Al-Shaikh al-Saduq was born and grew up in Qum.

Al-Shaikh al-Saduq was born and grew up in Qum. He was educated by his father and came into close contact with all the leading scholars of Shi’ite Islam in Qum and studied under many of them (3). Qum was one of the centres of the study of Shi’ite traditions and it was this form of religious learning which held great influence over al-Shaikh al-Saduq. He travelled widely visiting many cities in search of traditions and as a result, the number of scholars whom he learned traditions is considerable.

The number is put at 211. The importance of traditions is emphasized by al-Shaikh al-Saduq and he quotes traditions against speculative theology. His works reflect this interest in traditions and nearly all of them take the form of compilations of traditions. However, he did write a creed of Shi’ite Islam al-I’tiqadat. His pupil, the eminent theologian al-Shaikh al-Mufid, wrote a correction of this creed Tashih al-i’tiqad where he criticizes him on several points.

(4) The number of al-Shaikh al-Saduq’s works is considerable. (5) Al-Tusi says that they numbered over 300 but lists only 43 of them that he has immediately in his possession, while al-Najashi lists 193 of them. Curiously enough al-Najashi does not mention the important work Man la y’ahduruh al-faqih! Many of the works of al-Shaikh al-Saduq have been lost but a considerable number survive and have been published. There are also other works not yet published but extant in manuscript form.

As has been mentioned during his life al-Shaikh al-Saduq devoted most of his energy to the collection and compilation of traditions; he was also a great teacher of tradition. During the last years of his life al Shaikh’ al Saduq lived in a Rayy. He had been invited there by the Buyid Rukn al Dawla.(6) He seems to have been well-treated and honoured there by Rukn al-Dawla and took part in many discussions with him.

However, it is reported that his teaching was eventually restricted by the Buyid Wazir Ibn ‘Abbad. The attack appears to have been aimed at traditions for several Sunni traditionists also suffered similar restrictions at the hands of Ibn ‘Abbad. (7) Al-Shaikh al-Saduq died in al-Rayy in 381 A.H. and he was buried there. He was probably more than 70 years of age. He left behind him many collections of traditions which are of great importance.