Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

HIS NARRATORS

The narrators of Abfl Abd Allah (al- Sldiq), peace be on him, were over four- thousand, as we have already mentioned. In his book al- Irshad, Shaykh al- Muffd, may Allah rest his soul in peace, has said:” The traditionalists have collected the names of his reliable narrators. They were four- thousand men.”[1] Bin Sharash1lb has mentioned that b. ‘Uqda has collected the names of the narrators. Other authors have mentioned that b. ‘Uqda has mention a report for every one of them. Al- Tibrisy has mentioned their number in his book A’lim Al- Wara, and researcher al-Hilly in his book Al- Mu’tabar. Shaykh al- TUsy, may his grave be fragrant has mentioned their names in his book al- Rijal.

The great number of the narrators did not increase the greatness and importance of al- Sadiq. However, their greatness and importance increased because they reported on his authority. Yes, this indicates that he had a lofty position in knowledge. Besides, the seekers of knowledge and virtue from different sects have agreed on his outstanding merit.

The Sunni Great Figures:

Many Sunni great figures and Imams learned from al- Sâdiq, peace be on him. They did not learn from him as the pupil learns from the teacher. Rather, they learned from him because they agreed on his Imamate, his greatness and his supremacy as Shaykh Sulayman has said in his book al-Yanâbi’ and al- Nawawy in his book Tahdhib Al- Asma’ Wal Lughfit. Also, in his book matalib Al- Sa’fll, aI- Shafi’y says:” They regarded their learning from him as a laudable deed to honor them and as a virtue they learned.” The following are some of those Sunni great figures:

Abu HanTfa:

Abu HanTfa al- Nu’man b. Thabit b. Zouyt was among them. He was a master. He was from Kabul. He was born in Kufa. There he grew up and studied. He had a theological center in Kufa. Then he moved to Baghdad. There he died in the year 150 (A.H.). His grave is well- known in Baghdad. He founded one of the Sunni four doctrines, His doctrine is very famous.

Every one knows that he (Abn Hanlfa) studied under al- Sftdiq, peace be on him. This has been mentioned by: al- Shiblanjy in his book Nflr al-Absir, b. Hajar in his book al- Sawi’iq, Shaykh Sulaymln in his book al-YanftbT’, b. al- Sabbagh in his book al- FusOl, and the like. Moreover, in his book, p.8, al- ALüsy says:” And this is Abfi Hantfa, a Sunni figure, boasted and said with an eloquent tongue:’ Were it not for the two years, al- Nu’man would perish.”’ He meant the two years when he studied under Imam al- Sldiq, peace be on him.

Mlhik Bin Anas:

Among them was Mlhik b. Anas al- Madany. He founded one of the Sunni four doctrines. In his book al- Fihrast, b. al- Nadim says:” He was b. (the son of) AbU ‘Amir. He was from Himyar. He is regarded as one of banü (the sons of) TamTm b. Murra from Quraysh.” Also he says:” It was said to Ja’far b. Sulayman al- Abbasy, the governor of Medina:’ He (MIlik) has no belief in your homage.”’ So, he sent for him. He unclothed him, extended him, and whipped him. He broke his shoulder. For this reason, he (Mâlik) died in the year 179 (A.H.), at the age of 48. Bin KhilikSn has mentioned a similar story.

It is known and famous that Mahik learned from Abti Abd Allah (i.e. at-Sâdiq), peace be on him. Many authors have mentioned that he studied under al- Sâdiq. Some of them are: al- Nawawy in his book al-Tahdhib,al- Shiblanjy in Ntirul Absâr, al- Sibt in Tadhkirat al- Khawas, al- Shfi’y in Matâhib al- Sa’ül, b. Hajar in al- Sawâ’iq, Shaykh Sulayman in al- Yanâbi’, AbU al- Na’Tm in al- Hulya, b. al- Sâbagh in al- Fusfll, and the like.

Sufyin al- Thawry:

Sufyan b. Sa’id b. Masriiq al- Thawry al- Kflfi was among them. He came to Baghdad several times. He reported many things on the authority of al- Sâdiq, peace be on him. Al- Sadiq entrusted many valuable things to Sufyan’s care, as we have already mentioned in al- Sadiq’s Commandments. Sufyân debated al- Sâdiq about renouncing worldly pleasures, as we have already mentioned. He moved to Basrah and died in it in the year 161(A.H.). He was born in ninety and some (A.H.). It was said that he took part in the battle of Zayd, the martyr. He was in the police of Hisham b. Abd al- Malik.

His learning from al- Sadiq, peace be on him, has been mentioned in the foregoing references. Also the ShT’te biographers have mentioned him with the narrators of al- Sâdiq, peace be on him.

Sufyin Bin ‘Uyayna:

Sufyan b. ‘Uyayna b. AbO ‘Umran al- Kufi al- Makky was one of them. He was born in Kufa in the year 107 (A.H.), and died in Mecca in the year 198 (A.H.). He came to Kuf’k when heaWas young during the lifetime of Abe HanTfa. Hiaiearning from al- Sadiq, peace be on him, has been mentioned in the previous references. The ShT’te biographers have also mentioned that.

Yahya Bin Sa’id al- Ansiry:

Among them was Yahya b. Sa’Td b. Qays al- Ansary. He belonged to banü (the sons of) al- Najjar. He was among the successors. He was a judge for al- Manstlr in Medina. Then he became the supreme judge. He reported on the authority of al- Sâdiq, peace be on him. See the foregoing references, and the like. The ShI’te biographers have also mentioned that.

Ibm Jarih:

Among them was Abd al- Malik b. Abd al- ‘AzTz b. JarTh al- Makky. He heard many religious scholars. He was among the scholars of Sunnis (al-‘ama), who believe in the lawfulness of the temporary marriage (al- mut’a). Also others of them believe in its lawfulness. In the book of al- Sadtlq, chapter on the cases which are accepted without a proof, and in al- Kafi, chapter what Allah has permitted of the temporary marriage (al- mut’a), it has been mentioned that one of them asked al- Sadiq, peace be on him, about al- mut ‘a. Al- Sadiq said:” Meet Abd al- Malik b. JarTh and ask him about it, for he has knowledge of it.” The man came to Abd al- Matik, who told him much information about aI- mut ‘a and its lawfulness.

Ibm Khalikan said:” Abd al- Malik was among the famous religious scholars. He was born in the year 80 (A.H.). He came to Baghdad during the lifetime of Abu Ja’far al- MansCr. He died in the year 149(A.H.) It was said (that he died) in the year 150 or 151(A.H.).

It has been mentioned in the foregoing references that Abd al- Matik learned from al- Sâdiq, peace be on him. The ShT’te biographers have also mentioned his learning from him.

Al- Qattin:

Among them was Abu Sa’Td Yahya b. Sa’Td al- Qattan al- Basri. He was among the Imams of traditions. Rather, he was regarded as the tradition alists of his time. The owners of the six correct books (al- Sihah al- Sitta), and others advanced him as an argument. It has been reported on the authority of b. Qutayba that he regarded him as a Shi’te narrator. However, the ShPa do not regard him as one of their narrators.

Al- Tahdhlb, al- Yanlbr, and other Sunni books have mentioned that he was among the reporters of al- Sadiq, peace be on him.

Al- Shaykh, b. DEwüd, al- Najashy, and other ShT’ite authors have mentioned that, too.

Mohammed Bin Ishaq:

Among them was Mohammed b. Ishaq b. Yasar. He was the author of the book ‘Al- Maghfizy wal Siyar.’ He was from Medina, but lived in Mecca. Bin Khilikan praised him very much. There was an enmity between him and Malik. They defamed each other. He came to al- HTra during the lifetime of al- Mansflr. There he wrote his book al- Maghazy for at-MansCr.

Mohammed came to Baghdad and died in it in the year 151 (A.H.).

His learning from al- Sadiq has been mentioned in the foregoing references.

Shu’ba Bin al- Hajjaj:

Among them was Shu’ba b. al- Haj.jaj al- Azdy. He was among the Imams of the Sunnis and their great figures. He gave a religious opinion to follow Ibrâhim b. Abd Allah b. al- Hasan. It was said that he himself followed him.

A group of the Sunnis regarded him as one of the companions of at-Sâdiq, peace be on him. See the foregoing references.

Ayyub al- Sijstany:

Among them was Ayytib b. Abe TamTm al- Sijstany al- Basry. It was said that he was surnamed al- Sakhtyany. He was the servant of ‘Ammar b. Yasir. He was regarded as one of the great jurisprude. He died of plague in Basrah, at the age of 65, in the year 131 (A.H.). He was regarded as one of the narrators of al- Sadiq, peace be on him. See the preceding references.