al kafi unity 1

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BY

ASH-SHAYKH ABU JAFAR MUHAMMAD

IBN YAQB IBN ISHQ AL-KULAYNI AR-

RZI

Volume One

AL-US

L Part One

3) THE BOOK OF DIVINE

UNITY (I)

W O F I SWorld Organization for Islamic Services

Tehran IRAN


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Title: .................................................................................................................. Usl al-KfVolume: ............................................................................................................................ One

Author: ........................................................................................ ash-Shaykh al-KulaynTranslators: ......................................................... S.M. Hasan Rizvi &Yahy Cooper

Publisher: ................................................. World Organization for Islamic Services)WOFIS(

Edition:................................................................................... First edition 1428/ Printed copies ............................................................................................................. 1,000ISBN:............................................................................................................ 964-6521-33-9

....................................................................................................: :................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................: :.............................................................................. :....................................................................................... ...........................................................................................................: :................................................................................................................... :............................................................................................................................. :..................................................................................................................... --- :.........................................................................................................


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English translation with Arabic textFirst edition 1428/2007

WOFIS, Tehran.All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be

reproduced by any processwithout written permission

of the copyright owner.

E-mail:[email protected]://www.wofis.com

Publ ished by:World Organization for Islamic Services,

P. O. Box 111651545,Tehran 1584853353.

ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN.


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Acknowledgment

This work as an introduction toKitbu 't-Tawhdof Usl al-Kfunder thetitle:ImmKalm:Its Origins, Development and Leading Scholars has

been written and compiled by ash-Shaykh Muhammad Rid al-Jafar(mayAllh protect him and grant him good health!); and translated by the late

John (Yahy) Cooper, may Allh have mercy upon him, for the co-operationhe has rendered to this sacred cause. Amin! (WOFIS)


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In the Name of AllhThe All-Compassionate, The All-Merciful

Praise belongs to Allh, the Lord of all Being;the All-Compassionate, the All-Merciful;

the Master of the Day of Judgement.Thee only we serve; and to Thee alone we pray

for succour.Guide us in the straight path,

the path of those whom Thou hast blessed,not of those against whom Thou art wrathful,

nor of those who are astray.

* * * * *

O' Allh! Send your blessings to the head ofyour messengers and the last of

your prophets,Muhammad and his pure and cleansed progeny.

Also send your blessings to all yourprophets and envoys.


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CONTENTSPage

IMMKALM:ITS ORIGINS, DEVELOPMENT AND LEADING SCHOLARS

Preface .................................................................................................................................. 3Introduction.......................................................................................................................... 4

Part One:ImmKalm: Its Origins and Development ............................................................ 7Origins of the Term 'Kalm' ......................................................................................... 14The Development ofKalmAmong the Immiyyah ........................................... 17Summary of the Argument............................................................................................ 23

Part Two:The Biographies of ImmMutakallims ................................................................... 27ImmMutakallims ......................................................................................................... 28

US L AL-KFCaution ............................................................................................................................... (5)A Chronological List of the Fourteen Infallibles, the Holy Prophet,

his Daughter and the Twelve Holy Imms ....................................................... (6)

List of Technical Terms and Special Signs used in the Traditions ................. (8)

"The Book of Divine Unity"..................................................................................... 185*1. Chapter on: Origination (al-Hudth) of the Universe and Proofs of

Its Originator.......................................................................................................... 187

*This page number is the continuation of the previous page from "The Book of Excellence ofKnowledge" of Usl al-Kf. (WOFIS)


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ImmKalm:Its Origins, Development,

andLeading Scholars


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PREFACE

It was our intention when publishing the English translation of the Usl al-Kf to write an introduction to the Kitbu 't-Tawhd (The Book of DivineUnity), in which we would study a number of points which would serve as a

preliminary study to the hadthin theKitbu 't-Tawhd. It was intended thatthis introduction should appear at the beginning of the first fascicule, but anumber of factors intervened to prevent its publication until now, when thesecond and third fascicules of the Kitbu 't-Tawhd have already beenpublished. Now, praise be to Allh, and through the success that He hasgranted, this introduction has been completed and is here presented under thetitleImmKalm: Its Origins, Development, and Leading Scholars.

World Organization for Islamic Services,(Board of Writing, Translation and Publication)

20th Jumd II, 1428,5thJuly 2007,Tehran Iran.

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INTRODUCTION

Thepurpose in writing this book is twofold. In the first Part, an examinationof Immkalmhas been undertaken in order to show that, from its begin-nings, it had its own specific character, and that it preserved this charaterthroughout its contacts with other schools of kalm. In the second Part, short

biographies of Immmutakallims are given, so that from studying the titlesof kalmworks attributed to them it can be seen what this specific charaterwas, and how it was preserved up to the time of the Shaykh at-Ts. Many of

the subjects raised in Part One of this book are also mentioned in theintroduction to the English translation of Tashhu 'l-Itiqd which is pub-lished separately.

World Organization for Islamic Services,Tehran Iran.

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PART ONE

ImmKalm:Its Origins and Development

1. ImmKalm: Its Origins and Development.

2. Origins of the Term 'Kalm'.3. The Development ofKalmAmong the Immiyyah.4. Summary of the Argument.


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IMMKALM:

ITS ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENTHistorians of doctrine in Muslim history have been accustomed to dividedoctrine or, more precisely, the way in which doctrine is established intotwo kinds: the school of the ashbu 'l-hadth (the Traditionists) and theschools of kalm the particularities of each of which they have described.When it has come to the Imms, it has been customary to extend the samedivision as has been applied to the non-Imms. In what follows, an attempthas been applied to the non-Imms, and indeed that there was no substantialdifference in doctrine between those who relied exclusively on hadth andthose who used the method of kalm; indeed, individual scholars of theImms were usually experts in both sciences.

It has also been the custom for non-Imms to assert that the Imms,especially the early Imms, were upholders of belief in corporealism(tajsm), anthropomorphism (tashbh), and compulsion (jabr). In the first

part, it will be shown that, from the time of the emergence of Immdoctrine, the predominant direction of their teaching did not subscribe tothese beliefs, although there were a small number who did. But this smallnumber in no warrants the assertion that these beliefs were characteristic of

early Immdoctrine.In Part One, the reader will find a short investigation into the origins of

the word 'kalm', in which it will be seen that, in its beginnings, thisdescribed a phenomenon which was unique to the Muslim environment, andthat, consequently, difficulties have been experienced in finding adequatetranslations for the early usage of the term. In the course of time, kalmcame to be used for a specific discipline, which has been more successfullyrendered into English variously as 'theology', 'speculative theology', or

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8 ImmKalm: Its Origins and Development and Leading Scholars

'dialectical theology'. The period of the development of this term andpractice into a specific discipline is one of the specific areas to which atten-tion has been drawn in this study.

* * * * *Thegenerally prevailing picture of the development of kalmamong the

Imm Shah is that the ideas and opinions, and, to a greater degree, themethodology of kalm was incorporated by them into their doctrine at asomewhat later stage in the historical development of the Immyyah, that isto say from the time of ash-Shaykh al-Mufd onwards, the process coming toa kind of maturity with ash-Sharf al-Murtad and ash-Shaykh at-Ts.Together with this picture is also found the view that the theological

positions of the Immyyah were changed and consolidated by this encounterwith kalm.

There is, however, one alternative to this generally accepted picture, onethat emerges through an examination of the development of the ImmShah at a stage prior to that of the period of al-Mufd. This other picturereveals a body of doctrine largely similar in content to that of the post-Mufd

period, as well as the existence of Immmen of learning who were alreadyusing argumentation or 'rational' exposition of doctrines as opposed to themere recitation of Traditions prior to al-Mufd.

Two trends manifested themselves from an early period: the trend for

using hadthor verse of the Qurn to answer questions of doctrine, the prac-titioners of which were called muhaddithn, those whoyuhaddithna 'n-ns;and the trend for using argumantation or proof to answer such questions, the

practitioners of which were called mutakallimn, those whoyukallimna 'n-ns; i.e., those who spoke, argued, debated with the people. This gives rise toa picture of the origins of the word kalm(dialectical theology), which is atvariance with the generally accepted picture, one that traces the origin backto those who discoursed on theological matters with the people, and to thefamiliar sense of kallama and takallamaas speech and debate among people.

There are many references in the sources to the use of kalmin this sense atthe beginning of theological discussions among the Immiyyah that is beforethe term kalmcomes to denote a specific science or branch of knowledge.

. . . Ab Khlid al-Kbl said: "I saw Ab Jafar Shibu 't-Tq (121)standing up in the Mosque of the Prophet in Madnah; the people ofMadnah were crowded round him (lit., they had torn the front of hisclothes [through pressure on him]), and he was tirelessly answering themand they were asking him. I went up to him and said: 'AbAbdillh has


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ImmKalm:Its Origins and Development 9

forbidden us from holding discourse (kalm).' He said: 'Did he commandyou to tell me?' I said: 'No, by Allh, but he commanded me not to holddiscourse (l ukallima) with anyone.' He said: 'Then go and obey him in

what he commanded you.' I went back to AbAbdillh, peace be uponhim, and informed him of the story about Shibu 't-Tq, about what I hadsaid to him, and his saying to me: 'Go and obey him in what he com-manded you.' Ab Abdillh (peace be upon him) smiled and said: 'OAbKhlid, Shibu 't-Tq holds discourse with the people (yukallimu 'n-ns): he soars up and he dives down, but if they clipped your wings youwould never [be able to] fly.'" (al-Kishsh, pp.185-6 [no.327]). . . Abdu 'l-Al (the freedman of the l Sm) said: "I said to AbAbdillh (peace be upon him): 'The people blame me for holdingdiscourse (kalm), but I continue to hold discourse with the people.' Hesaid: 'For someone like you who falls and then flies up [again], that isalright, but for someone who falls and cannot fly up [again], then it isnot.'" (al-Kishsh, p.319 [no.578])Elsewhere the Imm as-Sdiq, peace be upon him, says: ". . . I command

one group to hold discourse (yatakallim) and I have forbidden [another]group . . ." (al-Kishsh, pp.170 [no.287], 238-9 [no.433]; see also infranos.3,14, and elsewhere). From these and similar uses of kalm from the same

period it would seem clear that the term finds its origin in the meaning of'speaking to', 'holding discourse', 'engaging in debate'.

* * * * *

It is a feature of many of the hadth in the Kitbu 't-Tawhdof al-Kf, aswell as of those in ash-Shaykh as-Sadq'sKitbu 't-Tawhd, that they concernreplies which the Imms, in particular the Imm as-Sdiq, peace be uponhim, gave to those described aszindqs. In many cases no names are supplied,the interlocutor being described merely as a zindq, while elsewhere namesare supplied. This is not the place to enter into a discussion of the meaning

and uses of this term; what follows is a list of those who are so described,followed by a more detailed examination of one of these.a) (Abdu 'l-Karm) ibn Abi 'l-Awj, see K.T. ["Kitbu 't-Tawhd" of al-

Kf], nos.214, 327, and vol.4, pp.197-8; as-Sadq, at-Tawhd, pp.125-7,253-4, 296-8.

b) AbShkir ad-Daysn, see K.T., no.334; as-Sadq, pp.133, 290, 292-3.c) Abdullh ad-Daysn, see K.T., no.217; as-Sadq, pp.122-4. (These two

ad-Daysns are probably the same person, sometimes referred to by his


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better-known laqab, sometimes by his name.)d) Abdullh ibn al-Muqaffa (106/724142/759), see K.T., no.214; as-

Sadq, p.126. This is the well-known scribe and man of letters to whom

is due the origins of the Kitbu 'd-Dwn, and whose short life spannedthe end of the Umayyad and the beginning of the Abbsids. He wasexecuted in Basrah on accusations of zindaqah (see al-Alm, 3rd ed.,vol.4, pp.273-4; Mujamu 'l-muallifn, vol.6, p.156; and sources referredto threin). Leaving aside the question of whether or not the accusations of

zindaqahcan be justified, these acusations were certainly no more than apretext for disposing of him for political reasons.Here we shall discuss in further detail the first of those named above.

1. Abdu 'l-Karm ibn Abi 'l-Awj (d. 155/772), of the tribe of Dhuhl ibnShaybn (Ibn Hazm,Jamharat Ansbi 'l-Arab, p.316; Nashwn al-Himyar,al-Huru 'l-iyn, p.193) was the maternal uncle of Man ibn Zidah ash-Shaybn, the famous Umayyid and Abbsid commander. Ibn Hajar al-Asqaln says: "Hammd ar-Rwiyah (95/714155/772), Hammd Ajrad(d. 161/778), Hammd ibn az-Zibriqn, Abdu 'l-Karm ibn Abi 'l-Awj,Slih ibn Abdi 'l-Qudds (d. c.160/777) [the famous poet and scribe, wasaccused ofzindaqahand executed in Baghdd], Abdullh ibn al-Muqaffa,Muti ibn Iyys (d. 166/783) [the Kinnpoet], Yahy ibn Ziyd al-Hrith(d. c.160/776) [the poet], and Alibn al-Khall ash-Shaybn[the poet] werefamous for zindaqah and despising the matters of the religion." (Lisnu 'l-

mzn, vol.3, p.173). It is to be noted that Abdu 'l-Karm's nephew Man ibnZidah was also accused ofzindaqah(al-Huru 'l-iyn, p.192).

2. Ibn Abi 'l-Awj was, in the beginning, a student of al-Hasan ibn Abi 'l-Hasan al-Basr, the well-known narrator of hadth, faqh, preacher, andascetic (21/642110/728), but subsequently abandoned belief in monothe-ism, as can been seen from the following hadth.

". . . s ibn Ynus said: 'Ibn Abi 'l-Awj was a student of al-Hasan al-Basrand then abandoned belief in monotheism. He was asked: "Have youabandonned the beliefs of your teacher (shib) and taken up something

which has neither basis nor reality?" He said: "My teacher was a vacillator(mukhallat) [in his beliefs] sometimes he believed in free-will, sometimesin determinism I never knew him to take up belief in something and tocontinue to hold it." [Ibn Abi 'l-Awj] went to Makkah in a contrary stateof mind (mutamarrid), criticizing those who had gone on hajj. The learneddid not like to sit down with him and answer his questions on account of hisuncouth speech and his corrupt intention. AbAbdillh, peace be upon him,came, and [Ibn Abi 'l-Awj] sat down with him along with a group of like-


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minded persons [see al-Mufd,Kitbu 'l-Irshd(transl. Howard), p.424; theywere Ibn Tlt, Ibn al-Am and Ibnu 'l-Muqaffa, and (Ibn) an-Nadm says:"Among their leaders (i.e. the Manicheans) were mutakallims whom

observed Islam outwardly but maintainedzindaqahin their hearts: Ibn Tlt,Ab Shkir, Ab Shkir's nephew, Ibn al-Am al-Harz, Numn (sic. =Abdu 'l-Karm) ibn Abi 'l-Awj, Slih ibn Abdi 'l-Qudds, . . ." (al-

Fihrist, p.401)], and said: "O AbAbdillh, let [this] gathering be confiden-tial, and anyone who wants to say something (lit., to cough) should do so.Do you permit [us] to talk?"'

". . . [Ibn Abi 'l-Awj asks a question about the hajj; then from anotherextract from the same meeting narrated elsewhere by al-Kulayn, he asks aquestion about Allh (see K.T., no.327-8). Then the original hadthcontinues.]"Ibn Abi 'l-Awj became stupified and did not know what to say. He lefthis presence and said to his companions: 'I asked you to find me some wine,and you threw me on to a burning coal.'

"'Shut up,' they told him: 'you have disgraced us by your bewilderment.We saw no one today more humiliated than you in this discussion.'

"'Are you saying this to me?' he replied. 'He is (only) the son of a manwho shaved the heads of those whom you see.' He indicated with his handtowards the people gathered for the pilgrimage." (al-Kf, "Kitbu 'l-Hajj",

part 4, pp.197-8; as-Sadq, Man l yahduruhu 'l-faqh, vol.2, pp.162-3;"Kitbu 't-Tawhd", p.253-4;Ilalu 'sh-shari, vol.2, pp.89-90; al-Aml(al-

Majlis), pp.616-8; al-Mufd, al-Irshd(transl. Howard), p.425 (the secondhalf of the above translation is taken from Howard); at-Tabris, al-Ihtijj,vol.2, pp.74-75; al-Bihr, vol.3, pp.33-34; vol.99, pp.28-29).

Abu 'l-Faraj al-Isbahnnarrated: "There were in Basrah six practitionersof kalm, Amr ibn Ubayd, Wsil ibn At, Bashshr al-Am [Ibn Burd,the famous poet (95/714167/784), accused of zindaqah and beated todeath], Slih ibn Abdi 'l-Qudds, Abdu 'l-Karm ibn Abi 'l-Awj, and aman of the tribe of Azd i.e., Jarr ibn Hzim. There, gathered in the houseof the Azdand argued with one another. At the end Amr and Wsil went

off to become Mutazils, but Abdu 'l-Karm and Slih took up belief indualism, while Bashshr remained confused and a vacillator. As for theAzd, he turned towards Sumaniyyah (Shamanism or perhaps Buddhism),which was one of the religions of India, but remained externally as he had

been."Abdu 'l-Karm took to corrupting the youth, Amr ibn Ubayd said: 'I

have heard that you take one of our youths aside and corrupt him, make himslip, and introduce him to your religion. Either you leave our town, or I will


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set something up for you, which will end your life.' So he went to Kfah,where Muhammad ibn Sulaymn [the governor] was directed to him andkilled him and crucified him."

Then Abu 'l-Faraj narrated a poem which Bashshr [had composed]condemning Ibn Abi 'l-Awj accusing him of zindaqah and of despisingreligious obligations. (al-Aghn, vol.3, pp.146-7;Mukhtru 'l-aghn, vol.2,

pp.39-40; Tajrdu 'l-aghn, vol.1, pt.1, p.374-5; Lisnu 'l-mzn, vol.4,pp.51-52; the text appears corrupted apart from in Tajrdu 'l-aghn.)

As for Azd, the sixth man, Jarr ibn Hzim, none of the biographicalsources mention anyone of this name apart from a Jarr ibn Hzim Abu 'n-

Nadr al-Azdal-Basr(90/709175/791), the qdof Basrah, one of the greatTraditionalists, one from whom a great number of hadthare narrated, andon whose truthfulness there is agreement. The authors of the six Sunncanoni-cal hadthworks, as well as others, have all narrated hadth from him. al-Bukhrnarrates from him that he studied with al-Hasan [al-Basr] for eightyears (Trkhu 'l-kabr, vol.1, pt.2, p.214). It was also said of him that hewas 'shibu 's-sunnah' (i.e., an upholder of the primacy of hadth) (al-Ilal,vol.1, p.246; al-Marifah, vol.2, p.167; Tahdhbu 't-tahdhb, vol.2, p.72).

It thus seems that this Jarr was the companion of Ibn Abi 'l-Awj andhis other companions, since it is extremely unlikely that two persons fromthe same period had the same name, the same patronimic and the samenisbah, and lived in the same place. This great muhaddithseems therefore to

have been secretly as Abu 'l-Faraj narrated; 'but [he] remained externally ashe had been', as is reflected in the writings of the scholars of hadth, in theirtrust in him, in their confirmation of his truthfulness, and in their narrating ofhis hadth.

Despite the Janus-like nature of Jarr the opposition between what hesecretly believed in and what he externally displayed and his completedisguise so that no unfortunate consequence should befall him, he was, ashas been explained, almost uncritically accepted source of hadth, and waseven described as being one of the hashwiyyah. al-Hkim ibn al-Bay

narrated from Ab Dwd, that he used to say: "When Jarr ibn Hzimwould join a session, Shubah [ibn al-Hajjj al-Azd al-Basr (82/701160/776), one of the great, trustworthy muhaddithn] would say [by way ofwarning]: 'This hashawhas come to you!'" (Marifah, p.170)

3. One of the most dangerous aspects of Ibn Abi 'l-Awj's activities wasthe encouragement of disbelief and doubt among the youth, which were themost easily persuaded section of the population. This activity was notconfined to oral persuasion, but was also propagated through writings.


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al-Masd, while describing the times of the Abbsid Caliph al-Mahd,Muhammad ibn Abdillh (127/744 cal. 158/775169/785) and the periodthat led up to his caliphate, says, concerning the zindqs: "[al-Mahd] killed

without pity the heretics and those who hypocritically believed in thereligion, for it was during his time and his caliphate that heretics appearedand openly manifested their beliefs, after the appearance of the books ofMn, Ibn Daysn, and Marcion, translated from Persian and Pahlavi intoArabic by Abdullh ibn Muqaffa, and what was written at that time by IbnAbi 'l-Awj, Hammd Ajrad, Yahy ibn Ziyd [al-Hrith], and Muti ibnIyys, continuators of the Manichean, Daysanite, and Marcionite sects. Theheretics grew in number on account of this and spread their beliefs amongthe people." (Murju 'dh-dhahab, [Paris], vol.8, pp.292-3; Dhuha 'l-Islm,vol.1, pp.140-1)

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ORIGINS OF THE TERM 'KALM'

From the earliest times, the most prevalent way of addressing and dealingwith religious matters among the Muslims has been to cite verses of theQurn and hadth for, or against, a particular stance, and to leave thesecitations to speak for themselves. Even in the present day, this is the mostcommonly used approach to engaging with and solving religious difficulties;it provides the framework, which is most familiar and characteristic ofIslamic discourse. However, alongside this, and coming into existenceslightly later, even though very early in Islamic history, was the method ofdebate and discussion which came to be known as kalm. The earliest

sources referred to this kind of argumentation using the Arabic verbtakallama, takallum (to speak, to hold discourse), and its derivatives, andfrom the same verb stern (klm) came the word kalm to denote thisdiscursive method. From the abundant evidence for this assertion, it willsuffice here to give two examples from non-Sh sources, followed by aselection of references to Shsources.1. (a) Mabad al-Juhan al-Basr (c.10/631c.841703): "The first person tohold discourse on (takallama) qadar (human free will) in Basrah and todebate it was Mabad." 1

(b) Abdullh ibn Awn al-Basr said: "I used to find people holdingdiscourse (takallum) only about Aland Uthmn, until a [certain] humbleman showed himself in Basrah; he was the first to hold discourse

1Muslim, vol.1, pp.28-29; AbDwd, vol.4, p.223; at-Tirmidh, vol.5, p.6; al-Bukhr, at-Trkhu 'l-kabr, vol.4/1, pp.399-400; at-Trkhu 's-saghr, vol.1, p.204; Ibn Ab Htim,vol.4/1, p.280; lbn Sad, vol.7/2. p.27; al-Marif, p.484; lbn Hazm, Jamharat ansbu 'l-Arab,p 445.

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Origins of the Term'Kalm' 15

(takallama) on qadar, and Mabad took this from him." 2(c) Ghayln ibn Muslim ad-Dimashq (d.c.106/724). al-Awz said:

"The first to hold discourse on (takallama) qadar was Mabad al-Juhan,

then Ghayln after him." Ibn Qutaybah reported the same thing.3

2. (a) It is reported from the Imm as-Sdiq, peace be upon, him: ". . . Iordered some people to hold discourse (yatakallimu), and I forbade others." 4

(b) AbKhlid al-Kbulsaid: "I saw AbJafar, Shibu 't-Tq, [Muham-mad ibn Al ibn an-Numn al-Bajal al-Kf (see 121)] standing in theRawdah [the most sacred part of the Prophet's Mosque in Medina], and the

people of Medina had been [crowding round him, grabbing at and] tearingthe clasps (azrr) [on his shirt], and as often as he answered them theywould ask another question. I went up to him and said: 'AbAbdillh hasforbidden us to hold discourse (kalm).' He said: 'Did he order you to tellme?' I said: 'No, by Allah! But he ordered me not to hold discourse withanyone.' He said: 'Go away, and obey what he ordered you to do.' Then Ireturned to Ab Abdillh, peace he upon him, and related the story ofShibu 't-Tq to him, and what he had said to me, to go away and obey what[the Imm] had ordered me. AbAbdillh, peace be upon him, smiled andsaid: 'O Ab Khlid, when Shibu 't-Tq holds discourse with people, hesoars and he dives. But if they clip your wings you cannot fly.'" 5

(c)Abdu 'l-Al, mawl of l Sm said to AbAbdillh, peace be uponhim: "People find fault with me for holding discourse (kalm),but I continue

to hold discourse with the people." He said: "For someone like you who,when he falls, flies up again, it is alright, but for someone who falls andcannot fly up again, no." 6

(d)Muhammad ibn Abdillh at-Tayyr (see 110).(e)Muhammad ibn Hukaym al-Khatham(see 130).(f)al-Hakam ibn Hishm (see 60).(g)See al-Kf, al-Usl, "Kitbu 'l-Hujjah", fas.(i), pp.171-3. This extended

hadth contains several observations made by the Imm as-Sdiq concerningdiscourse (kalm, takallum). [N.B. In the English translation, 'disputation'

and 'debate' have been used to render kalm and its derivatives into English.]From this, and similar evidence, it is clear that the origins of the science of

2IbnAskir, Trkh Dimashq, vol.16, pp.799-800; Ibn Manzr,Makhtasar, vol.25,p.117.3al-Marif, p.484.4al-Kishsh, p.170 [=287], pp.238-9 [=433].5Ibid., pp.185-6 [=327].6Ibid., p.319 [=578].


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kalm are to be found in this practice of holding discourse (takallum) anddebating with people, as opposed to the practice of citing texts. This viewcan also be supported by the observation that the majority of these

discourses related to the area of matters of belief (aqid), which was wherethe greatest differences occurred, although they were not exclusively con-cerned with these matters. It is also therefore not surprising that the term"kalm" should have subsequently been used technically to refer to thescience of examining the proofs for matters of belief. Thus kalm,properlyspeaking, is, and was originally, a term for a methodology, the way ofarguing about a subject. That it was not always exclusively used to refer toargument about matters of belief can be seen in its simultaneous use todescribe discussions about contentious legal matters.

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THE DEVELOPMENT OF KALM AMONG

THE IMMIYYAHThe meaning of development in this context is the intellectual progresstaken by movements in the sciences and in human thought from their origins,which may sometimes proceed rapidly, sometimes slowly, sometimes notmove at all, and sometimes even regress. In the present discussion, the firstmilestone we shall pause at, and which we shall examine is that of theShaykh al-Mufd, in order to make some remarks specific to him andappropriate to this context of development, since many non-Immhistoriansof Imm kalm have been of the opinion that he was the first to learnMutazilkalrn, and introduce the ideas of the Mutazilah into Immkalmand thus into the Immcreed. However, there is a long stretch of time, andseveral generations, between the time that kalm first appeared among theImmiyyah and the time of the Shaykh al-Mufd, and this history will hegiven in part ii. Here the following brief points will be made.1. Kfah was the first centre for Imm hadth and fiqh, then after twocenturies Qum became one of the main centres for these sciences; butBaghdad was the centre for Immkalrn from its inception. It has already

been pointed out that Hishm ibn al-Hakam had a strong tie with Baghdad

from the time it was founded at the beginning of the Abbsid caliphate. Hesettled there towards the end of his life, and directed kalm sessions there,which were held under the auspices of the Barmakids. His kalm studentssettled there and taught and debated, and they bequeathed their knowledge tothose who took their place and came after them. On the other hand, althoughfrom its beginning Immhadth and fiqh were to be found in Baghdad, itwas not the main centre for these sciences, having come here directly fromKfah and indirectly from Qum.

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2. Mutazil thought originated from a doctrine which they had not takenfrom the Immiyyah, and this was the doctrine of al-manzilah bayna 'l-manzilatayn, which is ascribed to the two founders, Ibn At and Amr ibn

Uhayd, and which all the Mutazils accepted. However, when it comes totheir rejection ofjabr (compulsion), anthropomorphism, and corporealism, ithas been pointed out that these ideas were already current among theImmiyyah, and might just as well have been taken from them. There is noevidence from this, therefore, for the assertion that Immkalm originallyfollowed, or was taken from, other sects. This is not the place here to discussthis further, except to point out that, although Imm kalm rejected jabr(compulsion), anthropomorphism, and corporealism, it did not follow thisrejection with any kind of doctrine of tatl or ittihm,both of which came tocharacterize Mutazilthinking.3. The following is a summary list of the names of Immmutakallims whosucceeded Hishm in Baghdad.i) Alibn Mansr, Abu '1-Hasan al-Kf, al-Baghdd, [see 43].ii) Ynus ibn Abdi 'r-Rahmn, Ab Muhammad al-Yaqtn, al-Kf, al-

Baghdd (c.125/742208/8234), [165]; a companion of Hishm andone of his pupils: "A group of the Sh were trained by Hishm andYnus, and they taught them kalm." 7In the books of rijl it is some-times stated that someone was a 'Ynus' where the purpose is toindicate that that person was a pupil of Ynus in kalm, not only that he

heard and narrated hadth from him.iii) Muhammad ibn AbUmayr (Ziyd) ibn s AbMuhammad al-Azd

al-Baghdd(d.217/832),[115].iv) Alibn Isml, Abu 'l-Hasan al-Mtham, [42].v) AbMlik ad-Dahhk al-Hadram, [16].vi) Muhammad ibn al-Khall AbJafar as-Sakkk al-Baghdd, [141]; (v)

and (vi) were both students of Hisham.vii)al-Hasan ibn Alibn Yaqtn al-Baghdd, [see 66].viii)al-Fadl ibn Shdhn ibn al-Khall, Ab Muhammad al-Azd an-

Naysbr (c.195/811260/873), [57]. He said: "I am a successor tothose who have preceded me; I saw Muhammad ibn Ab Umayr andSafwn ibn Yahy and others, and I have studied under them for the pastfifty years. Hisham ibn al-Hakam, may Allah have mercy upon him,

passed away and Ynus ibn Abdi 'r-Rahmn was his successor, and heused to refute opponents. Then Ynus ibn Abdi 'r-Rahmn died, and his

7Ibid., p. 498;Majmau 'r-rijl, vol.2, p.34.


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The Development ofKalmAmong the Immiyyah 19

only successor was as-Sakkk, and he used to refute opponents till he,may Allah have mercy upon him, passed away. And I am the successorto them afterwards." [See 57.] Although al-Fadl settled in Naysbr

towards the end of his life, he spent the greater part of his scholarly lifeliving in Baghdad.ix) Isml ibn Al ibn Ishq, Ab Sahl an-Nawbakht al-Baghdd (237/

851311/923), [96]. One of the renowned mutakallims of Baghdad,who held sessions where the mutakallimsgathered. In his biography it ismentioned that the Mutazilites claimed that he studied with AbHshim al-Jubb, but that cannot be correct because AbSahl was ofthe generation of his father, Ab Al, with whom Ab Hshim helddebates; moreover, when AbHshim moved from Basrah to Baghddhe was the same age as AbSahl, and of an equal reputation in knowl-edge, and therefore in no need of the teaching of AbHshim.

x) al-Hasan ibn Ms ibn al-Hasan ibn Muhammad, AbMuhammad an-Nawbakht (d. c.310/922), [73]. A renowned mutakallirn and scholarof philosophy, who held sessions in which mutakallims, philosophers,and others, Muslim and non-Muslim, gathered. [Ibn] an-Nadm said:"The Mutazilites claim him, the Shites claim him; but he was really inthe ranks of the Shah, for the Nawbakhtfamily were well known fortheir acceptance of the wilyah of Al and his descendants, peace beupon them." 8The Mutazilites said about him the same things they said

about his uncle AbSahl.xi) Muhammad ibn Bishr, Abu 'l-Husayn as-Ssanjirdal-Hamdn, one of

the students of AbSahl an-Nawbakht. [125]xii)al-Hasan ibn Al, Ab Muhammad ibn Ab Aql al-Umn al-

Hadhdh al-Baghdd. Afaqh and mutakallim whom al-Mufd greatlypraised [see 63].

xiii)Alibn Abdillh ibn Wusayf, Abu 'l-Hasan, al-Hall al-Baghddan-Nshi al-Asghar (271/884365/975 or 366/976), the famous mutakallimand poet, who was a student of AbSahl an-Nawbakht. [96]

xiv)al-Muzaffar ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad, Abu 'l-Jaysh al-Balkh al-Khursn al-Baghdd (al-Warrq) (d. 367/977-8), one of the greatmutakallimsand narrators of hadth. He was a student of AbSahl, andAbHayyn at-Tawhdsaid of him: "Theshaykhof the Shah, and themutakallim of the Shah." 9He was the second of those with whom al-

8[Ibn] an-Nadm, pp. 225-6.9Akhlqu 'l-wazirayn, pp.203, 206-7.


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Mufd studied kalm.10[See 149]4. None of those who have briefly been mentioned above from the manywho can be found in Part II from the time of Hishm ibn al-Hakam to that of

al-Mufd learnt kalm from anywhere except from Imm sources. Noteacher has been mentioned for them who was not an Imm. No specificteacher has been mentioned by their biographers for the Ban Nawbakht,with all their high scholarly standing, but there can be a strong presumptionthat their intellectual growth took place within Shcircles and with Immteachers, precluding any need for them to have imbibed the teaching ofothers.

In order to understand the situation better, it is necessary to bear in mindthat in order to be acquainted with the ideas of their opponents it was necess-ary for these Shmutakallims to have recourse to their well-known kalmadversaries, who were, of course, Mutazilites. This was especially so in anage when writings on these matters were rarely to be found, and particularlywhen the young scholars were at an age when they could not yet participatein debating and discussion sessions. The reliable way to acquire learning wasto hear directly the narration of it, and this applied not merely in the field ofhadth, but in all the branches of knowledge and literature, because of theunreliability of the copyists and narrators of books. This is testified byrecourse taken in all subjects to narrations and chains of narrations, and tothe way of reporting all knowledge in the same form. It was true for the

BanNawbakht just as it was later for al-Mufd and al-Murtad. The situ-ation was exactly the same in the case of non-Immhadth andfiqh, and itwas this that forced the Shaykh al-Mufd and other Imms to have recoursenot only to non-Immmutakallimsbut also to non-Immmuhaddithsand

fuqah.5. It does indeed seem to be the case that a tributary stream of Mutazilthinking entered into Shkalm from Mutazilmutakallimswho went overto the Immdoctrine of the Immate. However, they were few and only twoof such individuals seem to be mentioned in the sources.

i) Muhammad ibn Abdillh, Ab Abdillh ibn Mumlak al-Isbahn, areputed mutakallim, who was a Mutazil who subsequently came tobelieve in the Immate. He held debating sessions, and is credited withrefutations of AbAlal-Jubbconcerning the Immate and its proofs[see 109].

ii) Muhammad ibn Abdi 'r-Rahmn, Ab Jafar ibn Qibbah ar-Rz (d.10at-Ts, al-Fihrist,p.198;an-Najsh, p.422.


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The Development ofKalmAmong the Immiyyah 21

c.315/927), a reputed and effective Mutazil mutakallim who "saw thelight and changed" to lmmism.This 'tributary stream' of Mutazilism, then, came through those who, like

the two above, changed only their opinion about the Immate, withoutnecessarily changing their minds on other beliefs. Two further points are:firstly, on the supposition that they kept most of their original beliefs whenthey changed to the Immview of the Immate, they were not of a sufficientstrength or number to have a significant effect on the future of Immkalm;secondly, these two did not live in Baghdad, nor were they connected toBaghddImmkalm, the first of them living originally in Ahwz then inIsfahn, the second in Rayy.

All this is not to say that there was no interaction. Indeed, it was throughinteraction that techniques of argumentation and establishing proofs wereimproved; and this was a two-way process, not only in argumentation, butalso to a certain extent in the formation of doctrine. That is to say that theeffect of the interaction is to be found in both the Mutazilah and the Shah,and not that the Imms were affected while the Mutazilah stood firm as arock.6. The Mutazilah were divided into two schools: the Baghdds and theBasrans. It was the Baghdds who were nearest to the Imms. What werethe factors which led the Baghdad school to lean towards Imm kalm inmany respects, even in their doctrinal attitude to Al ibn Ab Tlib? The

Baghdad Mutazilah were famous as mufaddil, i.e. they believed the firstSh Imm to be the most excellent (afdal) of creation after the Prophet.Examples of these tendencies can be found below in the biographies of theShaykh al-Mufd and his teachers.

On the other hand, the Basran Mutazilah had, from their beginning withIbn At and Amr ibn Ubayd, refused to recognize Ali ibn Ab Tlib'srights and denied his pre-excellence, even opposing his claims althoughnot ostensively. This became the opinion of Basran Mutazilah al-Asammand others thereafter. Other examples of differences between these two

schools can be found above in the section on the points of agreementbetween the Shaykh al-Mufd and the Mutazilah, and also in al-Mufd'swork al-r wa 'l-maqlt. In many cases it can he found that the BaghddMutazilah were in agreement with the Imms when the Basran Mutazilahwere against them.

There are many examples of this in McDermott's hook, cited when hecompares the views of al-Mufd with those of the QdAbdu 'l-Jabbr. Theconclusion he reaches is that al-Mufd tended towards the Baghdad Mutazilah


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School while 'Abdu' l-Jabbar tended towards the Basran School.11However,Abdu 'l-Jabbr only followed the Basrans through his teacher Abdullh al-Basr, who was, importantly, also al-Mufd's teacher. The fact that Abdu 'l-

Jabbr followed the Basran School in some of his opinions where al-Mufddid not is evidence that al-Mufid had already formulated his doctrinal viewsbefore being taught by al-Basr. Moreover, one of al-Mufd's works bears thetitle ar-Rislah al-muqnaah: Concerning the agreement of the BaghddMutazilah with traditions reported from the Imms, peace be upon them, 12

and McDermott cites an instance when the Mutazilah of Baghdad agreed ina matter with the opinion of "all (jamhr) the l al-Bayt, peace be uponthem." 13

It was not the case that Basrah was a stronghold of non-Shlearning, forBaghdad was in those days the centre for Sunnhadth andfiqh,while Basrahwas not at all on the same level, as can be seen from the Trkh Baghdd.The difference was that the Imms were in Baghdad and not in Basrah. Allthe evidence points to the fact that, from Bishr ibn al-Mutamar onwards, theBaghdd Mutazils differed from the Basrans largely because of theircontacts with Immmutakallims, an example being the Barmakid sessionswhich Hishm ibn al-Hakam attended along with Bishr ibn al-Mutamar andother Mutazils. Why, then, should the influence of an-Nazzm on theImms have been greater than that of others Baghdd Mutazils? At thesame time, the Basrans were relative isolated, and thus more inclined to

adhere to the doctrines, which they had formulated at the beginning.While the Sharf al-Murtad and the Shaykh at-Tsdiffered in some of

their views from al-Mufd, and in these views were nearer to the BasranMutazilah, this does not of itself prove that they took their views from theBasrans. They were both students of al-Mufd, and chose to disagree withhim. That they were in closer agreement with the Basrans may be evidencefor nothing more than the general kalm environment, which they allinhabited.

* * * * *

11See: Theology,pp.20-30.12See below: al-Mufd's bibliography, 144.13See: Theology,p.58; andAwilu 'l-maqlt,Qum, 1993, p.61.


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SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT

1. From its beginnings, Immkalm was distinguished from that of otherschools by its own specific character. As far as doctrine was concerned, ithad an independent existence, cultivated in each period by its own scholarsup until the time of the Shaykh al-Mufd, who, it will be seen, studied Immkalm with Imm teachers. If Imm mutakallims went to study withmutakallims from other schools, it was out of the need to acquaint them-elves with other doctrinal positions and ways of argumentation, especiallythose of the BaghddMutazils' School, whose teachings they would use tocounter the arguments of the Basrans.

2. From their beginnings, the Mutazilah were influenced by the Imms incertain doctrines in which it was possible for them to find common ground naturally not on matters of great sectarian difference such as the Immate.When the Mutazilah split into the Baghdd and the Basran Schools, themain factor influencing their separation was the Baghdds intellectualcontact with Immmutakallims, as contrasted with the lack of such contactsin the case of the Basrans.3. It cannot be deduced merely from agreement between the Imms and theMutazils that the former were doctrinally under the influence of the latter;

nor does the presence of Imms with Mutazils prove that there wasdoctrinal borrowing. This was not the case either with al-Mufd or with otherImmmtakallimbefore or after him.4. The division of the non-Imms into the ashbu 'l-hadth and themutakallims was such that the more those who paid attention to hadth

penetrated deeply into their narrations, the more they parted ways withkalm and its subject matter, and vice versa. In so far as this difference canhe said to exist among theImms, the muhaddithsand the mutakallimsdid

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not differ in the basic doctrines (uslu 'l-aqdah), which were countednecessary for mn. The difference was one of methods of proof and ways ofthinking.

5. The objection made by non-Imm ashbu 'l-hadth against theirmutakallims,that they were ignorant of hadth, and indifferent to hearing andremembering them, can be understood, without necessarily supporting themutakallims, by taking into account the latter's not altogether unreasonablemistrust of non-Immhadth and the contradictions between their contentsand matters of doctrine. However, there was little room for the sameobjection among the Imms, for the leading mutakallims, and among themwas al-Mufd, were also narrators of hadth who memorized their contents inthe same was as those who only paid attention to hadth.

* * * * *


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PART TWO

The ImmLeading Scholarsand

Mutakallims

1. The Biographies of ImmMutakallims.2. ImmMutakallims


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THE BIOGRAPHIES OF IMMMUTAKALLIMS

In Part II, those figures are mentioned who were either described as

mutakallimsor who left works which indicate that they were mutakallirnsupto the time of the Shaykh at-Ts and his students. The list stops herebecause there has never been any claim that the Imm mutakallims wereinfluenced by the Mutazilah after this period. Immkalm can be dividedinto three periods. In the first, kalm waspursued as an independent dis-cipline, unmixed with philosophy, and Imm mutakallims were largelyunacquainted with philosophy. The second period, beginning around thetime of Nasru 'd-Dn at-Ts(597/1202672/1274) and the Allmah al-Hill(648/1250726/1325), can be characterized as one in which mutakallims

were also philosophers, but, while they increasingly employed philosophicalterminology, retained the structure and divisions of kalm. The third period,starting just before the Safavid period, is one in which kalm is almostentirely taken over by philosophy and irfn, and can be said to have lost itscharacter as an independent discipline.

* * * * *

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IMMMUTAKALLIMS

A1. Abdu 'l-Azz ibn Ab Kmil, al-Qd Izzu 'd-Dn at-Tar-bulus:He was an erudite scholar, a mutakallim, afaqh, and a pious man.He studied with ash-Shaykh at-Ts, and he also studied with Abu 's-Salh,al-Karjik and Ibn al-Barrj. He took over the judicial administration inTripoli after Ibn al-Barrj (see 3). He wrote works on kalmandfiqh.[Amalu 'l-mil, vol.2, p.149;Mujam rijli 'l-hadth, vol.10, p.42;Mustadraku'l-wasil, vol.3, p.480; Rawdtu 'l-jannt, vol.4, p.205; Luluatu 'l-bahrayn,

pp.336-7; al-Bihr, vol.107, pp.70-71, 160, 198; vol.108, pp.46-47, 158;

vol.109, pp.28, 29; Tabaqt alami 'sh-Shah, 5thcent., p.106.]

2. Abdu 'l-Azz ibn Muhammad ibn Abdi 'l-Azz as-Syin,Abu 'l-Qsim al-Imm an-Naysbr (a.d. 444/1056): "Shaykh ofthe (Sh) sectarians, and theirfaqhin his time." He was a man of knowl-edge, a narrator of hadth, a faqh, a mutakallim, who studied with ash-Shaykh al-Mufd (see 144). He wrote works on the two usls (uslayn, i.e.,uslu 'd-dn, and usl-'l-fiqh).[Muntajabu 'd-Dn, al-Fihrist: al-Bihr, vol.105, p.245;Amalu 'l-mil, vol.2,

p.152; Jmiu'r-ruwt, vol.1, p.459; Tanqhu 'l-maql, vol.2, pt.1, p.155;Mujam rijli 'l-hadth, vol.10, p.37; Mustadraku 'l-wasil, vol.3, p.488;Tabaqt almi 'sh-Shah, 5thcent., p.106.]

3. Abdu 'l-Azz ibn Nihrr ibn Abdi 'l-Azz, al-QdSadu 'd-Dn Abu 'l-Qsim ibn al-Barrj (c.399/1008481/1088): A promi-nent figure among his co-sectarians, and a faqh and mutakallim in theirschool. He was born in Egypt and grew up there, and then he moved to Iraq

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ImmMutakallims 29

and studied under ash-Sharf Murtad in 429/1038 until the latter died. Thenhe studied with Shaykhu 't-Tifah with whom he was close. He returned toTripoli (Tarbulus) in 438/1046-7, and was the representative of ash-

Shaykhu 't-Tsin Syrian territories. He held the position of judge in Tripolifor twent years.

He wrote both on usl and fur, including: Kitb fi 'l-kalm, and acommentary on ash-Sharf al-Murtad'sJumalu 'l-ilm wa 'l-amal.[Malimu 'l-ulam, p.71; Muntajabu 'd-Dn, al-Fihrist: al-Bihr, vol.105,

p.241; vol.108, p.46; vol.109, p.28; Naqdu 'r-rijl, p.189; Jmiu 'r-ruwt,vol.1, p.460; Tanqhu 'l-maql, vo.2, pt.1, p.156; Mujam rijli 'l-hadth,vol.10, pp.41-42;Amalu 'l-mil, vol.2, pp.152-3;Rijl Bahru 'l-Ulm, vol.3,

pp.60-63;Rawdtu 'l-jannt, vol.4, pp.202-6;Luluatu 'l-bahrayn, pp.331-2;

Mustadraku 'l-wasil, vol.3, p.480; al-Kun wa 'l-alqb, vol.1, p.224; al-Fawidu 'r-Radawiyyah, p.234; Tassu 'sh-Shah, p.304; Tabaqt almi'sh-Shah, 5th cent., p.107; adh-Dharah, vol.13, p.178, vol.18, p.107;

Hadiyyatu 'l-rifn, vol.1, p.578;Mujamu 'l-muallifn, vol.5, p.262.]

4. Abdu 'l-Bq ibn Muhammad ibn Uthmn, Ab Muham-mad al-Khatb al-Basr:He was a mutakallim, a faqh, and a scholar ofhadth. Muntajabu 'd-Dn says: "He was a shaykh from a mong the pro-minent persons in our circle and trustworthy. He came to Rayy, and al-

Mufd, Abdu 'r-Rahmn an-Naysbr studied his writings with him". So,Abdu 'l-Bq was contemporary with ash-Shaykh at-Ts who is anotherteacher of al-Mfd an-Naysbr(see 10). Among his works were:-

1. al-Hujaj wa 'l-Barhn fi 'l-immah (Arguments and Proofs Concern-ing the Immate).

2. al-Madhhab fi 'l-madhhab(The Path to the Faith).3. Rasilu 'l-Basrah (in adh-Dharahit is called ar-Rasilu 'l-Basriyyah)

Treaties from Basrah).4. ad-Dalil(The Proofs).

[Muntajabu 'd-Dn, al-Fihrist: al-Bihr, vol.105, p.243;Amalu 'l-mil, vol.2,pp.141-2;Jmiu 'r-ruwt, vol.1, p.437; Tanqhu 'l-maql, vol.2, pt.1, p.133;Mujam rijli 'l-hadth, vol.9, p.268; Tabaqt almi 'sh-Shah, 5thcent., p.101;adh-Dharah, vol.6, p.263; vol.8, pp.236-7; vol.10, p.244; vol.20, p.275.]

5. Abdu 'l-Jabbr ibn Abdillh ibn Al, ash-Shaykh al-Mufd,Abu 'l-Waf al-Muqri ar-Rz(d. 506/1112-3):A scholar, afaqh, anarrator of hadth and a mutakallim. Muntajabu 'd-Dn says: "He was an


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Immfaqhin Rayy; in his time all the educated persons among the sayyidsand the ulam studied with him. He himself had studied with ash-ShaykhAb Jafar at-Ts all the latter's writings; he also studied with the two

shaykhs, Slr and Ibn al-Barrj, and he wrote several books."He had a college in Rayy named after him in which he taught. Some ofhis biographers say that there were something like four hundred students(tullb) studyingfiqhand kalmthere.[Muntajabu 'd-Dn, al-Fihrist: al-Bihr, vol.105, p.242; Jmiu 'r-ruwt,vol.1, p.438;Amalu 'l-mil, vol.2, pp.142, 143; Tanqhu 'l-maql, vol.2, pt.1,

p.133; Mujam rijl 'l-hadth, vol.9, p.270; Mustadrak 'l-wasil, vol.3, pp.444, 473, 475, 485, 488 & 496; Introduction to at-Ts'sRijl, p.46; Tabaqtalmi 'sh-Shah, 5th cent., p.103; an-Naqd, p.35; Talqtu 'n-naqd, vol.1,

pp.95-99, 15; Talkhsmajmai 'l-db, [letters lm and mm], p.715.]

6. Abdullh ibn Abdi 'r-Rahmn az-Zubayr:He wroteKitb fi 'l-immah, and a book called al-Istifdah (or, as in Jmiu 'r-ruwt, al-

Istidhah)fi 't-tun ala 'l-awil wa 'r-radd al ashbi 'l-ijtihd(i.e., 'Theacceptance of Personal Opinion, and the Absence of Recourse to the Book,the sunnahand the Extraction of the Command of Divine Law,' and it wasthis that was meant by ijtihd in those days) wa 'l-qiys (The Utility [orProtection] concerning the Calumnies against the First Ones and theRefutation of the People of ijtihd and qiys[analogical reasoning]).

an-Najsh said: "I saw (the name of this book) in the hand writing ofAbu 'l-Abbs ibn Nh (d.c.423/1032) in the certificate (of permission fornarration) of his books which he gave me."[an-Najsh, p.163; Majmau 'r-rijl, vol.4, p.25; Naqdu 'r-rijl, p.202;

Jmiu 'r-ruwt, vol.1, p.495; Tanqhu 'l-maql, vol.2, pt.1, p.196; Mujamrijli 'l-hadth, vol.10, p.254; adh-Darah, vol.2, pp.29, 328.]

7. Abdullh ibn Jafar, Abu 'l-Abbs al-Himyaral-Qumm(fl.297/910):He was the leader of the scholars of Qum and the most distin-

guished of them. He was a trustworthy narrator of hadth, and he wroteseveral books, including: at-Tawhd wa 'l-istitah wa 'l-afil wa 'l-bad(Divine Unity, Human Capacity and Deeds, and Bad). al-Azamah wa 't-tawhd (Divine and Majesty and Unity) and al-Immah(The Immate).[at-Ts, al-Fihrist, p.128; an-Najash, pp.162-3; Malimu 'l-ulam, p.65;

Majmau 'r-rijl, vol.3, p273-4; Tanqhu 'l-maql, vol.2, pt.1, p.174; Mujamrijli 'l-hadth, vol.10, pp.145-7; adh-Dharah, vol.2, p.328; vol.4, p.485;vol.15, p.279; al-Alm, vol.4, p.204;Mujamu 'l-muallifn, vol.6, p.40.]


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ImmMutakallims 31

8. Abdullh ibn al-Mughrah, Ab Muhammad al-Bajal, al-Kfal-Khazzz: It is said of him: "He was extremely trustworthy, andno-one could equal him in his eminence, religion, and piety." He narrated

from Abu 'l-Hasan Ms and ar-Rid (148/765203/818), peace be uponthem both, and he was one of the six of their companions about whom thereis general agreement concerning their truthfulness and in accepting them in

fiqhand other kinds of knowledge. He wrote thirty books, including Kitb fasnfi 'l-kalm(Book on the Different Discussions on Kalm).[an-Najsh, p.159;Majmau 'r-rijl, vol.4, pp.54-55; Ibn Dwd, pp.213-4;al-Allmah, pp.109-10;Naqdu 'r-rijl, p.208;Jmiu 'r-ruwt, vol.1, p.511;Tanqhu 'l-maql, vol.2, pt.1, p.218;Mujam rijl 'l-hadth, vol.10, pp.352-7;adh-Dharah, vol.2, p.173.]

9. Abdullh ibn Muhammad, Ab Muhammad al-Hajjl al-Asadal-Kf:He was one of the companions of ar-Rid, peace be uponhim. "Most trustworthy and reliable" as at-Ts, an-Najshand others said.al-Fadl ibn Shdhn (c.195/811260/873), who met him in Kfah anddebated with him, said: "Ab Muhammad al-Hajjl showed himself to beknowledgeable in kalm, and he was one of the most able people (indisputation)." (al-Kishsh, p.216; an-Najsh, p.27; Majmau 'r-rijl, vol.2,

p.133; Tanqhu 'l-maql, vol.1, pt.2, p.297; Mujam rijli 'l-hadth, vol.5,

p.47; vol.10, p.316.)[For biographical references: Rijlu 'l-Barq, p.55; at-Ts, ar-Rijl, p.381,and al-Fihrist, p.128; an-Najsh, p.168; Majmau 'r-rijl, vol.4, p.46; IbnDwd, p.210; al-Allmah, p.105; Naqdu 'r-rijl, p.206; Jmiu 'r-ruwt,vol.10, p.503; Tanqhu 'l-maql, vol.2, pt.1, p.206; Mujam rijli 'l-hadth,vol.10, pp.315-6.]

10. Abdu 'r-Rahmn ibn Ahmad ibn al-Husayn, ash-Shaykh al-Mufd AbMuhammad al-Khuzan-Naysbrar-Rz(son of26): Shaykh of the Immiyyah in Rayy, memorizer of hadth, preacher(wiz), scholar of hadth, mutakallim, trustworthy (in narration of hadth).He traveled both in Eastern and Western lands, and studied under bothAlamu 'l-Hud al-Murtad and his brother ar-Rad. He also studied ash-Shaykh AbJafar at-Ts, and the shaykhs Slr, Ibn al-Barrj and al-withKarjik.

Ibn Hajar has given his biography and lists all his non-Imm teachersand pupils. He narrates from as-Samn that he says about him: "He was


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well-versed in hadthand displayed ardent zeal in (researching into) them."He also narrates from Ibn Tayyi that "he was one of the most knowledge-able people in hadth, the most discerning of them in this subject as well as

in the study of their narrators. It is said that there were more than threethousand students (lit. "ink-pots") at his sessions. Whenever he was askedabout a hadthhe knew whether it was a strong one or a weak one. He is saidto have memorized one hundred thousand hadth. . ." The date of his deathis given as 445/1053-4, although it is given in Hadiyyatu 'l-rifnas c.510/1116; but I have some doubt about both dates, since the first does not concurwith the dates of theshaykhs under whom he studied (perhaps this is the dateof the death of his father [see 26]), and the second is not in agreement withthe dates of one of his teachers, ash-Sharf ar-Rad(359/970406/1015).

He wrote books on kalm,fiqhand other subjects.[Malimu 'l-ulm, p.121; Muntajabu 'd-Dn, al-Fihrist: al-Bihr, vol.105,

p.242;Jmiu 'r-ruwt, vol.1, p.446;Amalu 'l-mil, vol.2, pp.147, 355; Tanqhu'l-maql, vol.2, pt.1, p.140;Mujam rijli 'l-hadth, vol.9, pp.320-1;Rawdtu 'l-

jannt, vol.5, p.315; Mustadraku 'l-wasil, vol.3, p.489; al-Kun wa 'l-alqb, vol.3, pp.199-200; al-Fawidu 'r-Radawiyyah, p.223; Tabaqt almi'sh-Shah, 5th cent., p.104;Lisnu 'l-mzn, vol.3, pp.404-405;Hadiyyatu 'l-rifn, vol.1, p.518.]

11. Abdu 'r-Rahmn ibn Ahmad ibn Jabryah, Ab Muham-

mad al-Askar (3rd/9th):an-Najshsays: "He was a mutakallimamongthe men of our religion, an excellent writer, outstanding in kalm, and at hishand Muhammad ibn Abdillh ibn Mumlak al-Isbahn (see 109) turnedfrom the Mutazil sect to Imm belief. He debated with Abbd ibnSulaymn (al-Basr, student of Hishm ibn Amr al-Fuwat [d. 226/841],

both Mutazils) and with those who were his contemporaries. (He wroteseveral books) including al-Kmil fi 'l-immah (The Complete Book of theImmate), an excellent book." al-Ashar (260/874324/936) mentions himand says: "He is one of the most recent Rfidites of our time." It will from

what follows concerning Ibn Mumlak (109) that "al-Askar" (of al-Askar)in Ibn Jabryah's name refrs to Askar Mukram, a well known region inKhzistn from which came a number of scholars including AbAhmad al-Askarand AbHill al-Askar(Mujamu 'l-buldn, vol.4, pp.123-4).

as-Samnsaid: "Although al-Askarrefers to several places and things,the most well-known is that which refers to Askar Mukram." (al-Ansb,vol.9, pp.297-9) That is to say, not to al-Askar as it refers to Smarr (=Surra man-ra) which is the most usual among the Immiyyah. This is


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confirmed also by the fact that many Basran Mutazils have this nisbah,Askar Mukram being near Basrah.[an-Najsh, pp.176-7; Majmau 'r-rijl, vol.4, p.74; Ibn Dwd, p.222; al-

Allmah, p.114; Naqdu 'r-rijl, p.184; Jmiu 'r-ruwt, vol.1, p.446;Tanqhu 'l-maql, vol.2, pt.1, pp.139-40; Mujam rijli 'l-hadth; vol.9,

p.320; Tassu 'sh-Shah, p.375;Maqltu 'l-Islmiyyn, vol.1, p.120.]

12. Abdu 's-Salm ibn Slih, Abu 's-Salt al-Haraw(d. 236/851):He was a companion of ar-Rid, (a.s.), and he narrated from him and wastrustworthy in hadth.[al-Kishsh, pp.615-6; an-Najsh, p.184; Majmau 'r-rijl, vol.4, pp.87-88;Ibn Dwd, p.224; al-Allmah, p.117; Naqdu 'r-rijl, pp.187-8; Jmiu 'r-

ruwt, vol.1, p.456; Tanqhu 'l-maql, vol.2, pt.1, pp.151-2;Mujam rijli 'l-hadth, vol.10, pp.18-20.]Ahmad ibn Sayyr ibn Ayyb, Abu 'l-Hasan al-Marwaz ash-Shfi

(198/813268/881), whom our brother Sunnscholars recognize as afaqh, amemorizer (hfiz) of many hadth, a trustworthy narrator of hadth, says:"Abu 's-Salt al-Harawcame to Marw in the days of al-Mamn the Abbsid(and al-Mamn was in this city till 204/819, when he left for Baghdd).Abu 's-Salt wanted to set out (to visit) the ghazw(this word denotes in this

period of history the activities of groups of quasi-independent pious Muslims

who were stationed on the border of the lands of Islam and periodicallyraided the territories of the unbelievers, but they were not always under thecontrol of the Caliph). He was taken into the presence of al-Mamn, andwhen al-Mamn heard him speaking, he made him one of his specialcompanions, and kept him close to himself until he himself set out (to tourthe region of) theghazw.

"He kept his position of respect with al-Mamn till the latter sought toexpress the argument of Jahm (ibn Safwn [d. 128/745]) and the opinion thatthe Qurn was created. (al-Mamn expressed this [view] in the year212/827; then he again declared it and vehemently called upon the people toaccept it in 218/833.) He (al-Mamn) brought him (Abu 's-Salt) togetherwith Bishr al-Marrs(al-Baghddal-Hanaf[c.138/755218/833]) and askedthe former to debate with him. Abdu 's-Salm used to reject the dissentersamong the Murjiites, the Jahmiyyah, the Zindqs and the believers in pre-destination, and he debated with Bishr al-Marrsand others versed in kalmmore than once in the presence of al-Mamn, and all turned out a victoryfor him, and he was famous for his knowledge of Shkalm."


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[Trkh Baghdd, vol.11, p.47; Mznu 'l-itidl, vol.2, p.616; Tahdhbu 't-tahdhb, vol.6, p.320; al-Ansb, A/590; ar-Rawdu 'n-nadr, vol.1, p.176.]

13. Ab Ghnim al-Usm al-Haraw al-Imm: al-Hurr al-milsays: "He was a faqh, a truthful man and a mutakallim, a student of as-Sayyid al-Murtad from whom he narrated all his writings." Here he callshim Ghnim, but he mentions him a second time, and says: "ash-ShaykhAb Ghnim al-Usm al-Haraw ash-Sh al-Imm, a man of exceedingknowledge who narrated from as-Sayyid al-Murtad."[Amalu 'l-mil, vol.2, pp.213, 356; Mujam rijli 'l-hadth, vol.3, p.345;Tabaqt almi 'sh-Shah, 5th cent. p.11.]

His correct name is AbGhnim (see theIjzahof Shib al-Malim al-Kabrah in al-Bihr, vol.109, pp.45 & 47; also al-Mustadrak, vol.3, pp.491& 495; al-Ghadr, vol.4, p.271). And al-Usmis the name of a large familyof scholars from Hert (al-Ansb, vol.9, p.320).

Muntajabu 'd-Dn says: "ash-Shaykh Saddu 'd-Dn AbGhnim ibn Alibn AbGhnim al-Jawwn, a correctfaqh." (Muntajabu 'd-Dn, al-Fihrist:al-Bihr, vol.105, p.257;Jmiu 'r-ruwt, vol.2, p.409;Amalu 'l-mil, vol.2,

p.356 once as ash-Shaykh Diyu 'd-Dn . . . al-Jawwnah, and a second timeas ash-Shaykh Saddu 'd-Dn . . . al-Jawwn, both of them from Muntajabu'd-Dn; Tanqhu 'l-maql, vol.3, pt.2, p.30, where he is called al-Hawwn.)

These are two biographies of the same person, or so it would appear; it

seems that al-Jawnis correct (not al-Jawwn), coming from Jawn, whichis a village in the region of Hart Rd (= Hert).[Rawdtu 'l-jannt, in the description of the town of Hert, in Persia, vol.1,

p.146; and in foot-note about it fromKitbu 'l-Jughrfiyahby al-HfizAbr.]

14. Abu 'l-Husayn, Humrn ibn Ayan ash-Shaybnal-Kf (d.c.130/748): The family of Ayan ibn Sunsun was among the most out-standing Sh (Immate) families in the study of jurisprudence, hadthandkalm (see Rislah Ab Ghlib az-Zurr [285/898368/978] under 'l

Ayan'; [Ibn] Nadm, p.276;Rijl Bahru 'l-Ulm, vol.1, pp.222-57).Humrn was one of the tbin (those who had not seen the Prophet

himself, but frequented his companions [ashb]), and was a companion ofthe Imms al-Bqir and as-Sdiq, peace be upon them both. He was one ofthe outstandingly trustworthy (thiqah) narrators from them; indeed, he iscounted as one of their closest followers (huwriyy), and their praises of himhave been narrated. He was one the most famous Shmutakallimfrom the

period of these two Imms, peace be upon them both. He was among those


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ImmMutakallims 35

who were present in the session, which we referred to in the biography ofQays al-Msir, and he argued with the mutakallimfrom Shm. al-Imm as-Sdiq, peace be upon him, said to him: "You debate on the authority of the

traditions and you act correctly" (refer to the sources given under Qays al-Msir, see 151). as-Sdiq, peace be upon him, said to the man who hadcome to debate with him: "If you defeat Humrn, you will have defeatedme." (al-Kishsh, p.276; Majmau 'r-rijl, vol.6, p229; Tanqhu 'l-maql,vol.3, pt.1, p.298; al-Bihr, vol.47, p.407)

(Concerning the life of Humrn, see: al-Kishsh, pp.10, 148, 161, 176-81,397-8, 463; at-Ts, ar-Rijl, pp.117, 181;Majmau 'r-rijl, vol.2, pp.233-7;Ibn Dwd, p.134; al-Allmah, pp.63-64; Naqdu 'r-rijl, p.118; Jmiu 'r-ruwt, vol.1, p.278; Tanqhu 'l-maql, vol.1, pt.2, pp.370-2; Mujam rujli

'l-hadth, vol.6, pp.254-61.)Non-Sh authors have also written biographies of him: they have saidthat he was a reciter of the Qurn, and that he was a transmitter of hadthfrom Abu 't-Tufayl, AbJafar al-Bqir and others. Also Sufyn ath-Thawr(the famous Sunn traditionist) and others narrated from him. adh-Dhahabsaid: "He died around 130/748, and his recitation of the Qurn was praised,for he knew the principles of recitation (yutqin) of the Qurn, and he was agreat reciter who was consistent in his recitation. Hamzah ibn Habb at-Taymaz-Zayyt (80/700156/773) one of the seven reciters (al-qurr as-

sabah) recited before him (i.e. learnt from him) and there was generalagreement about the competence of his (Hamzah's) recitation and about thefact that he never recited without basing his recitation on a traditionalsource." (Tahdhbu 't-tahdhb, vol.3, pp.27-28)

It is mentioned that Hamzah's recitation before Humrn was perfectly inaccordance with the principles of recitation. As for hadth, some of the non-Shauthorities have deemed him trustworthy, while others have discreditedhim because he was a Rfid (Sh), and have called him unreliable onaccount of this.[al-Bukhr, at-Trkhu 'l-kabr, vol.2, pt.1 (iii), p.80; al-Jarhwa 't-tadl,vol.1, pt.2 (iii), p.265;Mznu 'l-itidl, vol.1, p.604; al-Kshif, vol.1, p.253;Tahdhbu 't-tahdhb, vol.3, p.25; Taqrbu 't-tahdhb, vol.1, p.198; Khulsattahdhbu 'l-kaml, p.92; Ghyatu 'n-nihyah f tabaqti 'l-qurr, vol.1,

p.261;Marifatu 'l-qurri 'l-kibr, vol.1, pp.57-58.]

15. AbIshq, Ibrhm ibn Nawbakht:He wrote the book al-Yqtabout the science of kalm, on which al-Allmah al-Hill (648/1250726/


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1325) wrote a commentary. The commentary was completed in 684/1285,and is called Anwru 'l-malakt f sharh'l-yqt. In the introduction, thecommentator writes: "Our Shaykh, from previous times, our great teacher

Ab Ishq, Ibrhm ibn Nawbakht . . . wrote the concise treaties called al-Yqtwhich contained some of noblest and high matters (of kalm), and thediscussion of the greatest and most elevated of them." Muhammad Najm,Professor at Tehran University, edited this commentary, and published it in1338 S./1959 AD.

Izzu 'd-Dn Abdu 'l-Hamd ibn Abi 'l-Hadd al-Mutazil (586/1190656/1258) also wrote a commentary on al-Yqt, for in the list of his worksis written: 'Commentary on al-Yqt of Ibn Nawbakht concerning kalm.'[See the biography of Ibn Abi 'l-Hadd appended to SharhNahju 'l-balghah(Dru 'l-Kutubi 'l-Arabiyyah al-Kubr bi-Misr, Cairo, 1329 AH, p.575),which is quoted from Mujizu 'l-db fmujami 'l-alqb of Ibn al-Fuwat;

but this is note given in its entirety in his book Talkhs majmai 'l-db fmujami 'l-alqb, vol.4, pt.1, pp.90-91, although it is in Rawdtu 'l-jannt,vol.5, p.22; al-Bahrn, al-Kashkl, vol.3, p.37, quoted from Ibn al-Fuwat.]

Marginalia to the commentary of al-Allmah and other commentaries tothe book are mentioned in adh-Dharah.

The biographers have concocted different versions of the name of thewriter of al-Yqtand his times. The writer ofRiydhu 'l-ulm, says thathe was "Isml ibn Ishq ibn AbIsml ibn Nawbakht," and some of them

refer to this statement. Others refer to what al-Allmah al-Hill said, andamong these is ash-Shaykh Abbs al-Qumm, who says: "Ab Ishq,Ibrhm ibn Ishq ibn AbSahl, the grandson of AbSahl an-Nawbakht"(see 96). As for the dates of the writer, as-Sayyid as-Sadr traces him backto the end of the second century, beginning of the third century (8 th9th cent.AD), while some place him a long time after this, after 330/942, as witnessreferences found in al-Yqt.[Concerning the author and his time see: Tassu 'sh-Shah, pp.364-6; adh-

Dharah, vol.1, pp.480-1; vol.2, pp.444-5; vol.13, p.115; vol.14, p.178;

vol.25, pp.271-2; al-Qumm, al-Kun wa 'l-alqb, vol.1, p.94; Khndn-eNawbakht, pp.166-77; Muhammad Najm, Introduction to Anwru 'l-malakt;Aynu 'sh-Shah, vol.5, pp.73-74; Sezgin, I, 542, 36.]

16. Ab Mlik ad-Dahhk al-Hadram al-Kf: He was contem-porary with the Imm as-Sdiq (84/702148/765), peace be upon him, andhe narrated from the Imm al-Kzim (129/746183/799), peace be uponhim. He was a companion of Hishm ibn al-Hakam and was a pupil of his.


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"He was a mutakallimwho was extremely trustworthy in hadth", accordingto an-Najshand others. He was the author of Kitb fi 't-tawhd (Book onDivine Unity).

[al-Kishsh, p.278; an-Najsh, p.154;Majmau 'r-rijl, vol.3, p.224; Ibn Dwd,p.189; al-Allmah, p.90;Naqdu 'r-rijl, p.261;Jmiu 'r-ruwt, vol.1, p.418;Tanqhu 'l-maql, vol.2, pt.1, p.104; Tassu 'sh-Shah l ulmi 'l-Islm,

p.362;Mujam rijli 'l-hadth, vol.9, pp.148-9; adh-Dharah, vol.4, p.480.]

17. AbMansr as-Sarrm an-Naysbr:Shaykhu 't-Tifah at-Tssays: "He was a previous leader of the outstanding mutakallims, but he was a

believer in wad," (the doctrine that anyone who commits a major sin with-out repenting in this world becomes an unbeliever [kfir] and is condemned

to everlasting Fire). Among his books are: Baynu 'd-Dn(The Explanationof the Religion; a book on the fundamentals of faith); Ibtlu 'l-qiys (TheInvalidation of Analogical Reasoning). at-Ts added: "I studied most of

Baynu 'd-Dnwith AbHzim an-Naysbr, who had studied it with [theauthor]. I met [the author's] son Abu 'l-Qsim, who was a faqh, and hisgrandson by his daughter Abu 'l-Hasan, who was a scholar of hadth (ibid.

p.221 [#.872])." This Ab Hzim is Umar ibn Ahmad ibn Ibrhm ibnAbdyah, al-Hudhalal-Abdaw(c.345/936417/1026), one of the sons ofUtbah ibn Masd, the brother of Abdullh ibn Masd, "the leader of the

memorizers of hadth, the noble among the muhaddithn", according to adh-Dhahab. From his early youth he studied with the great scholars of hadthand reached the highest degree in this subject; al-Khatb al-Baghddsaid: "Imet AbHzim in Naysbr, and wrote down many hadths from him; hewas trustworthy, reliable, knowledgeable, memorizer." He was from afamily of scholars of hadth and fiqh, his father Abu 'l-Hasan Ahmad ibnIbrhm (d. 385/995) was a narrator of hadth and a teacher of al-Hkim an-

Naysbr, and his paternal uncle AbAbdillh Muhammad ibn Ibrhm (d.323/935) was one of the famous scholars of hadthof Naysbr.[Trkh Baghdd, vol.11, pp.272-3; al-Muntazim, vol.8, p.27; al-Ansb, vol.9

p.189; al-Lubb, vol.2, p.314; as-Subh, Tabaqtu 'sh-Shfiiyyah, vol.5,pp.300-1; Siyar almu 'n-nubal, vol.18, pp.333-6; Tadhkiratu 'l-huffz,vol.3, p.1072.]

It is clear from at-Ts's mention of him that he was Sh, for a Shwould not have studied a Shite text with a non-Shand teach it in turn to aSh, although in the texts which give his biography he is mentioned as anon-Sh. Since at-Tsmentions AbMansr as-Sarrm, his son, and his


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grandson, and AbHzim without giving any details, it can be assumed thatthese persons were well known and did not need further biographies, whichalso shows that the books in which their biographies were given have now

been lost, and we now only have information about AbHzim as-Sarrm,one who deals in leather (sarm); the Arabicsarmis from the Persian charm(leather). (al-Ansb, vol.8, p.295; Lisnu 'l-Arab, vol.12, p.339; Qms,vol.4, p.139; Tju 'l-ars, vol.8, p.366.)

I have not come across any personal name for him; all references are tohis kunyah(AbMansr) and his laqab(as-Sarrm).[at-Ts, al-Fihrist, pp.221, 225; Malimu 'l-ulam, pp.127-8; Majmau'r-rijl, vol.7, pp.101-2, 164; al-Allmah, p.188; Naqdu 'r-rijl, p.399;

Jmiu 'r-ruwt, vol.2, pp.419, 434; Tanqhu 'l-maql, vol.3, pt.2, p.36;Tabaqt almi 'sh-Shah, pp.13, 16; Aynu 'sh-Shah, vol.7, p.151; adh-

Dharah, vol.1, p.69; vol.3, 181.]

18. Abu 't-Tayyib ar-Rz:Shaykhu 't-Tifah at-Ts says: "He wasone of the important mutakallims; he wrote many books on the Immate andon fiqh, and he was a believer in irj (see 151)." He mentions that AbMuhammad al-Alaw (this is Yahy ibn Muhammad az-Zubr [318/93376/986], see 164) learnt from him, but I have not come across his name,except that I think that there is a strong possibility that he is al-Husayn ibnAhmad ibn Muhammad, Abu 't-Tayyib ar-Rz, with whom ash-Shaykh as-

Sadq had a meeting and from whom he narrated in Naysbr in 352/963(Uyn Akhbri 'r-Rid [alayhi 's-salm], vol.2, p.238; Ilalu 'sh-shari,vol.1, p.228; al-Bihr, vol.49, p.144).[For his biography refer to: at-Ts, al-Fihrist, pp.221, 225; Malimu 'l-ulam, p.126; Majmau 'r-rijl, vol.7, pp.57, 164; Ibn Dwd, p.401; al-Allmah, p.188; Naqdu 'r-rijl, p.391; Jmiu 'r-ruwt, vol.2, pp.396, 434;Tanqhu 'l-maql, vol.3, pt.2, p.22; Aynu 'sh-Shah, vol.6, pp.304-5;Tabaqt almi 'sh-Shah, 4th cent., pp.13, 16.]

19. Ab Ysir Thir Ghulm: [Student of Abu 'l-Jaysh al-Khursn(see 149)].Nothing has been written about him except that he was thestudent (ghulm) of Abu 'l-Jaysh, and it is said that he was a mutakallim, andhe has several writings to his name. It is also said: "It was with him, to beginwith, that our shaykh, Ab Abdillh (al-Mufd, see 144) studied ", and(Ibn) an-Nadm counts him among the Sh(Imm) mutakallims.[an-Najsh, p.155; at-Ts, al-Fihrist, p.112; Malimu 'l-ulam, p.53;

Majmau 'r-rijl, vol.3, pp.228-9; (Ibn) an-Nadm, p.226; Ibn Dwd, p.190;


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al-Allmah, p.90; Naqdu 'r-rijl, p.175; Jmiu 'r-ruwt, vol.1, p.420;Amalu 'l-mil, vol.2, pp.137-8; Tanqhu 'l-maql, vol.2, pt.1, p.108;Mujmrijli 'l-hadth, vol.9, p.164; Tassu 'sh-Shah, p.380.]

20. dam ibn Ynus ibn Abi 'l-Muhjir an-Nasaf:Muntajabu 'd-Dn says: "He was a shaykh, a faqh, trustworthy, of equitable behaviour(dil), who studied with ash-Shaykh Ab Jafar at-Ts all the latter'swritings." Ibn Hajar wrote a biography of him in which he said: "Ab Alibn Bbawayh mentions him as an Imm Sh narrator of traditions, andsays that he was 'afaqhand a debator.'"[Muntajabu 'd-Dn, al-Fihrist: al-Bihr, vol.105, p.207; Jmiu 'r-ruwt,vol.1, p.8; Amalu 'l-mil, vol.2, p.7; Rijl Bahru 'l-Ulm, vol.4, p.67;

Tanqhu 'l-maql, vol.1, pt.2, pp.2-3; Mujam rijli 'l-hadth, vol.1, p.9;Tabaqt almi 'sh-Shah, 5th cent., p.1; Aynu 'sh-Shah, vol.5, p.6;Lisnu 'l-mzn, vol.1, .337.]

21. Ahmad ibn Ab Zhir (Ms), Ab Jafar al-Ashar al-Qumm (3rd/9th): He was a distinguished scholar of Qum. He wroteseveral books, including: al-Bad and al-Jabr wa 't-tafwd (Predestinationand the Delegation of Responsibility).[at-Ts, al-Fihrist, p.49; ar-Rijl, p.453; an-Najsh, p.69; Malimu 'l-

ulam, p.12; Majmau 'r-rijl, vol.1, pp.92-93; Ibn Dwd, pp.417-8; al-Allmah, p.203; Naqdu 'r-rijl, p.17; Jmiu 'r-ruwt, vol.1, p.40; Tanqhu'l-maql, vol.1, pt.2, p.49; Mujam rijli 'l-hadth, vol.2, pp.26-27; adh-

Dharah, vol.3, pp.53-54; vol.5, p.84.]

22. Ahmad ibn Alibn Ahmad ibn al-Abbs, Abu 'l-Abbs an-Najshal-Asadal-Baghdd (372/982450/1058):A man of knowl-edge and letters, a narrator with an extensive knowledge of hadth, a faqh,and a mutakallim. Although an-Najshbecame famous for his writing thewell-known work Fihrist asm musannifi 'sh-Shah (List of the Names ofShWriters), in which he revealed the great extent of his wide hearing ofhadth, he also demonstrates his knowledge of literature and philology, forhe never mentions a book without also mentioning the way it was narratedfrom its author. For the lives of his shaykhs and teacher see Rijl Bahru 'l-Ulm, vol.2, pp.23-106, and Mujam rijli 'l-hadth, vol.2, pp.157-65,where sixty-four are counted. On top of all this, he was afaqh, a mutakallimwith extensive knowledge, and a keen perception.


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He studied with ash-Shaykh al-Mufd (see 144) and stayed with him fora number of years. He did not only study the Shaykh's kalm,fiqhand hadthwritings with him, but also studied much of what the Shaykh al-Mufd

narrated to him from his own shaykhs: and from what an-Najsh details,among the kalmbooks that he read with his teacher al-Mufd was at-Tanbhfi 'l-immahby AbSahl an -Nawbakht(see 96 bk.23), (al-Fihrist, p.25).He also read with him al-Karr wa 'l-farr fi 'l-immahby Ibn Ab Aql al-Umn(see 63), which he described as "beautifully composed, discussingevery aspect of the problem (masalah wa qalbuh wa aksuh)", (al-Fihrist,

p.38). Lastly, he read with him al-r wa 'd-diynt (Opinions andReligions) by al-Hasan ibn Ms an-Nawbakht (see 73-bk.23), which hedescribed as "a large and excellent book, embracing many sciences" (al-

Fihrist, p.50). He also studied under ash-Sharf al-Murtad (see 39) andwas one of his special students, just as he had been one of al-Mufd's specialstudents before, and he was one of the people charged with his ritual funeralwashing (al-Fihrist, p.207).

23. Ahmad ibn Dwd ibn Sad al-Fazr, AbYahy al-Jurjnan-Naysbr:He was one of the greatest men of the science of hadth. Atfirst he was not a Sh, but he became one, "and he has many writings on thesciences of disputing with opponents", as it is said. Some trouble arose forhim in Naysbr with Muhammad ibn Thir ibn Abdillh al-Khuz (d.

298/911), who was the governor of Khursn from 248/862259/873. Thislatter seized him and gave the order that his tongue, his hands and his feetshould cut off, and that he should be beaten a thousand times, but Allhsaved him from this.

He wrote a number of books, and among those concerned with kalmare:1. Mihnatu 'n-Nbitah(The Misfortune of the Nbitah) in which he wrote

about the Hashwiyyah sect and their infamies (see 57/bk.18);2. Kitbu 'l-Ghawgh min asnfi 'l-ummah mina 'l-Murjiah wa 'l-Qadariy-

yah wa 'l-Khawrij(Book of Those Among the Murjiites, the Qadarites

and the Khrijites Who caused a Commotion about the DifferentSections of the Community);

3. Kitb fadihi 'l-Hashwiyyah(Book of the Infamies of the Hashwites);4. Kitbu 't-Tafwd(Book on the Delegation of Responsibility to Man for

his Actions); and5. Kitbu 'r-Radd ala 'l-Hanbal (Book of the Refutation of the Hanbalite

[?])[at-Ts, al-Fihrist, pp.58-59; ar-Rijl, p.456; an-Najsh, p.353; al-Kishsh,


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pp.532-3; Malimu 'l-ulam, pp.18-19; Majmau 'r-rijl, vol.1, pp.114-5;vol.7, p.109; Ibn Dwd, p.27; Naqdu 'r-rijl, p.22; Jmiu 'r-ruwt, vol.1,

p.50; Tanqhu 'l-maql, vol.1, pt.2, pp.60-61; Mujam rijli 'l-hadth, vol.2,

pp.108-11.]

24. Ahmad ibn Hammd, al-Mahmd al-Marwaz: One of thecompanions of al-Imm al-Jawd, peace be upon him (195/811 Immate203/818220/835), who died in the period of the Immate of the Imm. TheImm wrote to his son, Muhammad AbAlal-Mahmd: "Your father has

passed away, may Allh be pleased with him and with you. He was someonewe recognized as worthy of praise (mahmdah), and you yourself are not farfrom this status." al-Fadl ibn Shdhn referred to him as Ahmad ibn

Hammd al-Mutashayyi, which shows that he was not originally Sh. "TheMahmd household (bayt) in Marw was famous and illustrious for [its]knowledge" as as-Samnsaid, Ibnu 'l-Athr said: "[they were] eminent menof knowledge". (al-Ansb, f.B, al-Lubb, vol.3, p.176). He debated withAbu 'l-Hudhayl al-Allf, the famous Mutazil(135/753235/850) which hisson AbAlMuhammad al-Mahmdnarrated from him, and at the end ofthis they discussed the question of the Immate. (al-Kishsh, pp.561-2,[#.1060]; Majmau 'r-rijl, vol.1, pp.110-1; Tanqhu 'l-maql, vol.1, pt.2,

p.59; Mujam rijli 'l-hadth, vol.2, pp.102-3; Aynu 'sh-Shah, vol.8,

pp.248-9; al-Manqib, vol.1, p.249 [in which it is erroneously said that thedebate was with his son AbAl]).[See: al-Kishsh, pp.559-62; at-Ts, ar-Rijl, p.398;Majmau 'r-rijl, vol.1,

pp.109-11; al-Allmah, pp.204-5; Ibn Dwd, p.420; Naqdu 'r-rijl, p.21;Jmiu 'r-ruwt, vol.1, p.48; Tanqhu 'l-maql, vol.1, pt.2, p.59; Mujamrijli 'l-hadth, vol.2, pp.100-3;Aynu 'sh-Shah, vol.8, pp.247-50.]

25. Ahmad ibn al-Husayn ibn Abdillh, al-Mihrn al-b: IbnSharshb says: "He wrote: Tartbu 'l-adillah f-m yulzimu khusma 'l-Immiyyah dafuhu ani 'l-ghaybah wa 'l-ghib(The Arrangement of ProofsConcerning [those Objections] to do with the Occultation and the One Whois Hidden Whose Refutation Forces Acceptance on the Enemies of theImmiyyah), and al-Mukfaah fi 'l-madhhab fi 'n-naqdal AbKhalaf(TheEqualization in the Faith Concerning the Denial of Ab Khalaf)." In

Amalu 'l-milthis latter is given as al-Mukfaah fi 'l-madhhab, andKitb fi'n-naqdal AbKhalaf(AbKhalaf), (apparently there are two books).

al-Allmah al-Wahd al-Bihbihn, al-Mmaqn, al-Kh and gh


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Buzurg mention: "It was from this man that ash-Shaykh as-Sadq [c.306/ 919381/991] narrated." as-Sadq said: "Abu 'l-Abbs Ahmad ibn al-Husayn ibnAbdillh ibn Mihrn al-b al-Azd al-Ard spoke with us in Marw

(Marw al-Shhjn one of the cities of Khursn)." (Kamlu 'd-dn, vol.2,p.433; al-Bihr, vol.51, p.16.) And he also says: "Abu 'l-Abbs Ahmad ibnal-Husayn ibn Abdillh ibn Muhammad ibn Mihrn al-bal-Ard, mayAllh be pleased with him, spoke with us in Marw" (ibid., vol.2, p.476).

Now, ash-Shaykh as-Sadq set out for Khursn in 353/963, 367/978and, for the third time, in 368/979, on his way to Transoxania. The prayer(radAllhu anhu) of as-Sadq for him is evidence that he was in accord-ance with as-Sadq as far as his beliefs were concerned, and the ahdithwhich he narrates from him also shows that he was of the Imm sect.(Malimu 'l-ulam, p.20;Amalu 'l-mil, vol.2, p.12;Mustadradu 'l-wasil,vol.3, p.713; Tanqhu 'l-maql, vol.1, pt.2, p.58; Mujam rijli 'l-hadth,vol.2, pp.93-94; Tabaqt almi 'sh-Shah, 4thcent., p.26.) It should not bethought that as-Sadq uses the formula radAllhu anhusolely for personswho have died, as is the usual custom. Elesewhere in his writings he usesthis formula for Shib ibn Abbd, for whom he wrote the Uyn akhbr ar-

Rid, in which he appends this formular to mention of Shib ibn Abbd'sname, although he was still alive (see Uynu 'l-akhbr, vol.1, pp.3, 4, 7-8).

The non-Imms give the biography of a scholar in the sciences of theQurn who was Ahmad ibn al-Husayn ibn Mihrn, AbBakr al-Mihrnal-

Isfahn an-Naysbr (295/908381/991). They commend him as being ascholar, a narrator of hadths, an ascetic, whose supplications were granted.al-Hkim says that: "He was the leader of his time in recitation, and he wasthe most pious of the reciters we have seen." He set out in search of thesciences of the Qurn and acquaintance with the reciters and their recita-tions to Iraq and ash-Shm, even going to the scholarly cities of Iran, and henarrated from a number of famous traditionalists. al-Hkin an-Naysbrandothers narrated from him. He wrote many books on the sciences of theQurn, among which were:

1. Ghaybah fi 'l-qirt(The Objective About the Recitations);2. Gharibu 'l-qirt(The Curiosities of the Recitations);3. ash-Shmil(The Complete), which is a large book;4. Wuqfu 'l-Qurn(Places of Pausing in [the Recitation of] the Qurn);5. Tabaqtu 'lqurr(The Chronology of the Reciters); and others.

(Mukhtasar trkh Naysbr, p.76; al-Ansb, 545/B; al-Lubb, vol.3, p.272;Ghyatu 'n-nihyah, vol.1, pp.49-50;Marifatu 'l-qurri 'l-kibr, vol.1, pp.279-


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80; al-Muntazim, vol.7, p.165; Ibn Kathr, vol.11, p.310; Shadhrtu 'dh-dhahab,vol.3, p.98; Tadhkiratu 'l-huffz, vol.3, p.975; al-Isnaw, Tabaqtu 'sh-Shfiiy-

yah, vol.2, pp.399-400;Mujamu 'l-udab, vol.1, pp.411-13; [and many of his

books are mentioned in it]; Mirtu 'l-jinn, vol.2, p.410; al-Ibar, vol.3,p.16; an-Nujmu 'z-zhirah, vol.4, p.160; al-Qms, vol.2, p.137; Tju 'l-ars,vol.3, p.551; al-Alm, vol.1, p.112;Mujamu 'l-muallifn, vol.1, pp.208-9).

It is my view that these two are one person, and that the difference in thenumbering of the names of his ancestors is not proof of there being more thanone. As for the short lineage, it is possible that it was abbreviated; just as wefind that ash-Shaykh as-Sadq has also shortened it. And the difference in

patronymic between "AbBakr" and "Abu 'l-Abbs" is not so very important,because there are many persons who have two patronymics; perhaps one of

the two patronymics was used among the Immiyyah, and the second amongthe others. It is extremely unlikely that two persons be found with suchsimilarities of name and characteristics at the same time in the same place.

26. Ahmad ibn al-Husayn ibn Ahmad, ash-Shaykh AbBakr al-Khuzan-Naysbrar-Rz:A mutakallim,faqh, scholar of hadth,who studied with bothsharfs al-Murtad and his brother ar-Rad, as well aswith ash-Shaykh at-Ts.

InHadiyyatu 'l-rifnit says that he died c.480/1087. Among his writings

is: al-Mifthfi 'l-usl.[Muntajabu 'd-Dn, al-Fihrist: al-Bihr, vol.105, p.205; Jmiu 'r-ruwt, vol.1,pp.46-47; Tanqhu 'l-maql, vol.1, pt.2, p.56; Mujam rijli 'l-hadth, vol.3,pp.89-90;Rawdtu 'l-jannt, vol.2, p.314;Mustadraku 'l-wasil, vol.3, p.488;Tabaqt almi 'sh-Shah, 5th cent., p.14; adh-Dharah, vol.21, p.313;

Hadiyytu 'l-rifn, vol.1, p.80.]

27. Ahmad ibn Ibrhm ibn Nawbakht (4th/10th cent.): He wasrelated by marriage to AbJafar al-Amran-Nib (d. 305/917). as-Sayyidas-Sadr says: "He was one of the most knowledgeable mutakallims, and aleader of the scholars offiqhand hadth. . . One of the prominent membersof the family of Nawbakht"; and other say the same.[Tassu 'sh-Shah, pp.372-4;Aynu 'sh-Shah, vol.7, pp.246-7.]

28. Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Husayn ibn al-Hasan ibn Dlal-Qumm(d. 350/961): an-Najsh says: "He wrote a hundred books",among them were: al-Hadiq(The Gardens), which is a book about beliefs


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for his son Muhammad ibn Ahmad concerning the Unity of God: al-Marifah(Knowledge of Divine Realities).[an-Najsh, p.70-71; Majmau 'r-rijl, vol.1, pp.137-8; Ibn Dwd, p.39;

Naqdu 'r-rijl, p.30; Jmiu 'r-ruwt, vol.1, p.63; Tanqhu 'l-maql, vol.1,pt.2, p.86; Mujam rijli 'l-hadth, vol.2, pp.265-6; Tabaqt almi 'sh-Shah, vol.4, p.44; adh-Dharah, vol.6, p.280; vol.21, p.243.]

29. Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn s, Ab Jafar al-Ashar al-Qumm(3rd/9thcent.):The leader of the scholars of Qum, the most distin-guished and learned infiqh among them, no one could refute him. He wroteseveral books including:Kitbu 't-Tawhd(Book of Divine Unity).[at-Ts, al-Fihrist, pp.48-49; an-Najsh, p.64; Majmau 'r-rijl, vol.1,

pp.163, 165;Naqdu 'r-rijl, pp.33-34;Jmiu 'r-ruwt, vol.1, p.69; Tanqhu'l-maql, vol.1, pt.2, pp.90-92; Mujam rijli 'l-hadth, vol.2, pp.303-8;

Aynu 'sh-Shah, vol.10, pp.51-56.]

30. Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Nh, Abu 'l-Abbs as-Srfal-Basr(c.330/942 c.423/1032):Shaykhu 't-Tifah at-Tssays: "He had awide knowledge of traditions, was trustworthy in narration, except thatwrong beliefs are attributed to him in usl (ad-dn), such as what he saysabout seeing (, i.e., that Allh, may He be exalted, can be seen), and so on."an-Najshgives as-Srf's biography, and calls him: Ahmad ibn Alibn al-

Abbs ibn Nh, and says: "He was trustworthy in (the narration of) hadth,precise and sk

al kafi unity 1

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