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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 his Al-Mizan, citing Abu Wa'il and others quoting Abu Hatim saying that he has reported authentic ahadith, 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 reported hadith to us." Abu Hatim says that he is among the earliest to embrace Shi`a Islam, and that his hadith is authentic. Both Sufyans have transmitted his hadith 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 whose hadith 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`fer 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 book al-Ma`arif, he includes `Ubaydullah among them. On page 279, Vol. 6, of his Tabaqat, Ibn Sa`d narrates `Ubaydullah's biography without forgettig to indicate that he is a Shi`a, and that he narrates hadith supportive of Shi`ism, thus, according to Ibn Sa`d, weakening his hadith 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 the hadith narrated by Abu Na`im is more authentic, yet `Ubaydullah's is more authentic than all of them when it comes to the ahadith transmitted by Isra'il."
Ahmed 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 in Al-Mizan, al-Thahbi states: "`Ubaydullah, a Shi`a, is trustworthy." Ibn Ma`in used to learn hadith from `Ubaydullah ibn Musa and `Abdul-Razzaq knowing that they were both Shi`as. In Thahbi's Al-Mizan, while documenting `Abdul-Razzaq's biography, the author quotes Ahmed ibn `Ali Khaythamah saying, "I inquired of Ibn Ma`in once regarding what I heard about Ahmed's alleged rejection of `Ubaydullah ibn Musa's hadith 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 more ahadith than I heard from `Ubaydullah.'"
Sunnis, like all others, rely on `Ubaydullah's hadith in their respective sahih books. Refer to his hadith in both sahih books transmitted by Shayban ibn `Abdul-Rahman. Bukhari's Sahih quotes his hadith as reported by al-A`mash ibn `Urwah and Isma`il ibn Abu Khalid. His hadith as recorded in Muslim's Sahih 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, Ahmed ibn Ishaq al-Bukhari, Mahmud ibn Ghaylan, Ahmed ibn Abu Sarij, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Ashkab, Muhammad ibn Khalid al-Thahbi, and Yusuf ibn Musa al-Qattan. Muslim quotes his hadith 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 his Al-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 Ahmed al-Zubayri says that `Uthman believes in the return. Ahmed 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 their sunan and relied on his authority. Refer to his hadith 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 the sunan 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 his Al-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, Ahmed ibn Hanbal, Ahmed al-`Ajli, Ahmed al-Nisa'i, placing on his name the initials of authoers of all the six sahih books who quote him.
Refer to his hadith in both Bukhari's and Muslim's Sahih 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. His hadith reported by Zarr ibn Habish and Abu Hazim al-Ashja`i is recorded in Muslim's Sahih. His hadith 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 his Al-Mizan, quoting Salim al-Muradi saying that `Atiyyah adhered to Shi`ism. Imam Ibn Qutaybah has included him among traditionists in his Ma`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 his Ma`arif, listing `Atiyyah al-`Awfi among them. Ibn Sa`d mentions him on age 212, Vol. 6, of his Tabaqat 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 `Umer 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 authentic ahadith."
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.[15] 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 his hadith in their sahih books from Ibn `Abbas, Abu Sa`id and Ibn `Umer. He has also learned hadith 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 learned hadith 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' in Al-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 his hadith in both al-Tirmithi's and Abu Dawud's sahih 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.
His hadith 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's Al-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 wage jihad 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 his Tabaqat.
Alqamah's fair-mindedness and prestige among Sunnis is undisputed in spite of their knowledge of his Shi`a beliefs. Authors of the six sahih books, as well as others, have all relied on his authority. Refer to his hadith in Muslim and Bukhari from Ibn Mas`ud, Abul-Darda'ah and `Ayesha. His hadith about `Uthman and Abu Mas`ud is recorded in Muslim's Sahih. In both sahih books, his hadith is narrated by his nephew Ibrahim al-Nakh`i. In Muslim's Sahih, his hadith 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 his Al-Mizan quoting Ahmed ibn Hanbal saying, "He has reported authentic ahadith," that he is a pioneer of Shi`ism, that Ibn Ma`in has trusted him, that he narrates hadith from Makrimah and others, and that both Shu`bah and Mu`ammar have learned hadith from him. He marks his name to indicate that the authors of sunan 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 book Al-Ma`arif. His biography in Al-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 thousand ahadith 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. Ahmed 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 the tabi`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 his Al-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 his hadith as reported by Thabit al-Banani, and that he has learned about jihad 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 reported hadith 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's hadith 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. Ahmed 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 his Al-Mizan quoting both pros and cons regarding his hadith as mentioned above, and marking his name with SQ to identify which authors of the sunan rely on his authority. He reports hadith from Hisham ibn `Urwah and `Ubaydullah ibn `Umer.
On page 273, Vol. 6, of his Tabaqat, Ibn Sa`d says the following about him: "Isma`il ibn Raja' quotes his hadith 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 Ahmed ibn al-Furat, Ya`qub al-Faswi and a group of their peers who have all learned hadith from him and relied on his authority. Ibn Sa`d mentions him on page 282, Vol. 6, of his Tabaqat and describes him as an "extremist Shi`a." Probably for this reason alone that Yahya regards his hadith as "weak." Abu Hatim says that he is truthful. Al-Thahbi mentions him in his Al-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. His hadith 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 learned hadith from him and relied on his authority. Al-Thahbi mentions him in his Al-Mizan, marking his name with TSQ as an indication of which authors of the sunan 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 reports hadith 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 his hadith which is recorded in both sahih 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 Ahmed'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`fer 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 the sahih 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 his Al-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 five sahih books rely on `Ali ibn Hashim. Refer to his hadith about marriage in Muslim's Sahih as reported by Hisham ibn `Urwah, and in his chapter dealing with seeking permission as transmitted from Talha ibn Yahya. His hadith in Muslim's Sahih is transmitted by Abu Mu`ammar Isma`il ibn Ibrahim and `Abdullah ibn Aban. Ahmed 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 Ahmed'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 his hadith in Muslim's Sahih as transmitted by al-A`mash, Abu Ishaq al-Subai`i, Mansur, and `Abdullah ibn `Isa. His hadith is reported in Muslim's Sahih by Abul-Jawab, Abul-Hawas Salam, Ibn Ahmed 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 learned hadith from him and relied on his authority. Ahmed, Ibn Ma`in, Abu Hatim and other people have also relied on his authority. Muslim and four authors of sunan have quoted his hadith. Al-Thahbi has included his biography in his own Al-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 his hadith about the pilgrimage in Muslim's Sahih 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's Ma`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 in Al-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's hadith is this one: "`As the author of Al-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 all ahadith 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 six sahih books and by others. Refer to Abu Ishaq's hadith in both sahih 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 both sahih 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 his Al-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`fer ibn Sulayman describing him as Shi`a and quotes Bandar calling him "Rafidi." Ibn Qutaybah has included him in his own Al-Ma`arif among Shi`a dignitaries. He has taught hadith to Ruh, Hawdah, Shu`bah, al-Nadr ibn Shamil, `Uthman ibn al-Haytham and many others of their calibre. Authors of the six sahih books as well as others have all relied on his authority. Refer to his hadith in Bukhari's Sahih from al-Hasan and Sa`id, sons of al-Hasan al-Basri, Muhammad ibn Sirin and Siyar ibn Salamah. His hadith in Muslim's Sahih is transmitted by Al-Nadr ibn Shamil. His hadith from Abu Raji' al-`Ataridi exists in both sahihs. 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 his Al-Ma`arif, has included him among Shi`a dignitaries. Al-Thahbi mentions him in his Al-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 his Al-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 six sahih books rely on him. Refer to his hadith in Bukhari's Sahih 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. His hadith 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 his hadith 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 his Tabaqat, 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 the hadith 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's ahadith which deals with prayers as transmitted by Shaqiq ibn `Uqbah, and with zakat by `Adi ibn Thabit. His hadith dealing with zakat as recorded by Muslim is transmitted by Yahya ibn Adam and Abu Usamah. In the sunan, his hadith 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 of hadith 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 Ahmed once asked his father about Fitr ibn Khalifah. He answered, "He is a reporter of authentic hadith. His hadith 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. Ahmed 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`fer 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 narrates hadith from Abul-Tufayl, Abu Wa'il, and Mujahid. His hadith is quoted by Usamah, Yahya ibn Adam, Qabisah and others of the same calibre. Ahmed and others have trusted him. Murrah has said the following about him, "He is a responsible narrator of hadith 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 his Tabaqat.
When Qutaybah mentions renown Shi`as in his Ma`arif, he includes Fitr ibn Khalifah among them. Al-Bukhari has quoted Fitr's hadith as narrated by Mujahid. Al-Thawri has quoted Fitr's hadith dealing with etiquette as recorded in al-Bukhari's work. Authors of the four sunan 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 his Tabaqat. 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 reporting hadith 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 his hadith on criminal penalties in his own Sahih as transmitted by Harun ibn `Abdullah. Those who narrate his hadith in Bukhari are: Ibn `Ayinah, `Abdul-Aziz ibn Abu Salamah, and Isra'il. Both al-Bukhari and Muslim quote his hadith 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 his hadith 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 six sahihs have relied on his authority. Al-Thahbi has marked his name with "A" to indicate that all traditionists rely on his authority. Refer to his hadith in Bukhari's and Muslim's Sahihs from al-A`mash and Hisham ibn `Urwah. Muslim's Sahih contains other ahadith he has narrated through other trusted reporters. In Bukhari's Sahih, his hadith 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, Ahmed ibn Sinan, Ibn Namir, Issaq al-Hanzali, Abu Bakr ibn Abu Shaybah, Abu Karib, Yahya ibn Yahya, and Zuhayr. Musa al-Zaman has reported his hadith in both sahihs. 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 and hadith by heart, and author of about one thousand books. He toured the lands seeking knowledge and learning hadith 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 of Al-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 the sunan books quote his hadith (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. His hadith is also quoted by Haban ibn `Ali, Yahya ibn Ya`li and others. Muhammad ibn `Ubaydullah ibn Abu Rafi` al-Madani may have also reported hadith 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 work Al-Ma`arif, and Ibn Sa`d has mentioned him on page 271, Vol. 6, of his Tabaqat, 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 Ahmed has described him as a Shi`a whose hadith is authentic, and that Abu Dawud has described him as a "Shi`a by profession"  ), adding that he was a man of hadith and knowledge, that he learned the Qur'an from Hamzah, that he has written numerous books, and that Ibn Ma`in has trusted him and Ahmed spoken well of him. Al-Nisa'i has said that there is nothing wrong with his hadith.
Authors of the six sahih books, as well as many others, have relied on his authority. Refer to his hadith 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. His hadith 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, Ahmed al-Wak`i, and `Abdul-`Aziz ibn `Umer 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`fer 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 his hadith as "weak" have done so only on the grounds of his being a Shi`a, although their prejudice has not at all harmed him. His hadith from `Amr ibn Dinar about ablution exists in Muslim's Sahih. According to Ibn Sa`d's Tabaqat, as stated on page 381, Vol. 5, his hadith 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 his Tabaqat.
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 of sunan as an indication of their reliance on his authority. Refer to his hadith about foods in Muslim's Sahih 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 his hadith 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. His hadith about hajj is quoted in Muslim's Sahih by al-Zubayr. In Muslim, he is quoted by both Yahya ibn Yahya and Qutaybah. He has also narrated hadith from his father `Ammar, and from a group of his peers, and such ahadith exist in Sunni musnads. He died, may Allah have mercy on him, in 175 A.H.
84. Ma`ruf ibn Kharbuth al-Karkhi[16]
Al-Thahbi describes him 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 few ahadith. His hadith 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 work Al-Ma`arif, he includes Ma`ruf ibn Kharbuth among them. Muslim has relied on the authority of Ma`ruf ibn Kharbuth; refer to his hadith about hajj in his sahih from Abul Tufayl. He died in Baghdad in 200 A.H.;[17] 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 narrated hadith from them, as the author of Muntahal Maqal fi Ahwal al-Rijal states. Ibn Qutaybah includes him among Shi`a nobility in his book Al-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."[18] 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 his Tabaqat: "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 book Al-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 six sahih books, as well as others, rely on his authority, knowing that he is Shi`a. Refer to his hadith in Bukhari's and Muslim's Sahihs 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 his hadith 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. Ahmed 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, Ahmed 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 his hadith reliable. Refer to his hadith in Bukhari's Sahih from Sa`id ibn Jubayr. In Bukhari's Sahih, in the author's section on Tafsir, his hadith 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 reports hadith 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 reported hadith 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 respective sunan. Al-Thahbi has included his biography in his own Mizan, stating about him what we have already stated above. Refer to his hadith in the sunan from Salamah ibn Kahil and Hajar ibn `Anbasah. His hadith 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 his hadith 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 his hadith as authentic, adding that Ahmed 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 the sunan as an indication that they all quote his hadith. In Muslim's Sahih, his ahadith about beverages are quoted by Ibn `Awn. His ahadith 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, his hadith 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 learned hadith 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 his ahadith which describes Hell-fire; it is recorded in Muslim's Sahih 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 Ahmed saying that there is nothing wrong with his hadith. Hashim narrates hadith 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 of sunan books as a reference to his being one of the authorities of their musnads, then he quotes Ahmed 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. His hadith from `Ali (as) is unquestioned in the sunan, 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 the sunan relies on his authority. Refer to his hadith in Tirmithi's Sahih 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 his sahih 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 narrates hadith from Yahya ibn Hamzah, Sadaqah ibn Khalid, `Abdul-Hamid ibn Abul `Ishrin and others. The author of Al-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. His hadith 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 Ahmed [ibn Hanbal] heard about this, as the author of Al-Mizan states in his biography of Hisham ibn `Ammar, he responded by saying, "I have known him to be wreckless; may Allah annihilate him." Ahmed 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 Ahmed to be extremely furious, so much so that he required all those who used to pray behind Hisham to repeat their prayers. Ahmed 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 his Al-Ma`arif among Shi`a nobility. He is mentor of Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal and all those of his calibre. Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in his book Al-Mizan, marking his name with an indication that all authors of the six sahih 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 learned hadith from al-Zuhri and Hasan ibn `Abdul-Rahman. His hadith is quoted in turn by al-Qattan, Ahmed, Ya`qub al-Dawraqi, and by many others."
Refer to his hadith in Bukhari's and Muslim's Sahih 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 `Umer, al-Naqid, `Amr ibn Zararah, and Sa`id ibn Sulayman. In Bukhari, his hadith 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 Ahmed 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, Ahmed 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
His kunyat 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." Ahmed ibn Hanbal was asked once, "If there is a discrepancy in narrating hadith between Waki` and Abdul-Rahman ibn Mahdi, whose hadith shall we accept?" Ahmed answered that he personally preferred `Abdul-Rahman's hadith 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 book Al-Mizan stating the above views about him. All authors of the six sahih books as well as others rely on his authority. Refer to his hadith in Bukhari's and Muslim's Sahih 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 his hadith as transmitted by `Abdullah al-Hamidi, Muhammad ibn Salam, Yahya ibn Ja`fer 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 `Umer, `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 book Al-Mizan and marks his name to indicate that Muslim and authors of the sunan 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 his Tabaqat 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 many ahadith."
I have seen how Muslim's Sahih contains one hadith 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 his hadith in Muslim and others.
98. Yahya ibn Sa`id al-Qattan
His kunyat 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 six sahih books and others have relied on his authority. His hadith 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, his hadith 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, Ahmed ibn Hanbal, Ya`qub al-Dawraqi, Ahmed 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 book Al-Mizan, placing on his name the initials of Muslim and four authors of sunan 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 one hadith 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 his hadith on beverages in Muslim's Sahih 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 their sahih 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 Ahmed 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 his hadith in both Tirmithi's and Abu Dawud's sahih books as well as all Sunni musnads.
Ibn Sa`d mentions him on page 159, Vol. 6, of his Tabaqat 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 the sahih and musnad 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 the hadith 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 book Al-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 trustworthy tabi`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 to taqiyya, 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 Ahmed 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 learned hadith 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.
Reference:
[1] This Letter has grown quite lengthy because the topic demands it to be as such. Scholars are not bored by its length due to its contents that include precious benefits sought by every researcher and critic. Other than these, let whoever is bored read a portion of it, and let him judge the rest of it accordingly, then let him go directly to Letter No. 17 and the ones that succeed it. For fear of boring you by such a lengthy Letter, we have refrained from including it in lists of books containing valuable and very interesting information.
[2] Upon mentioning Isma`il ibn `Abbad, al-Thahbi departs from his usual approach in his Al-Mizan, listing him before Isma`il ibn Aban al-Ghanawi and Isma`il ibn Aban al-Azdi. He has, indeed, greatly wronged his own self, discarding all basic rights.
[3] A collar put around the dog's neck; the meaning here is that his time to depart has come when a rope is tightened around his neck.
[4] See page 196 of the abridged version of Al-Jami` Baynal `Ilmi wa Fad'ilih by the contemporary scholar Shaykh Ahmed ibn `Umer al-Muhammasani al-Beiruti.
[5] Refer to page 199 of its summary in the book written by the scholar Shaykh Ahmed ibn `Umer al-Muhammasani al-Beiruti.
[6] Ibn `Adi quotes a chain of narrators including al-Husayn ibn `Ali al-Sukuni al-Kufi, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Sukuni, Salih ibn al-Aswad, al-A`mash, and `Atiyyah, stating that Jarir was asked once: "How was `Ali's status among your folks?" Jarir answered: "He was the best of mankind." This has been quoted by Muhammad Ahmed al-Thahbi in his biography of Salih ibn Abul-Aswad in Al-Mizan. In spite of al-Thahbi's extreme fanaticism, all he had to say in his comment about this hadith is his statement: "He probably meant during his [`Ali's] lifetime."
[7] His statement "What a great man `Ali was," though flattering, does not do justice to the status of the Imam, peace be upon him, even coming from one of his adversaries. Sharik's rejection of such a feeble compliment and his anger thereat are, according to the norms of tradition, justified. There is quite a difference between the statement of this Omayyad vagabond who infers "What a great man `Ali was," having heard `Ali's outstanding virtues, as well as the verses of the Exalted and Almighty stating: "We have decreed, and the most capable of decreeing are We..." The comparison between the statement of that Omayyad man and those of Allah is indeed quite manifest; yet Allah Almighty did not content Himself with just saying "What a great servant of Allah he is," but also added: "He is oft-returning;" so, Wafiyyat al-A`yan does not provide any answer to such a question.
[8] He was also one of those who were put in charge of fighting the renegades as Ibn Hajar indicates as he discusses Sihan ibn Sawhan in Part One of his Al-Isabah.
[9] It was said to al-Sha`bi, as mentioned in the biography of Rashid al-Hijri in al-Thahbi's Al-Mizan, "What is the matter with you? Why do you find fault with `Ali's companions? Haven't you learned what you have learned from any of them?" He asked: "From whom?" They answered: "From al-Harith and Sa`sa`ah." He said: "As regarding Sa`sa`ah, he was, indeed, an eloquent orator, and I learned from him how to deliver sermons, and truly al-Harith was an expert in mathematics, and from him did I learn the same."
[10] Suffices you for proof testifying to this fact what is mentioned by Ibn Hajar in his biography in Part Three of his Isabah, Vol. 2, page 241.
[11] Yes, he was agreed upon by those who are fair, and they included it in their sahihs with satisfaction. Those who opposed it are the Nasibis and Kharijites. It includes what is narrated by Ahmed ibn al-Azhar, who is unanimously considered as an authority, saying: "`Abdel-Razzaq has taught me a few exclusive ahadith which he knows through a chain of narrators that includes Mu`ammar, al-Zuhri, and `Ubaydullah and ends with Ibn `Abbas who says that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) looked once at `Ali and said: `You are a chief in this life, and a chief in the life to come; whoever loves you loves me, and whoever hates you hates me; the one you love is loved by Allah, and the one you dislike is disliked by Allah; woe unto those who despise you.'" This is quoted by al-Hakim on page 128, Vol. 3, of his Al-Mustadrak, followed by the author's comment thus: "This is an authentic hadith according to the authority of both Shaykhs." Among others is what `Abdel-Razzaq has narrated from Mu`ammar, from Ibn Najih, from Mujahid, from Ibn `Abbas who says that Fatima (as) once said: "O Messenger of Allah! You have married me to a provider who has no money." He said: "Are you not pleased that Allah cast a look at the inhabitants of the earth and chose from among them two men, and He made one of them your father and the other your husband?" This hadith is quoted by al-Hakim on page 129, Vol. 3, of his Al-Mustadrak through Sarih ibn Younus, Abu Hafs, al-A`mash, Abu Salih, up to Abu Hurayrah.
[12] Allah forbid that they have abominations only Mu`awiyah and his oppressive gang are more likely to have. Among such abominations is narrated by `Abdel-Razzaq through a chain of narrators that includes: Ibn `Ayinah, `Ali ibn Zayd ibn Jath'an, Abu Nadrah, up to Abu Sa`d who quotes the Prophet (pbuh) saying: "If you see Mu`awiyah sitting on my pulpit, kill him."
[13] The reason for this is the fact that he, peace be upon him and his progeny, died in 148 at the age of 65.
[14] The demise of Imam al-Jawad, peace be upon him, took place in 220; he was 25 years old. They have committed a mistake those who say that `Abdel-Razzaq narrated hadith from al-Baqir, for al-Baqir, peace be upon him, died in 114 at the age of 57, twelve years prior to `Abdel-Razzaq's birth.
[15] This can be extracted from the biography of his grandfather Sa`d ibn Janadah in Part One of the Al-Isabah.
[16] Some say "Ibn Fayruz," others say "Ibn Fayruzan," while still others call him "Ibn `Ali."
[17] Some say in the year 201, while others say it was the year 204.
[18] As in Zubayd al-Yami's biography in Al-Mizan. We have quoted this statement from al-Jawzjani while discussing the biographies of Zubayd, al-A`mash, and Abu Ishaq, and we included noteworthy comments on them.
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