Anonymous user
People of Consensus: Difference between revisions
no edit summary
imported>Mortezanazarzadeh (adding references/ partial) |
imported>Mortezanazarzadeh No edit summary |
||
| Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
==Naming== | ==Naming== | ||
In his ''[[Rijal al-Kashshi|Rijal]]'', [[al-Kashshi]] highlighted the names of a number of transmitters of hadiths in three cases (in [[companions of Imam al-Baqir (a)]] and Imam al-Sadiq (a); [[companions of Imam al-Sadiq (a)]]; and [[companions of Imam al-Rida (a)]]), claiming that [[Imami]] scholars have [[consensus]] over the accuracy of hadiths transmitted by these people. For example, he says about some companions of Imam al-Sadiq (a), "the [[Imamiyya]] have consensus over the accuracy of hadiths which accurately narrated by them as well as the truth of their sayings".<ref>Kashshī, | In his ''[[Rijal al-Kashshi|Rijal]]'', [[al-Kashshi]] highlighted the names of a number of transmitters of hadiths in three cases (in [[companions of Imam al-Baqir (a)]] and Imam al-Sadiq (a); [[companions of Imam al-Sadiq (a)]]; and [[companions of Imam al-Rida (a)]]), claiming that [[Imami]] scholars have [[consensus]] over the accuracy of hadiths transmitted by these people. For example, he says about some companions of Imam al-Sadiq (a), "the [[Imamiyya]] have consensus over the accuracy of hadiths which accurately narrated by them as well as the truth of their sayings".<ref>Kashshī, ''Ikhtīyār maʿrifat al-rijāl'', vol. 2, p. 673.</ref> Since al-Kashshi used the word "consensus" (ijma') with regard to these people, they came to be known as "People of Consensus" ("Ashab al-Ijma'). | ||
==Significance== | ==Significance== | ||
People of Consensus are trusted by Shiite scholars. However, there are different views as to how reliable they are. Such views can be classified into three categories: | People of Consensus are trusted by Shiite scholars. However, there are different views as to how reliable they are. Such views can be classified into three categories: | ||
* The reliability of all people from whom the People of Consensus have transmitted hadith: some people have claimed that any chain of transmission of hadiths in which one of the People of Consensus occurs implies the reliability of all other transmitters from whom they have transmitted hadith, supporting the idea with the saying that, "People of Consensus do not transmit hadiths from anyone except if that person is reliable". However, [[Ayatollah al-Khoei]] has rejected the claim, because these people have sometimes transmitted hadiths from unreliable transmitters of hadiths.<ref>Khoei, | * The reliability of all people from whom the People of Consensus have transmitted hadith: some people have claimed that any chain of transmission of hadiths in which one of the People of Consensus occurs implies the reliability of all other transmitters from whom they have transmitted hadith, supporting the idea with the saying that, "People of Consensus do not transmit hadiths from anyone except if that person is reliable". However, [[Ayatollah al-Khoei]] has rejected the claim, because these people have sometimes transmitted hadiths from unreliable transmitters of hadiths.<ref>Khoei, ''Muʿjam rijāl al-ḥadīth'', vol. 1, p. 59-63.</ref> | ||
* The reliability of all hadiths: some people have claimed that if People of Consensus occur in the chain of transmission of a hadith, then the hadith counts as reliable and acceptable, even if they have transmitted the hadith from a non-righteous person. [[Al-Hurr al-'Amili]] has subscribed to such a view early in the 7th point at the end of his ''[[Wasa'il al-Shi'a]]''. The view was also adopted by [[al-Sayyid Muhammad Mahdi Bahr al-'Ulum]] in his ''[[al-Durrat al-Najafiyya]]'' under [[Ibn Abi 'Umayr]].<ref>Khoei, | * The reliability of all hadiths: some people have claimed that if People of Consensus occur in the chain of transmission of a hadith, then the hadith counts as reliable and acceptable, even if they have transmitted the hadith from a non-righteous person. [[Al-Hurr al-'Amili]] has subscribed to such a view early in the 7th point at the end of his ''[[Wasa'il al-Shi'a]]''. The view was also adopted by [[al-Sayyid Muhammad Mahdi Bahr al-'Ulum]] in his ''[[al-Durrat al-Najafiyya]]'' under [[Ibn Abi 'Umayr]].<ref>Khoei, ''Muʿjam rijāl al-ḥadīth'', vol. 1, p. 59-63.</ref> | ||
* The reliability of the People of Consensus only: some scholars, including Ayatollah al-Kho'i, maintain that there was a consensus over the reliability of these people only, that is, they never lied and were highly honored, but it does not mean that all hadiths attributed to them are acceptable.<ref>Khoei, | * The reliability of the People of Consensus only: some scholars, including Ayatollah al-Kho'i, maintain that there was a consensus over the reliability of these people only, that is, they never lied and were highly honored, but it does not mean that all hadiths attributed to them are acceptable.<ref>Khoei, ''Muʿjam rijāl al-ḥadīth'', vol. 1, p. 61.</ref> | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
Historically speaking, the formation of the term "Ashab al-Ijma'" (People of Consensus) traces back to the transition decades from the third/ninth century to the fourth/tenth century; indeed it goes back to [[al-Kashshi]], the well-known [[Imami]] scholar of 'Ilm al-Rijal in parts of his book. The following words from [[al-Shaykh al-Tusi]] might point to People of Consensus: | Historically speaking, the formation of the term "Ashab al-Ijma'" (People of Consensus) traces back to the transition decades from the third/ninth century to the fourth/tenth century; indeed it goes back to [[al-Kashshi]], the well-known [[Imami]] scholar of 'Ilm al-Rijal in parts of his book. The following words from [[al-Shaykh al-Tusi]] might point to People of Consensus: | ||
: "The Imamiyya relies on whatever [[Zurara b. A'yan]], [[Muhammad b. Muslim]], [[Burayd b. Mu'awiya al-'Ijli|Burayd]], [[Abu Basir]], [[al-Fudayl b. Yasar]], and people like them narrate, and prefer it to what others not as virtuous as them narrate."<ref>Ṭūsī, | : "The Imamiyya relies on whatever [[Zurara b. A'yan]], [[Muhammad b. Muslim]], [[Burayd b. Mu'awiya al-'Ijli|Burayd]], [[Abu Basir]], [[al-Fudayl b. Yasar]], and people like them narrate, and prefer it to what others not as virtuous as them narrate."<ref>Ṭūsī, ''ʿUddat al-uṣūl'', p. 63.</ref> | ||
The concept of People of Consensus (Ashab al-Ijma') was formed since the 6th/12th century among scholars of 'Ilm al-Rijal, and it was referred to by scholars such as [[Ibn Shahrashub]], [[al-'Allama al-Hilli]], [[Ibn Dawud al-Hilli]], and then [[al-Shahid al-Awwal]] and [[al-Shahid al-Thani]] in different ways. | The concept of People of Consensus (Ashab al-Ijma') was formed since the 6th/12th century among scholars of 'Ilm al-Rijal, and it was referred to by scholars such as [[Ibn Shahrashub]], [[al-'Allama al-Hilli]], [[Ibn Dawud al-Hilli]], and then [[al-Shahid al-Awwal]] and [[al-Shahid al-Thani]] in different ways. | ||