Sifat al-Shi'a (book)

Sifat al-Shi'a

Bibliographical Information
Author	al-Shaykh al-Saduq
Original title	صِفاتُ الشّیعَة
Language	Arabic
Subject	Hadith Collection

Ṣifāt al-Shīʿa (Arabic: صِفاتُ الشّیعَة) is a collection of hadiths regarding moral and behavioral features of Shi'as written by al-Shaykh al-Saduq (d. 381/991-2). The book is concerned with attributes and features that Shi'as should have. this book was consulted and cited by Shiite scholars and jurists (faqihs) and is cited in many subsequent collections of hadiths.

Author

Main article: al-Shaykh al-Saduq

Muhammad b. 'Ali b. al-Husayn b. Musa b. Babawayh al-Qummi, known as al-Shaykh al-Saduq, was one of the most prominent Shiite scholars of the fourth/tenth century. He was born before 305/917-8. He passed away in 381/991-2 and was born in Ray. He was the greatest muhaddith and jurist in Qom and he belonged to the hadith school of Qom. He wrote over 300 works many of which are lost. One of his works is the well-known book, Man la yahduruh al-faqih, one of the Shiite Four Books.

Credibility

Throughout centuries, this book was consulted and cited by Shiite scholars and jurists (faqihs). It is cited in many subsequent collections of hadiths, such as al-Dum'at al-sakiba written by Muhammad Baqir b. 'Abd al-Karim al-Dihdashti al-Najafi, Bihar al-anwar by al-'Allama al-Majlisi, Wasa'il al-Shi'a by al-Shaykh Hurr al-'Amili, and Mustadrak al-wasa'il by al-Muhaddith al-Nuri.

Al-Muhaddith al-Nuri was so interested in this book that he wrote a manuscript of this book with his own handwriting, which is available today.

Number of Hadiths and Titles of Sections

The book includes 71 hadiths and includes different topics, such as the following:

• Attributes and features of Shias

• Obeying the commands of the Imams (a)

• Taqiyya (or dissimulation)

• Attributes and features of pious people

• Attributes and features of mu'min (the believer)

• How to communicate with people

• Firmness in religiosity

• Friendship for the sake of God

• Enmity for the sake of God

• Moral virtues

Manuscripts

• A manuscript in the library of Dr. Nuw' Parast in Tehran

• A manuscript in the Urdubadi Library in Najaf

• A manuscript in the Tihrani Library in Samarra

• A manuscript in the library of Mirza 'Ali Bihzadi, the grandson of al-Muhaddith al-Nuri in Tehran. This manuscript is written by al-Muhaddith al-Nuri in 1279/1862-3.

Publication

The book was first translated into Persian by Husayn Fushahi in 1342 SH/1963-4 together with another book by al-Shaykh al-Saduq, Fada'il al-Shi'a. It was also published by A'lami Publication in Tehran in Arabic together with a Persian translation by 'Aziz Allah 'Atarudi. It was also translated by Amir Towhidi and published by Zawwara publications in Tehran.

External Links

In order to download the book in pdf, click the following link: Sifat al-shia