Many disciples of these two and the succeeding Imams noted...

Many disciples of these two and the succeeding Imams noted down whatever they heard from the Imams. Such collections were called usul (Roots; foundations). From those Usul, the Four Book's were compiled. Four Books: i. Al-Kafi: By Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibnYa'qub al-Kulayni,(died in 329 A.H./941 C.E.). As. mentioned above, there were thousands of Usul in hand when the Shorter Occupation (Ghaybat Sughra) of the 12th Imam began in 260 A.H. There was no printing press in those days.

The danger was imminent that those Usul would be lost for ever, as anyone having one or more usul was reluctant to lend it to others. Also there was need to arrange those scattered ahadith subject-wise to facilitate their use. The Shi'a scholars asked al-Kulayni to fulfil this difficult task. Thus after twenty years of continuous effort, af-Kafi was compled. ii. Man la yahdhurhul-faqih by Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Hasan ibn Babwayh, popularly known as Shaykh Saduq.

He was born after du'a of the 12th Imam in about 306 A.H.-919 C.E. and died in 381 a.H./991 C.E. His memory and his zeal in collecting ahadith were unmatched. He travelled far and wide in search of hadith. He has left a lot of collections of ahadith, but the above-mentioned book occupies a special place in Shi'a hadith and jurisprudence. iii. Tahdhibul Ahkam: By Abu Ja'fer Muhammad ibn al-Hasan at-Tusi. popularly known as Shaykh Tusi. (Born 385 AH/995 C.E. and died in 460/1067). iv.

Al-lstibsar, by the same author. This too like Tahdhibul Ahkam is a critical study of ahadith. Except al-Kafi, all three books are confined to the ahadith concerne with fiqh (jurisprudence). It was a strange coincidence tliat all the above muhadditheen (Traditionists) were named "Muhammad" and had the same patronymic "Abu Ja'far". The Shias, unlike the Sunnis, do not call any of the above books, "Sahih". If a hadith is found in any of them, it does not necessarily mean that it is correct.

Its acceptance or rejection depends on three tests: Conformity with the Qur'an and the known facts and reliability of its narrators. In the same way, if a hadith is found in some other book and passes the test, it will be accepted. THE THREE LATER BOOKS: In later period, 3 other books of ahadith became very popular. Unlike the former four books, these are not based on direct transmission; they are collections of ahadith gathered from various early books. These are: i.

Bihar-ul-anwar: By Muhammad Baqir Majlisi (popularly known as 'Allamah Majlisi).