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Al-Kafi (book): Difference between revisions
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== The Title ''al-Kafi'' == | == The Title ''al-Kafi'' == | ||
''Al-Kafi'' was entitled as such either because of al- | ''Al-Kafi'' was entitled as such either because of al-Kulayni's own statement in the chapter on ''[[taharah]]'', which reads, "This book is ''kafi<sup>n</sup>'' (i.e. sufficient) for all religious sciences,"<ref>''Al-Kafi'' vol. 1, p. 14 (Introduction)</ref>, or, because it is reported that when ''al-Kafi'' was presented to [[Imam Mahdi]] (a), he said, 'Al-Kafi is ''kafi<sup>n</sup>'' (i.e. sufficient) for our Shi'a." <ref>''Al-Kulayni wa al-kafi'', p. 392.</ref> | ||
== ''Al-Kafi'' in the Words of Great Scholars == | == ''Al-Kafi'' in the Words of Great Scholars == | ||
[[Al-Shaykh al-Mufid]] says, "This book is among the best Shia books and has abundant fruits. | [[Al-Shaykh al-Mufid]] says, "This book is among the best Shia books and has abundant fruits."<ref>''Al-I'tiqadat al-Imamiyyah'', p. 70.</ref> | ||
[[Al-Shahid al-Awwal]] introduces it as a book of hadith similar to which has not been written by any Shia scholar.<ref>''Al-Kafi'', vol. 1, p. 27.</ref> | [[Al-Shahid al-Awwal]] introduces it as a book of hadith similar to which has not been written by any Shia scholar.<ref>''Al-Kafi'', vol. 1, p. 27.</ref> | ||
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[[Muhammad Taqi al-Majlisi]] writes, "'''Al-Kafi'' is the most accurate and most comprehensive of all books on the roots of [[fiqh]], and it is the greatest and best book ever written by the [[Imamiyyah]]."<ref>''Mir'at al-uqul'', vol. 1, p. 3.</ref> | [[Muhammad Taqi al-Majlisi]] writes, "'''Al-Kafi'' is the most accurate and most comprehensive of all books on the roots of [[fiqh]], and it is the greatest and best book ever written by the [[Imamiyyah]]."<ref>''Mir'at al-uqul'', vol. 1, p. 3.</ref> | ||
[[Agha Buzurg Tihrani]] says, "'''Al-Kafi'' is a book of hadith reported from [[Ahl al-Bayt]] (a) and nothing has been written as good as it. | [[Agha Buzurg Tihrani]] says, "'''Al-Kafi'' is a book of hadith reported from [[Ahl al-Bayt]] (a) and nothing has been written as good as it."<ref>''Al-Dhari'ah'', vol. 17, p. 245.</ref> | ||
[[Muhammad Amin Astarabadi|Astarabadi]] quotes from his teachers that, "no book has ever been written similar or close to it in rank".<ref>''Al-Fawa'id al-madaniyyah'', p. 520.</ref> | [[Muhammad Amin Astarabadi|Astarabadi]] quotes from his teachers that, "no book has ever been written similar or close to it in rank".<ref>''Al-Fawa'id al-madaniyyah'', p. 520.</ref> | ||
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== Purpose of Writing == | == Purpose of Writing == | ||
According to the introduction to ''Al-Kafi'', Kulayni has written this book in response to a person he calls, "a religious | According to the introduction to ''Al-Kafi'', Kulayni has written this book in response to a person he calls, "a religious brother": | ||
::O brother! You asked why people have to be ignorant and blindly religious; because they are religious due to habit and imitation of their fathers… | ::O brother! You asked why people have to be ignorant and blindly religious; because they are religious due to habit and imitation of their fathers… | ||
::You reminded that you have difficulty in some matters and do not understand the truth in them due to incompatibility of hadith… and that you do not have access to any trustworthy scholar about which you can speak about. You said that you want to have a sufficient book addressing all religious sciences to suffice the learner and be the reference for the seeker [of truth]…You said that you hope God the Almighty assists our fellows in this school of religion and takes them to their leaders. | ::You reminded that you have difficulty in some matters and do not understand the truth in them due to incompatibility of hadith… and that you do not have access to any trustworthy scholar about which you can speak about. You said that you want to have a sufficient book addressing all religious sciences to suffice the learner and be the reference for the seeker [of truth]…You said that you hope God the Almighty assists our fellows in this school of religion and takes them to their leaders. | ||
::Praise be to God who made writing of the requested book possible and I hope it would be as that you requested. | ::Praise be to God who made writing of the requested book possible and I hope it would be as that you requested."<ref>''Al-Kafi'', vol. 1, p. 5.</ref> | ||
== Writing Approach == | == Writing Approach == | ||
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==Features and Advantages == | ==Features and Advantages == | ||
At the time of writing ''al-Kafi'', [[Al-Kulayni|al-Kulayni]] used, 'The four hundred hadith booklets' written by the companions of the Ahl al-Bayt (a), known in Arabic as ''[[Usul arba'a mi'ah|usul | At the time of writing ''al-Kafi'', [[Al-Kulayni|al-Kulayni]] used, 'The four hundred hadith booklets' written by the companions of the Ahl al-Bayt (a), known in Arabic as ''[[Usul arba'a mi'ah|usul arba'a mi'ah]]''. He met with those companions of Ahl al-Bayt (a) - or those who had seen them - to collect the hadith which had the least number of media and links. Being contemporary with [[the Four Deputies]] paved the way for him to best verify these hadith. | ||
The order and comprehensiveness of ''al-Kafi'' is one of its important features.<ref>''Kashf al-Mahajjah'', p. 159.</ref> It is also outstanding in its classification of hadith, number of hadith, completeness in chains of transmitters, and coverage of various topics in theology, [[fiqh]], ethics, etc. | The order and comprehensiveness of ''al-Kafi'' is one of its important features.<ref>''Kashf al-Mahajjah'', p. 159.</ref> It is also outstanding in its classification of hadith, number of hadith, completeness in chains of transmitters, and coverage of various topics in theology, [[fiqh]], ethics, etc. | ||
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# ''Kitāb [[Taharah|al-taharah]]'' (The Book of Purity) | # ''Kitāb [[Taharah|al-taharah]]'' (The Book of Purity) | ||
# ''Kitāb al-hayd'' (The Book of Menstruation) | # ''Kitāb al-hayd'' (The Book of Menstruation) | ||
# ''Kitab al- | # ''Kitab al-jana'iz'' (The Book of Corpses) | ||
# ''Kitab [[Salat|al-salat]]'' (The Book of Prayer) | # ''Kitab [[Salat|al-salat]]'' (The Book of Prayer) | ||
# ''Kitab [[Zakat|al-zakat]] wa [[Sadaqah|al-sadaqah]]'' (The Book of Zakah and Charity) | # ''Kitab [[Zakat|al-zakat]] wa [[Sadaqah|al-sadaqah]]'' (The Book of Zakah and Charity) | ||
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# ''Kitab al-'itq wa al-tadbir wa al-mukatabah'' (The Book of Emancipation and Management and Writing) | # ''Kitab al-'itq wa al-tadbir wa al-mukatabah'' (The Book of Emancipation and Management and Writing) | ||
# ''Kitab al-sayd'' (The Book of Hunting) | # ''Kitab al-sayd'' (The Book of Hunting) | ||
# ''Kitab [[Dhabihah|al- | # ''Kitab [[Dhabihah|al-dhaba'ih]]'' (The Book of Sacrifices) | ||
# ''Kitab al-at'amah'' (The Book of Foods) | # ''Kitab al-at'amah'' (The Book of Foods) | ||
# ''Kitab al-ashrabah'' (The Book of Drinks) | # ''Kitab al-ashrabah'' (The Book of Drinks) | ||
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# ''Kitab [[Diyah|al-diyat]]'' (The Book of Atonements) | # ''Kitab [[Diyah|al-diyat]]'' (The Book of Atonements) | ||
# ''Kitab [[Shahadah|al-shahadat]]'' (The Book of Witnesses) | # ''Kitab [[Shahadah|al-shahadat]]'' (The Book of Witnesses) | ||
# ''Kitab [[ | # ''Kitab [[Qada'|al-Qada']] wa al-ahkam'' (The Book of Judgment and Rulings) | ||
# ''Kitab al-iman wa [[Nadhr|al-nudhur]] wa [[Kaffarah|al-kaffarat]]'' (The Book of Belief and Vows and Atonements/Reparation) | # ''Kitab al-iman wa [[Nadhr|al-nudhur]] wa [[Kaffarah|al-kaffarat]]'' (The Book of Belief and Vows and Atonements/Reparation) | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
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'''''Rawdah al-Kafi''''' consists of miscellaneous hadith that are in no particular order. Although some do not consider it to be a part of ''al-Kafi'',<ref>''Ryad al-'ulama'', vol. 2, p. 261.</ref> both [[Al-Najashi|al-Najashi]] and [[Al-Shaykh al-Tusi|al-Shaykh al-Tusi]] have asserted that ''Rawdah'' is its last chapter<ref>''Rijal al-Najashi'', p. 377; ''Al-Fihrist'', p. 210.</ref>. It includes hadith regarding the following topics: | '''''Rawdah al-Kafi''''' consists of miscellaneous hadith that are in no particular order. Although some do not consider it to be a part of ''al-Kafi'',<ref>''Ryad al-'ulama'', vol. 2, p. 261.</ref> both [[Al-Najashi|al-Najashi]] and [[Al-Shaykh al-Tusi|al-Shaykh al-Tusi]] have asserted that ''Rawdah'' is its last chapter<ref>''Rijal al-Najashi'', p. 377; ''Al-Fihrist'', p. 210.</ref>. It includes hadith regarding the following topics: | ||
<div style="{{column-count|2}}"> | <div style="{{column-count|2}}"> | ||
# Interpretation of some verses of the | # Interpretation of some verses of the Qur'an | ||
# Advices of the Ahl al-Bayt (a) | # Advices of the Ahl al-Bayt (a) | ||
# Dreams and their types | # Dreams and their types | ||
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# The history of some prophets (s) | # The history of some prophets (s) | ||
# The merit of Shia and their duties | # The merit of Shia and their duties | ||
# Some historical issues of early Islam and the time of [[Imam Ali]] | # Some historical issues of early Islam and the time of [[Imam Ali]]'s (a) government | ||
# [[Imam Mahdi]] (aj), his attributes, companions and the attributes of his time | # [[Imam Mahdi]] (aj), his attributes, companions and the attributes of his time | ||
# The biographies of some companions and other individuals | # The biographies of some companions and other individuals | ||
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== Researches carried out on ''al-Kafi'' == | == Researches carried out on ''al-Kafi'' == | ||
''Al-Kafi'' has always been a topic of discussions among hadith scholars and therefore, many researches have been carried out about it. In [[Al- | ''Al-Kafi'' has always been a topic of discussions among hadith scholars and therefore, many researches have been carried out about it. In [[Al-Dhari'ah|al-Dhari'ah]], [[Agha Buzurg Tihrani]] has listed 27 commentaries provided on ''[[Usul al-kafi|usul al-kafi]]'' or the whole book and 10 marginal notes on ''al-Kafi''.<ref>''Al-Dhari'ah'', vol. 13, pp. 95 - 99.</ref> | ||
'''Commentaries on ''al-Kafi''''' | '''Commentaries on ''al-Kafi''''' | ||
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* [[Mulla Sadra]]'s commentary | * [[Mulla Sadra]]'s commentary | ||
* [[Fayd al-Kashani]]'s ''al-Wafi'' | * [[Fayd al-Kashani]]'s ''al-Wafi'' | ||
* [[Allamah Majlisi]]'s '' | * [[Allamah Majlisi]]'s ''Mir'at al-'uqul'' | ||
* [[Mulla Salih Mazandarani]]'s commentary | * [[Mulla Salih Mazandarani]]'s commentary | ||
* [[Mulla Khalil Qazwini]]'s commentary in Persian called '''Safi'' | * [[Mulla Khalil Qazwini]]'s commentary in Persian called '''Safi''" and an Arabic commentary called '''Shafi''" | ||
* Sayyid Muhammad Baqir Muhaqqiq | * Sayyid Muhammad Baqir Muhaqqiq Damad's ''al-Rawashih al-Samawiyyah fi Shah al-Kafi'' | ||
* Amir Isma'il Khatunabadi's commentary | * Amir Isma'il Khatunabadi's commentary | ||