Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

SHEIKH AS-SADUQ:

THREE BOOKS IN ONE VOLUME:

1- AL-MAWAAIZH (THE SERMONS)

2- SIFAT USH-SHI’A (THE QUALITIES OF THE SHIA)

3- FADHAAIL USH-SHI’A (THE MERITS OF THE SHIA)

Translated by:

Badr Shahin

Table of Contents

AL-MAWAAIZH (THE SERMONS) 5

THE PUBLISHER’S WORD 6

THE REVISER’S WORD 7

THE REVISION 10

1- AL-MAWAAIZH 10

2. SIFAT USH-SHIA 10

3. FADHAA’IL USH-SHIA 11

BIOGRAPHY OF THE COMPILER 12

Name and Lineage 12

Birth and Early Life 12

Scholastic Journeys 13

Scholastic State and Scholars’ Opinions 14

Teachers and Students 15

His Works 15

His Death 16

INTRODUCTION OF THE COMPILER 17

THE PROPHET’S COMMANDMENTS FOR AMIR UL-MU’MININ 17

Commentary of the compiler: 17

Commentary of The compiler: 19

Brief Sermons of the Prophet 28

Imam Ali and A Syrian Old Man 29

The Commandment of Amir ul-Mu'minin for his Son Mohammed bin al-Hanafiyya 32

Maxims of the Prophet and the Imams 36

SIFAT USH-SHI’A (THE QUALITIES OF THE SHIA) 51

(1) The Shia are the people of piety and diligence 53

(2) The Shia are those who submit to the imams 53

(3) The Shia and taqiyah 53

(4) The false Shiite 53

(5) The Shia were created from the same clay of the Imams 53

(6) The reward of la ilaha illa (a)llah 53

(7) The reward of la ilaha illa (a)llah 54

(8) The Shia are the God-fearing 54

(9) The company of the evils and the company of the good 54

(10) He who honors a dissident is not Shiite 54

(11) The loyalty to the enemies of Allah 54

(12) The Shia of Ali abstain from the food appetite and work for their Creator 55

(13) Moralities of the Shia 55

(14) The affection for the Prophet’s household 55

(15) The friend of Allah’s enemy is Allah’s enemy 55

(16) The company of the suspicious 55

(17) The Nasibi is he who antagonizes the Shia 55

(18) The Shia of Ali are atrophied-stomached and dry-lipped 56

(19) The Shia of Ali are the pale and the thin 56

(20) The marks of the Shia 56

(21) The Shia of Ja’far abstain from the food appetite and work diligently 56

(22) The false embracement of Shiism 56

(23) The Shia of Ali meet the needs of each other and love each other 57

(24) The Shia of Ali are pale, thin, and emaciated 57

(25) The Shia of Ali are those whose voices do not exceed their hearings 57

(26) The Shia say only the truth 57

(27) The sweetness of faith is in the Shia’s chests 58

(28) The best of the Shia are the most knowledgeable 58

(29) The Shia’s concern, and their enemies’ concern 58

(30) The Shia are saved from adultery 58

(31) The large numbers of the Shia’s enemies 58

(32) The Shiite behaves nicely and provides the grand matter 58

(33) The qualities of the Shia 59

(34) As-Sadiq (a) describes the Shia 59

(35) Ali (a) describes the God-fearing^* 59

36. The Shiite in anger and satisfaction 62

(37) God-fearing is in hearts 62

(38) The Imams’ commandments to the Shia 62

(39) The Shia, truthfulness, and faithfulness 62

(40) The Shia are known from their worship and faces 62

(41) The Shia and the disavowal of the Jibt and Taghut 63

(42) Manners of the believers 63

(43) The believer, the Muslim, and the Muhajir 64

(44) The believer is displeased by his evil deeds 64

45. The ugly believer 64

(46) Leprosy is semi-curse 64

(47) The believer is firmer than blocks of iron 64

(48) Allah created the believers from the same origin 64

(49) Winter is the believer’s spring 64

(50) The believer and the worldly misfortunes 64

(51) The believer is not unblessed 65

(52) Qualities of the believer 65

(53) Steadfastness against misfortunes 65

(54) Ethics and moralities of the believer 65

(55) The believer is powerful in the religion 65

(56) Everything is submissive to the believer 65

(57) In the heavens, the believer gives light as same as the stars’ 66

(58) The believer and his enemy 66

(59) The believer is neither coward nor stingy 66

(60) The believer is self-righteous 66

(61) The believer has characters from his Lord, Prophet, and Imam 66

(62) The intention to do good or bad 66

(63) Amir ul-Muminin describes the sincere 67

(64) The best of servants 68

(65) Ali is the disciple of Allah 69

(66) The characters of the religious 69

(67) The nobilities of character 70

(68) Abdul-Azheem al-Hasani and Imam al-Hadi 70

(69) The Shiite does not deny four matters 71

(70) To deny the Ascension is to deny the Prophet 71

(71) The true believer 71

FADHAAIL USH-SHI’A (THE MERITS OF THE SHIA) 72

1. Ali’s rank is as same as the Prophet’s 74

2. The merit of the love for the family of Mohammed 75

3. The Shia will be the most sure-footed on the Path 75

4. The love for Ali is in the believer’s heart 75

5. The Shia will have security and faith 75

6. People will be interrogated about the love for the Prophet’s family 75

7. The Shia enjoy ranks higher than the angels’ 75

8. The Shia’s ranks in the sight of the Imams 76

9. Our Shia are the masters and the highborn 77

10. The love for Ali consumes the evil deeds 77

11. The Shia will be on luminous stages 77

12. The Shia will not be punished for their loyalty to the Imams 78

13. The Shia are the people of Allah’s preference and mercy 78

14. The Shia are not subject to the record 78

15. The Shia of Ali are the true pious 78

16. The Shia are witnesses on people 78

17. The rank of Ali’s adorers in the sight of Allah 78

18. Allah honors the young Shiites and reverences their old men 80

19. The Shia will enter into Aqaba for their loyalty 83

20. The Shia are pale-faced because of the mention of Allah 83

21. Allah created the believers from His light 83

22. The Shia’s acknowledgement of the Immaculate Imams 83

23. The Shiite worships Allah while standing or sitting 84

24. The Angel of Death pities for the Shiite 84

25. The Shia on the Day of Resurrection 85

26. The prophets, angels, and martyrs will envy the Shia 85

27. When he comes out of the grave, the Shiite’s face is like full moon 85

28. The relief, contentment, and glad tidings are for the Shia of Ali 86

29. The love for the Prophet’s household is good deed 86

30. The Imams love their Shia 86

31. The sins of the believers are forgiven 86

32. Allah will grant the believer whatever he asks 87

33. The Shia are for Paradise and Paradise is theirs 87

34. The Shia’s houses and graves are paradises 87

35. The women of paradise look at the believer in prayers 87

36. The highest ranks of Paradise are the Shia’s 87

37. The dead Shiite is as the martyr 88

38. For the Shia, their deeds are accepted and sins are forgiven 88

39. The Shiite and the haters 88

40. The Shia eat and dress the legal 88

41. The Shia are following the religion of Mohammed and his forefathers 89

42. The Shia are added to those whom they like 89

43. The Shiite will not see Hell 89

44. The honoring of the Shia in Paradise 89

45. The Imams are the intercessors of Paradise 89

Islamic Terms 91

Notes 93

SHEIKH AS-SADUQ:

AL-MAWAAIZH (THE SERMONS)

Translated by:

Badr Shahin

THE PUBLISHER’S WORD

In the name of Allah, the compassionate, the merciful

All praise is due to Allah Whose mercy is not desponded and forgiveness is not despaired of. The best blessings and peace be upon the keeper of His revelation, the seal of His messengers, the foreteller of His mercy, and the warner against His punishment-the Prophet Mohammed. The blessings and peace be, too, upon his family and household through whom the right has regained its proper place and the wrong has been overthrown. Curse be on their enemies among the people of disagreement and hypocrisy who have brought to themselves the sins and made themselves the subject of Hell.

The Imamite Shia are still known of their faithful loyalty to the Prophet’s household, peace be upon them all, since the glorious Prophet had unearthed his immortal mission to mankind. He, however, kept on giving credit to the lofty standings and the qualities by which the Shia should be characterized. In view of that, they were the matter of the glorious Prophet’s glad tidings that he (s) carried. He said:

The Shia of Ali will be the true winners.[1]

O Ali, Allah has forgiven you, your progeny, your sons, your household, your Shia –adherents-, and the adorers of your Shia.[2]

These three books -namely,al-Mawaaizh ,Sifat ush-Shia , andFadhaa’il ush-Shia - that are at the hands of the dear reader are indeed precious moral gems presented to the adherents of the Prophet’s household. They are the works of the master Sheikh as-Saduq, Allah have mercy upon him, who compiled them in different times.

The translator has depended, in his work, on the copy that is published by Al-Maarif Al-Islamiyya Foundation – Qum, and revised by Mr. Mahmoud Al-Badri who exerted remarkable efforts for advancing these precious compilations in such a noteworthy form.

In addition to the original texts of the books, most of the information, notes, and comments that the reviser has added are translated for the purpose of expanding the scope of information and making the contents more understandable and more accessible to all. Furthermore, a brief biography of the compiler Sheikh as-Saduq, Allah may have mercy upon him, is added so as to introduce this unique personality to the readers.

Ansariyan Publications , undertaking the mission of propagandizing for the sect of Ahl ul-Bayt (a) and publicizing the precious immortal works of the master scholars of Shiism, is pleased to advance these three precious works, all in one book, to the dear readers and the seekers of the truth.

We hope the dear reader would find this work convenient and guide to the human perfection and we implore to Allah, Exalted is He, to grant us success to keep on offering the dear readers with the valuable gems of the Islamic heritage.

Ansariyan Publications, 2001.

THE REVISER’S WORD

All praise is due to Allah, the lord of the worlds. All blessings and peace be upon Mohammed and his family-the pure and immaculate. All mercy and content be upon all their adorers and adherents. The content of Allah be upon the Prophet’s companionswho honestly followed him.

It is well known that Shiism, as a sect and belief, was not the fruit of the political circumstances that took place after the death of the glorious Prophet (s) when some people usurped the leadership from its legal master in the Saqifa of the Banu Saaida. It was also not the product of the political circumstances that came about during the reign of Imam Ali (a) when the Prophet’s widow (Aisha) mutinied, calling for the revenge on those who shed the blood of the killed caliph after she had provoked all people against that very killed caliph in his lifetime, and history has kept her famous call, ‘Kill Naathat[3], for he has converted to atheism.’

Shiism, also, was not the product of the political circumstances that occurred when Muawiya mutinied, carrying the shirt of Othman[4]and calling for the revenge on his killers. That event, however, was the reason beyond the founding of the Khawarij[5]one of whose members killed Amir ul-Mu'minin (a) while he was offering a prayer in his mihrab.

Shiism, too, is not the product of the political circumstances that the Muslims had to encounter after the savage massacre of Karbala, which was committed against the Prophet’s household (a) at the hands of the Umayyad ruling authorities.

It is quite true that Shiism was not the product of any of the previous circumstances, as some please to say. Shiism came to light and appeared on the theater of the political and religious life since the first sparks of the Islamic history. The embracers of Shiism raised the slogan of the love and loyalty to the Prophet’s household, peace be upon them all, adopted their goals, and believed purely that they are the most meritorious of taking the position of the Prophet (s). They also believed that Imam Ali bin Abi Talib -Amir ul-Mu'minin, the head of the religion, the leader of the white-forheaded honorables, the husband of the pure lady, the father of the two grandsons (of the Prophet) al-Hasan and al-Hussein- is the true successor of the Prophet (s) the door to the city of his knowledge, and the keeper of his wisdom. They also believed that the immaculate Imams are the true successors of the Prophet (s) the leaders of his community, and the conveyers of his divine mission.

The dawn of Shiism broke since the first days of the blessed prophetic mission. It was the Prophet (s) who planted this blessed seed, cultivated, and supervised it all over the stages of his noble lifetime. This can be proved through the many hadiths that attached the quality of Shiism to the followers of Imam Ali (a) praised them, and revealed to them the glad tidings of having the highest ranks in the Supreme Paradise.

The Prophet (s) said:

O Ali, you, as well as your Shia, will join me on the Divine Pool.[6]

O Ali, your Shia and you will come to Allah with content and pleasure. Your enemies will come with anger and will beunable to bend their heads to find their ways. [7]

On the Day of Resurrection, Ali and his Shia will be the winners.[8]

O Ali, Allah has forgiven you, your progeny, your sons, your household, your Shia, and the adorers of your Shia.[9]

The Shia of Ali will be the true winners.[10]

Moreover, the hadith that is called ‘Hadith ud-Dar’ is one of the strongest irrefutable evidences on our claim.

((At-Tabari, in his book of history, records that Ibn Abbas narrated that Ali bin Abi Talib (a) said:

After the revelation of the Verse, “And warn your nearest relations,” the Prophet (s) summoned me and said: “O Ali, Allah had ordered me to warn my near relatives, but I was unable to bear this order because I knew that they would show me detestable things if I would approach such a matter with them. I therefore kept it secret until the Archangel Gabriel came to me and said that my Lord would punish me if I would shun that order. Now, I want you to make some food with meat of a ewe and bring a jar of milk for us, then gather the sons of Abdul-Muttalib so that I will speak to them and convey the matter that I was ordered to convey.”

I did as he asked me and invited them. They were about forty men among whom there were his uncles-Abu Talib, Hamza, al-Abbas and Abu Lahab. When they all attended, he asked me to fetch that food and I did. When I put it before them, the Prophet (s) took a piece of the meat, tore it with his teeth, threw its pieces around the bowl, then said: “Here you are, by the Name of Allah.” Each one of them took his sufficiency completely and I could see only the places of their hands. I swear by Allah, each one of them ate the quantity that I served to all of them. The Prophet (s) then asked me to serve milk to them. I fetched that jar and they all drank from it. By Allah I swear, each one of them drank the quantity that I served to all of them.

When the Prophet (s) tried to speak, Abu Lahab overtook and prevented him from speaking. He said: “This man has bewitched you.” Hence, they left without letting the Prophet (s) speak to them.

On the next day, the Prophet said to me: “O Ali, that man overtook me and said the statement that you had heard. They left before I could speak to them. Make for us food like that which you did then gather them to me.”

I did and invited them all. He then asked me to serve them the food. I served it for them and he repeated the same thing that he had done the previous day. Each one of them had his sufficiency completely. He then asked me to serve them with the milk. I fetched the same jar and they all drank from it to their sufficiency. Then, the Prophet (s) spoke:

“O sons of Abdul-Muttalib, I do not know any young Arab man who has brought to his people a thing that is better than that which I have brought to you. I have brought to you the goodness of this world as well as the world to come. Allah, Exalted is He, has ordered me to call you to accept this matter. Which one of you will support me in this regard and he will be my brother, successor, and representative among you?”

They all kept silent except me. I said, while I was the youngest among them, “O the Prophet of Allah, I will be your supporter in this matter.” I repeated this statement three times.

The Prophet (s) then took me from the neck and said: “This is my brother, successor, and representative among you. You thus should listen to and obey him.”

They left him laughing and saying to Abu Talib: “He has ordered you to listen to and obey your son!”)) [11]

A deep look in this holy hadith proves that the Prophet (s) asked his near relatives, according to the order of Allah, to confess of the oneness of Allah the Exalted and his divine mission, and then ordered them to listen to and obey his brother, successor, and representative Ali bin Abi Talib (a). In other words, the Prophet (s) ordered them to follow and comply with Ali-to be his Shia. The meaning of Shiism is to listen to, obey, and follow.

As a result, the seed of Shiism and the seed of Islam were planted on the same day in the same time at the same hand. All the Muslims who were with the Prophet (s) believed in his prophesy and mission, committed themselves to that which he ordered, listened to him, obeyed him, and listened to and obeyed the one whom he ordered to obey. That one was his cousin, brother, successor, and representative Ali bin Abi Talib (a).

They were considered as listeners and obedient to the Prophet (s) only when they carried out his order of listening to and obeying Ali (a). It was the same order that Allah gave. Consequently, their compliance with the order of the Prophet means their adherence, i.e. Shiism, to Ali, because Shiism means to listen to, obey, and follow.

The light of Shiism, then, glared along with the light of Islam in the Arab Peninsula. The grand companions who believed in the oneness of Allah and the divine message of the Prophet accepted, in the same time, the obligatory loyalty to Ali. Meanwhile, others, among those who turned on their backs just after the death of the Prophet, stood against him.

This work is in fact three books whose topics are connected to each other. One of them, namely Sifat ush-Shia , focuses the lights on the qualities that the Shia should have within their moralities. Without such qualities, the Shia would not have won such abundant merits to which the second book, namely Fadhaa’il ush-Shia , refers. The third book, namely al-Mawaaizh , compiles the maxims and words of wisdom that are said by the Prophet and the Imams, peace be upon them all, on various occasions. It is necessary for the Shiite, before others, to apply such maxims to himself, because they are surely great masterpieces and moral principals.

A deep look into these maxims and qualities proves the fact that the embracement of Shiism is not mere words that everyone can say or ordinary love for Amir ul-Mu'minin, as some think. The true Shiite is only he who commits himself to those qualities and applies them to his conducts. The true Shiite is only that whom Imam al-Baqir (a) describes in the following words:

“O Jabir, do you think that it is sufficient for those who claim being Shia to say that they cherish us; the Prophet’s household?

By Allah I swear, our adherents –Shia- are only those who fear and obey Allah. Their signs are modesty, submission, fulfillment of the trusts, very much reference to Allah, fasting, offering prayers, piety to (their) parents, aiding the neighbors especially the poor, the destitute, the indebted, and the orphans, truth, reciting the Quran, and avoiding mentioning people except for praising. In addition, they are the most trustful of the people of their tribes.

Do not misunderstand the matter. It is enough for a man to claim that he loves and follows Ali (a). As a matter of fact, if he claims that he loves the Prophet (s) who is preferable to Ali (a) but he does not follow the Prophet’s traditions and does not act upon his instructions, such claim of love will be definitely useless. Hence, you should fear Allah and work for the cause of obtaining that which He has in possession. There is no relation between Allah and anybody. The most favorable and honorable servants of Allah are the most God-fearing and the most pious.

O Jabir, the only means through which a servant seeks to gain Allah’s favor is the obedience to Him. We –the Prophet’s household- do not carry a patent for saving from Hell. Likewise, none of you has a claim against Allah. He whoever obeys Allah is only our disciple and whoever disobeys Him is our enemy. The loyalty to us cannot be gained except by means of diligent work and piety.”

O Allah, make my life copy the lives of Mohammed and his family. When You seize my soul, make me carry the same beliefs that Mohammed and his family carried. Make me a true adherent of Amir ul-Mu'minin. I, also, implore to You to record for me success, for the efforts that I have exerted in this regard, and reward on the Day of Judgment. I implore to You to save us from the pursuance of passions and the making of errors and endow upon us with righteousness and appositeness.

All praise is due to Allah, Who guided us to this. Without his guidance, we would not have been right.

Mahmoud al-Badri, 2000.

THE REVISION

1- AL-MAWAAIZH

Al-Mawaaizh is the first book in this collection. In 1392 A.H., it was first printed, with its Persian translation of Azizullah Attaridi, in reliance on the only documentary copy that is found in the Library of An-Nassiriyya in Lakanhu, India. Mr. Attaridi mentioned that he had found that copy during his journey to India in 1386 A.H. He also added that the copier chose the titleSheikh As-Saduq’s Al-La’aali al-Ghawali –The Dear Pearls- for the copy that carried the same title in the indexes of that library.

It seems that the copier took this title from the introduction of the compiler who records in its beginning, “So then, these are dear pearls and bright jewels…”

This copy seems to be the only available one that was handwritten in 1235 A.H. by Feda Ali al-Musawi of Lakanhu. In the last of that copy, the following is written:

“On Saturday, the first of Rabi I, 1235 of the hegira, All peace and blessings be upon him who made the hegira and upon his immaculate and pure household, this holy copy titled ‘Al-La’aali al-Ghawali ’ that is compiled by the lofty Sheikh, the most pious, the decent, the master of the sect, the grand, the trustworthy of the Imams, the head of the narrators, the product of the praying of the Sinless, the superior knowledgeable, our master Mohammed bin Babawayh al-Qummi, Allah may have mercy upon him. I am the poor servant Feda Ali son of Sayyid Ali al-Musawi of Nisapur, Lakanhu, and Dahlu.”

In addition to the following evidences, we can prove through the previous statement that this book belongs to Sheikh as-Saduq.

Most of the biographists, who referred to Sheikh as-Saduq, Allah may have mercy upon him, stated that he compiled a book titledal-Mawaaizh –The Sermons-.[12]Besides, the contents of the book are almost sermons, advices, and maxims.

In the last of his book titledMen La Yahdhuruh ul-Faqih ; Chapter:An-Nawadir -The Extraordinary Reports-, Sheikh as-Saduq, Allah may have mercy upon him, records the text of this book.[13]

In the revision of this book, the previously mentioned copy of the book and the last chapter ofMen La Yahdhuruh al-Faqih , since it is the same as the book ofal-Mawaaizh , are relied upon.

2. SIFAT USH-SHIA

About this book, Sheikh at-Tehrani says:

“The book titledSifat ush-Shia is compiled by Sheikh as-Saduq Abu Ja’far Mohammed bin Ali bin al-Hussein bin Musa bin Babawayh al-Qummi.Ad-Dam’at us-Sakiba , Al-Majlisi’sBihar ul-Anwar , Al-Hurr Al-Aamili’sWassail ush-Shia , andAl-Mustadrak -all these reference books quoted fromSifat ush-Shia . In Tehran, there is a copy of this book, which is handwritten with an old and big script, is found with the Doctor. Other copies are found with Mr. Al-Urdubadi in Najaf and the Library of At-Tehrani in Samarra that is written by our Sheikh an-Nuri and, now, kept by his grandson Mirza Ali Behzadi in Tehran. The book titledFadhaa’il ush-Shia is within this copy.

In the revision of this book, two copies are depended:

The first copy is documentary and stored in Fayziyya School within Group: 1764 No. 4. It is a clear copy, which is ended with the following paragraph:

“This is the end of the book titledSifat ush-Shia and compiled by Sheikh as-Saduq Mohammed bin Ali bin Babawayh al-Qummi; the resident in Ray. All praise is due to Allah primarily, finally, openly, and secretly. The poor servant Hussein bin Mohammed Taqi an-Nuri at-Tabirsi wrote it himself in Najaf… on the seventh of Shawal, 1271 A.H.”

The second is the copy that is found in the Library of At-Tehrani of Samarra to which it was referred in the book titleAth-Thareea . This copy was printed in Najaf by Allama Najmuddin ash-Sharif al-Askari in 1380 A.H. –1958 A.D.- and was attached to his book titledAli wash-Shia . In the end of this book, he writes down:

“This book was copied by ash-Sharif al-Askari Najmuddin, the son of the late scholar Sheikh Mirza Mohammed ash-Sharif al-Askari (of Tehran) in Samarra at the night of Saturday, the twenty-first of Thu’l-Qa’da. Allah may bless Mohammed and his immaculate family.”[14]

3. FADHAA’IL USH-SHIA

About this book, Sheikh at-Tehrani says:

“This book is also calledFadhl ush-Shia . Al-Majlisi quotes from this one as well as the previous. This means that he had them both. Al-Hurr Al-Aamili, also, quotes from them and had them in possession. In the fourth appendix ofWassail ash-Shia , he states the previous fact. The two books, now, are found in Isfahan and Mashhad at the hands of Sheikh Hussein (al-Muqqaddas al-Mashhadi). Mirza Mohammed at-Tehrani took these copies to put them in his library in Samarra.”[15]

For this revision, two copies of the book are depended:

The first one is the documentary copy that is found in the library of Ayatollah al-Mar’ashi an-Najafi (without bearing any number). It is a good copy.

The second is printed. It is the same copy ofSifat ush-Shia to which we have previously referred and found in the Library of At-Tehrani in Samarra.

In the end of this copy, the following is written:

“Thanks to Allah the Exalted, the book titledFadhaa’il ush-Shia and compiled by Sheikh as-Saduq, Allah may have mercy upon him, has come to its end on the hands of Najmuddin ash-Sharif al-Askari (of Tehran), the son of the late scholar Sheikh Mirza Mohammed al-Askari at-Tehrani on the eighth of Shaban, 1380 A.H.

Allah may bless Mohammed and his immaculate household.”

For the sake of providing the texts as accurate as possible, the reviser did not depend on a single definite copy of the book. He moved between all of the available copies, in addition to the other reliable reference books, including the compilations of Sheikh as-Saduq himself, such asAl-Amali, At-Tawhid, Me’aani al-Akhbar , and the other reference books such asBihar ul-Anwar, Wassail ush-Shia and many others.

The other tasks that the reviser did are as follows:

He compared the Quranic texts that are mentioned in these books with the holy Quran.

He referred to the same narrations that are mentioned in other reference books.

He added to the texts of series of relaters the statements that are found in other reliable reference books.

He referred to only some differences between the copies of the books intended and the other reference books.

He added some important comments that are considered necessary.

He used guide titles for each narration so as to enable the dear reader and the searcher to benefit by them.

In the end of each book, he attached a number of useful indexes.