The tradition goes like this...

The tradition goes like this: “Abu Basir says, “Once I was in the sacred company of Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (as). A woman, Umm Khalid Al Abdiyya, came to see the Imam and implored, “My stomach keeps gurgling. A doctor from Iraq prescribes that I should mix barley with wine and drink.

But I know that you do not approve of it and I have come to ask you.” The Imam heard it and said, “Then what is your problem in using it?” The woman said, “I am in your taqleed and after I die I would need to answer if you allowed me to drink it or not.” The Imam responded, “Even if you are on your death bed, do not take even a sip. If you do not follow my instructions, you will regret it.

Do you understand?”[^2] We have several more references in this regard but there is no point in dragging the issue on. However, we wish to tell those who are searching for the word “taqleed” in the days of the Imams that they should be prepared to discuss 11th Imam’s hadith mentioned earlier. Firstly, instead of scrutinizing this particular hadith in a just way, some writers have hastened to declare it weak.

In order to decide about the validity of traditions there are several factors that need to be looked at. It is important to know the rules of “Study of Personalities (‘Ilm al-Rijal)” and the rules for “Determining What Really Happened (Darayat)”. The subject core should be studied from credibility point of view. It is imperative to see that every part of the hadith is according to the basic commands and conditions of the sharia.

Does the statement have the desired depth of thought and strength of meanings? In addition the position and status of channels used for transmitting the hadith need to be critically assessed. Then, about the scholars who have accepted this hadith and made it part of their body of knowledge; what is the level of their research and what is their status in the scholarly world?

The expediency-loving writers have ignored all the rules and regulations that should be the bases of scrutiny and have expressed doubts about the under-discussion hadith. As an example, they are not satisfied with the channel of transmission as it includes such narrators as – Muhammad Ahmed Ibn Abbas, Muhammad Ibn Qasim, Yousuf Ibn Muhammad Ibn Ziad and Ali Ibn Muhammad Ibn Yasar.

However, we wish that these critics had asked the opinions of the great scholars of the “Study of Personalities” (‘Ilm al-Rijal).