Section Three – A Brief Comparison Between the Books of the Ahlus Sunnah and the Books of the Rawafid Regarding Jarh and Ta’dil and Tashih and Tad’if

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Section Three

A Brief Comparison Between the Books of the Ahlus Sunnah and the Books of the Rawafid Regarding Jarh and Ta’dil and Tashih and Tad’if

 

This is a brief comparison of the books the Ahlus Sunnah and those of the Rawafid regarding the sciences of Jarh and Ta’dil and Tashih and Tad’if; so that it is categorically established that the former are the giants of these fields and that the latter hold no weight in them. And also, so that it is known that the tradition that they are upon is nothing but lies and fabrications and that they are the dependents of the Ahlus Sunnah in compilation, as has passed already.

 

The Books of the Ahlus Sunnah

 

1. The Books of the Ahlus Sunnah Regarding Jarh and Ta’dil

The Books in this field are many, hereunder we will list the categories with a few examples of each:

 

The Transmitter Dictionaries of Specific Books

The six books: Sahih al Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abi Dawood, Sunan al Nasa’i, Sunan al Tirmidhi, Sunan Ibn Majah. Some of the books regarding the transmitters of these books:

1. Al Kamal fi Asma’ al Rijal of ‘Abdul Ghani al Maqdisi.
2. Tahdhib al Kamal of al Mizzi; ‘Ala’ al Din Mughltay wrote an addendum to it names Ikmal Tahdhib al Kamal.
3. Tahdhib al Tahdhib of Ibn Hajar.
4. Taqrib al Tahdhib of Ibn Hajar as well.
5. Al Kashif fi Ma’rifah man lahu Riwayah fi al Kutub al Sittah of al Dhahabi.
6. Tadhhib Tahdhib al Kamal of al Dhahabi.
7. Khulasah Tadhhib al Tahdhib of al Khazraji.

 

And some of the most popular books regarding the transmitters of specific books are the following:

1. Rijal Sahih al Bukhari, and its name is al Hidayah wa al Irshad fi Ma’rifah Ahl al Thiqah wa al Sadad of Kalabadhi.
2. Rijal Sahih Muslim of Ibn Manjuyah.
3. Al Jam’ bayn Rijal al Sahihayn of Ibn al Qaisarani.
4. Is’af al Mubatta’ bi Rijal al Muwatta’ of al Suyuti.
5. Al Ta’rif bi Rijal al Muwatta’ of Muhammad ibn Yahya al Hadhdha’ al Tamimi.
6. Ta’jil al Manfa’ah bi Zawa’id Rijal al A’immah al Arba’ah of Ibn Hajar.

 

Books Regarding the Transmitters of Hadith in general

1. Al Tarikh al Kabir of al Bukhari.
2. Al Jarh wa al Ta’dil of Ibn Abi Hatim.

 

Books Regarding Reliable Transmitters

1. Al Thiqat of Ibn Hibban al Busti.
2. Al Thiqat of al ‘Ijli.
3. Al Thiqat of Abu Hafs ibn Shahin.

 

Books Regarding Weak Transmitters

1. Al Du’afa’ al Saghir of al Bukhari.
2. Al Du’afa’ al Kabir of al ‘Uqayli.
3. Al Du’afa’ wa al Matrukin of al Nasa’i.
4. Al Mughni fi al Du’afa’ of al Dhahabi.
5. Al Kamil fi al Du’afa’ of Ibn ‘Adi.
6. Mizan al I’tidal of al Dhahabi.
7. Ahwal al Rijal of al Jawzajani.
8. Tarikh Asma’ al Du’afa’ wa al Kadhdhabin of Abu Hafs Ibn Shahin.

 

General Books Regarding the Biographies of Scholars and Transmitters

1. Siyar A’lam al Nubala’ of al Dhahabi.
2. Tarikh al Islam of al Dhahabi as well.
3. Shadharat al Dhahab of Ibn al ‘Imad al Hanbali.

 

Books Regarding the Biographies of The Scholars of a School

The Shafi’i School:

1. Tabaqat al Shafi’iyyah al Kubra of al Subki.
2. Tabaqat al Shafi’iyyah of Ibn Qadi Shahbah.
3. Tabaqat al Fuqaha’ al Shafi’iyyah of Ibn al Salah.

 

The Hanbali School:

1. Tabaqat al Hanabilah of Ibn Abi Ya’la.
2. Al Manhaj al Ahmed of al ‘Ulaymi.
3. Dhayl Tabaqat al Hanabilah of Ibn Rajab.

 

The Hanafi School:

1. Al Jawahir al Mudi’ah fi Tabaqat al Hanafiyyah of Ibn Abi al Wafa’.
2. Taj al Tarajim of Qasim ibn Qutlubagha

 

The Maliki School:

1. Tartib al Madarik wa Taqrib al Masalik of al Qadi ‘Ayad
2. Al Dibaj al Mudhdhab of Ibn Farhun.
3. Shajarah al Nur al Zakiyyah fi Tabaqat ‘Ulama’ al Malikiyyah of Muhammad Makhluf.

 

Books Regarding Queries, Defects, and the Identifying of Men

1. Su’alat al Hakim of al Daraqutni.
2. Su’alat al Sahmi of al Daraqutni.
3. Su’alat al Sajzi of al Hakim.
4. Su’alat Muhammad ibn ‘Uthman ibn Shaybah of ‘Ali ibn al Madini.
5. Su’alat al Darimi of Ibn Ma’in.

 

2. Books of Referencing

Books Regarding Referencing General Narrations

1. Kanz al ‘Ummal of al Muttaqi al Hindi.
2. Jam’ al Jawami’ al Suyuti.
3. Jami’ al Usul of Ibn al Athir.

 

Books for Referencing the Narrations of Specific Books:

1. Al Mughni ‘an Haml al Asfar fi Takhrij ma fi al Ihya’ min al Akhbar of al ‘Iraqi.

 

Books for Referencing the Narrations of Fiqh Books

1. Nasb al Rayah li Takhrij Ahadith al Hidayah of al Zayla’i.
2. Al Dirayah fi Takhrij Ahadith al Hidayah of Ibn Hajar.
3. Al Talkhis al Habir fi Takhrij Ahadith al Rafi’i al Kabir of Ibn Hajar as well.

 

Books for Referencing the Narrations of Laws

1. Bulugh al Maram min Jam’ Adillah al Ahkam of Ibn Hajar.
2. Taqrib al Asanid wa Tartib al Masanid of al ‘Iraqi.

 

Books for Referencing the Narrations of Exhortation and Reprimand

1. Al Targhib wa al Tarhib of al Mundhiri.
2. Al Zawajir ‘an Iqtiraf al Kaba’ir of Ibn Hajar al Haytami.

 

Books for Referencing the Narrations of Tafsir

1. Al Fath al Samawi bi Takhrij Ahadith Tafsir al Qadi al Baydawi of al Munawi.
2. Al Kaf al Shaf fi Takhrij Ahadith al Kashshaf of Ibn Hajar.
3. Al Durr al Manthur fi al Tafsir bi al Ma’thur of al Suyuti.

 

Books for Referencing the Ahadith Qudsiyyah

1. Al Ithafat al Saniyyah fi al Ahadith al Qudsiyyah of al Munawi.
2. Al Ithafat al Saniyyah fi al Ahadith al Qudsiyyah of al Madani.
3. Al Ahadith al Qudsiyyah of ‘Ali al Qari.
4. Al Ahadith al Qudsiyyah of the Lajnah al Qur’an wa al Hadith bi al Majlis al A’la li al Shu’un al Islamiyyah.

 

Books for Referencing the Narrations of Sirah and Shama’il (traits of Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam

1. Al Khasa’is al Kubra of al Suyuti.
2. Manahil al Safa fi Takhrij Ahadith al Shifa al Suyuti.
3. Subul al Huda wa al Rashad fi Sirah Khayr al ‘Ibad of Muhammad ibn Yusuf al Salihi.

 

The Books of Muhammad Nasir al Din al Albani:

1. Al Silsilah al Sahihah.
2. Al Silsilah al Da’ifah.
3. Sahih wa Da’if al Jami’ al Saghir wa Ziyadatuh.
4. Sahih al Targhib wa al Tarhib.
5. Da’if al Targhib wa al Tarhib.
6. Sahih Sunan Abi Dawood.
7. Da’if Sunan Abi Dawood.
8. Sahih Sunan al Tirmidhi.
9. Da’if Sunan al Tirmidhi.
10. Sahih Sunan al Nasa’i.
11. Da’if Sunan al Nasa’i.
12. Sahih Sunan Ibn Majah.
13. Da’if Sunan Ibn Majah.
14. Sahih al Sirah al Nabawiyyah.
15. Nasb al Majaniq li Nasf Qissah al Gharaniq.

Amongst many other books of the Ahlus Sunnah regarding Jarh and Ta’dil and Tashih and Tad’if. For the library of the Ahlus Sunnah is replete with such books.

 

The Books of the Rawafid

1. The Books of the Rawafid Regarding Jarh and Ta’dil

As has passed already, the Rawafid Shia also have books which detail the biographies of their narrators. However, there is no doubt that they have lesser experience and lesser knowledge than the Ahlus Sunnah in this field. In fact, they are more insignificant then being worthy of being compared with the Ahlus Sunnah in this science, rather they are dependents of the Ahlus Sunnah in hadith and its compilation.

These books are: Rijal al Najashi, Rijal al Tusi, al Fihrist of al Tusi as well, Rijal al Kashshi, and Rijal al Barqi. We have previously commented upon the contradiction and discrepancies of these books under the discussion pertaining to the development of Jarh and Ta’dil by the Rawafid. And we also commented upon the later books which included these early books in them.

I would just like to reiterate the statement of the grand Ayatollah ‘Ali Khamenei:

 

بناء على ما ذكره كثير من خبراء هذا الفن: ان نسخ كتاب الفهرست كأكثر الكتب الرجالية القديمة المعتبرة الاخرى مثل كتاب الكشي والنجاشي والبرقي والغضائري قد ابتليت جميعاً بالتحريف والتصحيف ،ولحقت بها الاضرار الفادحة ، ولم تصل منها لابناء هذا العصرنسخة صحيحة

Based on what many experts of this field have stated, the manuscripts of the book al Fihrist, are just like the early credible books of transmitter biographies, like the books of al Kashshi, al Najashi, al Barqi, and al Ghada’iri in that they all are victims of distortions and misspellings due to which they bare disastrous harms. And not a single authentic manuscript of them has reached the generation of this time.^[1]

 

2. The Books Regarding Referencing of the Rawafid

A person who studies the books of the Rawafid will not find, unfortunately, a single book or even a single dedicated booklet detailing the weak and fabricated narrations of their tradition besides two which are also in themselves contradictory. They are:

1. Mir’at al ‘Uqul of al Majlisi.
2. Zubdah al Kafi of al Bahbudi.

As for the Ahlus Sunnah, their libraries are replete with such books from the early history right up to recent times. However, this astonishment regarding the Shia very quickly dissipates when one realises that their dogma is based upon lies and assumptions. Hence, if they attempt to author a book containing weak and fabricated narrations their Din will collapse.

Both these books have been written to reference and grade the narrations of al Kafi of al Kulayni, the chief book of the Rawafid.

So, these are some of the books of the Ahlus Sunnah, and these are the books of the Rawafid. Had it not been for the fear of elongating the discussion, I would have provided a brief introduction regarding the aforementioned books of the Ahlus Sunnah and explicated the depth and precision they comprise of. Likewise, I would have provided an introduction to the aforementioned of the Rawafid and the lies, discrepancies, and contradictions that they contain.

And indeed Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala has spoken the truth:

 

فَأَمَّا الزَّبَدُ فَيَذْهَبُ جُفَاءً وَأَمَّا مَا يَنْفَعُ النَّاسَ فَيَمْكُثُ فِي الْأَرْضِ

As for foam it vanishes; but as for that which benefits the people, it remains on the earth.^[2]

 

NEXT⇒ Chapter Nine – The Lament of the Ahlul Bayt About the Abundance of Liars Against them From Those Who Claim to be their Shia

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[1] Al Usul al Arba’ah fi ‘Ilm al Rijal, p. 34.

[2] Surah al Ra’d: 17.