ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books A Shi'ite Creed Concerning Two Divergent Traditions Says the Shaykh, the mercy of Allah be upon him: Our belief concerning the authentic reports (akhbar) related from the Imams is that they accord with the Book of Allah, being in agreement with its meaning and not divergent from it, because they are the result of inspiration from Allah, Glory be to Him. If they were derived from (someone) other than Allah, they would surely have been divergent.

The outward form of the reports differ only on account of certain reasons. For instance, (in one report) the expiation for zihar is laid down as the manumission of a slave; in another report we have the performance of fasts for two consecutive months; and in a third report we have the feeding of sixty destitute persons. Now all these are correct. Fasting is prescribed for him who has no slave to free; and feeding (the poor) is prescribed for him who is unable to fast.

It has also been reported that he should give sadaqa (charity) to the extent that he can, and this applies to him who has not the means to feed (sixty persons). And among (such traditions) are those in which one takes the place of the other. For instance, what has been related regarding the expiation of an oath: “. . .

the feeding of ten of the needy ones with the average of that wherewith ye feed your own folk, or the clothing of them, or the liberation of a slave, and he who findeth not (the wherewithal to do so), he must fast for three days.” (Qur'an 5:89) . Now when three traditions are reported concerning the expiation of an oath - firstly, feeding; secondly, clothing; and thirdly, the manumission of a slave - they are regarded by the ignorant as differing from one another.

In fact they are not divergent, but each one of these is alternative to the other. And among the reports handed down are some which are due to taqiya.

It is related on the authority of Sulaym bin Qays al-Hilali that he said to the Prince of Believers, peace be on him: Verily I have heard from Salman, Miqdad and Abu Dharr some explanations of the Qur'an and the traditions of the Prophet different from what are generally known to the people.[^1] And I have heard from you a corroboration of what I heard from them.

And I know that there are many things current among the people regarding the explanation of the Qur'an and the traditions of the Prophet, to which you (the Imams) are opposed, and you assert that all that is false.