Al–Tammar’s books include Kitab al–Imamah and Kitab al–Istihqaq.

Al–Tammar’s books include Kitab al–Imamah and Kitab al–Istihqaq.” It is noteworthy here that Isa ibn Rawdah preceded Ali ibn Ismail by a considerable period of time and al–Kumayt by a much longer one. Al–Kumayt was contemporary with Hisham ibn al–Hakam and was staying in Baghdad also.

He had had theological debates on imamate with Abu al–Huzayl and he also engaged Dirar ibn Amr al–Dabiy and Nadir al–Nidzam and emerged triumphant in different occasions as mentioned by al–Murtada in Al–Fusul al–Mukhtarah . Therefore, al–Kumayt was one of the Shi’ah masters of theology and not the first theologian to discuss imamate. Indeed, Abu Dharr, together with twelve others enjoyed a pioneering position.

They were Khalid ibn Sa’id ibn al–As, Salman al–Farisi, al–Miqdad ibn al–Aswad al–Kindi, Buraydah al–Aslami, Ammar ibn Yasir, Ubay ibn Ka’b, Khuzaymah ibn Thabit, Abu al–Haytham ibn al–Tayhan, Sahl ibn Hunayf and Abu Ayub al–Ansari (may Allah be pleased with them). This has been related in the hadith on disputation ( ihtijaj ) in Al–Tabrasi's Al–Ihtijaj. Section Three: Famous Authorities on Theology among the Shi’ah We have mentioned them in classes in the original version of this book.

They are as follows: Kumayl ibn Ziyad of Kufa who was trained by the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) and learnt various disciplines. Kumayl was informed by the latter that al–Hajjaj (ibn Yusuf) would murder him and he was actually killed by al–Hajjaj in Kufa around the year 83 A. H. Sulaym ibn Qays al–Hilali, a tabi’i. Al–Hajjaj pursued him vigorously but failed to get him. Sulaym died in the days of the former. We have already mentioned that he was one of the closest companions of Ali (‘a).

Al–Harith al–A’war al–Hamadani who was skilful in disputations about the fundamentals of the faith, learnt from the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) and trained by him. He died in 65 A. H. We have introduced his biography at length in the original version of this book. Lastly, comes Jabir ibn Yazid ibn al–Harith al–Jufi (Abu Abdillah) al–Kufi. He was trained by al–Baqir (‘a) and was well–versed in the fundamentals and other religious sciences. After those luminaries comes another category.

Qays al–Masir was one of the outstanding scholars of theology in his time to whom students travelled from all quarters. He was trained in theology under Imam Zayn al–Abidin (Ali ibn al–Husayn).