah have mercy on his soul, in 181 A.H.," adding, "His death is probably the earliest of those of Imam Ahmad's mentors."

69. ‘Ammar ibn Zurayq al-Kufi

Al-Sulaymani calls him "Rafidi," as al-Thahbi states while discussing ‘Ammar in his Al-Mizan. In spite of this allegation, Muslim, Abu Dawud and al-Nisa'i rely on his authority. Refer to hishadith in Muslim'sSahih as transmitted by al-A’mash, Abu Ishaq al-Subai’i, Mansur, and ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Isa. Hishadith is reported in Muslim'sSahih by Abul-Jawab, Abul-Hawas Salam, Ibn Ahmad al-Zubayri, and Yahya ibn Adam.

70. ‘Ammar ibn Mu’awiyah, or Ibn Abu Mu’awiyah

He is also called Khabab, or Ibn Salih al-Dihni al-Bijli al-Kufi, Abu Mu’awiyah. He is one of the Shi’a heroes who suffered a great deal of persecution while defending Muhammad's Progeny (as), so much so that Bishr ibn Marwan cut off his hamstrings only because he was a Shi’a. He is mentor of both Sufyans, in addition to Shu’bah, Sharik, and al-’Abar, who have all learnedhadith from him and relied on his authority. Ahmad, Ibn Ma’in, Abu Hatim and other people have also relied on his authority. Muslim and four authors ofsunan have quoted his hadith. A

l-Thahbi has included his biography in his ownAl-Mizan and quoted the views stated above regarding his being a Shi’a and a trustworthy traditionist, adding that nobody had spoken ill of him except al-’Aqili, and that there was no fault in him other than his being a Shi’a. Refer to hishadith about the pilgrimage in Muslim'sSahih from Abul-Zubayr. He died in 133; may Allah have mercy on his oul.

71. ‘Amr ibn ‘Abdullah Abu Issaq al-Subai’i al-Hamadani al-Kufi

He is Shi’a according to Ibn Qutaybah'sMa’arif , and Shahristani's Al-Milal wal Nihal. He was one of the masters of traditionists whose sect, in its roots and branches, the Nasibis do not appreciate due to the fact that Shi’as have followed in the footsteps of Ahl al-Bayt, deriving their method of worship from their own leadership in all religious matters.

For this reason, al-Jawzjani has said in his biography of Zubayd inAl-Mizan : "Among the residents of Kufa, there is a group whose sect is not appreciated; they are the chiefs of Kufi traditionists such as Abu Ishaq, Mansur, Zubayd al-Yami, al-A’mash and other peers. People have tolerated them because of being truthful in narrating hadith, without adding aught of their own thereto."

Among what the Nasibis have rejected of Abu Ishaq'shadith is this one:

"‘As the author ofAl-Mizan indicates, Amr ibn Isma’il has quoted Abu Issaq saying that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) has said, ‘Ali is like a tree whose root I am, and whose branches are ‘Ali, whose fruit are al-Hasan and al-Husayn, whose leaves are the Shi’as.'"

In fact, al-Mughirah's statement "nobody caused the Kufis to perish except Abu Ishaq and al-A’mash" is uncalled for except for the fact that these men are Shi’as and are loyal to Muhammad's progeny (as). They have become custodians of allahadith pertaining to the attributes of the latter, peace be upon them. They were oceans of knowledge, and they followed Allah's commandments.

They are relied upon by the authors of all sixsahih books and by others. Refer to Abu Ishaq'shadith in bothsahih books from al-Bara' ibn ‘Azib, Yazid ibn Arqam, Harithah ibn Wahab, Sulayman ibn Sard, al-Nu’man ibn Bashir, ‘Abdullah ibn Yazid al-Khadmi, and ‘Amr ibn Maymun.

He is quoted in bothsahih books by Shu’bah, al-Thawri, Zuhayr, and by his grandson Yusuf ibn Ishaq ibn Abu Ishaq. Ibn Khallikan says in ‘Amr's biography in Al-Wafiyyat that ‘Amr was born three years before ‘Uthman took charge of ruling the Muslims, and that he died either in 127 or in 128, or in 129, whereas both Yahya ibn Ma’in and al-Mada'ini say that he died in 132, and Allah knows best.

72. ‘Awf ibn Abu Jamila al-Basri, Abu Sahl

He is well known as "al-A’rabi" [the bedouin], although his origin is really not from the desert. Al-Thahbi mentions him in hisAl-Mizan and says that "He is also called ‘Awf the Truthful, while some say that he follows Shi’ism; despite that, a group of scholars has trusted him." He also quotes Ja’far ibn Sulayman describing him as Shi’a and quotes Bandar calling him "Rafidi."

Ibn Qutaybah has included him in his ownAl-Ma’arif among Shi’a dignitaries. He has taughthadith to Ruh, Hawdah, Shu’bah, al-Nadr ibn Shamil, ‘Uthman ibn al-Haytham and many others of their calibre. Authors of the sixsahih books as well as others have all relied on his authority. Refer to hishadith in Bukhari'sSahih from al-Hasan and Sa’id, sons of al-Hasan al-Basri, Muhammad ibn Sirin and Siyar ibn Salamah. Hishadith in Muslim'sSahih is transmitted by Al-Nadr ibn Shamil. Hishadith from Abu Raji' al-’Ataridi exists in bothsahihs . He died, may Allah have mercy on him, in 146 A.H.

73. Al-Fadl ibn Dakin

His real name is ‘Amr ibn Hammad ibn Zuhayr al-Malla'i al-Kufi, and he is well known by Abu Na’im. He is al-Bukhari's mentor, as the latter admits in his own Sahih. A group of elite scholars, like Ibn Qutaybah in hisAl-Ma’arif , has included him among Shi’a dignitaries.

Al-Thahbi mentions him in hisAl-Mizan and says: "I have heard ibn Ma’in saying: ‘If a man's name is mentioned in the presence of Abu Na’im and he calls him a good person and praises him, then rest assured that that person is a Shi’a; whereas if he labels someone as Murji', then rest assured that he is a good Sunni.'" Al-Thahbi says that this statement proves that Yahya ibn Ma’in inclines towards believing in the Return. It also proves that the man considers al-Fadl as a very staunch Shi’a.

In his biography of Khalid ibn Mukhlid in hisAl-Mizan , al-Thahbi quotes al-Jawzjani saying that Abu Na’im follows the Kufi sect, i.e. Shi’ism. To sum up, the fact that al-Fadl ibn Dakin is a Shi’a has never been disputed. Nevertheless, all authors of the sixsahih books rely on him. Refer to hishadith in Bukhari'sSahih from Humam ibn Yahya, ‘Abdul-’Aziz ibn Abu Salamah, Zakariyyah ibn Abu Za'idah, Hisham al-Distwa'i, al-A’mash, Misar, al-Thawri, Malik, Ibn ‘Ayinah, Shaybah, and Zuhayr.

Hishadith in Muslim is transmitted by Saif ibn Abu Sulayman, Isma’il ibn Muslim, Abu ‘Asim Muhammad ibn Ayyub al-Thaqafi, Abul Amis, Musa ibn ‘Ali, Abu Shihab Musa ibn Nafi’, Sufyan, Hisham ibn Sa’d, ‘Abdul-Wahid ibn Ayman, and Isra'il. Al-Bukhari quotes him directly, while Muslim quotes hishadith as transmitted by Hajjaj ibn al-Sha’ir, ‘Abd ibn Hamid, Ibn Abu Shaybah, Abu Sa’d al-Ashajj, Ibn Namir, ‘Abdullah al-Darmi, Issaq al-Hanzali, and Zuhayr ibn Harb.

He was born in 133, and he died in Kufa on a Thursday night on the last day of Sha’ban, 210, during al-Mu’tasim's reign. Ibn Sa’d mentions him on page 279, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat , describing him as "trustworthy, reliable, a man who has narrated a great deal of hadth, and an authority therein."

74. Fadil ibn Marzuq al-Aghar al-Ruwasi al-Kufi, Abu ‘Abdul-Rahman

Al-Thahbi mentions him in his Mizan and describes him as a well-known Shi’a, quoting Sufyan ibn ‘Ayinah and Ibn Ma’in testifying to this fact. He quotes Ibn ‘Adi saying that he hopes there is nothing wrong with thehadith he narrates, then he quotes al-Haytham ibn Jamil saying that the latter once mentioned Fadl ibn Marzuq once and described him as "one of the Imams of guidance."

In his Sahih, Muslim relies on the authority of Fadil'sahadith which deals with prayers as transmitted by Shaqiq ibn ‘Uqbah, and with zakat by ‘Adi ibn Thabit. Hishadith dealing with zakat as recorded by Muslim is transmitted by Yahya ibn Adam and Abu Usamah. In thesunan , hishadith is quoted by Waki’, Yazid, Abu Na’im, ‘Ali ibn al-Ja’d and many peers. Zayd ibn al-Habab has in fact lied regarding what he attributed to him ofhadith dealing with the appointment of ‘Ali (as) as Amr by the Prophet (pbuh). He died, may Allah have mercy on him, in 158.

75. Fitr ibn Khalifah al-Hannat al-Kufi

‘Abdullah ibn Ahmad once asked his father about Fitr ibn Khalifah. He answered, "He is a reporter of authentic hadith. Hishadith reflects an attitude of a responsible person, but he also is a follower of Shi’ism." ‘Abbas has quoted Ibn Ma’in saying that Fitr ibn Khalifah is a trusted Shi’a. Ahmad has said: "Fitr ibn Khalifah is trusted by Yahya, but he is an extremist Khashbi." Probably for this reason alone, Abu Bakr ibn ‘Ayyash has said, "I have not abandoned the traditions reported by Fitr ibn Khalifah except because of his bad sect," i.e. for no fault in him other than his being a Shi’a.

Al-Jawzjani says: "Fitr ibn Khalifah has deviated from the path." During his sickness, he was heard by Ja’far al-Ahmar saying: "Nothing pleases me more than knowing that for each hair in my body there is an angel praising Allah Almighty on my behalf because of my love for Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them."

Fitr ibn Khalifah narrateshadith from Abul-Tufayl, Abu Wa'il, and Mujahid. Hishadith is quoted by Usamah, Yahya ibn Adam, Qabisah and others of the same calibre. Ahmad and others have trusted him. Murrah has said the following about him, "He is a responsible narrator ofhadith who has memorized what he narrates by heart." Ibn Sa’d says, "He is, Insha-Allah, trustworthy." Al-Thahbi discusses him in his Mizan, stating the learned scholars' views, which have already been stated above, concerning his character. Ibn Sa’d has quoted the same on page 253, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat .

When Qutaybah mentions renown Shi’as in hisMa’arif , he includes Fitr ibn Khalifah among them. Al-Bukhari has quoted Fitr'shadith as narrated by Mujahid. Al-Thawri has quoted Fitr'shadith dealing with etiquette as recorded in al-Bukhari's work. Authors of the foursunan books, as well as others, have all quoted Fitr's hadith. He died, may Allah have mercy on him, in 153 A.H.

76. Malik ibn Isma’il ibn Ziyad ibn Dirham Abu Hasan al-Kufi al-Hindi

He is one of Bukhari's mentors as stated in the latter's Sahih. Ibn Sa’d mentions him on page 282, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat . He concludes by saying that "Abu Ghassan is trustworthy, truthful, a very staunch Shi’a." Al-Thahbi mentions him in his Mizan, which proves his reliability and prestige, stating that the man has learned the teachings of the sect of Shi’ism from his mentor al-Hasan ibn Salih, that Ibn Ma’in has said that nobody in Kufa is more accurate in reportinghadith than Abu Ghassan, and that Abu satim has said: "Whenever I look at him, he seems as though he has just left his grave, with two marks of prostration stamped on his forehead."

Al-Bukhari has quoted him directly in many chapters of his Sahih. Muslim has quoted hishadith on criminal penalties in his ownSahih as transmitted by Harun ibn ‘Abdullah. Those who narrate hishadith in Bukhari are: Ibn ‘Ayinah, ‘Abdul-Aziz ibn Abu Salamah, and Isra'il. Both al-Bukhari and Muslim quote hishadith from Zuhayr ibn Mu’awiyah. He died, may Allah have mercy on him, in Kufa in 219.

77. Muhammad ibn Khazim

He is very well known as Abu Mu’awiyah al-Darir al-Tamimi al-Kufi. Al-Thahbi mentions him saying, "Muhammad ibn Khazim al-Darir is confirmed, truthful; nowhere at all have I seen hishadith as weak; I shall discuss him in my chapter on kunayat." When the author mentions him in his said chapter, he states: "Abu Mu’awiyah al-Darir is one of the most renown and trustworthy Imams of hadith," and he goes on to say: "Al-Hakim has said that both Shaykhs rely on his authority, and he is famous for being an extremist Shi’a."

All authors of the sixsahihs have relied on his authority. Al-Thahbi has marked his name with "A" to indicate that all traditionists rely on his authority. Refer to hishadith in Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahihs from al-A’mash and Hisham ibn ‘Urwah. Muslim'sSahih contains otherahadith he has narrated through other trusted reporters. In Bukhari's Sahih, hishadith is reported by ‘Ali ibn al-Madini, Muhammad ibn Salam, Yusuf ibn ‘Isa, Qutaybah, and Musaddad. In Muslim's Sahih, he is quoted by Sa’d al-Wasiti, Sa’d ibn Mansur, ‘Amr al-Naqid, Ahmad ibn Sinan, Ibn Namir, Issaq al-Hanzali, Abu Bakr ibn Abu Shaybah, Abu Karib, Yahya ibn Yahya, and Zuhayr. Musa al-Zaman has reported hishadith in bothsahihs . Muhammad ibn Khazim was born in 113, and he died in 195; may Allah be merciful unto him.

78. Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah al-Dabi al-Tahani al-Nisaburi, Abu ‘Abdullah al-Hakim

He is an Imam of huffaz, those who memorize the entirety of the holy Qur'an andhadith by heart, and author of about one thousand books. He toured the lands seeking knowledge and learninghadith from about two thousand mentors. He may be compared with the most renown scholars of his time such as al-Sa’luki.

Imam ibn Furk and all other Imams consider his status to be superior even to their own. They appreciate him and his contributions; they cherish his name and reputation, without doubting his mastership at all. All learned Sunni scholars who could not achieve as much as he did envy him. He is one of the Shi’a heroes, a protector of the Islamic Shari’a.

The author ofAl-Mizan narrates his biography and describes him as "a truthful Imam, a very renown Shi’a." He quotes Ibn Tahir saying: "I once asked Abu Isma’il ‘Abdullah al-Ansari about al-Hakim Abu Abdullah. He said: ‘He is an Imam in hadith, a wretched Rafidi.'" Al-Thahbi has recounted a few of his interesting statements such as his saying that the Chosen One (pbuh) came to the world circumcised, with a smile on his face, and that ‘Ali (as) is a wasi.

The author adds the following: "His being truthful and knowledgeable of what he reports is a unanimously accepted fact." He was born in Rabi’ al-Awwal of 321, and he died in Safar of 405, may Allah have mercy on his soul.

79. Muhammad ibn ‘Ubaydullah ibn Abu Rafi’ al-Madani

He, Abu ‘Ubaydullah, his brothers al-Fadl and ‘Abdullah sons of ‘Ubaydullah, his grandfather Abu Rafi’, his uncles Rafi’, al-Hasan, al-Mughirah, ‘Ali, and their sons as well as grandsons, are all among good Shi’a ancestors. The books they have authored testify to the depth of their Shi’a conviction, as we have mentioned in Section 2, Chapter 12, of our book Al-Fusul al-Muhimmah.

Ibn ‘Uday mentions Muhammad ibn ‘Ubaydullah ibn Abu Rafi’ al-Madani, adding, at the conclusion of his biography in the Mizan, that the man is among Kufi Shi’as. When al-Thahbi states his biography in his own Mizan, he marks it with TQ as an indication of which authors of thesunan books quote hishadith (i.e. Tirmithi and Dar Qutni). He also mentions that he quotes his father and grandfather, and that Mandil and ‘Ali ibn Hashim quote his hadith. Hishadith is also quoted by Haban ibn ‘Ali, Yahya ibn Ya’li and others.

Muhammad ibn ‘Ubaydullah ibn Abu Rafi’ al-Madani may have also reportedhadith from his brother ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Ubaydullah who is well known as a traditionist by researchers of hadith. Al-Tabarani in his Al-Mu’jam al-Kabir has relied on the authority of Muhammad ibn ‘Ubaydullah ibn Abu Rafi’ al-Madani who quotes his father and grandfather saying that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) has said to ‘Ali (as), "The first to enter Paradise will be I and you, then al-Hasan and al-Husayn, with our progeny behind us, and our Shi’as on our right and left."

80. Muhammad ibn Fudayl ibn Ghazwan Abu ‘Abdul-Rahman al-Kufi

Ibn Qutaybah has included him among Shi’a dignitaries in his workAl-Ma’arif , and Ibn Sa’d has mentioned him on page 271, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat , saying, "He is a trustworthy and reliable traditionist who as reported a great deal of hadith; he also is a Shi’a, and some scholars [for this reason] do not rely on his authority." Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in his chapter containing those well-known because of their fathers' reputation at the conclusion of his Mizan, describing him as a truthful Shi’a.

He also mentions him in his chapter containing those whose first name is Muhammad, describing him as "a man of truth and fame," adding that Ahmad has described him as a Shi’a whosehadith is authentic, and that Abu Dawud has described him as a "Shi’a by profession" (!), adding that he was a man ofhadith and knowledge, that he learned the Qur'an from Hamzah, that he has written nUmarous books, and that Ibn Ma’in has trusted him and Ahmad spoken well of him. Al-Nisa'i has said that there is nothing wrong with his hadith.

Authors of the sixsahih books, as well as many others, have relied on his authority. Refer to hishadith in Bukhari as transmitted by Muhammad ibn Namir, Ishaq al-Hanzali, Ibn Abu Shaybah, Muhammad ibn Salam, Qutaybah, ‘Umran ibn Maysarah, and ‘Amr ibn ‘Ali. Hishadith is transmitted in Bukhari by ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amir, Abu Karib, Muhammad ibn Tarf, Wasil ibn ‘Abd al-A’la, Zuhayr, Abu Sa’d al-Ashajj, Muhammad ibn Yazid, Muhammad ibn al-Muthanna, Ahmad al-Wak’i, and ‘Abdul-’Aziz ibn ‘Umar ibn Aban. He died, may Allah have mercy on him, in Kufa in 194 or 195 A.H.

81. Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn al-Ta'ifi

He was one of the most disginguished companions of Imam Abu ‘Abdullah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him. Shaykh al-Ta'ifa Abu Ja’far al-Tusi has mentioned him in his book Rijal al-Shi’a, and al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali ibn Dawud has included him in his chapter on the most trustworthy traditionists in his book Al-Mukhtasar. Al-Thahbi includes his biography and quotes Yahya ibn Ma’in and others who say that the man is truthful.

He adds saying that al-Qa’nabi, Yahya ibn Yahya, and Qutaybah have all transmitted his traditions, and that ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Mahdi once mentioned Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn al-Ta'ifi and said: "His books [of traditions] are all authentic," and that Ma’ruf ibn Wasil said: "I saw Sufyan al-Thawri once accompanied by Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn al-Ta'ifi who was writing down his hadith."

Yet those who have labelled hishadith as "weak" have done so only on the grounds of his being a Shi’a, although their prejudice has not at all harmed him. Hishadith from ‘Amr ibn Dinar about ablution exists in Muslim's Sahih. According to Ibn Sa’d'sTabaqat , as stated on page 381, Vol. 5, hishadith is quoted by Waki’ ibn al-Jarrah and one hundred others. In that year, his name-sake Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn Jummaz died in Medina. Ibn Sa’d has included both of their biographies in Vol. 5 of hisTabaqat .

82. Muhammad ibn Musa ibn ‘Abdullah al-Qatari al-Madani

Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in his Mizan quoting Abu Hatim testifying to his being a Shi’a. He also quotes al-Tirmithi saying that the man is trustworthy, and he even marks his name with the initials of Muslim and the authors ofsunan as an indication of their reliance on his authority. Refer to hishadith about foods in Muslim'sSahih transmitted from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Abu Talha. He is also quoted by al-Maqbari and a group of his peers. Others who have quoted hishadith are: Ibn Abu Fadik, Ibn Mahdi, Qutaybah, and others of their intellectual calibre.

83. Mu’awiyah ibn ‘Ammar al-Dihni al-Bajli al-Kufi

He is among our highly respected and revered Shi’as, prestigious and trustworthy. His father ‘Ammar is a good example for perseverence and persistence in adhering to the principles of justice, a model Allah has brought forth for those who are patient while suffering for His Cause. A few tyrants cut off his hamstrings because of being a Shi’a, as we have indicated above, without succeeding in swaying him, till he left this world to receive his rewards.

His son Mu’awiyah was meted the same treatment, and the father is but a model for the son. He has accompanied Imams al-Sadiq and al-Kazim, peace be upon them, and learned from them a great deal. He has authored many books - as indicated above - and he is quoted by Shi’a reporters such as Ibn Abu ‘Umayr and others. Muslim and al-Nisa'i have relied on his authority. Hishadith about hajj is quoted in Muslim'sSahih by al-Zubayr.

In Muslim, he is quoted by both Yahya ibn Yahya and Qutaybah. He has also narratedhadith from his father ‘Ammar, and from a group of his peers, and suchahadith exist in Sunni musnads. He died, may Allah have mercy on him, in 175 A.H.

84. Ma’ruf ibn Kharbuth al-Karkhi

Al-Thahbi describes him111 in his Mizan as "a truthful Shi’a," marking his name with the initials of al-Bukhari, Muslim, and Abu Dawud to indicate that they all quote his hadith. He also quotes Abul Tufayl saying that Ma’ruf narrates a fewahadith . Hishadith is narrated by Abu ‘Asim, Abu Dawud, ‘Ubaydullah ibn Musa and others. He also quotes Abu Hatim saying that the latter writes down his hadith.

Ibn Khallikan mentions him in his Wafiyyat and describes him as one of the servants of ‘Ali ibn Musa al-Rida, peace be upon him. He goes on to praise him, quoting a statement of his in which he says, "I have come unto the Almighty Allah, leaving everything behind me, with the exception of serving my master ‘Ali ibn Musa al-Rida, peace be upon him."

When Ibn Qutaybah discusses a few Shi’a notables in his workAl-Ma’arif, he includes Ma’ruf ibn Kharbuth among them. Muslim has relied on the authority of Ma’ruf ibn Kharbuth; refer to hishadith about hajj in hissahih from Abul Tufayl. He died in Baghdad in 200 A.H.;112 his grave-site is now a mausoleum. Sirri al-Saqti was one of his students.

85. Mansur ibn al-Mu’tamir ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Rabi’ah al-Salami al-Kufi

He is one of the companions of Imams al-Baqir and al-Sadiq (as), and he has narratedhadith from them, as the author of Muntahal Maqal fi Ahwal al-Rijal states. Ibn Qutaybah includes him among Shi’a nobility in his bookAl-Ma’arif . Al-Jawzjani has included him among the narrators "whose sect is not appreciated by [certain] people" in the roots and branches of religion, due to their adherence to what they have learned from Muhammad's progeny (as).

Says he: "Among the people of Kufa there is a group whose sect is not appreciated; these are chiefs of Kufa's traditionists such as Abu Ishaq, Mansur, Zubayd al-Yami, al-A’mash and other peers. People have tolerated them just because they are truthful in narrating hadith."113 Why do they bear so much grudge against these truthful men? Is it because of their upholding the Two Weighty Things? Or their embarking upon the Ark of Salvation? Or their entring into the city of the Prophet's knowledge through its Gate, the Gate of Repentance? Or is it their seeking refuge with the "Refuge of all the world"? Or is it their obedience to the Prophet's will to be kind unto his descendants? Or is it their heart's submission to Allah and their weeping for fear of Him, as is well known about them?

Stating the biography of Mansur ibn al-Mu’tamir ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Rabi’ah, Ibn Sa’d says the following about Mansur on page 235 of Vol. 6 of hisTabaqat : "He has lost his eye-sight because of excessive weeping for fear of Allah. He used to carry a handkerchief for the purpose of drying his tears. Some allege that he fasted and prayed for sixty years." Can a man of such qualities be a burden on people? No, indeed, but we have been inflicted by some people who do not know what fairness is; so, we are Allah's, and unto Him is our return.

In his biography of Mansur ibn al-Mu’tamir ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Rabi’ah, Ibn Sa’d also quotes Hammad ibn Zayd saying, "I have seen Mansur in Mecca, and I think he belongs to those Khashbis, yet I do not think that he tells a lie when he quotes hadith."

Behold the underestimation, grudge, contempt and manifest enmity this statement bears. How surprised I am when I consider his statement: "I do not think that he tells lies..." As if telling lies is one of the practices of those who are sincere to Muhammad's progeny. As if Mansur alone is truthful, rather than all other Shi’a traditionists. Name-calling... As if the Nasibis could not find a name whereby they can call the Shi’as other than misnomers such as Khashbis, Turabis, Rafidis, etc. As if they have never heard the Almighty's Commandment:

"And do not exchange bad names; what an evil it is to use a bad name after having accepted faith (Qur'an, 49:11)."

Ibn Qutaybah has mentioned the "Khashbis" in his bookAl-Ma’arif and said: "These are Rafidis. Ibrahim al-Ashtar met ‘Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad in the battle-field. Most of Ibrahim's men had guaiacum wood panels; therefore, they were labelled ‘khashbis,' men associated with paneling, out of scorn." In fact, they called them so just to humiliate them and look down upon them and their wooden weapons with which they were able to beat Ibn Marjanah, predecessor of the Nasibis, thus annihilating those heretics, murderers of Muhammad's progeny.

"Allah has cut off the tail of those who committed injustice; all praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds (Qur'an, 6:45)."

There is no harm, therefore, in this noble name, nor is there any harm in its synonyms like Turabis, after Abu Turab (Imam ‘Ali, as); we are proud of it.

We have digressed. Let us go back to our main topic and state that it is the consensus of traditionists to rely on Mansur. For this reason, all authors of the sixsahih books, as well as others, rely on his authority, knowing that he is Shi’a. Refer to hishadith in Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahihs from Abu Wa'il, Abul Duha, Ibrahim al-Nakh’i and other peers.

He quotes Shu’bah, al-Thawri, Ibn ‘Ayinah, Hammad ibn Zayd and others who are the most distinguished of that class of reporters of hadith. Ibn Sa’d has said that Mansur's death took place at the end of the year 132, adding, "He is a trusted authority who has reported a great deal of hadith; he is a man of sublime prestige; may Allah have mercy on him."

86. Al-Minhal ibn ‘Amr al-Kufi, the tabi’i

He is one of the renown Shi’as of Kufa. For this reason, al-Jawzjani has categorized hishadith as "weak," describing him as a "follower of the bad sect." Ibn Hazm has spoken ill of him in the same manner, and Yahya ibn Sa’d, too, chews his name. Ahmad ibn Hanbal states contrariwise. He says: "Abu Bishr is more dear to me than a sweet cool fountain, and he is more reliable than others."

In spite of being a staunch Shi’a, stating so in public even during the time of al-Mukhtar, he is not doubted by scholars regarding the accuracy of his hadith. He is quoted by Shu’bah, al-Mas’udi, al-Hajjaj ibn Arta'ah, and many peers of their intellectual calibre. He is trusted by Ibn Ma’in, Ahmad al-’Ijli and others. In his Mizan, al-Thahbi quotes their assessment of the man as we have stated above, marking his name with the initials of Bukhari and Muslim as an indication that they both consider hishadith reliable.

Refer to hishadith in Bukhari'sSahih from Sa’id ibn Jubayr. In Bukhari's Sahih, in the author's section on Tafsir, hishadith is transmitted by Zayd ibn Abu Anisa. Al-Mansur ibn al-Mu’tamir has quoted him in a chapter on prophets.

87. Musa ibn Qays al-Hadrami, Abu Muhammad

Al-’Aqili describes him as an "extremist Rafidi." Once, Sufyan asked him about Abu Bakr. He answered: "‘Ali is more dear to me." Musa ibn Qays reportshadith from Salamah ibn Kahil, Iyad ibn Iyad, ending with Malik ibn Ja’na reporting that "I heard Umm Salamah saying that ‘Ali is with the truth; whoever follows him is a follower of the truth, and whoever abandons him certainly abandons the truth; this is decreed." This has been narrated by Abu Na’im al-Fadl ibn Dakin from Musa ibn Qays. Musa ibn Qays has reportedhadith praising Ahl al-Bayt in volumes which angered al-’Aqili who said to him what he said. Ibn Ma’in has trusted and relied on him.

Abu Dawud and Sa’d ibn Mansur have both relied on his authority in their respectivesunan . Al-Thahbi has included his biography in his own Mizan, stating about him what we have already stated above. Refer to hishadith in thesunan from Salamah ibn Kahil and Hajar ibn ‘Anbasah. Hishadith is transmitted by Dakin, ‘Ubaydullah ibn Musa and other reliable authorities. He died, may Allah have mercy on him, during the reign of al-Mansur.

88. Naif’ ibn al-Harith Abu Dawud al-Nakh’i al-Kufi al-Hamadani al-Subay’i

Al-’Aqili described him as being an "extremist Rafidi." Al-Bukhari says: "People speak ill of him [because of being a Shi’a]." Sufyan, Hamam, Sharik and a group of the most renown scholars of such calibre have all quoted him. Al-Tirmithi relies on him in his own sahih. Authors of musnads have all recorded his hadith. Refer to hishadith in Tirmithi and others from Anas ibn Malik, Ibn ‘Abbas, ‘Umran ibn Hasin and Zayd ibn Arqam. Al-Thahbi has included his biography and stated what we have already said above.

89. Nuh ibn Qays ibn Rabah al-Hadani

He is also known as al-Tahi al-Basri. Al-Thahbi mentions him in his Mizan, describing hishadith as authentic, adding that Ahmad and Ibn Ma’in trust him. He also quotes Abu Dawud saying that the man is a Shi’a. Al-Nisa'i has said that there is nothing wrong with his hadith, putting on his name the initials of Muslim and authors of thesunan as an indication that they all quote his hadith. In Muslim's Sahih, hisahadith about beverages are quoted by Ibn ‘Awn. Hisahadith on the dress codes exist in Muslim's Sahih, too, as narrated by his brother Khalid ibn Qays.

In Muslim, he is quoted by Nasr ibn ‘Ali. In works other than Muslim's, hishadith is quoted by al-Ash’ath and by many others of his calibre. Nuh ibn Qays ibn Rabah reports from Ayyub, ‘Amr ibn Malik and a group of other men.

90. Harun ibn Sa’d al-’Ijli al-Kufi

Al-Thahbi mentions him and puts Muslim's initial on his name as an indication that the latter quotes him, then he describes him as "truthful in his own right," but he also calls him "a hated Rafidi" who narrates from ‘Abbas from Ibn Ma’in that he is an extremist Shi’a. He has learnedhadith from ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Abu Sa’id al-Khudri, who in turn quotes Muhammad ibn Abu Hafs al-’Attar, al-Mas’udi, and Hasan ibn Hayy. Abu Hatim says that there is nothing wrong with his hadith. I remember one of hisahadith which describes Hell-fire; it is recorded in Muslim'sSahih as narrated by al-Hasan ibn Salih from Harun ibn Sa’d al-’Ijli, from Salman.

91. Hashim ibn al-Barid ibn Zayd Abu ‘Ali al-Kufi

Al-Thahbi mentions him and puts the initials of Abu Dawud and al-Nisa'i on his name to indicate that he is one of their authorities, quoting Ibn Ma’in and others testifying to his being trustworthy, in addition to his own testimony to being a "Rafidi." He quotes Ahmad saying that there is nothing wrong with his hadith. Hashim narrateshadith from Zayd ibn ‘Ali and Muslim al-Batin, and he is quoted by al-Kharibi and his son ‘Ali ibn Hashim, to whom we referred above, in addition to a group of other renown scholars. Hashim adhered to Shi’ism, and this has been made clear when we discussed ‘Ali ibn Hashim.

92. Hubayrah ibn Maryam al-Himyari

He is one of the companions of Imam ‘Ali (as), equal only to al-Harith in his sincerity as well as companionship. Al-Thahbi mentions him and puts on his name the initials of the authors ofsunan books as a reference to his being one of the authorities of their musnads, then he quotes Ahmad saying, "There is nothing wrong with his hadith, and he is more dear to us than al-Harith." Al-Thahbi quotes Ibn Kharash describing Hubayrah as "weak; he used to assault the wounded in Siffin." Al-Jawzjani says the following about him: "He is a follower of al-Mukhtar who used to put an end to the life of those wounded in the Khazir Battle."

Al-Shahristani, in his book Al-Milal wal Nihal, has included him among Shi’a notables, a fact taken for granted by everyone. Hishadith from ‘Ali (as) is unquestioned in thesunan , and he is quoted by both Abu Ishaq and Au Fakhita."

93. Hisham ibn Ziyad Abul Miqdam al-Basri

Al-Shahristani has included him in his Al-Milal wal Nihal among Shi’a notables. Al-Thahbi mentions him twice: once under his alphabetical index, and once in his chapter on kunayat, placing a Q on his name to indicate that Dar Qutni of thesunan relies on his authority. Refer to hishadith in Tirmithi'sSahih and other works as transmitted from al-Hasan and al-Qardi. He is quoted by Shayban ibn Farukh, al-Qawariri and others.

94. Hisham ibn ‘Ammar ibn Nasr ibn Maysarah, Abu al-Walid

He is also called al-Zafri al-Dimashqi. He is one of Bukhari's mentors as the latter states in his Sahih. Ibn Qutaybah includes him among Shi’a notables when he mentions quite a few of them in his chapter on sects in Al-Ma’arif. Al-Thahbi mentions him in his Mizan, describing him as "the Imam, orator, and reciter of the Holy Qur'an of Damascus, its traditionist and scholar, a man of truth who has narrated a great deal of hadith, though he has a few [ideological] defects, etc."

Al-Bukhari quotes him directly in his chapter on "those who voluntarily grant extensions for repayment of debt" in his chapter on sales in hissahih and in other chapters with which researchers are familiar. Some of such chapters, I believe, are his books Al-Maghazi, his book on beverages, and his chapter on the attributes of the companions of the Prophet (pbuh). Hisham ibn ‘Ammar narrateshadith from Yahya ibn Hamzah, Sadaqah ibn Khalid, ‘Abdul-Hamid ibn Abul ‘Ishrin and others.

The author ofAl-Mizan says: "Many quote his hadith; they travel to his place to learn from him how to recite the Holy Qur'an and the narration of hadith. Hishadith is quoted by al-Walid ibn Muslim, one of his mentors, while he himself narrates from Abu Lahi’ah. ‘Abdan has said that there is no traditionist like him in the world, while someone else has said that Hisham is outspoken, wise, easy to comprehend, and he has acquired a great deal of knowledge."

Like other Shi’as, Hisham ibn ‘Ammar believes that the Qur'anic diction is created only by Allah Almighty. When Ahmad [ibn Hanbal] heard about this, as the author ofAl-Mizan states in his biography of Hisham ibn ‘Ammar, he responded by saying, "I have known him to be wreckless; may Allah annihilate him." Ahmad has also come across a book written by Hisham in which one of the latter's sermons says: "Praise be to Allah Who has manifested Himself unto his creatures through what He has created."

This caused Ahmad to be extremely furious, so much so that he required all those who used to pray behind Hisham to repeat their prayers. Ahmad could not see that Hisham's statement is very clear in stating that Allah is superior to being seen, glorified above those who inquire about Him with "how" or "where," appreciative of His norm of creation. His statement may be compared with one saying: "He has manifested His miracles in everything He has created," or it may even be more pertinent and fitting than the latter; but scholars of the same calibre speak of each other in the light of their own likes and dislikes, each according to his own degree of knowledge. Hisham ibn ‘Ammar was born in 153, and he died at the commencement of Muharram of 245 A.H.; may Allah have mercy on him.

95. Hashim ibn Bashir ibn al-Qasim ibn Dinar al-Wasiti, Abu Mu’awiyah

His birth-place is Balkh. His grandfather al-Qasim had moved to Wasit to engage in trade. Ibn Qutaybah includes him in hisAl-Ma’arif among Shi’a nobility. He is mentor of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal and all those of his calibre. Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in his bookAl-Mizan , marking his name with an indication that all authors of the sixsahih books rely on his authority, and describing him as one who knows the Holy Qur'an by heart. Says al-Thahbi: "He is one of the most renown scholars. He learnedhadith from al-Zuhri and Hasan ibn ‘Abdul-Rahman. Hishadith is quoted in turn by al-Qattan, Ahmad, Ya’qub al-Dawraqi, and by many others."

Refer to hishadith in Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahih books as transmitted by Hamid al-Tawil, Isma’il ibn Abu Khalid, Abu Ihaq al-Shaybani, and by others. He is quoted in both books by ‘Umar, al-Naqid, ‘Amr ibn Zararah, and Sa’id ibn Sulayman. In Bukhari, hishadith is quoted by ‘Amr ibn ‘Awf, Sa’d ibn al-Nadir, Muhammad ibn Nabahan, ‘Ali ibn al-Madini, and Qutaybah. In Muslim, he is quoted by Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Shurayh, Ya’qub al-Dawraqi, ‘Abdullah ibn Mu’it’, Yahya ibn Yahya, Sa’id ibn Mansur, Ibn Abu Shaybah, Isma’il ibn Salim, Muhammad ibn al-Sabah, Dawud ibn Rashid, Ahmad ibn Mani’, Yahya ibn Ayyub, Zuhayr ibn Harb, ‘Uthman ibn Abu Shaybah, ‘Ali ibn Hajar, and Yazid ibn Harun. He died, may Allah have mercy on him, in Baghdad in 183 A.H. at the age of 79.

96. Waki’ ibn al-Jarrah ibn Malih ibn ‘Adi

Hiskunyat is "Abu Sufyan," after his son Sufyan al-Ruwasi al-Kufi. He belongs to the tribe of Qays Ghilan. In his Ma’arif, Ibn Qutaybah includes him among Shi’a notables. In his book titled Tahthib, Ibn al-Madani has said that Waki’ adheres to Shi’ism. Marwan ibn Mu’awiyah never doubted that Waki’ was "Rafidi."

Once, Yahya ibn Ma’in visited Marwan and found him with a tablet containing statements about this person and that. Among its contents was a statement describing Waki’ as Rafidi. Ibn Ma’in said to Marwan: "Waki’ is better than you." "Better than me?!" exclaimed Marwan. Ibn Ma’in answered: "Yes, better than you." Ibn Ma’in indicates that Waki’ came to know about this dialogue and he responded by saying, "Yahya is a friend of ours."

Ahmad ibn Hanbal was asked once, "If there is a discrepancy in narratinghadith between Waki’ and Abdul-Rahman ibn Mahdi, whosehadith shall we accept?" Ahmad answered that he personally preferred ‘Abdul-Rahman'shadith for reasons which he stated. Among them was this one: "‘Abdul-Rahman never speaks in a derogatory manner about our ancestors, unlike Waki’ ibn al-Jarrah." This is supported by a statement recorded by al-Thahbi at the conclusion of his biography of al-Hasan ibn Salih wherein he says that Waki’ used to say: "Al-Hasan ibn Salih, in my view, is an Imam of hadith." Some people said to him, "But he does not invoke Allah's mercy on ‘Uthman." He said, "Do you invoke Allah's mercy upon al-Hajjaj's soul?" thus equating ‘Uthman with al-Hajjaj.

Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in his bookAl-Mizan stating the above views about him. All authors of the sixsahih books as well as others rely on his authority. Refer to hishadith in Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahih books as transmitted by al-A’mash, al-Thawri, Shu’bah, Isma’il ibn Abu Khalid, and ‘Ali ibn al-Mubarak. He is quoted in both books by Ishaq al-Hanzali and Muhammad ibn Namir. Al-Bukhari quotes hishadith as transmitted by ‘Abdullah al-Hamidi, Muhammad ibn Salam, Yahya ibn Ja’far ibn A’yan, Yahya ibn Musa, and Muhammad ibn Muqatil. In Muslim's book, he is quoted by Zuhayr, Ibn Abu Shaybah, Abu Karib, Abu Sa’d al-Ashajj, Nasr ibn ‘Ali, Sa’d ibn Azhar, Ibn Abu ‘Umar, ‘Ali ibn Kashram, ‘Uthman ibn Abu Shaybah, and Qutaybah ibn Sa’d. He died, may Allah have mercy on his soul, in Fid when he was in the company of a caravan returning from the pilgrimage, in Muharram of 197 A.H. at the age of 68.

97. Yahya ibn al-Jazzar al-’Arni al-Kufi

He is one of the companions of the Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon him. Al-Thahbi mentions him in his bookAl-Mizan and marks his name to indicate that Muslim and authors of thesunan rely on his authority, describing him as "truthful" and "trustworthy," and quoting al-Hakam ibn Atbah saying that Yahya ibn al-Jazzar is "extremist" in his Shi’a views. Ibn Sa’d has mentioned him on page 206, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat saying: "Yahya ibn al-Jazzar adheres to Shi’ism, and he goes to extremes in doing so; yet many have said that he is trustworthy, and that he narrates manyahadith ."

I have seen how Muslim'sSahih contains onehadith about prayers which he narrates from ‘Ali, and another about faith transmitted from ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Abu Layla. Al-Hakam ibn ‘Utayba and al-Hasan al-’Urfi quote hishadith in Muslim and others.

98. Yahya ibn Sa’id al-Qattan

Hiskunyat is "Abu Sa’id." He is a slave of Banu Tamim al-Basri, and he is the most renown traditionist of his time. Qutaybah has included him in his Ma’arif among Shi’a notables. Authors of the sixsahih books and others have relied on his authority. Hishadith from Hisham ibn ‘Urwah, Hamid al-Tawil, Yahya ibn Sa’id al-Ansari and others stands on solid grounds in Bukhari, Musaddad, ‘Ali ibn al-Madini and Bayan ibn ‘Amr. In Muslim's book, hishadith is transmitted by Muhammad ibn Hatim, Muhammad ibn Khalad al-Bahili, Abu Kamil Fadl ibn Husayn al-Jahdari, Muhammad al-Muqaddimi, ‘Abdullah ibn Hashim, Abu Bakr ibn Abu Shaybah, ‘Abdullah ibn Sa’d, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Ya’qub al-Dawraqi, Ahmad ibn ‘Abdah, ‘Amr ibn ‘Ali, and ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Bishr. He died, may Allah Almighty have mercy on him, in 198 A.H. at the age of 78.

99. Yazid ibn Ziyad al-Kufi, Abu ‘Abdullah

He is a slave of Banu Hashim. Al-Thahbi mentions him in his bookAl-Mizan , placing on his name the initials of Muslim and four authors ofsunan to indicate that they quote him. He cites Abu Fadl saying: "Yazid ibn Ziyad is one of the foremost Shi’a Imams." Al-Thahbi has admitted that he is one of the renown Kufi scholars. In spite of all this, many have assaulted him, preparing against him all means of belittling and charging due to the fact that, relying on Abu Barzah or maybe Abu Bardah, he has narrated onehadith stating the following: "We were in the company of the Prophet (pbuh) when some singing was heard.

Then ‘Amr ibn al-’Aas and Mu’aiyah came singing. The Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘O Mighty Lord! Involve both of these men in dissension, and hurl them in Hell-fire.'" Refer to hishadith on beverages in Muslim'sSahih from ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Abu Layla as reported from him by Sufyan ibn ‘Ayinah. He died, may Allah Almighty have mercy on him, in 136 at the age of about ninety.

100. Abu ‘Abdullah al-Jadali

Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in his chapter on kunayat, placing on his name "DT" to indicate that he is among those relied upon by both Dawud and Tirmithi in theirsahih books, then he describes him as an "abhorred Shi’a." He quotes al-Jawzjani saying that the man is the standard-bearer of al-Mukhtar. He also quotes Ahmad describing him as "trustworthy."

Al-Shahristani has included him among Shi’a dignitaries in his book Al-Milal wal Nihal. Ibn Qutaybah has included him among the most zealous of "Rafidis" in his book Al-Ma’arif. Refer to hishadith in both Tirmithi's and Abu Dawud'ssahih books as well as all Sunni musnads.

Ibn Sa’d mentions him on page 159, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat where he says that, "Abu ‘Abdullah al-Jadali is a very zealous Shi’a. Some allege that he headed al-Mukhtar's police force, and that he was sent once to ‘Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr accompanied by eight hundred men to annihilate them and support Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah against Ibn al-Zubayr's scheme."

Ibn al-Zubayr, in fact, had enforced a siege around the houses of Ibn al-Hanafiyyah and Banu Hashim, surrounding them with fire wood in preparation for burning them alive because of refusing to swear the oath of allegiance to him, but Abu ‘Abdullah al-Jadali saved them from a certain death; therefore, may Allah reward him for what he did for His Prophet's household (as).

This much concludes what we liked to count in a hurry a hundred Shi’a heroes who are authorities relied upon by the Sunnis. They are custodians of the nation's knowledge. Through them, the prophetic legacy is preserved, and they are sought by the authors of thesahih andmusnad books. We have mentioned them by their names and quoted Sunni texts testifying to their being Shi’as while still remaining authorities, as you had requested. I think those who raise objections will see their error in claiming that the Sunnis do not rely on the authority of Shi’as.

They will come to know that their criterion is truthfulness and accuracy, regardless of the school of thought, Sunni or Shi’a. If thehadith narrated by the Shi’as is all rejected, then the vast majority of the prophetic legacy will be lost, as al-Thahbi himself admits while narrating the biography of Aban ibn Taghlib in his bookAl-Mizan . There can be no better testimony than that.

You, may Allah render the truth victorious through your person, know that there have been quite a few ancestors of the Shi’as, other than the ones we have counted here, whose full count is many times more than this hundred, upon whose authority the Sunnis rely. These "others" are even of a higher calibre; they are narrators of even more authentic hadith, having acquired more knowledge. And they were closer to the Prophet's time, with a seniority in embracing the Shi’a beliefs. They are Shi’a companions [sahabah ] of the Prophet (pbuh), may Allah be pleased with all of them. We have dealt with their blessed names at the conclusion of our work Al-Fusul al-Muhimmah.

They are also among the trustworthytabi’in whose authority is relied upon. Each one of them is a trustworthy man who has memorized the entire text of the Holy Qur'an by heart, and his argument is irrefutabe. Among such men are those who were martyred while supporting the lesser and the greater Camel Battles, Siffin, Al-Nahrawan, in Hijaz as well as in Yemen, when Bisr ibn Arta'ah invaded them, during the dissension of al-Hadrami who was sent to Basrah by Mu’awiyah.

They include those who were martyred on the Taff Battle with the Master of the Youths of Paradise [Imam Husayn ibn ‘Ali, as], and those who were martyred with his grandson Zayd, and many others who had to face a great deal of injustice and persecution, avenging the massacre of the Prophet's progeny. Among them were those who were murdered just because of being very strong in their beliefs.

Others were unfairly exiled from their homes, and those who had to resort totaqiyya , fearing for their lives or due to their physical weakness, such as al-Ahnaf ibn Qays, al-Asbagh ibn Nabatah, Yahya ibn Ya’mur, the latter being the first to apply dots to the Arabic alphabet, al-Khalil ibn Ahmad al-Farahidi, who founded the rules of Arabic grammar and scansion, Ma'ath ibn Muslim al-Harra, who laid the foundations of the science of conjugation in the Arabic language, and many others whose complete biographies would require huge volumes.

Overlook the hatred of the Nasibis towards these men through their use of attacking; they call them "weak" traditionists, and they chew their names, thus depriving themselves of their knowledge. There are hundreds of reliable Shi’as who have learnedhadith by heart, who are light-houses of guidance, ignored by Sunnis.

For these men, Shi’as have dedicated indices and bibliographies containing their biographies and stories. These works prove the extent of service these men have rendered to the tolerant Shari’a. Whoever researches them will find them to be models of truthfulness and trustworthiness, piety, asceticism, worship, and sincerity in bringing people closer to Allah Almighty and to His Messenger (pbuh), to His Book, and to the Imams of Muslims as well as to their commoners. We pray Allah to enable us and your own self to benefit from their blessings; He is the Most Merciful.

Sincerely,

Sh

Letter 16

A Hundred Shi’a Authorities Relied upon by Sunnis

Thul-Qi’da 1329

Yes. I will provide you in a hurry with what you have requested, confining myself to some of those personalities who were visited by people from far and wide, on the condition that I will not be required to elaborate on them, since there is no room for that in this brief exposition. Here are their names and the names of their fathers arranged alphabetically:96

1. Aban ibn Taghlib

He was a Kufi] reciter of the Holy Qur'an. Al­Thahbi has recorded his biography in his own Mizan saying, "Aban ibn Taghlib, MAW, of Kufa, is a persistant Shi’a. He, nevertheless, is truthful; so, we will rely on his truthfulness, and let him be punished for his innovation." He has also said that Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Ibn Ma’in and Abu Hatim put their trust in him. Ibn ‘Adi quotes him and says that he is "extremist in Shi’ism." Al­Sa’di describes him as "an open deviator."

Ibn al­Thahbi goes on to describe the man's credentials, counting him as an authority relied upon by Muslim and authors of the fourSunan books, namely Abu Dawud, al­Tirmithi, al­Nisa'i and Ibn Majah, marking his name with the latter's initials.

Refer to his narration ofhadith in Muslim'sSahih , in the fourSunan books through al­Hakam and al­A’mash, in addition to Fudayl ibn ‘Umar. Sufyan ibn ‘Ayinah, Shu’bah, and Idris al­Awdi quote him as recorded in Muslim's book. He died, may Allah have mercy on him, in 141 A.H.

2. Ibrahim ibn Yazid

His name is Ibrahim ibn Yazid ibn ‘Umar ibn al­Aswad al­Nakh’i al­Kufi, thefaqih . His mother is Malika daughter of Yazid ibn Qays al­Nakh’i and sister of al­Aswad, Ibrahim, and ‘Abdel­Rahman, sons of Yazid ibn Qays. Like their uncles ‘Alqamah and Ubay, sons of Qays, they were all among the most reliable and authoritative among all Muslims. Authors of the sixsahih books, as well as others, have all relied upon their authority while keeping in mind thier being Shi’as.

As regarding our man Ibrahim ibn Yazid, he has been included among Shi’a dignitaries by Ibn Qutaybah] on page 206 of his workAl-Ma’arif where he enUmarates a few Shi’a dignitaries, taking his reliability for granted. Refer to hishadith in Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahih books as quoted by the mother of his uncle ‘Alqamah ibn Qays, and by Humam ibn al­Harith, Abu ‘Ubaydah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, ‘Ubaydah, al­Aswad ibn Yazid, his uncle.

Refer also to hishadith in Muslim'sSahih through his uncle from his mother's side, ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Yazid, and through Sahm ibn Munjab, Abu Mu’ammar, ‘Ubayd ibn Nadlah, and ‘Abis. In the twosahihs , he is quoted by Fudayl ibn ‘Umar, al­Mughirah, Ziyad ibn Kulayb, Wasil, al­Hasan ibn ‘Ubaydullah, Hammad ibn Abu Sulayman, and by Sammak. Ibrahim was born in 50 A.H., and he died at the age of either 95 or 96, four months after al­Hajjaj's death.

3. Ahmad ibn al­Mufdil

He is Ahmad ibn al­Mufdil ibn al­Kufi al­Hafri. Abu Zar’ah and Abu Hatim quote him and rely upon him while being fully aware of his status among Shi’as. In Ahmad's biography, as stated inAl-Mizan , Abu Hatim highlights this fact by saying: "Ahmad ibn al­Mufdil is one of the Shi’a chiefs, and he is truthful." Al­Thahbi mentions him in his bookAl-Mizan , putting on his name Abu Dawud's and al­Nisa'i's initials, indicating thereby that they consider him an authority. Refer to hishadith in theirsahih through al­Thawri. He narrates through Asbat ibn Nasir and Isra'i.

7. Isma’il ibn ‘Abbad

His full name is Isma'il ibn ‘Abbad ibn al­Abbas al­Taleqani (Abul­Qasim), better known as al­Sahib ibn ‘Abbad. Al­Thahbi has mentioned him in his bookAl-Mizan , putting "DT" on his name to indicate that both Dawud and al-Tirmithi rely on him in theirsahih books.97 Then he goes on to describe him as "a talented Shi’a, a man of letters".

His being Shi’a is a matter which cannot be doubted by anyone. For this reason, he and his father earned high marks of prestige and greatness in the Buwayhid state. He is the first person among their government ministers to be called "sahib" (companion, friend), since he was, since his adolescence, a companion of Mu'ayyed al­Dawlah ibn Buwayh. This title followed him as he grew up till he was known thereby. Later on, it was used for anyone who held the same reins of responsibility in the government.

First, he was minister to Mu'ayyed al­Dawlah Abu Mansur ibn Rukn al­Dawlah ibn Buwayh. After the latter's demise in Sha’ban of 373 in Jurjan, Abul-Hasan ‘Ali, better known as Fakhr al­Dawlah, brother of Mu'ayyed, seized authority and retained Sahib's position. Fakhr al­Dawlah held Sahib in high esteem and fulfilled his wishes in the same way his own father Abu ‘Abbad ibn al­Abbas did while he was in the service of Fakhr al­Dawlah's father, Rukn al­Dawlah.

When, at the age of 59, as­Sahib died on Thursday night, 24th of Safar, 385, in Rayy, the city of Rayy closed down its shops as a sign of mourning, and people gathered in front of his mansion awaiting his coffin. Fakhr al­Dawlah, accompanied by government ministers and commanders of the army, went there, too, wearing mourning clothes.

When his coffin came out of his house, people cried "Allahu Akbar!" in unison, kissed the ground in glorification, and Fakhr al­Dawlah followed the coffin on foot with the crowd and sat with them during the three days' mourning period. Poets read eulogies, and scholars held commemorative ceremonies in his honour, and he was praised by all those who could not attend his funeral.

Abu Bakr al­Khawarizmi said: "Al­Sahib ibn ‘Abbad grew up in the ministry's lap, learned how to crawl and walk within its precincts, was nursed from the most excellent of its bosoms, and inherited it [ministry] from his own forefathers." Abu Sa’id al­Rustami composed these verses in his praise:

He inherited ministry: a link in a chain,

A great man, he was, heir of great men.

About the ministry of al-Abbas does ‘Abbad narrate,

While from ‘Abbad does Isma’il Narrate.

In his biography of Sahib, al­Tha’alibi says: "I can find no words to fairly describe Sahib's lofty status in knowledge and arts, or the prestige he enjoys for being benevolent and generous, or his unique virtues and possession of various merits. The best statement I can make on his behalf falls short of doing justice to the least among his virtues and eminence, and my best description falls short of being fair to his virtues and characteristics."

Sahib has written many precious books including Al­Muhit in Language in seven volumes; its chapters are arranged alphabetically. He collected an unmatched library. Nuh ibn al­Mansur, one of the kings of Sam’an, wrote to him once to invite him to be in charge of running his cabinet of ministers and managing the affairs of his kingdom. He apologized to him, saying that he needed four hundred camels just to transport the contents of his library. This much about him should suffice.

8. Isma’il ibn ‘Abdul­Rahman ibn Abu Karimah al­Kufi

Better known as al-Sadi, he is the renown interpreter of the Holy Qur'an. Stating his biography, al­Thahbi describes him as "charged with Shi’ism." Husayn ibn Waqid al­Maruzi discusses him, claiming that he heard him once cursing Abu Bakr and ‘Umar. In spite of all these charges, he is quoted by al­Thawri and Abu Bakr ibn ‘Ayyash and many in such class of writers. Muslim and authors of the foursahih books consider him an authority, while Ahmad grants him his full confidence. Ibn ‘Adi says that he is truthful. Yahya al­Qattan says there is nothing wrong with theahadith he narrates.

Yahya ibn Sa’id says: "I never heard anyone speaking ill of al­Sadi; none has deserted him." Ibrahim al­Nakh’i once passed by al­Sadi while the latter was interpreting the Holy Qur'an. Ibrahim said that al­Sadi was interpreting the Holy Qur'an according to the commonly used methods. If you read about al­Sadi in Mizan al-I’tidal, you will find more details about what we have stated above.

Refer to al­Sadi'shadith in Muslim'sSahih from Anas ibn Malik, Sa’d ibn ‘Ubaydah, and Yahya ibn ‘Abbad. Abu ‘Awanah, al­Thawri, al­Hasan ibn Salih, Za'idah, and Isra'il have all quoted him, being their mentor, as stated in the foursahih books. He died in 127 A.H.

9. Isma’il ibn Musa al­Fazari al­Kufi

Al­Thahbi'sAl-Mizan quotes Ibn ‘Uday saying, "People despised his extremist Shi’a views."Al-Mizan also quotes ‘Abdan saying: "Hammad and Ibn Abu Shaybah opposed our visiting him." He asked him once how he fared with "that immoral who curses our ancestors."

In spite of all of this, both Ibn Khuzaymah and Abu ‘Arubah quote him, being the instructor of their class. He is in the same category with Abu Dawud and al-Tirmithi who quote him and rely on his authority in theirsahihs . Abu Hatim mentions him and calls him "trustworthy." Al-Nisa'i says "he is alright." All of this is stated in the man's biography in al-Thahbi'sAl-Mizan .

Refer to hishadith in al-Tirmithi'sSahih and Abu Dawud'sSunan as narrated by Malik, Sharik, and ‘Umar ibn Shakir, a friend of Anas. He died in 245. He was a son of al­Sadi's daughter, although he might have denied that, and Allah knows best.

10. Talid ibn Sulayman al­Kufi, al­A’raj

Ibn Ma’in mentioned him and said: "He used to curse ‘Uthman. Some of ‘Uthman's followers heard that. They threw a rock at him which broke his leg, hence his nickname "al­A’raj," the lame. Abu Dawud has mentioned him and said he is Rafidi who curses Abu Bakr and ‘Uthman.

In spite of all of this, Ahmad and Ibn Namir rely on his authority despite their knowledge of his Shi’a beliefs. Ahmad has said, "Talid is a Shi’a, yet we could not find anything wrong with what he narrated." Al­Thahbi has mentioned him in his bookAl-Mizan , quoting statements about him made by learned men as stated above. He puts al-Tirmithi's initials on his name to indicate that the latter considers him an authority. Refer to hishadith in al-Tirmithi'sSahih through ‘Ata ibn al­Sa'ib and ‘Abdel­Malik ibn ‘Umayr.

11. Thabit ibn Dinar

Thabit is better known as Abu Hamzah al­Thamali. His being Shi’a is as clear as the sun. Author ofAl-Mizan mentions him, stating that the name of ‘Uthman was mentioned once in Abu Hamzah's presence. The latter sarcastically asked: "Who is ‘Uthman?!"

It also states that al­Sulaymani includes Abu Hamzah among the Rafidis. Al­Thahbi puts al-Tirmithi's initials on Abu Hamzah's name as an indication of his being an authority. Waki’ and Abu Na’im quote him and use him as their authority. Refer to hishadith in al-Tirmithi'ssahih through Anas and al­Sha’bi and others of the same calibre. He died, may Allah have mercy on his soul, in 150 A.H.

12. Thuwayr ibn Abu Fakhita

He is better known as Abu Jahm al­Kufi, a freed slave of Ummu Hani', daughter of Abu Talib. Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in hisAl-Mizan and quoted Yunus ibn Abu Ishaq's allegation that he was Rafidi. Nevertheless, both Sufyan and Shu’bah have quoted him, and al-Tirmithi has produced some of hisahadith in his ownSahih through the authority of Ibn ‘Umar and Zayd ibn Arqam.

During the time of Imam al-Baqir (as), he maintained his loyalty to the Imam, and he came to be known as such. In this regard, he made quite a few interesting dialogues with ‘Amr ibn Tharr, the judge, his contemporary Ibn Qays, and al-Salt ibn Bahram testifying to this fact.

13. Jabir ibn Yazid ibn al-Harith al-Ju’fi al-Kufi

Al-Thahbi has narrated his biography in his ownAl-Mizan , describing him as one of the Shi’a‘ulema . He has quoted Sufyan saying that he heard Jabir saying that the knowledge with the Prophet (pbuh) was transferred to ‘Ali (as), then to al-Hasan (as), and so on till it reached Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (as), who was one of his contemporaries.

Muslim has mentioned him in one of the first chapters of his Sahih, quoting al-Jarrah who has heard Jabir saying that he knew seventy thousandahadith of the Prophet all narrated through the authority of the father of Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (as) (i.e. Imam Muhammad al-Baqir, peace be upon him). He has also quoted Zuhayr saying, "I know fifty thousandahadith none of which I have narrated yet."

One day, he quoted onehadith and said, "This is one of the fifty thousandahadith ." According to his biography in al-Thahbi'sAl-Mizan , whenever Jabir narratedhadith through al-Baqir (as), he says: "The successor of the successors of the Prophet related to me that..." In his biography in theAl-Mizan , Ibn ‘Uday says: "Commoners alleged that he [Jabir] used to believe in the return."

Relying on the authority of Za'idah, al-Thahbi has included his biography in hisAl-Mizan and said: "Jabir al-Ju’fi is a Rafidi who curses..." In spite of that, both al-Nisa'i and Abu Dawud rely on his authority.

Refer to thehadith which he narrates concerning accidental prostrations in bothsahihs . Shihab, Abu ‘Awanah, and many of their calibre, quote him. Al-Thahbi, who mentions him in hisAl-Mizan , has put the initials of both Abu Dawud and al-Tirmithi on his name to indicate their reliance on his authority. He also quotes Sufyan saying that Jabir al-Ju’fi is God-fearing while narratinghadith , and that he has said: "I have never seen anyone more pious than him [Jabir]."

He also quotes Shu’bah saying that Jabir is truthful, and "Whenever Jabir narratedhadith , we listened, since he is the most trustworthy of all men." Waki’ used to say, "If doubt entertains your mind, you may doubt anyone other than Jabir al-Ju’fi," and that Ibn ‘Abd al-Hakam heard al-Shafi’i once saying that Sufyan al-Thawri said once to Shu’bah: "If you ever cast doubt about Jabir, that will signal the end of our friendship." Jabir died in either 127 or 128 Hij., may Allah have mercy on his soul.

14. Jarir ibn ‘Abdel-Hamid al-Dabi al-Kufi

In his work Al-Ma’arif, Ibn Qutaybah includes him among Shi’a dignitaries, while al-Thahbi mentions him inAl-Mizan , marking his name to denote the consensus of thesahihs in relying on his authority. He has praised him saying: "He is the learned man of the Rayy on whose authority many authors rely," testifying to the consensus of opinion regarding his reliability.

Refer to hishadith in Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahihs narrated through A’mash, Mughirah, Mansur, Isma’il ibn Abu Khalid and Abu Ishaq al-Shaybani. Qutaybah ibn Sa’id, Yahya ibn Yahya and ‘Uthman ibn Abu Shaybah have all quoted hisahadith as stated in bothsahihs . He died, may Allah rest his soul in peace, in Rayy in 187 Hij. at the age of 77.

15. Ja’far ibn Ziyad al-Ahmar al-Kufi

Abu Dawud has mentioned him saying: "He is a truthful Shi’a." Al-Jawzjani has said: "He has deviated from the path," meaning from al-Jawzjani's path to that of the Prophet's Progeny (as). Ibn ‘Adi has described him as a pious Shi’a.

His grandson al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali ibn Ja’far ibn Ziyad has said: "My grandfather Ja’far was one of the chiefs of Shi’as in Khurasan." Abu Ja’far al-Dawaniqi ordered collars98 to be put around his neck and the necks of a group of other Shi’as and be pulled like dogs; then he kept all of them in dungeons for quite a long time.

Ibn ‘Ayinah, Waki’, Abu Ghassan al-Mahdi, Yahya ibn Bishr al-Hariri and Ibn Mahdi have all quoted hisahadith , being their mentor. Ibn Ma’in and others have considered him an authority on the Prophet's hadith. Ahmad describes hishadith as "sahih ," authentic, accurate. Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in hisAl-Mizan and narrated what is stated above, putting the initials of both al-Tirmithi and al-Nisa'i on his name as an indication of both men's reliance on him. Refer to hishadith as they quote it in theirsahihs through Bayan ibn Bishr and ‘Ata' ibn al-Sa'ib. He is quoted through other men of the same calibre. He died, may Allah have mercy on his soul, in 167 Hij.

16. Ja’far ibn Sulayman al-Dab’i al-Basri (Abu Sulayman)

On page 206 of his Ma’arif, Ibn Qutaybah includes him among Shi’a dignitaries. Ibn Sa’d has mentioned him and emphasized his being a Shi’a and a trustworthy narrator ofhadith . Ahmad ibn al-Miqdam has charged him of being "Rafidi." Ibn ‘Adi has mentioned him saying: "He is a Shi’a. There is nothing wrong with his narration; hisahadith are by no means refutable, and I consider him as one whosehadith is acceptable."

Abu Talib has said: "I have heard Ahmad saying that there is nothing wrong with theahadith narrated by Ja’far ibn Sulayman al-Dab’i." It was said to Ahmad, "But Sulayman ibn Harb says that he did not write down al-Dab’i'sahadith ." Ahmad replied by saying that Ibn Harb did not object that anyone should write down al-Dab’i'sahadith , and that [ibn Harb's prejudice was simply because] al-Dab’i was a Shi’a who quotedahadith regarding ‘Ali [ibn Abu Talib]."

Ibn Ma’in has said: "I have heard certain talk from ‘Abdul-Razzaq which testified to the man's "sectarian beliefs." I said to him: "Your mentors, such as Mu’ammar, Ibn Jurayh, al-Awza’i, Malik, and Sufyan, are all Sunnis. Where did you learn this [Shi’a] sect from?" He answered: "One day, Ja’far ibn Sulayman al-Dab’i visited us, and I saw him to be virtuous, pious, and from him did I learn this sect." I guess Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr al-Muqaddami saw contratiwise! He openly used to say that Ja’far learned "Rafidism" from ‘Abdul-Razzaq; therefore, he used to curse the latter and say: "Nobody corrupted Ja’far's beliefs other than he [‘Abdul-Razzaq]."

Quoting Sahl ibn Abu Khadouthah, al-Aqili has said: "I said to Ja’far ibn Sulayman: ‘I have heard that you curse Abu Bakr and ‘Umar.' He replied: ‘Cursing I do not; but hating, you can say whatever you will.'"

Relying on Jarir ibn Yazid ibn Harun, Ibn Haban has said in his Thiqat, "My father sent me once to Abu Ja’far al-Dab’i. I said to the latter: ‘I have heard that you curse Abu Bakr and ‘Umar.' He replied: ‘I do not curse them. But if you want to say that I despise them, feel free;' therefore, I concluded that he was Rafidi."

In his biography of Ja’far inAl-Mizan , al-Thahbi has included all the above and emphasized as well the fact that the man was a pious ‘alim "in spite of being a Shi’a." Muslim relies on him in hisSahih and quotes some of his uniqueahadith which are published nowhere else as al-Thahbi himself testifies when he narrates Ja’far's biography. Refer to hishadith in thesahih narrated through Thabit al-Banani, al-Ja’d ibn ‘Uthman, Abu ‘Umran al-Jawni, Yazid ibn al-Rashk and Sa’id al-Jariri. Qatan ibn Nasir, Yahya ibn Yahya, Qutaybah, Muhammad ibn ‘Ubayd ibn Hasab, Ibn Mahdi and Musaddid have all quoted hisahadith .

For example, he has said: "The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, dispatched a division of the Muslim army under ‘Ali's command, etc." Anotherhadith he has narrated states: "What do you want of ‘Ali? ‘Ali is of me, and I am of him. He is thewali (master) after me of every believer," as quoted in al-Nisa'i'sSahih and transmitted through Ibn ‘Adi from al-Nisa'i. Al-Thahbi has stated the above while discussing Ja’far in hisAl-Mizan . He died in Rajab of 178 Hij.; may Allah be merciful unto him.

17. Jami’ ibn ‘Umayrah ibn Tha’labah al-Kufi al-Taymi (Taymullah)

Abu Hatim has mentioned his biography in his ownAl-Mizan at the conclusion of which he states: "Al-Kufi is one of the Shi’a nobility whosehadith is authentically narrated." Ibn Haban has mentioned him and stated, as indicated inAl-Mizan , that he is"Rafidi ." I say that al-’Ala' ibn Salih, Sadaqah ibn al-Muthanna, and Hakim ibn Jubayr have all derived their knowledge from him, being their mentor.

TheSunan books quote him thrice. Al-Tirmithi has acclaimed hishadith , as al-Thahbi'sAl-Mizan testifies. He is one of thetabi’in . He learnedhadith from Ibn ‘Umar and ‘Ayesha. One of theahadith which he learned from Ibn ‘Umar states that the latter heard the Messenger of Allah addressing ‘Ali thus: "You are my brother in this life and the life hereafter."

18. Al-Harith ibn Hasirah Abul Nu’man al-Azdi al-Kufi

Abu Hatim al-Razi describes him as one of the Shi’a nobility. Abu Ahmad al-Zubayri has attributed to him the belief in the return. Ibn ‘Adi mentions him saying: "Hishadith is written down in spite of the weakness I have seen therein. He is one of the Kufis who will be burned in the Fire because of their Shi’ism." Thanij has said: "I once asked Jarir: ‘Have you met al-Harith ibn Hasirah?' He answered, ‘Yes, indeed, I have. I met him as an old man who used to stay silent most of the time, and he insisted on something quite magnanimous.'"

Yahya ibn Ma’in has mentioned him and said: "He is trustworthy [though] Khashbi [one of the derogatory names downgrading Shi’as, tr.]." Al-Nisa'i, too, trusts him. Al-Thawri, Malik ibn Maghul, ‘Abdullah ibn Namir, and a group of their calibre, have all quoted him, since he was their mentor in whom they put their trust.

Al-Thahbi has narrated his biography in hisAl-Mizan stating all the above. Refer to hishadith in theSunan through Zayd ibn Wahab, ‘Ikrimah, and a group of their class. Al-Nisa'i quotes ‘Abbad ibn Ya’qub al-Rawajni who quotes a chain of narrators including ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abdul-Malik al-Mas’udi that al-Harith ibn Hasirah, according to Zayd ibn Wahab, reported that ‘Ali (as) was heard once saying: "I am the servant of Allah and the brother of His Messenger; nobody else can say so except a liar."

Al-Harith ibn Hasirah narrates through Abu Dawud al-Subai’i, through ‘Umran ibn Hasin, saying: "I was sitting once in the presence of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, with ‘Ali sitting beside him. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, recited ‘Or who else [other than Allah] that would respond to the one in dire need for help, remove his distress, and make ye vicegerents on earth?' ‘Ali was shaken and moved a great deal; thereupon, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, patted ‘Ali's shoulder and said: ‘Nobody loves you except a true believer [a mu'min], and nobody hates you except a hypocrite till the Day of Judgment.'"

Traditionists such as Muhammad ibn Kuthayyir and others have quoted thehadith cited above from Al-Harith ibn Hasirah. Al-Thahbi has transmitted it while stating the biography of Nafi’ ibn al-Harith through the same chain of narrators. When he comes to Al-Harith ibn Hasirah, he comments saying, "He is truthful; but he is also Rafidi."

19. Al-Harith ibn ‘Abdullah al-Hamadani

He was one of the close friends of the Commander of the Faithful (as) and one of the besttabi'in . His being a Shi’a needs no proof. He is the first of those counted by Ibn Qutaybah in his Ma’arif as Shi’a dignitaries. Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in hisAl-Mizan , admitting that he was one of the most highly recognized‘ulema among thetabi’in ; then he quotes Ibn Haban's statement saying that he was "extremist" in his Shi’a beliefs. After that, he states a great deal about some people's anger with him because of his Shi’a beliefs.

In spite of all this, he also records their consensus that the man is the most knowledgeable, pious, and best informed about rituals. He has also admitted that theahadith narrated by al-Harith are in existence in the four books ofsunan . He declares the fact that Nisa'i, in spite of his prejudice, has strongly relied on the authority of al-Harith, admitting that the public, in spite of belittling the man, kept quoting hisahadith in all religious matters, and that al-Sha’bi called him a liar, then he turned around and quoted him!

Al-Thahbi states the following in hisAl-Mizan : "Obviously, al-Nisa'i falsifies him when it comes to the latter's tone and tale; but when the man narrateshadith , he does not disbelieve in him."Al-Mizan quotes Muhammad ibn Sirin saying: "There were five well-known companions of Ibn Mas’ud. I came to know four of them, but I missed al-Harith whom I never saw. He was the best among them."

A great deal of controversy exists regarding which of the other three, namely Alqamah, Masruq, or ‘Ubaydah, is the best. I say that Allah has enabled trustworthy traditionists to do justice to al-Sha’bi and prove him a liar. This has been pointed out by Ibn ‘Abd al-Birr in his bookJami'‘ Bayanul ‘Ilm which quotes the frank statement made by Ibrahim al-Nakh’i belying al-Sha’bi, addingverbatim : "I think that al-Sha’bi has received his fair punishment for saying the following about al-Harith al-Hamadani: ‘Al-Harith, one of the liars, informed me that..., etc.'"99

Ibn ‘Abd al-Birr has said: "Al-Harith has shown no indication of being a liar; some people have borne grudge against him simply because he loved ‘Ali so much and preferred him over others. This is the reason why al-Sha’bi has called him a liar, since al-Sha’bi favours Abu Bakr, stating that the latter was the first to embrace Islam, and he favours ‘Umar, too."

Among those who bore grudge against al-Harith was Muhammad Ibn Sa’d who included al-Harith's biography in Volume 6 of hisTabaqat , saying that al-Harith speaks "maliciously." He does not do al-Harith, nor any other Shi’a notable, any justice even when it comes to knowledge or feats. The "malicious" talk Ibn Sa’d is referring to is nothing other than allegiance to Muhammad's progeny and his taking them for guides in all matters, as Ibn ‘Abd al-Birr has admitted in his above-quoted statement. Al-Harith's demise took place in 65 Hij.; may Allah have mercy on his soul.

20. Habib ibn Abu Thabit al-Asadi al-Kahili al-Kufi

He was one of thetabi’in . Qutaybah, in his Ma’arif, and Shahristani, in his Al-Milal wal Nihal, have both included him among Shi’a dignitaries. Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in hisAl-Mizan , marking his name with the indication that authors of the sixsahihs rely on his authority without any hesitation. Yahya Ibn Ma’in and a group of other scholars have all trusted him.

Al-Dawalibi, however, has spoken ill of him and classified his traditions as "weak" just because of his being a Shi’a. What truly amazes me is the attitude of Ibn ‘Awn who was unable to find any pretext to cast doubt about Habib's traditions, in spite of his ardent desire to do so; therefore, he had to look down at him and call him "a’war," one-eyed. One's real handicap is sinning and speaking ill of others, not in losing an eye.

Refer to Habib's traditions in Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahihs as narrated through Sa’id ibn Jubayr and Abu Wa'il. Hishadith narrated through Zayd ibn Wahab is recorded only in Bukhari's Sahih. In Muslim's Sahih, hishadith is narrated through Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas, and through Tawus, al-Dahhak al-Mashriqi, Abu ‘Abbas ibn al-Sha’ir, Abu al-Minhal ‘Abdul-Rahman, ‘Ata' ibn Yasin, Ibrahim ibn Sa’d ibn Abu Waqqas, and through Mujahid.

In bothsahihs , Misar, al-Thawri, and Shu’bah have quoted his traditions. In Muslim's Sahih, hisahadith are quoted by Sulayman al-A’mash, Hasin, ‘Abdul-’Aziz ibn Sayah and Abu Ishaq al-Shaybani. He died, may Allah have mercy on his soul, in 119 Hij.

21. Al-Hasan ibn Hayy

Hayy's full name is Salih ibn Salih al-Hamadani, brother of ‘Ali ibn Salih. Both men, who were born twins, are on the top of the list of Shi’a nobility. ‘Ali was born only one hour earlier. Nobody has ever heard his brother calling him by his first name; instead, he used to always refer to him as "Abu Muhammad."

This has been mentioned in Vol. 6 of Ibn Sa’d'sTabaqat , in the chapter dealing with al-Hasan. The author states: "Al-Hasan was one of the dignitaries, but he is inflicted with Shi’ism. He did not participate in the Jum’a prayers, and he preached denunciation of unjust rulers." He also mentions the fact that the man never invoked Allah's mercy on ‘Uthman.

Ibn Sa’d has mentioned him in Vol. 6 of hisTabaqat , saying, "He is trustworthy; he narrates manyahadith , and he is a Shi’a." Imam Ibn Qutaybah has included his name among other narrators ofhadith in his Ma’arif, highlighting his being a Shi’a. At the conclusion of his book, he lists al-Hasan among such narrators. Muslim and authors of thesunan books have all relied on his authority.

Refer to hishadith in Muslim'sSahih as narrated by Sammak ibn Harb, Isma’il al-Sadi, ‘Asim al-Ahwal, and Harun ibn Sa’d. ‘Ubaydullah ibn Musa al-’Abasi, Yahya ibn Adam, Hamid ibn ‘Abdul-Rahman al-Rawasi, ‘Ali ibn al-Ja’d, Ahmad ibn Yunus and all renown men of their intellectual calibre have learnedhadith from him.

In his biography inAl-Mizan , al-Thahbi indicates that Ibn Ma’in and others have trusted his [al-Hasan's]hadith . He adds saying that ‘Abdullah ibn Ahmad has quoted his father saying that al-Hasan is more authentic than Sharik. Al-Thahbi also states that Abu Hatim has said: "He is a trust; he has a sound and authentic memory," and that Abu Zar’ah has said: "He has combined in him accomplishment,fiqh , piety, and asceticism," and that Nisa'i has trusted him.

He also quotes Abu Na’im saying: "I have quoted eight hundred traditionists; I have found none better than al-Hasan ibn Salih," and that he has also said: "I have come across nobody who did not err other than al-Hasan ibn Salih."

He quotes ‘Ubaydah ibn Sulayman saying: "Allah is too shy to harm al-Hasan ibn Salih." He quotes Yahya ibn ‘Ali Bakir asking al-Hasan ibn Salih: "Describe to us how to conduct the ceremonial bathing of the deceased;" he could not do so because of being overcome by tears.

He quotes ‘Ubaydullah ibn Musa saying: "I used to recite the holy Qur'an in the presence of ‘Ali ibn Salih. Having finished reciting ‘Exercise patience [O Muhammad]!; We have granted them a respite only for an appointed time,' his brother fell down snorting like a wounded bull; so, ‘Ali lifted him up, wiped and washed his face then supported him against falling again," and that Waki’ has said: "Al-Hasan and ‘Ali sons of Salih and their mother divided night-time among them into three parts: each alternates in his portion thereof in keeping vigil, spending it in prayers and adoration. When their mother died, they split it into equal halves. Then ‘Ali died; therefore, al-Hasan used to stay all night long worshipping."

Abu Sulayman al-Darani has said: "I have never seen anyone more awe-stricken than al-Hasan son of Salih who stood up one night to recite Chaper 78 of the Holy Qur'an and fainted yet continued reciting till dawn." He was born, may Allah have mercy upon him, in 100 Hij. and he died in 169.

22. Al-Hakam ibn ‘Utaybah al-Kufi

Ibn Qutaybah has indicated the fact that al-Hakam ibn ‘Utaybah was a Shi’a in his Ma’arif and included him among Shi’a nobility. Both Bukhari and Muslim rely on his authority. Refer to hishadith in theirsahihs as narrated by Abu Jahifah, Ibrahim al-Nakh’i, Mujahid, and Sa’id ibn Jubayr.

In Muslim's Sahih, it is narrated by ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Abu Layla, al-Qasim ibn Mukhaymarah, Abu Salih, Tharr ibn ‘Abdullah, Sa’id ibn ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn ‘Abzi, Yahya al-Jazzar, Nafi’ (a slave of Ibn ‘Umar), ‘Ata' ibn Abu Rabah, ‘Imarah ibn ‘Umayr, ‘Arrak ibn Malik, al-Sha’bi, Maymun ibn Mahran, al-Hasan al-’Arni, Mus’ab ibn Sa’d and ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn.

In bothsahihs , hisahadith are quoted by Mansur, Misar and Shu’bah. Particularly in Bukhari's Sahih, hisahadith are narrated by ‘Abdul-Malik ibn Abu Ghaniya. In Muslim's Sahih, hisahadith are narrated by al-A’mash, ‘Amr ibn Qays, Zayd ibn Abu Anisa, Malik ibn al-Maghul; Aban ibn Taghlib, Hamzah al-Zayyat, Muhammad ibn Jehada, Mutraf and Abu ‘Awanah. He died in 115 Hij. at the age of 65.

23. Hammad ibn ‘Isa al-Jehni

He drowned at Juhfa. Abu ‘Ali has mentioned him in his book Muntahal Maqal. Al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali ibn Dawud abridged the said article in his own concise Mukhtasar, in a chapter dealing with biographies of notables, a group of Shi’a‘ulema and authors of biographies and dictionaries who regard him as most trustworthy, a follower of the rightly-guided Imams, peace be upon them. He learned from Imam al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, seventyahadith by the holy Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, but he did not relate more than twenty of them. He has authored a few books with which followers of our faith are familiar.

Once he entered in the presence of Imam Abul-Hasan al-Kazim, peace be upon him, and said: "May my life be sacrificed for you! Please pray Allah to bless me with a house, a wife, a son, a servant, and a pilgrimage every year."

The Imam said: "Lord! I invoke Thee to send blessings unto Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad, and to bless this man with a house, a wife, a son, a servant, and a pilgrimage for fifty years each."

Hammad said: "When he prayed for my performing the pilgrimage fifty times, I became sure I would never live beyond that. I have performed the annual pilgrimage forty-eight times; this is my house with which Allah has blessed me; yonder there is my wife behind the curtain listening to me; this is my son, and this is my servant; I have been blessed with all of these."

Two years later, and having performed the pilgrimage fifty times, he accompanied Abul ‘Abbas al-Nawfali al-Qasir on his fifty-first pilgrimage. When he reached the place where pilgrims put on the ihram garb, he entered the Johfa river for a bath, but the torrent overwhelmed him, and he drowned before being able to perform his 51st pilgrimage. His death, may Allah have mercy on his soul, took place in 209 Hij. His birth-place is Kufa, but he resided in Basrah. He lived over seventy years. We have conducted a thorough research of his biography in our book Mukhtasar al-Kalam fi Mu'allifi al-Shi’a min Sadr al-Islam [A Brief Discourse of Shi’a Authors of Early Islam].

Al-Thahbi has mentioned him and put "TQ" on his name as a reference to those among the authors of theSunan who have quoted him [Tirmithi] and Dar Qutni, and mentioned the fact that he drowned in 208 Hij., and that he narratedhadith through Imam al-Sadiq (as).

The author has shown his grudge towards this man, calling hishadith "weak" for no reason other than his beliefs being Shi’a. Strange enough, Dar Qutni calls hishadith "weak" on one hand, while on the other he uses him as an authority in his ownSunan - thus indeed do some people behave!

24. Hamran ibn ‘Ayinah

He is brother of Zurarah. Both men were among the most reliable Shi’as, custodians of the shari’a, oceans of the knowledge about Muhammad's progeny (as). They were lanterns that shone in the dark and pillars of guidance. They frequented Imams al-Baqir and al-Sdiq (as) and enjoyed a lofty status in the eyes of the Imams among the Prophet's descendants.

Al-Thahbi mentions Hamran in hisAl-Mizan , marking his name with Q to indicate who among the compilers of thesunan relies upon his authority [i.e. Dar Qutni. Then al-Thahbi adds: "He has narratedhadith from Abul Tufayl and others. Hamzah has recited the holy Qur'an to him, and he himself is used to recite it with perfect accuracy." Ibn Ma’in considers hishadith "negligible," while Abu Hatim hails him as a mentor. Yet Abu Dawud labels him "Rafidi."

25. Khalid ibn Mukhlid al-Qatwani

Also known as Abul-Haytham al-Kufi, he is one of Bukhari's mentors, as the latter states in his Sahih. Ibn Sa’d mentions him on page 283, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat , saying, "He was a staunch Shi’a. He died in Kufa in mid-Muharram of 213 A.H. during the reign of al-Ma'mun. He was extremist in his Shi’a beliefs, and writers have documented this fact."

Abu Dawud mentions him saying: "He is truthful; but he follows Shi’ism." Al-Jawzjani says the following about him: "He never ceases denouncing [certain persons], publicly propagating his corrupt sect." Al-Thahbi narrates his biography in his ownAl-Mizan , quoting the views of both Abu Dawud and Jawzjani stated above.

Yet both Bukhari and Muslim have relied upon his authority in several chapters of their respectivesahihs . Refer to hishadith as in Bukhari'sSahih as narrated from al-Mughirah ibn ‘Abdul-Rahman, and in Muslim'sSahih by Muhammad ibn Ja’far ibn Abul Kathir, Malik ibn Anas, and Muhammad ibn Musa. Bothsahihs quote hisAl-Mizan from Sulayman ibn Bilal and ‘Ali ibn Mushir.

Al-Bukhari quotes hishadith in several places of his Sahih, without referring to any chain of narrators, quoting two of hisahadith from Muhammad ibn ‘Uthman ibn Karamah. Muslim narrates hishadith as transmitted by Abu Karib, Ahmad ibn ‘Uthman al-’Awdi, al-Qasim ibn Zakariyyah, ‘Abd ibn Hamid, Ibn Abu Shaybah, and Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Namir. Authors of thesunan have all relied on the authority of hishadith , while being aware of his sect.

26. Dawud ibn Abu ‘Awf (Abul-Hijab)

Ibn ‘Adi has mentioned him saying, "I cannot rely upon his authority due to his being a Shi’a. The majority of theahadith he narrates are related to the virtues of Ahl al-Bayt."

Consider with amazement such a statement! No harm, indeed, can reach Dawud from these Nasibis since both Sufyans quote hisahadith , in addition to ‘Ali ibn ‘Abis and others belonging to the elite among their peers. Both Abu Dawud and al-Nisa'i have relied upon his authority, and so have Ahmad and Yahya.

Al-Nisa'i has said the following about him: "There is nothing wrong with hisahadith ." Abu Hatim has said: "Hishadith is sound." Al-Thahbi has quoted such testimonies in his Sahih. Refer to hishadith in Abu Dawud'sSunan , in al-Nisa'i's through Abu Hazim al-Ashja’i, ‘Ikrimah, and others.

27. Zubayd ibn al-Harith ibn ‘Abdul-Karim al-Yami al-Kufi

Also known as Abu ‘Abdul-Rahman, he is mentioned in al-Thahbi'sAl-Mizan where the author says: "He is a trustworthy tabi’i who inclines towards Shi’ism." Then he quotes statements to prove that Zubayd'shadith has been verified by al-Qattan, and that there are other renown critics and verifiers who regard him trustworthy. Abu Ishaq al-Jawzjani has included a crude statement about him which is typical of his attitude and that of other Nasibis, stating,

"Among the residents of Kufa, there is a faction whose faith is not appreciated [by Nasibis], yet they happen to be masters ofhadith . Among them are: Abu Ishaq, Mansur, Zubayd al-Yami, al-A’mash and other peers. People have tolerated them for no reason other than their truth in narratinghadith , and their narrations testify to the authenticity of one another,"

Up to the conclusion of his statement which truth has dictated to him to reveal. Often, truth is spoken by the fair minded just as it is by the stubborn and obstinant. What harm can reach these lofty pillars of knowledge, the masters ofhadith in Islam, if such a critic does not appreciate their holding in high esteem the holy Prophet's kin who are the gates of salvation, the protectors of all humans on earth after the Prophet (pbuh) himself, his nation's ark of salvation? What harm can befall them from the critic who has no choice except to pursue his quest till reaching their door steps, and no option but to beg their own favours?

If dignitaries of my tribe are pleased with me,

Then let its villains chafe and be angry.

These authorities do not pay any attention to al-Jawzjani or others like him, having been held trustworthy by the authors of thesahih books and by those of allsunan as well. Refer to Zubayd'shadith in both Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahihs as transmitted by Abu Wa'il, al-Sha’bi, Ibrahim al-Nakh’i, and Sa’d ibn ‘Ubaydullah. Only Bukhari quotes hishadith through Mujahid.

In Muslim's Sahih, hishadith is narrated by Murrah al-Hamadani, Muharib ibn Dithar, Ammarah ibn ‘Umayr, and Ibrahim al-Taymi. Hishadith is quoted in bothsahihs as transmitted by Shu’bah, al-Thawri, and Muhammad ibn Talhah. In Muslim's Sahih, hishadith is narrated by Zuhayr ibn Mu’awiyah, Fadil ibn Ghazwan, and Husayn ibn al-Nakh’i. He died, may Allah have mercy on his soul, in 124 A.H.

28. Zayd ibn al-Habab, Abul-Hasan al-Kufi al-Tamimi

Ibn Qutaybah has included his biography among those whose biographies he has included among Shi’a dignitaries in his work Al-Ma’arif. Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in hisAl-Mizan , describing him as "pious, trustworthy, truthful."

He indicates his being vouched as trustworthy by Ibn Ma’in and Ibn al-Madini. He has quoted Abu Hatim and Ahmad describing him as truthful, adding that ‘Adi has said: "He is one of the reliable Kufi traditionists whose trustworthiness is never doubted."

Muslim has relied on his authority. Refer to the latter'ssahih containing hishadith as narrated by Mu’awiyah ibn Salih, al-Dahhak ibn ‘Uthman, Qurrah ibn Khalid, Ibrahim ibn Nafi’, Yahya ibn Ayyub, Saif ibn Sulayman, Hasan ibn Waqid, ‘Ikrimah ibn ‘Ammar, ‘Abdul-’Aziz ibn Abu Salma, and ‘Aflah ibn Sa’id. Hishadith is quoted by Ibn Abu Shaybah, Muhammad ibn Hatim, Hasan al-Hulwani, Ahmad ibn al-Munthir, Ibn Namir, Ibn Karib, Muhammad ibn Rafi’, Zuhair ibn Harb, and Muhammad ibn al-Faraj.

29. Salim ibn Abul Ja’d al-Ashja’i al-Kufi

He is brother of ‘Ubayd, Ziyad, ‘Umran, and Muslim, sons of Abul-Ja’d.

In Volume 6 ofAl-Tabaqat , Sa’d mentions all of them on page 2303 and the succeeding pages. When he comes to Muslim, he says, "Abul-Ja’d begot six sons. Two of them followed Shi’ism. These are Salim and ‘Ubayd. Two others are Murji'is, while the remaining two agree with the Kharijites. Their father used to say: ‘What is the matter with you? I wonder why Allah has made your views vary so much.'" Ibn Qutaybah has discussed them on page 156 of his Ma’arif in a chapter dealing with Shi’atabi’in and their successors.

A group of learned scholars has testified to the Shi’a views of Salim ibn Abul-Ja’d. Qutaybah, on page 206 of his Ma’arif, has included him among Shi’a dignitaries, and so has al-Shahristani in his work Al-Milal wal Nihal on page 27, Vol. 2, in the footnote of his chapter on Ibn Hazm. Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in hisAl-Mizan , calling him a trustworthy tabi’i. He has also stated that hisHadith from al-Nu’man ibn Bashir and Jabir is included in bothsahihs .

In fact, his hadith, from Anas ibn Malik and Karib, is included in bothsahihs as scholars ofhadith already know. Al-Thahbi says that hishadith from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, and from Ibn ‘Umar, exists in Bukhari's Sahih. The latter also contains hishadith from Ma’dan ibn Abu Talha and the latter's father.

Hishadith is quoted in bothsahihs by al-A’mash, Qatadah, ‘Amr ibn Murrah, Mansur, and Hasin ibn ‘Abdul-Rahman. He also knowshadith quoted by al-Nisa'i and Abu Dawud in their respectiveSunan . He died in either 87 or 97 A.H. during the reign of Sulayman ibn ‘Abdul-Malik, or, as some say, during that of ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul-’Aziz, and Allah knows best.

30. Salim ibn Abu Hafsah al-’Ijli al-Kufi

Shahristani includes him in his book Al-Milal wal-Nihal among Shi’a nobility. Al-Fallas says: "He is a weak traditionist who is extremist in his Shi’a beliefs." Ibn ‘Adi says: "People criticize his extremism; but I hope there is nothing wrong with his hadith." Muhammad ibn Bashir al-’Abdi says: "I have seen Salim ibn Abu Hafsah as a fool with a long beard - what a beard! He says: ‘I wish I had been a partner of ‘Ali in everything he possessed.'"

Al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali al-Ju’fi has said: "I have seen Salim ibn Abu Hafsah as a fool with a long beard who used to often say, ‘Here I come, O killer of Na’thal, annihilater of Banu Umayyah!'" ‘Amr ibn al-Salim ibn Abu Hafsah asked him once: "Did you kill ‘Uthman?" He answered: "Did I?!" ‘Amr said: "Yes, you did. You do not condemn his murder." Abu ibn al-Madini has said: "I have heard Jarir saying, ‘I broke my friendship with Salim ibn Abu Hafsah because he used to always defend the Shi’as.'"

Al-Thahbi has detailed his biography, mentioning all the above. On page 234 of Vol. 6 of hisTabaqat , Ibn Sa’d mentions him and says: "He was very staunch in his Shi’a beliefs. He entered Mecca during the reign of the ‘Abbasides crying, ‘Here I come, here I come, O killer of the Omayyads!' His voice was quite loud, so much so that his call was heard by Dawud ibn ‘Ali who inquired: ‘Who is this man?' People informed him that it was Salim ibn Abu Hafsah, and they explained his story and views."

Al-Thahbi has included his biography in hisAl-Mizan commenting, "He was chief of those who belittled Abu Bakr and ‘Umar." In spite of this, however, both Sufyans quote his hadith, and so does Muhammad ibn Fudayl, while al-Tirmithi has relied on his authority, and Ibn Ma’in has held him trustworthy. He died in 137 A.H.

31. Sa’d ibn Tarif al-Iskafi al-Hanzali al-Kufi

Al-Thahbi mentions him, marking his name with TQ as a reference to the authors ofsunan who quote him (i.e. al-Tirmithi and Dar Qutni). Al-Thahbi also quotes al-Fallas saying that Sa’d is "weak, extremist in his Shi’a beliefs." In spite of his being a "Shi’a extremist," al-Tirmithi and others quote him.

Refer to hishadith in al-Tirmithi'sSahih as narrated by ‘Ikrimah and Abul-Wa'il. He also narrateshadith as transmitted by al-Asbagh ibn Nabatah, ‘Uman ibn Talhah and ‘Umayr ibn Ma'mun. Isra'il, Haban and Abu Mu’awiyah all quote him.

32. Sa’id ibn Ashwa’

He is mentioned in al-Thahbi'sAl-Mizan where the author says: "Sa’id ibn Ashwa’ is a famous and truthful Kufi judge. Al-Nisa'i says that there is nothing wrong with his hadith, and that he is a friend of al-Sha’bi. Al-Jawzjani describes him as extremist, heretic, and a Shi’a zealot."

Both al-Bukhari and Muslim rely on his authority in their respectivesahihs . Hishadith from al-Sha’bi is regarded as authentic by authors of bothsahih books. In both Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahihs , hishadith is quoted by Zakariyyah ibn Abu Za'idah and Khalid al-Haththa'. He died during the reign of Khalid ibn ‘Abdullah.

33. Sa’id ibn Khaytham al-Hilali

Ibrahim ibn ‘Abdullah ibn al-Junayd was asked once: "Sa’id ibn Khaytham is a Shi’a. What do you think of him?" He answered: "Let's say that he is a Shi’a, but he also is trustworthy."

Al-Thahbi mentions him in hisAl-Mizan , quoting Ibn Ma’in narrating the gist of what has just been stated above. He has also marked his name with the initials of both al-Tirmithi and al-Nisa'i to indicate that both authors quote hishadith in theirsahihs . He also mentions the fact that Sa’id narrateshadith from Yazid ibn Abu Ziyad and Muslim al-Malla'i. His nephew, Ahmad ibn Rashid, too, narrates his hadith.

34. Selamah ibn al-Fudayl al-Abrash

He was a Rayy judge and a reporter of traditions related to the battles in which the holy Prophet (pbuh) participated as transmitted by Ibn Ishaq. Hiskunyat (surname) is Abu ‘Abdullah. In his biography in theAl-Mizan , Ibn Ma’in says: "Selamah al-Abrash al-Razi is a believer in Shi’ism and a man whosehadith is [often] quoted, and there is no fault in the latter."

Abu Zar’ah has also said in theAl-Mizan that the natives of Rayy do not like him because of his (religious) views. Actually, their attitude is due to their own views regarding all followers of the household of the Prophet (pbuh).

Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in hisAl-Mizan , marking his name with the initials of Abu Dawud and al-Tirmithi and saying: "He is well remembered for his prayers and supplications." He died in 191 A.H.

Ibn Ma’in testifies to the fact that thehadith related to the Prophet's military expeditions as narrated by Selamah is more reliable than anyone else's. Zanih is quoted as having said that he had heard Selamah al-Abrash saying that he had heardhadith related to the expeditions from Ishaq twice, and that he had also written down hisahadith as he had done with those of the expeditions.

35. Selamah ibn Kahil ibn Hasin ibn Kadih ibn Asad al-Hadrami, Abu Yahya

A group of scholars following the faith of the majority of Muslims, such as Ibn Qutaybah in his Ma’arif, who mentions on page 206 his distinction, and al-Shahristani in his Al-Milal wal-Nihal, on page 27, Vol. 2, have included him among Shi’a nobility. Authors of the sixsahihs have all relied on his authority, and so have others. He has learnedhadith from men like Abu Jahifah, Suwayd ibn Ghaflah, al-Sha’bi, ‘Ata' ibn Abu Rabah, all cited in Bukhari and Muslim.

In Muslim, he quoteshadith from Karib, Tharr ibn ‘Abdullah, Bakir ibn al-Ashaj, Zayd ibn Ka’b, Sa’id ibn Jubayr, Mujahid, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Yazid, Abu Selamah ibn ‘Abdul-Rahman, Mu’awiyah ibn al-Suwayd, Habib ibn ‘Abdullah, and Muslim al-Batin. Al-Thawri and Shu’bah have both cited hishadith in these two works, while in Bukhari, hishadith is cited by Isma’il ibn Abu Khalid.

In Muslim, he is quoted by Sa’id ibn Masruq, Aqil ibn Khalid, ‘Abdul-Malik ibn Abu Sulayman, ‘Ali ibn Salih, Zayd ibn ‘Abu Anisah, Hammad ibn Selamah, and al-Walid ibn Harb.

Selamah ibn Kahil died on ‘Ashura of 121 A.H.

36. Sulayman ibn Sa’id al-Khuza’i al-Kufi

He used to be the supreme head of the Shi’as of Iraq, the arbitrator among them, their custodian and advisor. They had all met in his house when they swore the oath of allegiance to Imam Husayn (as). He is the herald of the tawwabin (the penitants) among the Shi’as, those who rose to avenge the murder of Imam Husayn (as).

They were four thousand strong who camped at Nakhila early in Rabi’ al-Thani, 65 A.H., then marched towards ‘Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad and engaged his army at Jazira. They fought fiercely till each and every one of them died. Sulayman, too, was martyred at a place called ‘Ayn al-Warda after Hasin shot him with a deadly arrow. He was 93 years old then. His head and that of al-Musayyab ibn Najba were carried as trophies to Marwan ibn al-Hakam.

His biography is recorded in Vol. 6, Part One, of Ibn Sa’d'sTabaqat , and in the Isti’ab of Ibn ‘Abd al-Birr. All those who wrote the stories of the ancestors have recorded his biography and praised his virtues, faith and piety. He enjoyed a lofty status, a position of honour and dignity among his folks, and his word weighed heavily. He is the one who killed Hawshab, the notorious enemy of the Commander of the Faithful, in a duel at Siffin. Sulayman was keen to notice that the enemies of Ahl al-Bayt had gone astray. Traditionists have sought his audience.

Theahadith he narrates about the Prophet (pbuh), the ones which he directly reported or those transmitted by Jubayr ibn Mut’im relying on his authority, are recorded in both Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahihs .

In the latter, he is cited by Abu Ishaq al-Subay’i and ‘Adi ibn Thabit. Sulyman has narratedahadith which are not included in eithersahihs . These includeahadith from the Commander of the Faithful, his son Imam al-Hasan al-Mujtaba (as), and Abiy. In works other than thesesahihs , hishadith is transmitted by Yahya ibn Ya’mur, ‘Abdullah ibn Yasar, and by others.

37. Sulayman ibn Tarkhan al-Taymi al-Basri

A slave of Qays, the imam, he is one of the most reliable authorities on hadith. Ibn Qutaybah has included him among Shi’a dignitaries in his book Al-Ma’arif. Authors of the sixsahihs , as well as others, have relied on his authority. Refer to hishadith in bothsahihs through Anas ibn Malik, Abu Majaz, Bakr ibn ‘Abdullah, Qatadah, and Abu ‘Uthman al-Nahdi.

Muslim'sSahih quotes hishadith through others. In bothsahihs , hishadith is cited by his son Mu’tamir, and by Shu’bah and al-Thawri. Another party cites hishadith in Muslim's Sahih. He died in 143 A.H.

38. Sulayman ibn Qarm ibn Ma’ath

He is also known as Abu Dawud al-Dabi al-Kufi. Ibn Haban mentions him within the text of Sulayman's biography inAl-Mizan . Ibh Haban has said, "He is a Rafidi - very much so." Nevertheless, Ahmad ibn Hanbal has trusted him. At the conclusion of Sulayman's biography as recorded inAl-Mizan , Ibn ‘Adi says, "Theahadith narrated by Sulayman ibn Qarm are authentic. Moreover, his are by far more reliable than those related by Sulayman ibn Arqam."

Muslim, al-Nisa'i, al-Tirmithi, and Abu Dawud have all cited hisahadith . When al-Thahbi mentions him, he puts the initials of these traditionists on his name. Refer to Muslim'sSahih where Abul-Jawab'shadith is narrated by Sulayman ibn Qarm from al-A’mash, up to the Prophet (pbuh). The saidhadith states that the Prophet (pbuh) has said that a man keeps company with those whom he loves.

In thesunan , hisahadith quote Thabit through Anas successively saying that the Prophet (pbuh) has said: "Seeking knowledge is a religious obligation upon every Muslim." He quotes al-A’mash from ‘Amr ibn Murrah, from ‘Abdullah ibn al-Harith, from Zuhair ibn al-Aqmar, from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar who says that al-Hakam ibn Abul ‘As used to keep company with the Prophet (pbuh) and then would go and narrate it [in a twisted manner] to Quraysh; therefore, the Prophet (pbuh) denounced his behaviour and all his descendants as well till the Day of Judgment.

39. Sulayman ibn Mahran al-Kahili al-Kufi al-Asla’

He is one of the Shi’a nobility and a most trusted traditionist. Many a genius among Sunni men of knowledge, such as Ibn Qutaybah in his Ma’arif and al-Shahristani in his Al-Milal wal-Nihal, as well as many others, have all included him among Shi’a dignitaries.

In his biography of Zubayd, al-Jawzjani says the following in his bookAl-Mizan : "Among the people of Kufa, there are some folks whose sect is not appreciated, yet they are the masters ofhadith among Kufi traditionists. Among them are: Abu Ishaq, Mansur, Zubayd al-Yami, al-A’mash, and other peers.

People tolerate them only because they are truthful in narrating hadith," up to the end of his statement which clearly exposes his stupidity and prejudice. What harm can reach these dignitaries if the Nasibis do not appreciate their commitment to discharge the Divine commandment of seeking the Pleasure of Allah through remaining faithful to His Prophet's kin and kith?

These Nasibis, as a matter of fact, tolerate these men not only because they are truthful in narrating hadith, but rather because they are indispensable. Had they rejected these men's hadith, the majority of the Prophet'sahadith would have then been abandoned, as al-Thahbi himself admits in hisAl-Mizan while discussing the biography of Aban ibn Taghlib. I think that al-Mughirah's statement: "Abu Ishaq and your A’mash have rendered Kufa to destruction" is said due only to these men's Shi’a beliefs. Other than that, both Abu Ishaq and al-A’mash are oceans of knowledge and custodians of the prophetic legacy.

Al-A’mash has left us many interesting incidents which vividly portray his greatness. One of them, for example, is included by Ibn Khallikan in al-A’mash's biograpy in Wafiyyat al-A’yan where the author states:

"Hisham ibn ‘Abdul-Malik once wrote to al-A’mash saying: ‘Recount for me ‘Uthman's virtues and ‘Ali's vices.' Al-A’mash took the letter and tossed it into his she-camel's mouth. Then he turned to the messenger and said: ‘This is my answer.' The messenger, however, pleaded to al-A’mash saying that his master had vowed to kill him if he did not return with an answer. He also pleaded to al-A’mash's brothers to pressure their brother to write something.

Finally, he wrote: ‘In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Had ‘Uthman had all the virtues of the people of the world, they would not have availed you aught, and had ‘Ali had in him all the vices of the people of the world, they would not have harmed you in the least; therefore, worry about your own soul, and peace be with you.'"

Another anecdote is narrated by Ibn ‘Abd al-Birr in his chapter on the‘ulema 's statements evaluating each other's work in his bookJami’ Bayanul ‘Ilm wa Fada'ilih .100

The author quotes ‘Ali ibn Khashram saying, "I have heard Abul-Fadl ibn Musa say, ‘I entered the house of al-A’mash once accompanied by Abu Hanifah to visit him during his sickness.

Abu Hanifah said: ‘O Abu Muhammad! Had I not feared my visits would be a nuisance to you, I would have visited you more often'.

Al-A’mash answered, ‘You are a nuisance to me even at your own home; so, imagine how I feel when I have to look at your face.'" Abul-Fadl continues to say that having left the house of al-A’mash,

Abu Hanifah said, ‘Al-A’mash never observed the fast of the month of Ramadan.' Ibn al-Khashram then asked al-Fadl what Abu Hanifah meant.

Al-Fadl answered, ‘Al-A’mash used to observe the suhur during the month of Ramadan according to the Prophet'shadith as narrated by Huthayfah al-Yemani.'" In fact, he used to observe the Holy Qur'anic verse:

"Therefore, eat and drink till you can distinguish the white thread from the black one, from the dawn, and complete the fast till night-time."

Authors of Al-Wajiza and Bihar Al-Anwar have both quoted Hasan ibn Sa’id al-Nakh’i who quotes Sharik ibn ‘Abdullah, the judge, saying, "I visited al-A’mash when he was sick prior to his demise. While I was there, Ibn Shabramah, Ibn Layla and Abu Hanifah entered and inquired about his health. He told them that he was suffering from an acute feebleness, that he feared God for his sins, and he almost broke in tears.

Abu Hanifah then said to him: ‘O Father of Muhammad! Fear Allah! Look now after yourself. You used to narrate certainahadith about ‘Ali which, if you denounce, would be better for you.' Al-A’mash answered: ‘Do you dare to say this to a man like me?' He even denounced him, and there is no need here to go into that. He was, may Allah have mercy on his soul, as al-Thahbi describes him in hisAl-Mizan , a trusted Imam.

He was exactly what Ibn Khallikan had described while discussing his biography in his own Wafiyyat al-A’yan, a trustworthy and virtuous man of knowledge. Scholars have all conceded his truthfulness, equity and piety. Authors of the sixsahih books, as well as many others besides them, have all relied on his authority.

Refer to hishadith in Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahih books from Zayd ibn Wahab, Sa’id ibn Jubayr, Muslim al-Batin, al-Sha’bi, Mujahid, Abu Wa'il, Ibrahim al-Nakh’i and Abu Salih Thakwan. He is cited in these works by Shu’bah, al-Thawri, Ibn ‘Ainah, Abu Mua’awiyah Muhammad, Abu ‘Awanah, Jarir, and Hafs ibn Ghiyath. Al-A’mash was born in 61 A.H. and he died in 148 A.H., may Allah be merciful unto him.

40. Sharik ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Sinan al-Nakh’i al-Kufi, the judge

Imam Abu Qutaybah, in hisMa’arif , has unreservedly included him among Shi’a nobility. At the conclusion of Sharik's biography as recorded inAl-Mizan , ‘Abdullah ibn Idris swears that Sharik is a Shi’a. Abu Dawud al-Rahawi is quoted inAl-Mizan , too, to have heard Sharik saying, "‘Ali is the best of creation; whoever denies this fact iskafir (apostate)."101

What he meant, of course, is that ‘Ali is the best of all men excluding the Prophet (pbuh), as all Shi’as believe. For this reason, al-Jawzjani, as quoted inAl-Mizan , describes him as "biased," meaning biased towards the faith of Ahl al-Bayt and preferring it to Jawzjani's sect.Al-Mizan also quotes Sharik'sahadith regarding the Commander of the Faithful. He cites Abu Rabi’ah from Ibn Buraydah from his father upto the Prophet who said: "For every Prophet there is a vicegerent and heir."

He was very zealous about disseminating the knowledge pertaining to the virtues of the Commander of the Faithful, and to pressure the Omayyads to recognize and publicize his merits, peace be upon him. In his workDurrat al-Ghawwas , al-Hariri, as in Sharik's biography in Ibn Khallikan's Wafiyyat al-A’yan, says, "Sharik had an Omayyad friend of his. One day, Sharik recounted the attributes of ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib (as). His Omayyad friend said that ‘Ali was ‘a fine man.' This enraged Sharik who said, ‘Is this all that can be said about ‘Ali, that he was a fine man, no more?'"102

At the conclusion of Sharik's biography as stated inAl-Mizan , Ibn Abu Shaybah has quoted ‘Ali ibn Hakim ibn Qadim citing ‘Ali saying that once a complaint was brought with a man to Sharik's attention. The man said: "People claim that your mind is doubtful." Sharik answered: "You fool! How can I ever be doubtful?! I wish I had been present in the company of ‘Ali to let my sword be drenched with the blood of his enemies."

Anyone who studies Sharik's life-style will be convinced that the man was a very loyal follower of the path of Ahl al-Bayt (as). He transmitted a great deal of traditions narrated by the most learned followers of Ahl al-Bayt. His son ‘Abdul-Rahman has said, "My father has learned queries from Ja’far al-Ju’fi, in addition to ten thousand rare traditions."

‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak is quoted inAl-Mizan saying, "Sharik is more knowledgeable about the Kufians'hadith than Sufyan. He was an avowed enemy of ‘Ali's foes, one who spoke ill of them." ‘Abdul-Salam ibn Harb once asked him: "Why don't you visit a sick brother of yours?" He inquired: "And who is that?" The man answered: "Malik ibn Maghul." Sharik, as stated in the latter's biography inAl-Mizan , then said: "Anyone who speaks ill of ‘Ali and ‘Ammar is surely no brother of mine."

Once the name of Mu’awiyah was mentioned in his presence and was described as "clement." Sharik, as stated in his biography inAl-Mizan as well as in Ibn Khallikan's Wafiyyat al-A’yan, said: "Whoever discards equity and fights ‘Ali can never be clement." He narrated onehadith from Asim, Tharr, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud successively indicating that the Prophet (pbuh) had said: "If you see Mu’awiyah on my pulpit, kill him." This is quoted by al-Tabari, and al-Tabari in turn is quoted by al-Thahbi while the latter discusses the biography of Abbad ibn Ya’qub.

Ibn Khallikan's Wafiyyat includes a biography of Sharik where the author quotes a dialogue between Sharik and Mis’ab ibn ‘Abdullah al-Zubairi, in the presence of the ‘Abbaside ruler al-Mahdi. Mis’ab asked Sharik: "Do you really belittle Abu Bakr and ‘Umar?" up to the conclusion of the incident.

In spite of all of this, al-Thahbi has described him as a "truthful imam." He also quotes Ibn Ma’in saying that Sharik is "truthful, trustworthy." At the conclusion of the biography, the author states: "Sharik was a bastian of knowledge. Ishaq al-Azraq learned from him nine thousandahadith ." He also quotes Tawbah al-Halabi saying, "We were at Ramla once, and someone wondered who the nation's man was. Some people said it was Lahi’ah, while others said it was Malik. We asked ‘Isa ibn Yunus to state his view. He said: ‘The nation's man is Sharik,' who was then still alive."

Muslim and authors of the four books ofsunan have all relied on Sharik's authority. Refer to hishadith as they quote it transmitted by Ziyad ibn Alaqah, ‘Ammar al-Thihni, Hisham ibn ‘Urwah, Ya’li ibn ‘Ata', ‘Abdul-Malik ibn ‘Umayr, ‘Ammarah ibn al-Qa’qa’ and ‘Abdullah ibn Shabramah. These reporters have cited Sharik'shadith from Ibn Shaybah, ‘Ali ibn Hakim, Yunus ibn Muhammad, al-Fadl ibn Musa, Muhammad ibn al-Sabah, and ‘Ali ibn Hajar. He was born in either Khurasan or Bukhara in 95 A.H., and he died in Kufa on a Saturday early in Thul-Qi’dah, 177 or 178.

41. Shu’bah ibn al-Hajjaj Abul-Ward al-’Atki al-Wasiti (Abu Bastam)

Born in Wasit but lived in Basra, Abu Bastam is the first to inquire in Iraq about traditionists, and he is credited with helping the weak and the abandoned. He is considered among Shi’a nobility by many highly intellectual Sunni scholars such as Qutaybah in hisAl-Ma’arif , and al-Shahristani in his Al-Milal wal-Nihal. Authors of the sixsahih books and others have all relied on his authority.

Hishadith is ascertained in Bukhari's and Muslim'ssahih books as transmitted by Abu Ishaq al-Subai’i, Isma’il ibn Abu Khalid, Mansur, al-A’mash and others. In both Bukhari's and Muslim's books, hishadith is cited by Muhammad ibn Ja’far, Yahya ibn Sa’id al-Qattan, ‘Uthman ibn Jabalah and others. He was born in 83 and he died in 160 A.H., may Allah be merciful on him.

42. Sa’sa’ah ibn Sawhan ibn Hajar ibn al-Harith al-’Abdi

Imam Ibn Qutaybah describes him on page 206 of hisMa’arif as one of the famous Shi’a dignitaries. Ibn Sa’d states on page 154, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat : "[Sa’sa’ah] is very well known all over Kufa as an orator and a companion of ‘Ali with whom he has witnesed the Battle of the Camel together with his brothers Zayd and Sihan sons of Sawhan. Sihan is known as an orator before Sa’sa’ah, and he was the standard-bearer during the Battle of the Camel.103

Having been killed, Sihan was succeeded in bearing the standard by Sa’sa’ah. Sa’sa’ah has narratedhadith from Imam ‘Ali (as), and also from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas. He is a trusted traditionist although theahadith he has narrated are not many." Ibn ‘Abd al-Birr mentions him in his Isti’ab saying: "He accepted Islam during the life-time of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) although he never met him in person due to his being very young then."

He is chief among his tribesmen, descendants of ‘Abd al-Qays. He is quite an eloquent orator, a man of wisdom who has acquired a total command over the language. He is, indeed, a man of piety, virtues, and wisdom. He is counted among the companions of ‘Ali, peace be upon him. Yahya ibn Ma’in is quoted saying that Sa’sa’ah, Zayd and Sihan sons of Sawhan are all orators, and that Zayd and Sihan were killed during the Battle of the Camel.

He also cites a critical problem which ‘Umar, then caliph, could not solve; therefore, the caliph delivered a sermon in which he asked people for their suggestions. Sa’sa’ah, then a youth, stood and clarified its complexity and put forth a suggestion to it which was unanimously accepted. This should not surprise the reader since the descendants of Sawhan were among the most prominent masters of Arabia, pillars in virtue and descent. Ibn Qutaybah mentions them on page 138 of his chapter on renown dignitaries and men of influence in hisMa’arif .

The author says: "Sawhan's descendants were Zayd ibn Sawhan, Sa’sa’ah ibn Sawhan, Sihan ibn Sawhan, of Banu ‘Abd al-Qays." He adds: "Zayd was among the best of men. He narrated saying that the Prophet (pbuh) had said: ‘Zayd is indeed a good man, and Jandab - what a man he is!' People inquired: ‘Why do you mention these men alone?' The Prophet answered: ‘The arm of one of them will precede in thirty years the rest of his body in entering Paradise, while the other will deal heavy blows so that right is distinguished from wrong.'

The first, as it came to pass, participated in Jalawla' Battle where his arm was chopped off. He also participated in the Battle of the Camel on the side of ‘Ali (as). He asked the Imam: ‘O Commander of the Faithful! It looks like I am going to meet my fate.' The Imam (as) asked him, ‘How do you know that, O father of Sulayman?' He answered: ‘I have seen in a vision my arm stretching from heaven to pull me away from this world.' He was killed by ‘Amr ibn Yathribi, while his brother Sihan was killed during the Battle of the Camel."

It is no secret that the Prophet's prophecy regarding Zayd's arm preceding the rest of his body in entering Paradise is regarded by all Muslims as a testimony for his prophethood, a sign of the truth of the religion of Islam, and a recognition of the men of truth. All biographies of Zayd have mentioned it. Refer to his biography in Al-Isti’ab, Al-Isabah, and others. Traditionists have recorded the above, each in his own way of wording it, adding that [in "spite" of his being Shi’a] he was promised Paradise; so, praise be to the Lord of the Worlds.

Al-’Asqalani mentions Sa’sa’ah ibn Sawhan in Part Three of his Isaba, saying: "He narrates traditions about ‘Uthman and ‘Ali (as). He has participated in the Battle of Siffin on ‘Ali's side. He is an eloquent orator who has encounters with Mu’awiyah." Al-Sha’bi has said: "I used to learn how to deliver sermons from him."104

Abu Ishaq al-Subai’i, al-Minhal ibn ‘Amr ibn Baridah, and others have all cited his hadith. Al-’Ala'i, narrating Ziyad's encounters, says that once al-Mughirah banished Sa’sa’ah, in accordance to an edict which he had received from Mu’awiyah, from Kufa to Jazirah, or to Bahrain (some historians say to the island of Ibn Fakkan), where he died in banishment just as Abu Tharr al-Ghifari had died before him in the Rabatha desert (southern Iraq). Al-Thahbi mentions Sa’sa’ah and describes him as "a well-known and trusted traditionist," citing testimonies to his trustworthiness from Ibn Sa’d and Nisa'i, and marking his name to indicate that al-Nisa'i relies on his authority. Whoever does not rely on his authority does not in fact harm anyone but his own self, as the holy Qur'an says:

"We have not done them any harm; they have only harmed their own selves."

43. Tawus ibn Kisan al-Khawlani al-Hamadani al-Yamani

He is ‘Abdul-Rahman's father. His mother is Persian, and his father is Ibn Qasit, a Namri slave of Bajir ibn Raysan al-Himyari. Sunni intellectuals regard him a Shi’a without any question. Among their dignitaries, al-Shahristani mentions him in his Al-Milal wal-Nihal, and Ibn Qutaybah in hisAl-Ma’arif . Authors of the sixsahih books, as well as others, have all relied on his authority.

Refer to hishadith in bothsahih books where he cites Ibn ‘Abbas, Ibn ‘Umar and Abu Hurayrah, and in Muslim'sSahih where he cites ‘Ayesha, Zayd ibn Thabit, and ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar. Hishadith is recorded in Bukhari alone as transmitted by al-Zuhri, and in Muslim by many renown traditionists. He died in Mecca while performing the rite of pilgrimage one day before the day of Tarwiya (i.e. on the 7th of Thul-Hijjah), in either 104 or 106 A.H. His funeral was quite eventful. His coffin was carried by ‘Abdullah son of al-Hasan son of the Commander of the Faithful (as). He was vying with others to carry it, so much so that his headwear dropped, and his clothes were torn from the back side by the stampede, as narrated by Ibn Khallikan in his biography of Tawus in Wafiyyat al-A’yan.

44. Zalim ibn ‘Amr ibn Sufyan, Abul-Aswad al-Du'ali

His being a Shi’a and a faithful adherent to the faith during the wilayat of Imams ‘Ali, al-Hasan and al-Husayn, as well as other members of the Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon all of them, is more visible than the sun, and it requires no reiteration.105

We have dealt with it in detail in ourwork Mukhtasar al-Kalam fi Muallifi al-Shi’a min Sadr al-Islam . His being a Shi’a is a matter which nobody disputes. In spite of this fact, authors of the sixsahih books have relied on his authority. Refer to hishadith about ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab in Bukhari's Sahih. In Muslim's, hishadith is cited by Abu Musa and ‘Umran ibn Hasin.

In bothsahih books, hishadith is cited by Yahya ibn Ya’mur. In Bukhari's, ‘Abdullah ibn Buraydah quotes him, and in Muslim's, hishadith is narrated by his son Abu Harb. He died, may Allah Almighty have mercy on him, at the age of 85 in Basrah in 99 A.H. by the plague which devastated the city. He is the one who laid down the foundations of Arabic grammar according to rules which he learned from the Commander of the Faithful (as), as we have expounded in our book Al-Mukhtasar.

45. ‘Amr ibn Wa'ilah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar al-Laithi al-Makki

Also known as Abul-Tufayl, he was born in the same year when the Battle of Uhud took place, i.e. 3 A.H. He was for eight years contemporary of the Prophet (pbuh). Ibn Qutaybah has included him among so-called "extremist Rafidis," stating that he was al-Mukhtar's standard-bearer and the last of thesahabah to die. Ibn ‘Abd al-Birr has mentioned him in his chapter on kunayat in his Isti’ab saying, "He resided in Kufa, and he accompanied ‘Ali (as) in all his battles. When ‘Ali (as) was killed, he left for Mecca." He concludes by saying, "He was a virtuous and wise man, swift in providing an accurate answer, eloquent. He was also one of the Shi’as of ‘Ali, peace be upon him."

He also indicates that "Once, Abul-Tufayl approached Mu’awiyah and the latter asked him: ‘For how long have you mourned the death of your friend Father of al-Hasan (as)?' He answered: ‘I have grieved as much as the mother of Moses grieved when she parted with her son, and I complain unto Allah for my shortcomings.' Mu’awiyah asked him: ‘Were you among those who enforced a siege around ‘Uthman's house?'

He answered: ‘No; but I used to visit him.' Then Mu’awiyah asked him: ‘What stopped you from rescuing him?' He retorted: ‘What about you? What stopped you from doing so when sure death surrounded him, while you were in Syria a master among his subjects?!' Mu’awiyah replied: ‘Can't you see that avenging his murder is an indication of my support?' ‘Amir then told Mu’awiyah that he acted exactly like the one implied in the verses composed by the brother of Ju’f the poet in which the latter says: ‘You mourn my death, yet while I was alive, you did not even sustain me against starvation.'"

Al-Zuhri, Abul-Zubair, al-Jariri, Ibn Abul-Hasin, ‘Abdul-Malik ibn Abjar, Qatadah, Ma’ruf, al-Walid ibn Jami’, Mansur ibn Hayyan, al-Qasim ibn Abu Bardah, ‘Amr ibn Dinar, ‘Ikremah ibn Khalid, Kulthum ibn Habib, Furat al-Qazzaz, and ‘Abdul-Aziz ibn Rafi’ have all narrated hishadith as it exists in Muslim's and Bukhari'sSahih books. Bukhari's work contains traditions of the Prophet (pbuh) regarding the pilgrimage which are narrated by Abul-Tufayl. He describes the Prophet's characteristics, and he narrates about the prayers and signs of prophethood from Ma’ath ibn Jabal, and he narrates about fate from ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud.

He narrates from ‘Ali (as), Huthayfah ibn al-Yemani, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas and ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, as is well-known by all researchers of Muslim'shadith besides that of the authors of his musnads. Abul-Tufayl, may Allah Ta’ala encompass his soul with His mercy, died in Mecca in 100 A.H. (some say in 102, while still others say 120), and Allah knows best.

46. ‘Abbad ibn Ya’qub al-Asadi al-Ruwajni al-Kufi

He is mentioned by Dar Qutni who says, "‘Abbad ibn Ya’qub is a truthful Shi’a." Ibn Hayyan mentions him and says, "‘Abbad ibn Ya’qub used to invite people to Rafidism." Ibn Khuzaymah says, "‘Abbad ibn Ya’qub is a man whose traditions are never doubted, though his faith is questioned, etc." ‘Abbad narrates from al-Fadl ibn al-Qasim, Sufyan al-Thawri, Zubayd, Murrah, that Ibn Mas’ud used to interpret the verse

"Allah has spared the Believers from fighting" (Qur'an, 25:33)

to imply that they were spared from fighting ‘Ali. He quotes Sharik, ‘Asim, Tharr, from ‘Abdullah who has stated that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) has said: "When you see Mu’awiyah on my pulpit, kill him." Thishadith is recorded by Tabari and others. ‘Abbad says that anyone who does not mention in his daily prayers that he dissociates himself from the enemies of the Prophet's progeny (as) shall be resurrected in their company. He also says, "Allah Almighty is too fair to let Talhah and al-Zubayr enter Paradise; they fought ‘Ali after swearing allegiance to him."

Salih al-Jazrah has said: "‘Abbad ibn Ya’qub used to denounce ‘Uthman." ‘Abbad al-Ahwazi quotes his trusted authorities saying that ‘Abbad ibn Ya’qub used to denounce "their" ancestors. In spite of all this, Sunni Imams like al-Bukhari, al-Tirmithi, Ibn Majah, Ibn Khuzaymah, and Ibn Abu Dawud rely on his authority, their mentor, in whom they all place their trust.

In spite of his intolerance and prejudice, Abu Hatim has mentioned him and said that he is a trusted shaykh. Al-Thahbi mentions him in hisAl-Mizan and says, "He is one of the extremist Shi’as, leaders of innovators; yet he is truthful when narrating hadith." He goes on to mention what has already been stated above regarding ‘Abbad's views.

Al-Bukhari quotes him directly while discussing tawhid in his own sahih. He died, may Allah be merciful unto him, in Shawwal of 150 A.H. Al-Qasim ibn Zakariyyah al-Mutarraz has intentionally misquoted ‘Abbad's statements regarding the digging the sea and the flow of its water, and we seek refuge with Allah against telling lies about the Believers; He is surely the One Who foils their schemes.

47. ‘Abdullah ibn Dawud

He is father of ‘Abdul-Rahman al-Hamadani al-Kufi. He resided in Al-Harbiyya, a Basrah suburb. Qutaybah has included him among renown Shi’a personalities in his ownAl-Ma’arif , and al-Bukhari has relied on his authority in his own Sahih. Refer to hishadith from al-A’mash, Hisham ibn ‘Urwah and Ibn Jurayh. Hishadith is narrated in Bukhari'sSahih by Musaddid, ‘Amr ibn ‘Ali, and, in some places, by Nasr ibn ‘Ali. He died in 212.

48. ‘Abdullah ibn Shaddad ibn al-Had

Al-Had's full name is Usamah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Jabir ibn al-Bashir ibn ‘Atwarah ibn ‘Amir ibn Malik ibn Laith al-Laithi al-Kufi Abul-Walid, a companion of the Commander of the Faithful (as). His mother is Salma daughter of ‘Amis al-Khayth’ami, sister of Asma'. He is nephew, from the mother's side, of ‘Abdullah ibn Ja’far and Muhammad ibn Abu Ja’far, and brother of ‘Amara daughter of Hamzah ibn ‘Abdul-Muttalib from the mother's side. Ibn Sa’d includes him among residents of Kufa who were distinguished for theirfiqh and knowledge and who belong to thetabi’in .

At the conclusion of his biography, the author states on page 86 of Vol. 6 of hisTabaqat : "During the reign of ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Muhammad ibn al-Ash’ath, ‘Abdullah ibn Shaddad was among those who recite the Holy Qur'an and know it by heart and who fought al-Hajjaj, and he was killed during the Dujail Battle." He also says, "He was a trustworthyfaqih who narrated a great deal of hadith, and he was a Shi’a."

The battle referred to above took place in 81 A.H. All authors of thesahih books have relied on the authority of ‘Abdullah ibn Shaddad. Hishadith is quoted by Ishaq al-Shaybani, Ma’bid ibn Khalid and Sa’d ibn Ibrahim. Theirahadith from ‘Abdullah ibn Shaddad exist in bothsahih books as well as in others, in addition to all musnads. Al-Bukhari and Muslim quote hishadith as transmitted from ‘Ali (as), Maymuna and ‘Ayesha.

49. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar ibn Muhammad ibn Aban ibn Salih ibn ‘Umayr al-Qarashi al-Kufi

Also known as Mishkadanah, he is mentor of Muslim, Abu Dawud, al-Baghwi, and many other peers who all learnedhadith from him. Abu Hatim has mentioned him testifying to his truthfulness. He quotes hishadith and states that he is a Shi’a. Salih ibn Muhammad ibn Jazrah has mentioned him and said that he is a Shi’a "extremist."

In spite of this, ‘Abdullah ibn Ahmad has narratedhadith from his father. Abu Hatim states that Mishkadanah is trustworthy. Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in hisAl-Mizan , describing him as "a truthful man who has learned a great deal ofhadith from Ibn al-Mubarak, al-Dar Wardi, and their group of scholars. Muslim, Abu Dawud, al-Baghwi and many others have recorded a great deal of hisahadith ." He has marked his name with the initials of Muslim and Abu Dawud indicating thereby their reliance on his hadith, and quoting what the learned scholars named above have said about him. He has also stated that he died in 239 A.H.

Refer to hishadith in Muslim'sSahih as transmitted through ‘Abdah ibn Sulayman, ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak, ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Sulayman, ‘Ali ibn Hashim, Abul-Ahwas, Husayn ibn ‘Ali al-Ju’fi and Muhammad ibn Fudayl. In his chapter dealing with causes of dissension, Muslim quotes hishadith directly. Abul-’Abbas al-Sarraj has said that he died either in 238 or 237 A.H.

50. ‘Abdullah ibn Lahi’ah ibn ‘Uqbah al-Hadrami, Egypt's judge and scholar

In hisMa’arif , Ibn Qutaybah has included him among famous shaykhs. In his biography of ‘Abdullah ibn Lahi’ah in hisAl-Mizan , Ibn ‘Adi has described him as an "extremist Shi’a." Quoting Talhah, Abu Ya’li states: "Abu Lahi’ah has said: ‘Hay ibn ‘Abdullah al-Ghafari has narrated through the authority of Abu ‘Abdullah Rahman al-Hibli from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that during his sickness (which preceded his demise), the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) told us to fetch his brother.

We brought him Abu Bakr, but he turned away from him and said: ‘I had asked for my brother'. We then brought ‘Uthman, but again the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) turned away from him. ‘Ali (as) was then brought in his presence. He covered him with his own mantle and inclined his head on his shoulder for a while (as if he was whispering something in his ear). When ‘Ali left, people asked him: ‘What has the Prophet (pbuh) said to you?' He answered: ‘He has taught me a thousand chapters each of which leads to a thousand sections.'"

Al-Thahbi mentions him in hisAl-Mizan , marking his name with DTQ to denote who among the authors of thesahih books quotes him [i.e. Abu Dawud, al-Tirmithi, and Dar Qutni. Refer to hishadith in al-Tirmithi's Sahih, Abu Dawud and all musnads. Ibn Khallikan has greatly praised him in his Wafiyyat al-A’yan. Refer to hishadith in Muslim'ssahih as transmitted by Yazid ibn Abu Habib. In his book Al-Jam’ Bayna Kitabay Abu Nasr al-Kalabathi wa Abu Bakr al-Asbahani [Compilation of Both Books of Abu Nasr al-Kalabathi and Abul-Faraj al-Asbahani, al-Qaysarani includes him among Bukhari's and Muslim's reliable authorities. Ibn Lahi’ah died on Sunday, mid-Rabi’ul Akhir, 174 A.H.

51. ‘Abdullah ibn Maymun al-Qaddah al-Makki

A friend of Imam Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq (as), he is relied upon by al-Tirmithi. Al-Thahbi mentions him and marks his name with al-Tirmithi's initials as an indication that the latter cites his hadith. He adds saying that he narrateshadith through the authority of Imam Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq (as), and of Talhah ibn ‘Umar.

52. ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Salih al-Azdi

His name is Abu Muhammad al-Kufi. His friend and student ‘Abbas al-Duri says that he was a Shi’a. Ibn ‘Adi mentions him and says, "He is burnt in the fire of Shi’ism." Salih Jazrah says that ‘Abdul-Rahman used to oppose ‘Uthman. Abu Dawud says that ‘Abdul-Rahman has compiled a book containing the vices of some of the companions of the Prophet (pbuh), and that he is a bad person.

In spite of all this, both ‘Abbas al-Duri and Imam al-Baghwi narrate his hadith. Al-Nisa'i has quoted him. Al-Thahbi has referred to him in hisAl-Mizan and marked his name with al-Nisa'i's initials as an indication of the latter's reliance on him. He also quotes what the Imams (among the Sunnis) have said about him as stated above. He indicates that Ma’in trusts him, and that he died in 235. Refer to hishadith in theSunan books as transmitted through Sharik and a group of his peers.

53. ‘Abdul-Razzaq ibn Humam ibn Nafi’ al-Himyari al-San’ani

One of the Shi’a nobility and honourable ancestry, he is included by Ibn Qutaybah among renown Shi’as in hisMa’arif . Ibn al-Athir, on page 137, Vol. 6, of hisAl-Tarikh Al-Kamil , mentions ‘Abdul-Razzaq's death in the end of the events of 211 A.H. thus: "In that year, the traditionist ‘Abdul-Razzaq ibn Humam al-San’ani, one of Ahmad's Shi’a mentors, died."

Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi mentions him while discussinghadith number 5994 in his Kanz al-’Ummal, on page 391, Vol. 6, stating that he is a Shi’a. Al-Thahbi, in hisAl-Mizan , says, "‘Abdul-Razzaq ibn Humam ibn Nafi’, Abu Bakr al-Himyari's mentor, is a Shi’a dignitary of San’a, was one of the most trusted traditionists among all scholars."

He narrates his biography and adds: "He has written a great deal, authoring [in particular] Al-Jami’ Al-Kabir . He is a custodian of knowledge sought by many people such as Ahmad, Ishaq, Yahya, al-Thahbi, al-Ramadi, and ‘Abd."

He discusses his character and quotes al-’Abbas ibn ‘Abdul-’Azim, accusing him of being a liar. He states that al-Thahbi has denounced such an accusation. He says, "Not only Muslim, but all those who have memorizedhadith have agreed with al-’Abbas, while the Imams of knowledge rely on his authority."

He goes on to narrate his biography, quoting al-Tayalisi saying: "I have heard Ibn Ma’in say something from which I became convinced that ‘Abdul-Razzaq was a Shi’a. Ibn Ma’in asked him: ‘Your instructors, such as Mu’ammar, Malik, Ibn Jurayh, Sufyan, al-Awza’i, are all Sunnis. Where did you learn the sect of Shi’ism from?' He answered: ‘Ja’far ibn Sulayman al-Zab’i once paid us a visit, and I found him to be virtuous and rightly guided, and I learned Shi’ism from him.'"

‘Abdul-Razzaq, as quoted above, statement in which he says that he is a Shi’a indicates that he has learned Shi’ism from Ja’far al-Zab’i, but Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr al-Muqaddimi thinks that Ja’far al-Zab’i himself has learned Shi’ism from ‘Abdul-Razzaq. He even denounces ‘Abdul-Razzaq for this reason. InAl-Mizan , he is quoted as saying, "I wish I had lost ‘Abdul-Razzaq for good. Nobody has corrupted Ja’far's beliefs other than he." The "corruption" to which he refers is Shi’ism!

Ibn Ma’in has heavily relied on ‘Abdul-Razzaq's authority, in spite of his "admission" that he is a Shi’a as stated above. Ahmad ibn Abu Khayth’amah, as in ‘Abdel-Razzaq's biography inAl-Mizan , has said, "It has been said to Ibn Ma’in that Ahmad says that ‘Ubaydullah ibn Musa rejects ‘Abdul-Razzaq'shadith because of his Shi’a beliefs. Ibn Ma’in has responded thus: ‘I swear by Allah, Who is the only God, that ‘Abdul-Razzaq is a hundred times superior to ‘Ubaydullah, and I have heard ‘Abdul-Razzaq'shadith and found it to be many times more in volume than ‘Ubaydullah's.'"

Also in ‘Abdel-Razzaq's biography inAl-Mizan , Abu Salih Muhammad ibn Isma’il al-Dirari is quoted saying, "While we were in San’a guests of ‘Abdul-Razzaq, we heard that Ahmad and Ibn Ma’in, joined by others, had rejected ‘Abdul-Razzaq's hadith, or say disliked it, because of the traditionist being a Shi’a. The news deeply depressed us. We thought that we had spent our resources and taken the trouble to make the trip there all in vain. Then I joined the pilgrims for Mecca where I met Yahya and asked him about this issue. He, as stated in ‘Abdel-Razzaq's biography inAl-Mizan , said: ‘O Abu Salih! Even if ‘Abdul-Razzaq abandons Islam altogether, we shall never reject his hadith.'"

Ibn ‘Adi has mentioned him and said: "‘Abdul-Razzaq has reportedahadith dealing with virtues, but nobody has endorsed them.106 He also counts the vices of certain people, which views are rejected by others;107 above all, he is believed to be a Shi’a."

In spite of all this, Ahmad ibn Hanbal was asked once, as indicated in ‘Abdel-Razzaq's biography inAl-Mizan , whether he knew of anyhadith better than that reported by ‘Abdul-Razzaq, and his answer was negative. Ibn al-Qaysarani states at the conclusion of ‘Abdul-Razzaq's biography in his own bookAl-Jami’ Bayna Rijalul Sahihain , quoting Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal saying, ‘If people dispute Mu’ammar's hadith, then the final arbitrator is ‘Abdul-Razzaq.'

Mukhlid al-Shu’ayri says that he was once in the company of ‘Abdul-Razzaq when a man mentioned Mu’awiyah. ‘Abdul-Razzaq, as stated in his biography inAl-Mizan , then said: ‘Do not spoil our meeting by mentioning the descendants of Abu Sufyan.'" Zayd ibn al-Mubarak has said: "We were in the company of ‘Abdul-Razzaq once when we recounted ibn al-Hadthan's hadith.

When ‘Umar's address to ‘Ali and al-’Abbas: ‘You (i.e. ‘Abbas) have come to demand your inheritance of your nephew (the Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny), while this man (i.e. ‘Ali) has come to demand his wife's inheritance of her father' was read, ‘Abdul-Razzaq, as stated in his biography inAl-Mizan , said: ‘Behold this shameless, impertinent man using ‘nephew' and ‘father' instead of ‘the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)'!"

In spite of all this, all compilers ofhadith have recorded his traditions and relied on his authority. It has even been said, as Ibn Khallikan states in his Wafiyyat al-A’yan, that people did not travel to anyone after the demise of the Prophet (pbuh) as often as they did to ‘Abdul-Razzaq's. He is quoted by the Imams of contemporary Muslims such as Sufyan ibn ‘Ayinah, among whose mentors ‘Abdul-Razzaq himself was one, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Yahya ibn Ma’in, and others.

Refer to hishadith in all thesahih books, as well as all musnads, which all contain quite a few of hisahadith . He was born, may Allah have mercy on his soul, in 211 A.H. He was contemporary to Abu ‘Abdullah Imam al-Sadiq (as) for twenty-two years.108 He died during the first days of the Imamate of Imam Abu Ja’far al-Jawad (as), nine years before the Imam's demise;109 may Allah resurrect him in the company of these Imams to whose service, seeking of the Pleasure of Allah, he sincerely dedicated his life.

54. ‘Abdul-Malik ibn ‘Ayan

He is brother of Zararah, Hamran, Bakir, ‘Abdul-Rahman, Malik, Musa, Daris, and Umm al-Aswad, all descendants of ‘Ayan, and all are notable Shi’as. They have won the sublime cup for serving the Islamic Shari’a, and they have produced a blessed and righteous progeny that adheres to their sect and views.

Al-Thahbi mentions ‘Abdul-Malik in hisAl-Mizan , citing Abu Wa'il and others quoting Abu Hatim saying that he has reported authenticahadith , and that Ma’in has said that there is nothing wrong with his hadith, while another authority testifies thus: "He is truthful, yet he is Rafidi, too." Ibn Ayinah has said: "‘Abdul-Malik, a Rafidi, has reportedhadith to us." Abu Hatim says that he is among the earliest to embrace Shi’a Islam, and that hishadith is authentic. Both Sufyans have transmitted hishadith and reported it well-documented by others.

In his book Al-Jami’ Bayna Rijalul Sahihain, Ibn al-Qaysarani, as quoted in both works by Sufyan ibn A’yinah, has this to say about him: "‘Abdul-Malik ibn ‘Ayan, brother of Hamran al-Kufi, was a Shi’a whosehadith about tawhid is recorded by Bukhari as transmitted by Abu Wa'il, and about iman as recorded in Muslim's."

He died during the life-time of Imam al-Sadiq (as) who earnestly invoked the Almighty's mercy upon him. Abu Ja’far ibn Babawayh has reported that Imam al-Sadiq (as), accompanied by his disciples, visited ‘Abdul-Malik's gravesite in Medina. May he receive the good rewards and live eternally in peace.

55. ‘Ubaydullah ibn Musa al-’Abasi al-Kufi

He is al-Bukhari's mentor, as the latter acknowledges on page 177 of his Sahih. Ibn Qutaybah has included him among traditionists in his work Al-Ma’arif , stating that the man is a Shi’a. When he recounts a roll call of notable Shi’as in his chapter on sects on page 206 of his bookAl-Ma’arif , he includes ‘Ubaydullah among them.

On page 279, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat , Ibn Sa’d narrates ‘Ubaydullah's biography without forgettig to indicate that he is a Shi’a, and that he narrateshadith supportive of Shi’ism, thus, according to Ibn Sa’d, weakening hishadith in the eyes of many people. He also adds saying that ‘Ubaydullah is also very well familiar with the Holy Qur'an. He records on page 139, Vol. 6, of his Al-Kamil the date of his death at the conclusion of events that took place in 213 A.H., stating: "‘Ubaydullah ibn Musa al-’Abasi, the jurist, was a Shi’a who taught al-Bukhari as the latter himself acknowledges in his Sahih."

Al-Thahbi mentions him in his Al-Mizan saying, "Ubaydullah ibn Musa al-’Abasi al-Kufi, al-Bukhari's mentor, is no question trustworthy, but he also is a deviated Shi’a." Yet the author admits that both Abu Hatim and Ma’in have trusted his hadith. He says, "Abu Hatim has said that thehadith narrated by Abu Na’im is more authentic, yet ‘Ubaydullah's is more authentic than all of them when it comes to theahadith transmitted by Isra'il."

Ahmad ibn ‘Abdullah al-Ajli has said, "‘Ubaydullah ibn Musa is very knowledgeable of the Holy Qur'an, a major authority therein. I have never seen him arrogant or conceited, and he was never seen laughing boisterously." Abu Dawud says, "‘Ubaydullah ibn al-’Abasi was a Shi’a heretic." At the conclusion of the biography of Matar ibn Maymun inAl-Mizan , al-Thahbi states: "‘Ubaydullah, a Shi’a, is trustworthy."

Ibn Ma’in used to learnhadith from ‘Ubaydullah ibn Musa and ‘Abdul-Razzaq knowing that they were both Shi’as. In Thahbi'sAl-Mizan , while documenting ‘Abdul-Razzaq's biography, the author quotes Ahmad ibn ‘Ali Khaythamah saying, "I inquired of Ibn Ma’in once regarding what I heard about Ahmad's alleged rejection of ‘Ubaydullah ibn Musa'shadith because of his being a Shi’a. Ibn Ma’in answered: ‘I swear by Allah Who has no associate that ‘Abdul-Razzaq is superior to ‘Ubaydullah a hundred times, and I have heard from ‘Abdul-Razzaq many times moreahadith than I heard from ‘Ubaydullah.'"

Sunnis, like all others, rely on ‘Ubaydullah'shadith in their respectivesahih books. Refer to hishadith in bothsahih books transmitted by Shayban ibn ‘Abdul-Rahman. Bukhari'sSahih quotes hishadith as reported by al-A’mash ibn ‘Urwah and Isma’il ibn Abu Khalid. Hishadith as recorded in Muslim'sSahih is reported from Isra'il, al-Hasan ibn Salih, and Usamah ibn Zayd. Al-Bukhari quotes him directly.

He is also quoted directly by Ishaq ibn Ibrahim, Abu Bakr ibn Abu Shaybah, Ahmad ibn Ishaq al-Bukhari, Mahmud ibn Ghaylan, Ahmad ibn Abu Sarij, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Ashkab, Muhammad ibn Khalid al-Thahbi, and Yusuf ibn Musa al-Qattan. Muslim quotes hishadith as reported by al-Hajjaj ibn al-Sha’ir, al-Qasim ibn Zakariyyah, ‘Abdullah al-Darmi, Ishaq ibn al-Mansur, Ibn Abu Shaybah, ‘Abd ibn Hamid, Ibrahim ibn Dinar, and Ibn Namir.

Al-Thahbi states in hisAl-Mizan that ‘Ubaydullah died in 213 A.H. adding, "He was well known for his asceticism, adoration, and piety." His death took place in early Thul-Qi’da; may Allah Almighty sanctify his resting place.

56. ‘Uthman ibn ‘Umayr ‘Abdul-Yaqzan al-Thaqafi al-Kufi al-Bijli

He is also known as ‘Uthman ibn Abu Zar’ah, ‘Uthman ibn Qays, and ‘Uthman ibn Abu Hamid. Abu Ahmad al-Zubayri says that ‘Uthman believes in the return. Ahmad ibn Hanbal says, "Abu Yaqzan was joined in dissenting by Ibrahim ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Hasan."

Ibn ‘Adi says the following about him: "He has embraced the bad sect, and he believes in the return, although trusted authorities have quoted him knowing that he was weak." The fact of the matter is that whenever some people desire to belittle a Shi’a traditionist and undermine his scholarly ability, they charge him with preaching the concept of the return. Thus have they done to ‘Uthman ibn ‘Umayr, so much so that Ibn Ma’in has said: "There is really nothing wrong with ‘Uthman's hadith."

In spite of all attacks on him, al-A’mash, Sufyan, Shu’bah, Sharik and other peers have not in the least hesitated to quote him. Abu Dawud, al-Tirmithi and others have all quoted him in theirsunan and relied on his authority. Refer to hishadith as they record it through Anas and others. Al-Thahbi has documented his biography and quoted the statements by notable scholars as cited above, putting DTQ on his name to indicate who among the authors of thesunan quote him.

57. ‘Adi ibn Thabit al-Kufi

Ibn Ma’in has described him as a "Shi’a extremist," while Dar Qutni calls him "Rafidi, extremist, but also reliable." Al-Jawzjani says that the man has "deviated." Al-Mas’udi says, "We have never seen anyone who is so outspoken in preaching his Shi’a views like ‘Adi ibn Thabit."

In hisAl-Mizan , al-Thahbi describes him as "the learned scholar of Shi’as, the most truthful among them, the judge and Imam of their mosques. Had all the Shi’as been like him, their harm would have been minimized." Then he goes on to document his biography and quote the views of the scholars cited above. He recounts the scholars who describe him as trustworthy such as Dar Qutni, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Ahmad al-’Ajli, Ahmad al-Nisa'i, placing on his name the initials of authoers of all the sixsahih books who quote him.

Refer to hishadith in both Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahih books as transmitted by al-Bara' ibn ‘Azib, ‘Abdullah ibn Yazid (his maternal grand-father), ‘Abdullah ibn Abu Awfah, Sulayman ibn Sard, and Sa’id ibn Jubayr. Hishadith reported by Zarr ibn Habish and Abu Hazim al-Ashja’i is recorded in Muslim's Sahih. Hishadith is quoted by al-A’mash, Mis'ar, Sa’id, Yahya ibn Sa’id al-Ansari, Zayd ibn Abu Anisa, and Fudayl ibn Ghazwan.

58. ‘Atiyyah ibn Sa’d ibn Janadah al-’Awfi

He is Abul-Hasan al-Kufi, the renown tabi’i. Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in hisAl-Mizan , quoting Salim al-Muradi saying that‘Atiyyah adhered to Shi’ism. Imam Ibn Qutaybah has included him among traditionists in hisMa’arif following his grandson al-’Awfi, al-Husayn ibn ‘Atiyyah , the judge, adding, "‘Atiyyah , a follower of Shi’ism, has been a jurist since the reign of al-Hajjaj."

Ibn Qutaybah has mentioned a few renown Shi’as in his chapter on sects in hisMa’arif , listing‘Atiyyah al-’Awfi among them. Ibn Sa’d mentions him on age 212, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat indicating his firm belief in Shi’ism. His father, Sa’d ibn Janadah, was a companion of ‘Ali (as). Once he visited the Imam in Kufa and said: "O Commander of the Faithful! I have been blessed with a newly born son; would you mind choosing a name for him?" The Imam answered: "This is a gift (‘atiyyah ) from Allah; therefore, do name him‘Atiyyah ."

Ibn Sa’d has said: "‘Atiyyah ibn al-Ash’ath went out in an army to fight al-Hajjaj. When al-Ash’ath's army fled,‘Atiyyah fled to Persia. Al-Hajjaj wrote an edict to Muhammad ibn al-Qasim ordering him to call him to his presence and give him the option to either denounce ‘Ali or be whipped four hundred lashes, and his beard and head be shaven.

So, he called him and read al-Hajjaj's letter to him, but‘Atiyyah refused to succumb; therefore, he had him whipped four hundred lashes and his head and beard were shaven. When Qutaybah became governor of Khurasan,‘Atiyyah rebelled against him and remained there till ‘Umar ibn Habirah became ruler of Iraq. It was then that he wrote to him asking permission to go there. Granted permission, he came to Kufa where he stayed till he died in 11 A.H." The author adds, "He was, indeed, a trusted authority, and he reported many authenticahadith ."

All his descendants were sincere followers of Muhammad's progeny (as). Among them were noblemen, highly distinguished personalities like al-Husayn ibn al-Hasan ibn‘Atiyyah who was appointed governor of the district of Al-Sharqiyya succeeding Hafs ibn Ghiyath, as stated on page 58 of the same reference, then he was transferred to al-Mahdi's troops. He died in 201 A.H. Another is Sa’d ibn Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn‘Atiyyah , also a traditionist, who became governor of Baghdad.110 He used to quote his father Sa’d from his uncle al-Husayn ibn al-Hasan ibn‘Atiyyah .

Back to the story of‘Atiyyah al-’Awfi . He is considered a reliable authority by Dawud and al-Tirmithi. Refer to hishadith in theirsahih books from Ibn ‘Abbas, Abu Sa’id and Ibn ‘Umar. He has also learnedhadith from ‘Abdullah ibn al-Hasan who quotes his father who quotes his grand-mother al-Zahra', Mistress of the women of Paradise. His son al-Hasan ibn‘Atiyyah has learnedhadith from him, and so have al-Hajjaj ibn Arta'ah, Mis’ar, al-Hasan ibn Adwan and others.

59. Al’ala' ibn Salih al-Taymi al-Kufi

In his biography of Al’ala' inAl-Mizan , Abu Hatim says the following about him: "He is one of the seniors of the Shi’as." In spite of this, Abu Dawud and al-Tirmithi have relied on his authority. Ma’in trusts him. Both Abu Hatim and Abu Zar’ah say that there is nothing wrong with his hadith.

Refer to hishadith in both al-Tirmithi's and Abu Dawud'ssahih books from Yazid ibn Abu Maryam and al-Hakam ibn ‘Utaybah, in addition to all Sunni musnads. Abu Na’im and Yahya ibn Bakir quote him, and so do many of their peers. He must be distinguished from Al’ala' ibn Abul-’Abbas, the Meccan poet. The latter is a Sufyani shaykh.

Hishadith is reported by Abul-Tufayl. He is in a higher rank than Abul-’ala' ibn Salih; the latter is a Kufian, while the poet is Meccan. Both are mentioned in al-Thahbi'sAl-Mizan , where the author inaccurately quotes a statement pertaining to their being Shi’a seniors. Al’ala' the poet has composed poetry in praise of the Commander of the Faithful (as) which serves as irrefutable proof of his dedication and also highlights the truth about the Imam. He has also several poetic eulogies appreciated by Allah, His Messenger, and the believers.

60. ‘Alqamah ibn Qays ibn ‘Abdullah al-Nakh’i, Abu Shibil

He is uncle of al-Aswad and Ibrahim, sons of Yazid. He is also a follower of the Progeny of Muhammad (pbuh). Al-Shahristani, in his Al-Milal wal-Nihal, has included him among Shi’a nobility. He is master among the traditionists mentioned by Abu Ishaq al-Jawzjani who spitefully says, "There has been a group of people among the residents of Kufa whose sect [of Shi’ism is not appreciated; they are the masters among Kufi traditionists."

‘Alqamah and his brother ‘Ali have been companions of ‘Ali (as). They have both participated in Siffin where ‘Ali was martyred. The latter used to be called "Abul-Salat" (man of the prayers) due to his quite frequent prayers. ‘Alqamah drenched his sword with the blood of the oppressive gang. His foot slid, yet he continued to wagejihad in the way of Allah, remaining an enemy of Mu’awiyah till his death.

Abu Bardah included ‘Alqamah's name among the emissary to Mu’awiyah during the latter's reign, but ‘Alqamah objected and even wrote to Abu Bardah saying: "Please remove my name (from the list); please do remove it." This is recorded by Ibn Sa’d in his biography of ‘Alqamah on page 57, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat .

‘Alqamah's fair mindedness and prestige among Sunnis is undisputed in spite of their knowledge of his Shi’a beliefs. Authors of the sixsahih books, as well as others, have all relied on his authority. Refer to hishadith in Muslim and Bukhari from Ibn Mas’ud, Abul-Darda'ah and ‘Ayesha. Hishadith about ‘Uthman and Abu Mas’ud is recorded in Muslim's Sahih.

In bothsahih books, hishadith is narrated by his nephew Ibrahim al-Nakh’i. In Muslim's Sahih, hishadith is transmitted by ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Yazid, Ibrahim ibn Yazid, and al-Sha’bi. He died, may Allah have mercy on his soul, in 62 A.H. in Kufa.

61. ‘Ali ibn Badimah

Al-Thahbi mentions him in hisAl-Mizan quoting Ahmad ibn Hanbal saying, "He has reported authenticahadith ," that he is a pioneer of Shi’ism, that Ibn Ma’in has trusted him, that he narrateshadith from Makrimah and others, and that both Shu’bah and Mu’ammar have learnedhadith from him. He marks his name to indicate that the authors ofsunan have all quoted his hadith.

62. ‘Ali ibn al-Ja’d

He is Abul-Hasan al-Jawhari al-Baghdadi, a slave of Banu Hashim. One of al-Bukhari's mentors, he is included by Qutaybah among notable Shi’as in his bookAl-Ma’arif . His biography inAl-Mizan indicates that for sixty years, ‘Ali used to fast every other day. Al-Qaysarani mentions him in his book Al-Jami’ Bayna Rijalul Sahihain, stating that al-Bukhari alone has narrated twelve thousandahadith reported by ‘Ali ibn al-Ja’d. He died in 203 at the age of 96.

63. ‘Ali ibn Zaid

His full name is ‘Ali ibn Zaid ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Zuhayr ibn Abu Malika ibn Jad’an Abul-Hasan al-Qarashi al-Taymi al-Basri. Ahmad al-’Ajli has mentioned him saying that the man follows the Shi’a School of Muslim Law.

Yazid ibn Zari’ has said that ‘Ali ibn Yazid has been a Rafidi. In spite of all this, the learned scholars among thetabi’in , such as Shu’bah, ‘Abdul-Warith, and many of their peers, have all quoted his hadith. He is one of the three jurists for whom Basrah has acquired fame, the others are Qatadah and 'Ash’ath al-Hadani. They were all blind. When al-Hasan al-Basri died, they suggested to ‘Ali to take his place due to his accomplishments. He was so prestigious that only renown dignitaries were his companions, something not too many Shi’as could enjoy during those days.

Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in hisAl-Mizan stating the above facts about him. In his book Al-Jami’ Bayna Rijalul Sahihain, al-Qaysarani states his biography and says that Muslim has quoted hishadith as reported by Thabit al-Banani, and that he has learned aboutjihad from Anas ibn Malik. He died, may Allah have mercy on him, in 131 A.H.

64. ‘Ali ibn Salih

He is brother of al-Hasan ibn Salih. We have already said a word about his virtues when we recounted the biography of his brother al-Hasan. He is one of the early Shi’a scholars, just like his brother. In his chapter on sales, Muslim relies on his authority.

‘Ali ibn Salih has reportedhadith from Salameh ibn Kahil, while Waki’ has quoted him; they, too, are both Shi’as. He was born, may Allah be merciful unto his soul, and his twin brother al-Hasan, in 100 A.H., and he died in 151 A.H.

65. ‘Ali ibn Ghurab Abu Yahya al-Fazari al-Kufi

Ibn Hayyan has described him as "an extremist Shi’a." Probably for this reason, al-Jawzjani drops him completely. Abu Dawud has said that ‘Ali'shadith has been rejected, while both Ibn Ma’in and Dar Qutni trust him. Abu Hatim has said that there is nothing wrong with his hadith. Abu Zar’ah says he considers him truthful.

Ahmad ibn Hanbal says, "I find him quite truthful." Ibn Ma’in describes him as "the poor man, the man of the truth," while al-Thahbi mentions him in hisAl-Mizan quoting both pros and cons regarding hishadith as mentioned above, and marking his name with SQ to identify which authors of thesunan rely on his authority. He reportshadith from Hisham ibn ‘Urwah and ‘Ubaydullah ibn ‘Umar.

On page 273, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat , Ibn Sa’d says the following about him: "Isma’il ibn Raja' quotes hishadith regarding what al-A’mash had said about ‘Uthman." He died, may Allah have mercy on his soul, in Kufa in early Rabi’ul-Awwal 184, during Harun's regime.

66. ‘Ali ibn Qadim Abul-Hasan al-Khuza’i al-Kufi

He is mentor of Ahmad ibn al-Furat, Ya’qub al-Faswi and a group of their peers who have all learnedhadith from him and relied on his authority. Ibn Sa’d mentions him on page 282, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat and describes him as an "extremist Shi’a." Probably for this reason alone that Yahya regards hishadith as "weak." Abu Hatim says that he is truthful.

Al-Thahbi mentions him in hisAl-Mizan , quoting the above stated views about him, and marking his name to indicate that Abu Dawud and al-Tirmithi have both quoted his hadith. Hishadith is recorded in their books from Sa’id ibn Abu ‘Urwah and Qatar. He died, may Allah be merciful unto his soul, in 213 A.H. during al-Ma'mun's regime.

67. ‘Ali ibn al-Munthir al-Tara'ifi

He is professor of al-Tirmithi, al-Nisa'i, Ibn Sa’id, ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Abu Hatim, and other peers who have all learnedhadith from him and relied on his authority. Al-Thahbi mentions him in hisAl-Mizan , marking his name with TSQ as an indication of which authors of thesunan quote his hadith. He quotes the following from al-Nisa'i: "‘Ali ibn al-Munthir is a staunch Shi’a, very trustworthy."

He states that Ibn Hatim has said that the man is truthful and trustworthy, and that he reportshadith from Fudayl, Ibn ‘Ayinah and al-Walid ibn Muslim. Al-Nisa'i testifies to the fact that he is "a staunch Shi’a," and that he relies on hishadith which is recorded in bothsahih books. This, indeed, provides food for thought for those who cast doubt about his reliability. Al-Munthir, may Allah be merciful unto his soul, died in 256 A.H.

68. ‘Ali ibn al-Hashim ibn al-Barid Abul-Hasan al-Kufi al-Khazzaz al-’Aithi

He is one of Imam Ahmad's mentors. Abu Dawud mentions him and describes him as a "well-ascertained Shi’a." Ibn Haban says that he is an "Shi’a extremist." Ja’far ibn Aban says, "I have heard Ibn Namir say that ‘Ali ibn Hashim is extremist in his Shi’a beliefs." Al-Bukhari has said that both ‘Ali ibn Hashim and his father are over-zealous in their Shi’a beliefs.

Probably for this reason, al-Bukhari has rejected his hadith, but all other five authors of thesahih books have relied on his authority. Ibn Ma’in and others have trusted him, while Abu Dawud has included him among the most reliable traditionists. Abu Zar’ah has said that he is truthful, and al-Nisa'i has stated that there is nothing wrong with his hadith. Al-Thahbi mentions him in hisAl-Mizan , quoting what we have already cited above.

Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi, in a chapter dealing with ‘Ali's character in his own Tarikh (history), Vol. 12, page 116, quotes Muhammad ibn Sulayman al-Baghindi saying that ‘Ali ibn Hashim ibn al-Barid is truthful, a man who used to follow Shi’ism. He also quotes Muhammad ibn ‘Ali al-Ajiri saying: "Once I asked Abu Dawud about ‘Ali ibn Hashim ibn al-Barid. He suggested that I should ask ‘Isa ibn Yunus. The latter has said: ‘He belongs to those who call for Shi’ism.'" All of this is true. He also quotes al-Jawzjani saying that Hisham ibn al-Barid and his son ‘Ali ibn Hashim are extremist in their "corrupt sect."

In spite of all this, authors of fivesahih books rely on ‘Ali ibn Hashim. Refer to hishadith about marriage in Muslim'sSahih as reported by Hisham ibn ‘Urwah, and in his chapter dealing with seeking permission as transmitted from Talha ibn Yahya. Hishadith in Muslim'sSahih is transmitted by Abu Mu’ammar Isma’il ibn Ibrahim and ‘Abdullah ibn Aban. Ahmad ibn Hanbal, too, has reported his hadith, in addition to both sons of Shaybah, and a group of their class of reporters whose mentor was none other than ‘Ali ibn Hashim. Al-Thahbi says, "He died, may Allah have mercy on his soul, in 181 A.H.," adding, "His death is probably the earliest of those of Imam Ahmad's mentors."

69. ‘Ammar ibn Zurayq al-Kufi

Al-Sulaymani calls him "Rafidi," as al-Thahbi states while discussing ‘Ammar in his Al-Mizan. In spite of this allegation, Muslim, Abu Dawud and al-Nisa'i rely on his authority. Refer to hishadith in Muslim'sSahih as transmitted by al-A’mash, Abu Ishaq al-Subai’i, Mansur, and ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Isa. Hishadith is reported in Muslim'sSahih by Abul-Jawab, Abul-Hawas Salam, Ibn Ahmad al-Zubayri, and Yahya ibn Adam.

70. ‘Ammar ibn Mu’awiyah, or Ibn Abu Mu’awiyah

He is also called Khabab, or Ibn Salih al-Dihni al-Bijli al-Kufi, Abu Mu’awiyah. He is one of the Shi’a heroes who suffered a great deal of persecution while defending Muhammad's Progeny (as), so much so that Bishr ibn Marwan cut off his hamstrings only because he was a Shi’a. He is mentor of both Sufyans, in addition to Shu’bah, Sharik, and al-’Abar, who have all learnedhadith from him and relied on his authority. Ahmad, Ibn Ma’in, Abu Hatim and other people have also relied on his authority. Muslim and four authors ofsunan have quoted his hadith. A

l-Thahbi has included his biography in his ownAl-Mizan and quoted the views stated above regarding his being a Shi’a and a trustworthy traditionist, adding that nobody had spoken ill of him except al-’Aqili, and that there was no fault in him other than his being a Shi’a. Refer to hishadith about the pilgrimage in Muslim'sSahih from Abul-Zubayr. He died in 133; may Allah have mercy on his oul.

71. ‘Amr ibn ‘Abdullah Abu Issaq al-Subai’i al-Hamadani al-Kufi

He is Shi’a according to Ibn Qutaybah'sMa’arif , and Shahristani's Al-Milal wal Nihal. He was one of the masters of traditionists whose sect, in its roots and branches, the Nasibis do not appreciate due to the fact that Shi’as have followed in the footsteps of Ahl al-Bayt, deriving their method of worship from their own leadership in all religious matters.

For this reason, al-Jawzjani has said in his biography of Zubayd inAl-Mizan : "Among the residents of Kufa, there is a group whose sect is not appreciated; they are the chiefs of Kufi traditionists such as Abu Ishaq, Mansur, Zubayd al-Yami, al-A’mash and other peers. People have tolerated them because of being truthful in narrating hadith, without adding aught of their own thereto."

Among what the Nasibis have rejected of Abu Ishaq'shadith is this one:

"‘As the author ofAl-Mizan indicates, Amr ibn Isma’il has quoted Abu Issaq saying that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) has said, ‘Ali is like a tree whose root I am, and whose branches are ‘Ali, whose fruit are al-Hasan and al-Husayn, whose leaves are the Shi’as.'"

In fact, al-Mughirah's statement "nobody caused the Kufis to perish except Abu Ishaq and al-A’mash" is uncalled for except for the fact that these men are Shi’as and are loyal to Muhammad's progeny (as). They have become custodians of allahadith pertaining to the attributes of the latter, peace be upon them. They were oceans of knowledge, and they followed Allah's commandments.

They are relied upon by the authors of all sixsahih books and by others. Refer to Abu Ishaq'shadith in bothsahih books from al-Bara' ibn ‘Azib, Yazid ibn Arqam, Harithah ibn Wahab, Sulayman ibn Sard, al-Nu’man ibn Bashir, ‘Abdullah ibn Yazid al-Khadmi, and ‘Amr ibn Maymun.

He is quoted in bothsahih books by Shu’bah, al-Thawri, Zuhayr, and by his grandson Yusuf ibn Ishaq ibn Abu Ishaq. Ibn Khallikan says in ‘Amr's biography in Al-Wafiyyat that ‘Amr was born three years before ‘Uthman took charge of ruling the Muslims, and that he died either in 127 or in 128, or in 129, whereas both Yahya ibn Ma’in and al-Mada'ini say that he died in 132, and Allah knows best.

72. ‘Awf ibn Abu Jamila al-Basri, Abu Sahl

He is well known as "al-A’rabi" [the bedouin], although his origin is really not from the desert. Al-Thahbi mentions him in hisAl-Mizan and says that "He is also called ‘Awf the Truthful, while some say that he follows Shi’ism; despite that, a group of scholars has trusted him." He also quotes Ja’far ibn Sulayman describing him as Shi’a and quotes Bandar calling him "Rafidi."

Ibn Qutaybah has included him in his ownAl-Ma’arif among Shi’a dignitaries. He has taughthadith to Ruh, Hawdah, Shu’bah, al-Nadr ibn Shamil, ‘Uthman ibn al-Haytham and many others of their calibre. Authors of the sixsahih books as well as others have all relied on his authority. Refer to hishadith in Bukhari'sSahih from al-Hasan and Sa’id, sons of al-Hasan al-Basri, Muhammad ibn Sirin and Siyar ibn Salamah. Hishadith in Muslim'sSahih is transmitted by Al-Nadr ibn Shamil. Hishadith from Abu Raji' al-’Ataridi exists in bothsahihs . He died, may Allah have mercy on him, in 146 A.H.

73. Al-Fadl ibn Dakin

His real name is ‘Amr ibn Hammad ibn Zuhayr al-Malla'i al-Kufi, and he is well known by Abu Na’im. He is al-Bukhari's mentor, as the latter admits in his own Sahih. A group of elite scholars, like Ibn Qutaybah in hisAl-Ma’arif , has included him among Shi’a dignitaries.

Al-Thahbi mentions him in hisAl-Mizan and says: "I have heard ibn Ma’in saying: ‘If a man's name is mentioned in the presence of Abu Na’im and he calls him a good person and praises him, then rest assured that that person is a Shi’a; whereas if he labels someone as Murji', then rest assured that he is a good Sunni.'" Al-Thahbi says that this statement proves that Yahya ibn Ma’in inclines towards believing in the Return. It also proves that the man considers al-Fadl as a very staunch Shi’a.

In his biography of Khalid ibn Mukhlid in hisAl-Mizan , al-Thahbi quotes al-Jawzjani saying that Abu Na’im follows the Kufi sect, i.e. Shi’ism. To sum up, the fact that al-Fadl ibn Dakin is a Shi’a has never been disputed. Nevertheless, all authors of the sixsahih books rely on him. Refer to hishadith in Bukhari'sSahih from Humam ibn Yahya, ‘Abdul-’Aziz ibn Abu Salamah, Zakariyyah ibn Abu Za'idah, Hisham al-Distwa'i, al-A’mash, Misar, al-Thawri, Malik, Ibn ‘Ayinah, Shaybah, and Zuhayr.

Hishadith in Muslim is transmitted by Saif ibn Abu Sulayman, Isma’il ibn Muslim, Abu ‘Asim Muhammad ibn Ayyub al-Thaqafi, Abul Amis, Musa ibn ‘Ali, Abu Shihab Musa ibn Nafi’, Sufyan, Hisham ibn Sa’d, ‘Abdul-Wahid ibn Ayman, and Isra'il. Al-Bukhari quotes him directly, while Muslim quotes hishadith as transmitted by Hajjaj ibn al-Sha’ir, ‘Abd ibn Hamid, Ibn Abu Shaybah, Abu Sa’d al-Ashajj, Ibn Namir, ‘Abdullah al-Darmi, Issaq al-Hanzali, and Zuhayr ibn Harb.

He was born in 133, and he died in Kufa on a Thursday night on the last day of Sha’ban, 210, during al-Mu’tasim's reign. Ibn Sa’d mentions him on page 279, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat , describing him as "trustworthy, reliable, a man who has narrated a great deal of hadth, and an authority therein."

74. Fadil ibn Marzuq al-Aghar al-Ruwasi al-Kufi, Abu ‘Abdul-Rahman

Al-Thahbi mentions him in his Mizan and describes him as a well-known Shi’a, quoting Sufyan ibn ‘Ayinah and Ibn Ma’in testifying to this fact. He quotes Ibn ‘Adi saying that he hopes there is nothing wrong with thehadith he narrates, then he quotes al-Haytham ibn Jamil saying that the latter once mentioned Fadl ibn Marzuq once and described him as "one of the Imams of guidance."

In his Sahih, Muslim relies on the authority of Fadil'sahadith which deals with prayers as transmitted by Shaqiq ibn ‘Uqbah, and with zakat by ‘Adi ibn Thabit. Hishadith dealing with zakat as recorded by Muslim is transmitted by Yahya ibn Adam and Abu Usamah. In thesunan , hishadith is quoted by Waki’, Yazid, Abu Na’im, ‘Ali ibn al-Ja’d and many peers. Zayd ibn al-Habab has in fact lied regarding what he attributed to him ofhadith dealing with the appointment of ‘Ali (as) as Amr by the Prophet (pbuh). He died, may Allah have mercy on him, in 158.

75. Fitr ibn Khalifah al-Hannat al-Kufi

‘Abdullah ibn Ahmad once asked his father about Fitr ibn Khalifah. He answered, "He is a reporter of authentic hadith. Hishadith reflects an attitude of a responsible person, but he also is a follower of Shi’ism." ‘Abbas has quoted Ibn Ma’in saying that Fitr ibn Khalifah is a trusted Shi’a. Ahmad has said: "Fitr ibn Khalifah is trusted by Yahya, but he is an extremist Khashbi." Probably for this reason alone, Abu Bakr ibn ‘Ayyash has said, "I have not abandoned the traditions reported by Fitr ibn Khalifah except because of his bad sect," i.e. for no fault in him other than his being a Shi’a.

Al-Jawzjani says: "Fitr ibn Khalifah has deviated from the path." During his sickness, he was heard by Ja’far al-Ahmar saying: "Nothing pleases me more than knowing that for each hair in my body there is an angel praising Allah Almighty on my behalf because of my love for Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them."

Fitr ibn Khalifah narrateshadith from Abul-Tufayl, Abu Wa'il, and Mujahid. Hishadith is quoted by Usamah, Yahya ibn Adam, Qabisah and others of the same calibre. Ahmad and others have trusted him. Murrah has said the following about him, "He is a responsible narrator ofhadith who has memorized what he narrates by heart." Ibn Sa’d says, "He is, Insha-Allah, trustworthy." Al-Thahbi discusses him in his Mizan, stating the learned scholars' views, which have already been stated above, concerning his character. Ibn Sa’d has quoted the same on page 253, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat .

When Qutaybah mentions renown Shi’as in hisMa’arif , he includes Fitr ibn Khalifah among them. Al-Bukhari has quoted Fitr'shadith as narrated by Mujahid. Al-Thawri has quoted Fitr'shadith dealing with etiquette as recorded in al-Bukhari's work. Authors of the foursunan books, as well as others, have all quoted Fitr's hadith. He died, may Allah have mercy on him, in 153 A.H.

76. Malik ibn Isma’il ibn Ziyad ibn Dirham Abu Hasan al-Kufi al-Hindi

He is one of Bukhari's mentors as stated in the latter's Sahih. Ibn Sa’d mentions him on page 282, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat . He concludes by saying that "Abu Ghassan is trustworthy, truthful, a very staunch Shi’a." Al-Thahbi mentions him in his Mizan, which proves his reliability and prestige, stating that the man has learned the teachings of the sect of Shi’ism from his mentor al-Hasan ibn Salih, that Ibn Ma’in has said that nobody in Kufa is more accurate in reportinghadith than Abu Ghassan, and that Abu satim has said: "Whenever I look at him, he seems as though he has just left his grave, with two marks of prostration stamped on his forehead."

Al-Bukhari has quoted him directly in many chapters of his Sahih. Muslim has quoted hishadith on criminal penalties in his ownSahih as transmitted by Harun ibn ‘Abdullah. Those who narrate hishadith in Bukhari are: Ibn ‘Ayinah, ‘Abdul-Aziz ibn Abu Salamah, and Isra'il. Both al-Bukhari and Muslim quote hishadith from Zuhayr ibn Mu’awiyah. He died, may Allah have mercy on him, in Kufa in 219.

77. Muhammad ibn Khazim

He is very well known as Abu Mu’awiyah al-Darir al-Tamimi al-Kufi. Al-Thahbi mentions him saying, "Muhammad ibn Khazim al-Darir is confirmed, truthful; nowhere at all have I seen hishadith as weak; I shall discuss him in my chapter on kunayat." When the author mentions him in his said chapter, he states: "Abu Mu’awiyah al-Darir is one of the most renown and trustworthy Imams of hadith," and he goes on to say: "Al-Hakim has said that both Shaykhs rely on his authority, and he is famous for being an extremist Shi’a."

All authors of the sixsahihs have relied on his authority. Al-Thahbi has marked his name with "A" to indicate that all traditionists rely on his authority. Refer to hishadith in Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahihs from al-A’mash and Hisham ibn ‘Urwah. Muslim'sSahih contains otherahadith he has narrated through other trusted reporters. In Bukhari's Sahih, hishadith is reported by ‘Ali ibn al-Madini, Muhammad ibn Salam, Yusuf ibn ‘Isa, Qutaybah, and Musaddad. In Muslim's Sahih, he is quoted by Sa’d al-Wasiti, Sa’d ibn Mansur, ‘Amr al-Naqid, Ahmad ibn Sinan, Ibn Namir, Issaq al-Hanzali, Abu Bakr ibn Abu Shaybah, Abu Karib, Yahya ibn Yahya, and Zuhayr. Musa al-Zaman has reported hishadith in bothsahihs . Muhammad ibn Khazim was born in 113, and he died in 195; may Allah be merciful unto him.

78. Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah al-Dabi al-Tahani al-Nisaburi, Abu ‘Abdullah al-Hakim

He is an Imam of huffaz, those who memorize the entirety of the holy Qur'an andhadith by heart, and author of about one thousand books. He toured the lands seeking knowledge and learninghadith from about two thousand mentors. He may be compared with the most renown scholars of his time such as al-Sa’luki.

Imam ibn Furk and all other Imams consider his status to be superior even to their own. They appreciate him and his contributions; they cherish his name and reputation, without doubting his mastership at all. All learned Sunni scholars who could not achieve as much as he did envy him. He is one of the Shi’a heroes, a protector of the Islamic Shari’a.

The author ofAl-Mizan narrates his biography and describes him as "a truthful Imam, a very renown Shi’a." He quotes Ibn Tahir saying: "I once asked Abu Isma’il ‘Abdullah al-Ansari about al-Hakim Abu Abdullah. He said: ‘He is an Imam in hadith, a wretched Rafidi.'" Al-Thahbi has recounted a few of his interesting statements such as his saying that the Chosen One (pbuh) came to the world circumcised, with a smile on his face, and that ‘Ali (as) is a wasi.

The author adds the following: "His being truthful and knowledgeable of what he reports is a unanimously accepted fact." He was born in Rabi’ al-Awwal of 321, and he died in Safar of 405, may Allah have mercy on his soul.

79. Muhammad ibn ‘Ubaydullah ibn Abu Rafi’ al-Madani

He, Abu ‘Ubaydullah, his brothers al-Fadl and ‘Abdullah sons of ‘Ubaydullah, his grandfather Abu Rafi’, his uncles Rafi’, al-Hasan, al-Mughirah, ‘Ali, and their sons as well as grandsons, are all among good Shi’a ancestors. The books they have authored testify to the depth of their Shi’a conviction, as we have mentioned in Section 2, Chapter 12, of our book Al-Fusul al-Muhimmah.

Ibn ‘Uday mentions Muhammad ibn ‘Ubaydullah ibn Abu Rafi’ al-Madani, adding, at the conclusion of his biography in the Mizan, that the man is among Kufi Shi’as. When al-Thahbi states his biography in his own Mizan, he marks it with TQ as an indication of which authors of thesunan books quote hishadith (i.e. Tirmithi and Dar Qutni). He also mentions that he quotes his father and grandfather, and that Mandil and ‘Ali ibn Hashim quote his hadith. Hishadith is also quoted by Haban ibn ‘Ali, Yahya ibn Ya’li and others.

Muhammad ibn ‘Ubaydullah ibn Abu Rafi’ al-Madani may have also reportedhadith from his brother ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Ubaydullah who is well known as a traditionist by researchers of hadith. Al-Tabarani in his Al-Mu’jam al-Kabir has relied on the authority of Muhammad ibn ‘Ubaydullah ibn Abu Rafi’ al-Madani who quotes his father and grandfather saying that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) has said to ‘Ali (as), "The first to enter Paradise will be I and you, then al-Hasan and al-Husayn, with our progeny behind us, and our Shi’as on our right and left."

80. Muhammad ibn Fudayl ibn Ghazwan Abu ‘Abdul-Rahman al-Kufi

Ibn Qutaybah has included him among Shi’a dignitaries in his workAl-Ma’arif , and Ibn Sa’d has mentioned him on page 271, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat , saying, "He is a trustworthy and reliable traditionist who as reported a great deal of hadith; he also is a Shi’a, and some scholars [for this reason] do not rely on his authority." Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in his chapter containing those well-known because of their fathers' reputation at the conclusion of his Mizan, describing him as a truthful Shi’a.

He also mentions him in his chapter containing those whose first name is Muhammad, describing him as "a man of truth and fame," adding that Ahmad has described him as a Shi’a whosehadith is authentic, and that Abu Dawud has described him as a "Shi’a by profession" (!), adding that he was a man ofhadith and knowledge, that he learned the Qur'an from Hamzah, that he has written nUmarous books, and that Ibn Ma’in has trusted him and Ahmad spoken well of him. Al-Nisa'i has said that there is nothing wrong with his hadith.

Authors of the sixsahih books, as well as many others, have relied on his authority. Refer to hishadith in Bukhari as transmitted by Muhammad ibn Namir, Ishaq al-Hanzali, Ibn Abu Shaybah, Muhammad ibn Salam, Qutaybah, ‘Umran ibn Maysarah, and ‘Amr ibn ‘Ali. Hishadith is transmitted in Bukhari by ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amir, Abu Karib, Muhammad ibn Tarf, Wasil ibn ‘Abd al-A’la, Zuhayr, Abu Sa’d al-Ashajj, Muhammad ibn Yazid, Muhammad ibn al-Muthanna, Ahmad al-Wak’i, and ‘Abdul-’Aziz ibn ‘Umar ibn Aban. He died, may Allah have mercy on him, in Kufa in 194 or 195 A.H.

81. Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn al-Ta'ifi

He was one of the most disginguished companions of Imam Abu ‘Abdullah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him. Shaykh al-Ta'ifa Abu Ja’far al-Tusi has mentioned him in his book Rijal al-Shi’a, and al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali ibn Dawud has included him in his chapter on the most trustworthy traditionists in his book Al-Mukhtasar. Al-Thahbi includes his biography and quotes Yahya ibn Ma’in and others who say that the man is truthful.

He adds saying that al-Qa’nabi, Yahya ibn Yahya, and Qutaybah have all transmitted his traditions, and that ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Mahdi once mentioned Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn al-Ta'ifi and said: "His books [of traditions] are all authentic," and that Ma’ruf ibn Wasil said: "I saw Sufyan al-Thawri once accompanied by Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn al-Ta'ifi who was writing down his hadith."

Yet those who have labelled hishadith as "weak" have done so only on the grounds of his being a Shi’a, although their prejudice has not at all harmed him. Hishadith from ‘Amr ibn Dinar about ablution exists in Muslim's Sahih. According to Ibn Sa’d'sTabaqat , as stated on page 381, Vol. 5, hishadith is quoted by Waki’ ibn al-Jarrah and one hundred others. In that year, his name-sake Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn Jummaz died in Medina. Ibn Sa’d has included both of their biographies in Vol. 5 of hisTabaqat .

82. Muhammad ibn Musa ibn ‘Abdullah al-Qatari al-Madani

Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in his Mizan quoting Abu Hatim testifying to his being a Shi’a. He also quotes al-Tirmithi saying that the man is trustworthy, and he even marks his name with the initials of Muslim and the authors ofsunan as an indication of their reliance on his authority. Refer to hishadith about foods in Muslim'sSahih transmitted from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Abu Talha. He is also quoted by al-Maqbari and a group of his peers. Others who have quoted hishadith are: Ibn Abu Fadik, Ibn Mahdi, Qutaybah, and others of their intellectual calibre.

83. Mu’awiyah ibn ‘Ammar al-Dihni al-Bajli al-Kufi

He is among our highly respected and revered Shi’as, prestigious and trustworthy. His father ‘Ammar is a good example for perseverence and persistence in adhering to the principles of justice, a model Allah has brought forth for those who are patient while suffering for His Cause. A few tyrants cut off his hamstrings because of being a Shi’a, as we have indicated above, without succeeding in swaying him, till he left this world to receive his rewards.

His son Mu’awiyah was meted the same treatment, and the father is but a model for the son. He has accompanied Imams al-Sadiq and al-Kazim, peace be upon them, and learned from them a great deal. He has authored many books - as indicated above - and he is quoted by Shi’a reporters such as Ibn Abu ‘Umayr and others. Muslim and al-Nisa'i have relied on his authority. Hishadith about hajj is quoted in Muslim'sSahih by al-Zubayr.

In Muslim, he is quoted by both Yahya ibn Yahya and Qutaybah. He has also narratedhadith from his father ‘Ammar, and from a group of his peers, and suchahadith exist in Sunni musnads. He died, may Allah have mercy on him, in 175 A.H.

84. Ma’ruf ibn Kharbuth al-Karkhi

Al-Thahbi describes him111 in his Mizan as "a truthful Shi’a," marking his name with the initials of al-Bukhari, Muslim, and Abu Dawud to indicate that they all quote his hadith. He also quotes Abul Tufayl saying that Ma’ruf narrates a fewahadith . Hishadith is narrated by Abu ‘Asim, Abu Dawud, ‘Ubaydullah ibn Musa and others. He also quotes Abu Hatim saying that the latter writes down his hadith.

Ibn Khallikan mentions him in his Wafiyyat and describes him as one of the servants of ‘Ali ibn Musa al-Rida, peace be upon him. He goes on to praise him, quoting a statement of his in which he says, "I have come unto the Almighty Allah, leaving everything behind me, with the exception of serving my master ‘Ali ibn Musa al-Rida, peace be upon him."

When Ibn Qutaybah discusses a few Shi’a notables in his workAl-Ma’arif, he includes Ma’ruf ibn Kharbuth among them. Muslim has relied on the authority of Ma’ruf ibn Kharbuth; refer to hishadith about hajj in hissahih from Abul Tufayl. He died in Baghdad in 200 A.H.;112 his grave-site is now a mausoleum. Sirri al-Saqti was one of his students.

85. Mansur ibn al-Mu’tamir ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Rabi’ah al-Salami al-Kufi

He is one of the companions of Imams al-Baqir and al-Sadiq (as), and he has narratedhadith from them, as the author of Muntahal Maqal fi Ahwal al-Rijal states. Ibn Qutaybah includes him among Shi’a nobility in his bookAl-Ma’arif . Al-Jawzjani has included him among the narrators "whose sect is not appreciated by [certain] people" in the roots and branches of religion, due to their adherence to what they have learned from Muhammad's progeny (as).

Says he: "Among the people of Kufa there is a group whose sect is not appreciated; these are chiefs of Kufa's traditionists such as Abu Ishaq, Mansur, Zubayd al-Yami, al-A’mash and other peers. People have tolerated them just because they are truthful in narrating hadith."113 Why do they bear so much grudge against these truthful men? Is it because of their upholding the Two Weighty Things? Or their embarking upon the Ark of Salvation? Or their entring into the city of the Prophet's knowledge through its Gate, the Gate of Repentance? Or is it their seeking refuge with the "Refuge of all the world"? Or is it their obedience to the Prophet's will to be kind unto his descendants? Or is it their heart's submission to Allah and their weeping for fear of Him, as is well known about them?

Stating the biography of Mansur ibn al-Mu’tamir ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Rabi’ah, Ibn Sa’d says the following about Mansur on page 235 of Vol. 6 of hisTabaqat : "He has lost his eye-sight because of excessive weeping for fear of Allah. He used to carry a handkerchief for the purpose of drying his tears. Some allege that he fasted and prayed for sixty years." Can a man of such qualities be a burden on people? No, indeed, but we have been inflicted by some people who do not know what fairness is; so, we are Allah's, and unto Him is our return.

In his biography of Mansur ibn al-Mu’tamir ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Rabi’ah, Ibn Sa’d also quotes Hammad ibn Zayd saying, "I have seen Mansur in Mecca, and I think he belongs to those Khashbis, yet I do not think that he tells a lie when he quotes hadith."

Behold the underestimation, grudge, contempt and manifest enmity this statement bears. How surprised I am when I consider his statement: "I do not think that he tells lies..." As if telling lies is one of the practices of those who are sincere to Muhammad's progeny. As if Mansur alone is truthful, rather than all other Shi’a traditionists. Name-calling... As if the Nasibis could not find a name whereby they can call the Shi’as other than misnomers such as Khashbis, Turabis, Rafidis, etc. As if they have never heard the Almighty's Commandment:

"And do not exchange bad names; what an evil it is to use a bad name after having accepted faith (Qur'an, 49:11)."

Ibn Qutaybah has mentioned the "Khashbis" in his bookAl-Ma’arif and said: "These are Rafidis. Ibrahim al-Ashtar met ‘Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad in the battle-field. Most of Ibrahim's men had guaiacum wood panels; therefore, they were labelled ‘khashbis,' men associated with paneling, out of scorn." In fact, they called them so just to humiliate them and look down upon them and their wooden weapons with which they were able to beat Ibn Marjanah, predecessor of the Nasibis, thus annihilating those heretics, murderers of Muhammad's progeny.

"Allah has cut off the tail of those who committed injustice; all praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds (Qur'an, 6:45)."

There is no harm, therefore, in this noble name, nor is there any harm in its synonyms like Turabis, after Abu Turab (Imam ‘Ali, as); we are proud of it.

We have digressed. Let us go back to our main topic and state that it is the consensus of traditionists to rely on Mansur. For this reason, all authors of the sixsahih books, as well as others, rely on his authority, knowing that he is Shi’a. Refer to hishadith in Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahihs from Abu Wa'il, Abul Duha, Ibrahim al-Nakh’i and other peers.

He quotes Shu’bah, al-Thawri, Ibn ‘Ayinah, Hammad ibn Zayd and others who are the most distinguished of that class of reporters of hadith. Ibn Sa’d has said that Mansur's death took place at the end of the year 132, adding, "He is a trusted authority who has reported a great deal of hadith; he is a man of sublime prestige; may Allah have mercy on him."

86. Al-Minhal ibn ‘Amr al-Kufi, the tabi’i

He is one of the renown Shi’as of Kufa. For this reason, al-Jawzjani has categorized hishadith as "weak," describing him as a "follower of the bad sect." Ibn Hazm has spoken ill of him in the same manner, and Yahya ibn Sa’d, too, chews his name. Ahmad ibn Hanbal states contrariwise. He says: "Abu Bishr is more dear to me than a sweet cool fountain, and he is more reliable than others."

In spite of being a staunch Shi’a, stating so in public even during the time of al-Mukhtar, he is not doubted by scholars regarding the accuracy of his hadith. He is quoted by Shu’bah, al-Mas’udi, al-Hajjaj ibn Arta'ah, and many peers of their intellectual calibre. He is trusted by Ibn Ma’in, Ahmad al-’Ijli and others. In his Mizan, al-Thahbi quotes their assessment of the man as we have stated above, marking his name with the initials of Bukhari and Muslim as an indication that they both consider hishadith reliable.

Refer to hishadith in Bukhari'sSahih from Sa’id ibn Jubayr. In Bukhari's Sahih, in the author's section on Tafsir, hishadith is transmitted by Zayd ibn Abu Anisa. Al-Mansur ibn al-Mu’tamir has quoted him in a chapter on prophets.

87. Musa ibn Qays al-Hadrami, Abu Muhammad

Al-’Aqili describes him as an "extremist Rafidi." Once, Sufyan asked him about Abu Bakr. He answered: "‘Ali is more dear to me." Musa ibn Qays reportshadith from Salamah ibn Kahil, Iyad ibn Iyad, ending with Malik ibn Ja’na reporting that "I heard Umm Salamah saying that ‘Ali is with the truth; whoever follows him is a follower of the truth, and whoever abandons him certainly abandons the truth; this is decreed." This has been narrated by Abu Na’im al-Fadl ibn Dakin from Musa ibn Qays. Musa ibn Qays has reportedhadith praising Ahl al-Bayt in volumes which angered al-’Aqili who said to him what he said. Ibn Ma’in has trusted and relied on him.

Abu Dawud and Sa’d ibn Mansur have both relied on his authority in their respectivesunan . Al-Thahbi has included his biography in his own Mizan, stating about him what we have already stated above. Refer to hishadith in thesunan from Salamah ibn Kahil and Hajar ibn ‘Anbasah. Hishadith is transmitted by Dakin, ‘Ubaydullah ibn Musa and other reliable authorities. He died, may Allah have mercy on him, during the reign of al-Mansur.

88. Naif’ ibn al-Harith Abu Dawud al-Nakh’i al-Kufi al-Hamadani al-Subay’i

Al-’Aqili described him as being an "extremist Rafidi." Al-Bukhari says: "People speak ill of him [because of being a Shi’a]." Sufyan, Hamam, Sharik and a group of the most renown scholars of such calibre have all quoted him. Al-Tirmithi relies on him in his own sahih. Authors of musnads have all recorded his hadith. Refer to hishadith in Tirmithi and others from Anas ibn Malik, Ibn ‘Abbas, ‘Umran ibn Hasin and Zayd ibn Arqam. Al-Thahbi has included his biography and stated what we have already said above.

89. Nuh ibn Qays ibn Rabah al-Hadani

He is also known as al-Tahi al-Basri. Al-Thahbi mentions him in his Mizan, describing hishadith as authentic, adding that Ahmad and Ibn Ma’in trust him. He also quotes Abu Dawud saying that the man is a Shi’a. Al-Nisa'i has said that there is nothing wrong with his hadith, putting on his name the initials of Muslim and authors of thesunan as an indication that they all quote his hadith. In Muslim's Sahih, hisahadith about beverages are quoted by Ibn ‘Awn. Hisahadith on the dress codes exist in Muslim's Sahih, too, as narrated by his brother Khalid ibn Qays.

In Muslim, he is quoted by Nasr ibn ‘Ali. In works other than Muslim's, hishadith is quoted by al-Ash’ath and by many others of his calibre. Nuh ibn Qays ibn Rabah reports from Ayyub, ‘Amr ibn Malik and a group of other men.

90. Harun ibn Sa’d al-’Ijli al-Kufi

Al-Thahbi mentions him and puts Muslim's initial on his name as an indication that the latter quotes him, then he describes him as "truthful in his own right," but he also calls him "a hated Rafidi" who narrates from ‘Abbas from Ibn Ma’in that he is an extremist Shi’a. He has learnedhadith from ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Abu Sa’id al-Khudri, who in turn quotes Muhammad ibn Abu Hafs al-’Attar, al-Mas’udi, and Hasan ibn Hayy. Abu Hatim says that there is nothing wrong with his hadith. I remember one of hisahadith which describes Hell-fire; it is recorded in Muslim'sSahih as narrated by al-Hasan ibn Salih from Harun ibn Sa’d al-’Ijli, from Salman.

91. Hashim ibn al-Barid ibn Zayd Abu ‘Ali al-Kufi

Al-Thahbi mentions him and puts the initials of Abu Dawud and al-Nisa'i on his name to indicate that he is one of their authorities, quoting Ibn Ma’in and others testifying to his being trustworthy, in addition to his own testimony to being a "Rafidi." He quotes Ahmad saying that there is nothing wrong with his hadith. Hashim narrateshadith from Zayd ibn ‘Ali and Muslim al-Batin, and he is quoted by al-Kharibi and his son ‘Ali ibn Hashim, to whom we referred above, in addition to a group of other renown scholars. Hashim adhered to Shi’ism, and this has been made clear when we discussed ‘Ali ibn Hashim.

92. Hubayrah ibn Maryam al-Himyari

He is one of the companions of Imam ‘Ali (as), equal only to al-Harith in his sincerity as well as companionship. Al-Thahbi mentions him and puts on his name the initials of the authors ofsunan books as a reference to his being one of the authorities of their musnads, then he quotes Ahmad saying, "There is nothing wrong with his hadith, and he is more dear to us than al-Harith." Al-Thahbi quotes Ibn Kharash describing Hubayrah as "weak; he used to assault the wounded in Siffin." Al-Jawzjani says the following about him: "He is a follower of al-Mukhtar who used to put an end to the life of those wounded in the Khazir Battle."

Al-Shahristani, in his book Al-Milal wal Nihal, has included him among Shi’a notables, a fact taken for granted by everyone. Hishadith from ‘Ali (as) is unquestioned in thesunan , and he is quoted by both Abu Ishaq and Au Fakhita."

93. Hisham ibn Ziyad Abul Miqdam al-Basri

Al-Shahristani has included him in his Al-Milal wal Nihal among Shi’a notables. Al-Thahbi mentions him twice: once under his alphabetical index, and once in his chapter on kunayat, placing a Q on his name to indicate that Dar Qutni of thesunan relies on his authority. Refer to hishadith in Tirmithi'sSahih and other works as transmitted from al-Hasan and al-Qardi. He is quoted by Shayban ibn Farukh, al-Qawariri and others.

94. Hisham ibn ‘Ammar ibn Nasr ibn Maysarah, Abu al-Walid

He is also called al-Zafri al-Dimashqi. He is one of Bukhari's mentors as the latter states in his Sahih. Ibn Qutaybah includes him among Shi’a notables when he mentions quite a few of them in his chapter on sects in Al-Ma’arif. Al-Thahbi mentions him in his Mizan, describing him as "the Imam, orator, and reciter of the Holy Qur'an of Damascus, its traditionist and scholar, a man of truth who has narrated a great deal of hadith, though he has a few [ideological] defects, etc."

Al-Bukhari quotes him directly in his chapter on "those who voluntarily grant extensions for repayment of debt" in his chapter on sales in hissahih and in other chapters with which researchers are familiar. Some of such chapters, I believe, are his books Al-Maghazi, his book on beverages, and his chapter on the attributes of the companions of the Prophet (pbuh). Hisham ibn ‘Ammar narrateshadith from Yahya ibn Hamzah, Sadaqah ibn Khalid, ‘Abdul-Hamid ibn Abul ‘Ishrin and others.

The author ofAl-Mizan says: "Many quote his hadith; they travel to his place to learn from him how to recite the Holy Qur'an and the narration of hadith. Hishadith is quoted by al-Walid ibn Muslim, one of his mentors, while he himself narrates from Abu Lahi’ah. ‘Abdan has said that there is no traditionist like him in the world, while someone else has said that Hisham is outspoken, wise, easy to comprehend, and he has acquired a great deal of knowledge."

Like other Shi’as, Hisham ibn ‘Ammar believes that the Qur'anic diction is created only by Allah Almighty. When Ahmad [ibn Hanbal] heard about this, as the author ofAl-Mizan states in his biography of Hisham ibn ‘Ammar, he responded by saying, "I have known him to be wreckless; may Allah annihilate him." Ahmad has also come across a book written by Hisham in which one of the latter's sermons says: "Praise be to Allah Who has manifested Himself unto his creatures through what He has created."

This caused Ahmad to be extremely furious, so much so that he required all those who used to pray behind Hisham to repeat their prayers. Ahmad could not see that Hisham's statement is very clear in stating that Allah is superior to being seen, glorified above those who inquire about Him with "how" or "where," appreciative of His norm of creation. His statement may be compared with one saying: "He has manifested His miracles in everything He has created," or it may even be more pertinent and fitting than the latter; but scholars of the same calibre speak of each other in the light of their own likes and dislikes, each according to his own degree of knowledge. Hisham ibn ‘Ammar was born in 153, and he died at the commencement of Muharram of 245 A.H.; may Allah have mercy on him.

95. Hashim ibn Bashir ibn al-Qasim ibn Dinar al-Wasiti, Abu Mu’awiyah

His birth-place is Balkh. His grandfather al-Qasim had moved to Wasit to engage in trade. Ibn Qutaybah includes him in hisAl-Ma’arif among Shi’a nobility. He is mentor of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal and all those of his calibre. Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in his bookAl-Mizan , marking his name with an indication that all authors of the sixsahih books rely on his authority, and describing him as one who knows the Holy Qur'an by heart. Says al-Thahbi: "He is one of the most renown scholars. He learnedhadith from al-Zuhri and Hasan ibn ‘Abdul-Rahman. Hishadith is quoted in turn by al-Qattan, Ahmad, Ya’qub al-Dawraqi, and by many others."

Refer to hishadith in Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahih books as transmitted by Hamid al-Tawil, Isma’il ibn Abu Khalid, Abu Ihaq al-Shaybani, and by others. He is quoted in both books by ‘Umar, al-Naqid, ‘Amr ibn Zararah, and Sa’id ibn Sulayman. In Bukhari, hishadith is quoted by ‘Amr ibn ‘Awf, Sa’d ibn al-Nadir, Muhammad ibn Nabahan, ‘Ali ibn al-Madini, and Qutaybah. In Muslim, he is quoted by Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Shurayh, Ya’qub al-Dawraqi, ‘Abdullah ibn Mu’it’, Yahya ibn Yahya, Sa’id ibn Mansur, Ibn Abu Shaybah, Isma’il ibn Salim, Muhammad ibn al-Sabah, Dawud ibn Rashid, Ahmad ibn Mani’, Yahya ibn Ayyub, Zuhayr ibn Harb, ‘Uthman ibn Abu Shaybah, ‘Ali ibn Hajar, and Yazid ibn Harun. He died, may Allah have mercy on him, in Baghdad in 183 A.H. at the age of 79.

96. Waki’ ibn al-Jarrah ibn Malih ibn ‘Adi

Hiskunyat is "Abu Sufyan," after his son Sufyan al-Ruwasi al-Kufi. He belongs to the tribe of Qays Ghilan. In his Ma’arif, Ibn Qutaybah includes him among Shi’a notables. In his book titled Tahthib, Ibn al-Madani has said that Waki’ adheres to Shi’ism. Marwan ibn Mu’awiyah never doubted that Waki’ was "Rafidi."

Once, Yahya ibn Ma’in visited Marwan and found him with a tablet containing statements about this person and that. Among its contents was a statement describing Waki’ as Rafidi. Ibn Ma’in said to Marwan: "Waki’ is better than you." "Better than me?!" exclaimed Marwan. Ibn Ma’in answered: "Yes, better than you." Ibn Ma’in indicates that Waki’ came to know about this dialogue and he responded by saying, "Yahya is a friend of ours."

Ahmad ibn Hanbal was asked once, "If there is a discrepancy in narratinghadith between Waki’ and Abdul-Rahman ibn Mahdi, whosehadith shall we accept?" Ahmad answered that he personally preferred ‘Abdul-Rahman'shadith for reasons which he stated. Among them was this one: "‘Abdul-Rahman never speaks in a derogatory manner about our ancestors, unlike Waki’ ibn al-Jarrah." This is supported by a statement recorded by al-Thahbi at the conclusion of his biography of al-Hasan ibn Salih wherein he says that Waki’ used to say: "Al-Hasan ibn Salih, in my view, is an Imam of hadith." Some people said to him, "But he does not invoke Allah's mercy on ‘Uthman." He said, "Do you invoke Allah's mercy upon al-Hajjaj's soul?" thus equating ‘Uthman with al-Hajjaj.

Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in his bookAl-Mizan stating the above views about him. All authors of the sixsahih books as well as others rely on his authority. Refer to hishadith in Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahih books as transmitted by al-A’mash, al-Thawri, Shu’bah, Isma’il ibn Abu Khalid, and ‘Ali ibn al-Mubarak. He is quoted in both books by Ishaq al-Hanzali and Muhammad ibn Namir. Al-Bukhari quotes hishadith as transmitted by ‘Abdullah al-Hamidi, Muhammad ibn Salam, Yahya ibn Ja’far ibn A’yan, Yahya ibn Musa, and Muhammad ibn Muqatil. In Muslim's book, he is quoted by Zuhayr, Ibn Abu Shaybah, Abu Karib, Abu Sa’d al-Ashajj, Nasr ibn ‘Ali, Sa’d ibn Azhar, Ibn Abu ‘Umar, ‘Ali ibn Kashram, ‘Uthman ibn Abu Shaybah, and Qutaybah ibn Sa’d. He died, may Allah have mercy on his soul, in Fid when he was in the company of a caravan returning from the pilgrimage, in Muharram of 197 A.H. at the age of 68.

97. Yahya ibn al-Jazzar al-’Arni al-Kufi

He is one of the companions of the Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon him. Al-Thahbi mentions him in his bookAl-Mizan and marks his name to indicate that Muslim and authors of thesunan rely on his authority, describing him as "truthful" and "trustworthy," and quoting al-Hakam ibn Atbah saying that Yahya ibn al-Jazzar is "extremist" in his Shi’a views. Ibn Sa’d has mentioned him on page 206, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat saying: "Yahya ibn al-Jazzar adheres to Shi’ism, and he goes to extremes in doing so; yet many have said that he is trustworthy, and that he narrates manyahadith ."

I have seen how Muslim'sSahih contains onehadith about prayers which he narrates from ‘Ali, and another about faith transmitted from ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Abu Layla. Al-Hakam ibn ‘Utayba and al-Hasan al-’Urfi quote hishadith in Muslim and others.

98. Yahya ibn Sa’id al-Qattan

Hiskunyat is "Abu Sa’id." He is a slave of Banu Tamim al-Basri, and he is the most renown traditionist of his time. Qutaybah has included him in his Ma’arif among Shi’a notables. Authors of the sixsahih books and others have relied on his authority. Hishadith from Hisham ibn ‘Urwah, Hamid al-Tawil, Yahya ibn Sa’id al-Ansari and others stands on solid grounds in Bukhari, Musaddad, ‘Ali ibn al-Madini and Bayan ibn ‘Amr. In Muslim's book, hishadith is transmitted by Muhammad ibn Hatim, Muhammad ibn Khalad al-Bahili, Abu Kamil Fadl ibn Husayn al-Jahdari, Muhammad al-Muqaddimi, ‘Abdullah ibn Hashim, Abu Bakr ibn Abu Shaybah, ‘Abdullah ibn Sa’d, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Ya’qub al-Dawraqi, Ahmad ibn ‘Abdah, ‘Amr ibn ‘Ali, and ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Bishr. He died, may Allah Almighty have mercy on him, in 198 A.H. at the age of 78.

99. Yazid ibn Ziyad al-Kufi, Abu ‘Abdullah

He is a slave of Banu Hashim. Al-Thahbi mentions him in his bookAl-Mizan , placing on his name the initials of Muslim and four authors ofsunan to indicate that they quote him. He cites Abu Fadl saying: "Yazid ibn Ziyad is one of the foremost Shi’a Imams." Al-Thahbi has admitted that he is one of the renown Kufi scholars. In spite of all this, many have assaulted him, preparing against him all means of belittling and charging due to the fact that, relying on Abu Barzah or maybe Abu Bardah, he has narrated onehadith stating the following: "We were in the company of the Prophet (pbuh) when some singing was heard.

Then ‘Amr ibn al-’Aas and Mu’aiyah came singing. The Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘O Mighty Lord! Involve both of these men in dissension, and hurl them in Hell-fire.'" Refer to hishadith on beverages in Muslim'sSahih from ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Abu Layla as reported from him by Sufyan ibn ‘Ayinah. He died, may Allah Almighty have mercy on him, in 136 at the age of about ninety.

100. Abu ‘Abdullah al-Jadali

Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in his chapter on kunayat, placing on his name "DT" to indicate that he is among those relied upon by both Dawud and Tirmithi in theirsahih books, then he describes him as an "abhorred Shi’a." He quotes al-Jawzjani saying that the man is the standard-bearer of al-Mukhtar. He also quotes Ahmad describing him as "trustworthy."

Al-Shahristani has included him among Shi’a dignitaries in his book Al-Milal wal Nihal. Ibn Qutaybah has included him among the most zealous of "Rafidis" in his book Al-Ma’arif. Refer to hishadith in both Tirmithi's and Abu Dawud'ssahih books as well as all Sunni musnads.

Ibn Sa’d mentions him on page 159, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat where he says that, "Abu ‘Abdullah al-Jadali is a very zealous Shi’a. Some allege that he headed al-Mukhtar's police force, and that he was sent once to ‘Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr accompanied by eight hundred men to annihilate them and support Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah against Ibn al-Zubayr's scheme."

Ibn al-Zubayr, in fact, had enforced a siege around the houses of Ibn al-Hanafiyyah and Banu Hashim, surrounding them with fire wood in preparation for burning them alive because of refusing to swear the oath of allegiance to him, but Abu ‘Abdullah al-Jadali saved them from a certain death; therefore, may Allah reward him for what he did for His Prophet's household (as).

This much concludes what we liked to count in a hurry a hundred Shi’a heroes who are authorities relied upon by the Sunnis. They are custodians of the nation's knowledge. Through them, the prophetic legacy is preserved, and they are sought by the authors of thesahih andmusnad books. We have mentioned them by their names and quoted Sunni texts testifying to their being Shi’as while still remaining authorities, as you had requested. I think those who raise objections will see their error in claiming that the Sunnis do not rely on the authority of Shi’as.

They will come to know that their criterion is truthfulness and accuracy, regardless of the school of thought, Sunni or Shi’a. If thehadith narrated by the Shi’as is all rejected, then the vast majority of the prophetic legacy will be lost, as al-Thahbi himself admits while narrating the biography of Aban ibn Taghlib in his bookAl-Mizan . There can be no better testimony than that.

You, may Allah render the truth victorious through your person, know that there have been quite a few ancestors of the Shi’as, other than the ones we have counted here, whose full count is many times more than this hundred, upon whose authority the Sunnis rely. These "others" are even of a higher calibre; they are narrators of even more authentic hadith, having acquired more knowledge. And they were closer to the Prophet's time, with a seniority in embracing the Shi’a beliefs. They are Shi’a companions [sahabah ] of the Prophet (pbuh), may Allah be pleased with all of them. We have dealt with their blessed names at the conclusion of our work Al-Fusul al-Muhimmah.

They are also among the trustworthytabi’in whose authority is relied upon. Each one of them is a trustworthy man who has memorized the entire text of the Holy Qur'an by heart, and his argument is irrefutabe. Among such men are those who were martyred while supporting the lesser and the greater Camel Battles, Siffin, Al-Nahrawan, in Hijaz as well as in Yemen, when Bisr ibn Arta'ah invaded them, during the dissension of al-Hadrami who was sent to Basrah by Mu’awiyah.

They include those who were martyred on the Taff Battle with the Master of the Youths of Paradise [Imam Husayn ibn ‘Ali, as], and those who were martyred with his grandson Zayd, and many others who had to face a great deal of injustice and persecution, avenging the massacre of the Prophet's progeny. Among them were those who were murdered just because of being very strong in their beliefs.

Others were unfairly exiled from their homes, and those who had to resort totaqiyya , fearing for their lives or due to their physical weakness, such as al-Ahnaf ibn Qays, al-Asbagh ibn Nabatah, Yahya ibn Ya’mur, the latter being the first to apply dots to the Arabic alphabet, al-Khalil ibn Ahmad al-Farahidi, who founded the rules of Arabic grammar and scansion, Ma'ath ibn Muslim al-Harra, who laid the foundations of the science of conjugation in the Arabic language, and many others whose complete biographies would require huge volumes.

Overlook the hatred of the Nasibis towards these men through their use of attacking; they call them "weak" traditionists, and they chew their names, thus depriving themselves of their knowledge. There are hundreds of reliable Shi’as who have learnedhadith by heart, who are light-houses of guidance, ignored by Sunnis.

For these men, Shi’as have dedicated indices and bibliographies containing their biographies and stories. These works prove the extent of service these men have rendered to the tolerant Shari’a. Whoever researches them will find them to be models of truthfulness and trustworthiness, piety, asceticism, worship, and sincerity in bringing people closer to Allah Almighty and to His Messenger (pbuh), to His Book, and to the Imams of Muslims as well as to their commoners. We pray Allah to enable us and your own self to benefit from their blessings; He is the Most Merciful.

Sincerely,

Sh