Persian Shia hadith collector (864–941 CE)
Abū Jaʿfar Muḥammad ibn Yaʿqūb ibn Isḥāq al-Kulaynī ar-Rāzī (Persian: محمد بن یعقوب بن اسحاق کلینی رازی; Arabic: أَبُو جَعْفَر مُحَمَّد ٱبْن يَعْقُوب ٱبْن إِسْحَاق ٱلْكُلَيْنِيّ ٱلرَّازِيّ; c. 250 AH/864 CE – 329 AH/941 CE)[1] was a Persian[2] Shia hadith collector.[3]
Life
Al-Kulayni was born in Kulayn, a village or small town situated near Rey, Iran.[4] His father was Ya'qub al-Kulayni, who is buried at Rey. He lived in the era of the Minor Occultation of Hujjat-Allah al-Mahdi, the last of the Twelve Imams who, according to Shia belief, is currently in occultation and will appear before the Day of Judgment). He is claimed to have greatly benefited from al-Mahdi's divine knowledge by interacting with him through the Imam's Deputies.[5][6]
Kulayni received his early religious education in his native town and went to Rey for further education. According to Shia view he is among a special class of muhaddithin known as Rihalah-ye hadith (which means those who travelled in order to collect a hadith and met the persons considered to be the authority on hadith).[6]
He travelled to Baghdad for this reason and lived there for twenty years, engaged in teaching and pursuing academic work, until he died in 329 AH/941 CE. He is considered the foremost Shia compiler of hadith and was the author of Kitab al-Kafi.[7]
Work and contribution
Although Shaykh al-Kulaynī is most famous for al-Kāfī, this opus was not his only accomplishment. The following is a list of his known works:
- Kitāb al Kāfī
- Rasāʾil al ʾaʾimmah
- Kitāb ar-rijāl
- Kitāb ar radd ʿalā al qarāmitah
- Kitāb mā qīla fī al ʾaʾimmah min ash-shiʿr
- Kitāb taʿbīr al-ruʾyā
Of these only al-Kāfī has survived in its entirety.[8]
See also
References
- ^ Shaikh Mohammed bin Yaqoob bin Ishaq Kulaini & Al Kafi @ islam-laws.com
- ^ Frye, R.N., ed. (1975). The Cambridge history of Iran (Repr. ed.). London: Cambridge U.P. p. 472. ISBN 978-0-521-20093-6.
- ^ Sheikh Kulayni, the right keeper of Shia Ahadith mehrnews.com Retrieved 17 Oct 2018
- ^ Ali Akbar al-Ghaffari's introduction to his eight-volume edition of al-Kulayni's Usul al-Kafi, Tehran, 3rd edition 1388-), I, 9–13.
- ^ Ali Akbar al-Ghaffari's introduction to his eight-volume edition of al-Kulayni's al-Kafi , Ibid. I, 13–14.
- ^ a b Syed Waheed Akhtar: Early Imammiyah Shiite Thinkers
- ^ Meri, Josef W. (2005). Medieval Islamic Civilization: An Encyclopedia. USA: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-96690-0.
- ^ Islamic Texts Institute (2012). Al-Kafi Book I: Intellect and Foolishness. Taqwa Media. ISBN 9781939420008.
External links
- Classical Islam: A Sourcebook of Religious Literature by Norman Calder, J A Mojaddedi, Andrew Rippin
- The Formative Period of Twelver Shi'Ism: Hadith As Discourse Between Qum and Baghdad by Andrew J Newman
- Great Shiite Works: Al-Kafi by Al-Kulayni by I. K. A. Howard in al Serat Journal.
- 'Al-Kafi' by Al-Kulayni by Dr. I. K. A. Howard Al-Serat, Vol. 2 (1976), No. 1
- The Trustworthy of Islam Kulayni No such page found – October 24, 2012
- The Buyid Domination as the Historical Background for the Flourishing of Muslim Scholarship During the 4th/10th Century by Dr. M. Ismail Marcinkowski* October 24, 2012
- Shaikh Mohammed bin Yaqoob bin Ishaq Kulaini. & Al Kafi
- Islamic Texts Institute
- "Al-Kafi Book I: Intellect and Foolishness"
