Imam al–Sadiq who attested to his proficiency in it observed...

Imam al–Sadiq who attested to his proficiency in it observed: “You and al–Ahwal are energetic and proficient.” Al–Ahwal was Abu Ja’far Muhammad ibn Ali ibn al–Numan ibn Abi Tarifah al–Bajali.

He learnt from Imam Zayn al–Abidin (‘a) and compiled Kitab If’al la Taf'al (dos and don’ts), Kitab al–Ihtijaj fi Imamat Amir al–Muminin alayh al–salam (On disputaions concerning the leadership of Imam Ali (‘a), Kitab al–Kalam ala al–Khawarij (Observations about the Kharijites), Kitab al–Marifah , Kitab al–Rad ala al – Mutazilah (Refutation of Mu’tazilism) and a book on his disputation sessions with Abu Hanifah and the Murji’ites.

Hamran ibn A’yan, Zurarah ibn Ayan's brother who studied theology from Imam Zayn al–Abidin (‘a). Hisham ibn Salim, one of the chiefs of the Shi’ah in theology. Yunus ibn Yaqub who was proficient in theology to whom Imam Abu Abdillah al–Sadiq once said “Conduct your theological debates according to transmitted traditions ( athar ) and you will always be successful.” Faddal ibn al–Hasan ibn Faddal al–Kufi, the famous theologian. Never did he engage in debate with an opponent without silencing him.

Sayyid Murtada has reported some of his disputations in Al–Fusul al–Mukhtarah . All the aforementioned luminaries were contemporaries who died during the second century. The following are other theologians of the same category: Hisham ibn al–Hakam about whom Imam al–Sadiq says: “This man supported us with his heart, tongue and hand.” He engaged in theological argumentation with members of all sects and silenced them. He had many disputation sessions with his opponents and wrote on theology.

His vigorous and confident way of disputation and high social position made people envy him and attribute invalid utterances to him whereas he was indeed innocent of all corruption of word or deed. I have enumerated his works in the original version of this book. Hisham died in 179 A. H. Al–Sakkak, Muhammad ibn Khalil Abu Ja’far al–Baghdadi, a companion and disciple of Hisham ibn al–Hakam.

He studied theology under the latter and wrote a number of books on it which we have mentioned in our unabridged version of this book. Abu Malik al–Dahhak al–Hadrami, an authority on theology and a distinguished Shi'ite figure who was contemporary with al–Sadiq and al–Kazim (‘a). Among them were the family of Nubakht.