Saturday 30 March 2013

Shia books of Hadith (Ahaadith), narrations

Hadith (Ahaadith) are narrations of Prophet Mohammed.

Shia don't rely on Sunni Hadith books (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim etc), Shia have several reasons as to why Sunni hadith books are rejected. Sunnis, have six major authentic (Sihaa Sitta) hadith books and several others to their list which are secondary on level in their collection.


For a Sunni any doubt on any hadith from those six books are an act of blasphemy. That is the reason Sunni prefix the word 'Sahih' (Authentic) to those books, among those six book (Siha Sitta); Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim are two ultra-correct books next only to Holy Quran or on par.


Shia are of opinion that since hadith are narrated by a chain of narrators who are fallible people bound to make mistakes no matter even if un-intentional, therefore, no hadith could be called 100% authentic (Sahih), thus, Shia don't prefix the names of books of hadith with word 'Sahih' (Authentic), because no matter how small but there are chances of error.

One major difference between Shia collection and Sunni collection are Sunni judge the person as right or wrong, if he/she is right; what ever he/she said is authenic. Shia rather check whether his/her hadith is right or wrong, since all people are fallible except Prophet Mohammed (saw), Fatima Zahra (as) and 12 Imams (as).

Shia have another set of books which are authentic but never ever 100% authentic since the chain of narration are taken from fallible people. There are four major books of Shia Hadith which are least in error, they are called 'Kutub al Arba' (Four books).

Four Major Shia Hadith book (Kutub al Arba) are:

1) Al Kafi (The Sufficient) by Mohammed bin Yaqub Kulaini, it has 15176 narrations/ Ahaadith.

2) Man La Yahdruhu Al Faqih (I am my own Jurist) by Shaikh Saduq Mohammed bin Ali, it has 9044 narrations/ Ahaadith

3) Tahdiib Al Ahkaam (The Refinement of Laws) by Shaikh Abu Ja'far Tusi, it has 13590 narrations/ Ahaadith

4) Al Istibsaar (Foresight) by Shaikh Abu Ja'far Tusi, it has 5511 narrations/ Ahaadith

Other Shia Hadith books are:

5) Bihar Al Anwaar (Ocean of Luminescence)

6) Wasaail Ush Shia (Details for Shia)

7) Haqq Al Yaqin (Reality of Certainty)

8) Ain al Hayaat (Essence of Life)

9) Kitab Sulaym bin Qays (Book of Sulaym bin Qays)

10) Sahifa Sajjadiya (Psalms of Sajjad/ 4th Imam), it is a prayer book.

11) Nahjul Balagha (Peak of Eloquence), compiled by Sayyed Radi, the book is collections of sermons, letters and quotations of 1st Imam Ali bin Abu Talib (as)

It is a Shia Islamic belief based on several Hadith found in above mentioned books, that there are several other books which are always under possession of current Imam, these books are never in possessions of people. These books include hand written Qur'an by Imam Ali Murtada, Jafr, Jabr and Mushaf Fatima (Codex of Fatima). Apart from these books current Imam also possesses original Suhuf Ibrahim (Scrolls of Abraham), Tauraat (Torah), Zabuur (Psalms), Injeel (Gospel) and original revealed books of every prophet of past times.

Oh Allah! Peace and Salutation be upon Mohammed and House-hold of Mohammed.

Sahaba (Prophet's Companion) who Shia honour

1) Salman Persian (Faarsi)
2) Abu Darr Ghiffaari
3) Miqdaad Kindi
4) Ammar bin Yasir
5) Bilal bin Ribah (Habashi/ Ethiopian),
6) Huzaifa Yamani
7) Abu Saeed Khudri
8) Abu Ayyub Ansaari
9) Jaabir bin Abdullah Ansaari
10) Abdullah bin Mas'ud
11) Adi bin Haatim Taai
12) Hujr bin Adi Taai
13) Zaid bin Harith
14) Abdullah bin Afiif
15) Ubbay bin Ka'ab
16) Owaiz Qirni
17) Khabbab bin Ariit
18) Muslim bin Ausaja
19) Abu Raafi
20) Miknaaf bin Hunaif
21) Uthman bin Hunaif
22) Khalid bin Sa'id
23) Buraida Aslami
24) Khuzaima bin Saabit
25) Abul Hathama bin Tihaan
26) Sahl bin Hunaif
27) Sa'ad bin Obaida
28) Qais bin Sa'ad
29) Malik bin Nuwaira
30) Abu Obaid Yusuf Saqaafi

May Allah be pleased with above Sahaba (Prophet Mohammed's faithful companions), to be updated soon, with more faithful Sahaba.


Oh Allah! Peace and Salutation be upon Mohammed and House-hold of Mohammed.

Wednesday 20 March 2013

Eid Nawroz in Shia Islam

On 18th Dhul Hajja 60 Hijri, Prophet Mohammed declared Ali son of Abu Talib, his cousin and son in law as his vicegerent and absolute leader of all Muslims. With these declaration Prophet Mohammed received the orders to declare the revelation [Quran 3: 5] announcing Islam to have attained perfection and become complete.

This famous event came to be known as Event of Ghadeer and subsequently as Eid Ghadeer. Islam follow lunar Hijri calender, and the announcement of Ghadeer was made at Solar Equinox (usually falls on 20th or 21st March following Earthly revolutions) which could not be celebrated through Lunar Calender, thus date of Ghadeer (18th Dhul Hajja) and Solar equinox (21st March) both are celebrated through Hijri and solar calender respectively.

Ghadeer is an important event in Islam, thus special day was chosen (Solar Equinox, 21st March) when Earth stood straight and both day and night became equal. Spring season begins with Solar Equinox. To conclude, Nawroz is just Eid Ghadeer through Solar calender.

In pre-Islamic days it was taken as new year day in most of calenders throughout the world, in Iran the new year day was called Nawroz ( New Day). Many important events of older prophets prior to Prophet Mohammed as well as many events of Prophet Mohammed's life happened on this very day, like Prophet Mohammed declared his mission on Nawroz (21st March) etc. 

6th Imam Ja'far Sadiq mentioned its importance as well in several traditions during his time. Technically speaking, the new revolution of Earth or actual new year begins with Nawroz, at Tehwil Nawroz time when Earth stand on its own axis.

Nawroz Mubarak!

Oh Allah! Peace and Salutation be upon Mohammed and House-hold of Mohammed.