Al-Kāfi

1ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ مَنْصُورِ بْنِ يُونُسَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَوْلَ الله جَلَّ ثَنَاؤُهُ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَمِعُونَ الْقَوْلَ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ أَحْسَنَهُ قَالَ هُوَ الرَّجُلُ يَسْمَعُ الْحَدِيثَ فَيُحَدِّثُ بِهِ كَمَا سَمِعَهُ لا يَزِيدُ فِيهِ وَلا يَنْقُصُ مِنْهُ.

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Mansur ibn Yunus from abu Basir who has said the following. “(Imam) abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) said about the words of Allah in the holy Quran, “Our servants who listen to the words and only follow the best ones.” [39:18] “He is a man who learns Hadith and reports it as he has learned without any additions of omissions”

2ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَسْمَعُ الْحَدِيثَ مِنْكَ فَأَزِيدُ وَأَنْقُصُ قَالَ إِنْ كُنْتَ تُرِيدُ مَعَانِيَهُ فَلا بَأْسَ.

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from ibn ’Udhayna from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following. “I asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.), ‘Can I add to or omit from a Hadith that I hear from you?’” He said, “It is alright, if you would preserve the meaning,’”

3ـ وَعَنْهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنِ ابْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ فَرْقَدٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنِّي أَسْمَعُ الْكَلامَ مِنْكَ فَأُرِيدُ أَنْ أَرْوِيَهُ كَمَا سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْكَ فَلا يَجِي‏ءُ قَالَ فَتَعَمَّدُ ذَلِكَ قُلْتُ لا فَقَالَ تُرِيدُ الْمَعَانِيَ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ فَلا بَأْسَ.

3. It is narrated from him from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from ibn Sinan from Dawud ibn Farqad who has said the following. “I asked (Imam) abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.), ‘I hear your statement and I want to narrate to others but it does not come through exactly.’” The Imam asked, “Do you do it purposely?” He said, “No, I do not do it purposely.” The Imam asked, “Do you keep the meaning?” He said, “Yes, I keep the meaning.” The Imam said, “It then is alright.”

4ـ وَعَنْهُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) الْحَدِيثُ أَسْمَعُهُ مِنْكَ أَرْوِيهِ عَنْ أَبِيكَ أَوْ أَسْمَعُهُ مِنْ أَبِيكَ أَرْوِيهِ عَنْكَ قَالَ سَوَاءٌ إِلا أَنَّكَ تَرْوِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ وَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) لِجَمِيلٍ مَا سَمِعْتَ مِنِّي فَارْوِهِ عَنْ أَبِي.

4. It is narrated from him from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn abu Hamza from abu Basir who has said the following: “Once I asked Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.), ‘Can I narrate a Hadith I hear from you as a Hadith of your father or narrate what I have heard from your father as your Hadith?’ The Imam said, ‘It is all the same. However, I would love if you narrate from my father.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), once said to Jamil, ‘What you hear from me you may narrate as a Hadith of my father also.’”

5ـ وَعَنْهُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ سِنَانٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَجِيئُنِي الْقَوْمُ فَيَسْتَمِعُونَ مِنِّي حَدِيثَكُمْ فَأَضْجَرُ وَلا أَقْوَى قَالَ فَاقْرَأْ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ أَوَّلِهِ حَدِيثاً وَمِنْ وَسَطِهِ حَدِيثاً وَمِنْ آخِرِهِ حَدِيثاً.

5. It is narrated from him from Ahmad ibn Muhammad and Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from ibn Mahbub from ‘Abdallah ibn Sinan who has said the following. “I said to (Imam) abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.), ‘People come to me and they listen to the Ahadith that I narrate to them from you. I become tired and weak.’” The Imam said, “Narrate to them a Hadith from the beginning and one from the middle and one from the end.”

6ـ عَنْهُ بِإِسْنَادِهِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عُمَرَ الْحَلالِ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) الرَّجُلُ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا يُعْطِينِي الْكِتَابَ وَلا يَقُولُ ارْوِهِ عَنِّي يَجُوزُ لِي أَنْ أَرْوِيَهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ فَقَالَ إِذَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّ الْكِتَابَ لَهُ فَارْوِهِ عَنْهُ.

6. It is narrated from him from Ahmad ibn ‘Umar al-Hallal who has said the following. “I said to (Imam) abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.), ‘One of our people gives me a book but he does not say whether I can narrate any thing from it or not. Can I narrate it from him?’” He (the narrator) said that he (a.s.) said, “If you knew that the book is his then narrate it from him.”

7ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَعَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنِ النَّوْفَلِيِّ عَنِ السَّكُونِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِذَا حَدَّثْتُمْ بِحَدِيثٍ فَأَسْنِدُوهُ إِلَى الَّذِي حَدَّثَكُمْ فَإِنْ كَانَ حَقّاً فَلَكُمْ وَإِنْ كَانَ كَذِباً فَعَلَيْهِ‏.

7. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from al-Nawfali from al-Sakuni from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following: Ameer al-Mumineen (a.s.) has said: “When you would narrate Hadith you must say who its narrator is. If it would be true it will be for you and if it would be false it will be his responsibility.

8ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ الْمَدَنِيِّ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حُسَيْنٍ الاحْمَسِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ الْقَلْبُ يَتَّكِلُ عَلَى الْكِتَابَةِ.

8. Ali ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Abdallah has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from abu Ayyub al-Madani from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Husayn al-Ahmasi from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “The heart relies on writing.”

9ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْوَشَّاءِ عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ حُمَيْدٍ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ اكْتُبُوا فَإِنَّكُمْ لا تَحْفَظُونَ حَتَّى تَكْتُبُوا.

9. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Washsha’ from ‘Asim ibn Humayd from abu Basir who has said the following. “(Imam) abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) said, ‘You must write down because you will not memorize until you write down.’”

10ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنِ ابْنِ بُكَيْرٍ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) احْتَفِظُوا بِكُتُبِكُمْ فَإِنَّكُمْ سَوْفَ تَحْتَاجُونَ إِلَيْهَا.

10. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn Faddal from ibn Bukayr from ’Ubayd ibn Zurara who has said the following. “Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) said, ‘You must preserve your books because you will soon need them.’”

11ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ الْبَرْقِيِّ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخَيْبَرِيِّ عَنِ الْمُفَضَّلِ بْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ قَالَ لِي أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) اكْتُبْ وَبُثَّ عِلْمَكَ فِي إِخْوَانِكَ فَإِنْ مِتَّ فَأَوْرِثْ كُتُبَكَ بَنِيكَ فَإِنَّهُ يَأْتِي عَلَى النَّاسِ زَمَانُ هَرْجٍ لا يَأْنَسُونَ فِيهِ إِلا بِكُتُبِهِمْ.

11. A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid al-Barqi from certain persons of his people from abu Sa‘id al-Khaybari from al-Mufaddal ibn ‘Umar who has said the following. “Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) said, ‘You must write down (Hadith) and spread your knowledge among your brethren. If you will die your children will inherit your books. A time will come when people will face chaos and they will find no comfort but with their books.’”

12ـ وَبِهَذَا الاسْنَادِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ رَفَعَهُ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِيَّاكُمْ وَالْكَذِبَ الْمُفْتَرِعَ قِيلَ لَهُ وَمَا الْكَذِبُ الْمُفْتَرِعُ قَالَ أَنْ يُحَدِّثَكَ الرَّجُلُ بِالْحَدِيثِ فَتَتْرُكَهُ وَتَرْوِيَهُ عَنِ الَّذِي حَدَّثَكَ عَنْهُ.

12. It is narrated through the same chain of narrators from Muhammad ibn Ali in a marfu‘ manner from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) said, ‘Beware of the branched-out lies.’ They asked the Imam, “What is branched-out lies?” The Imam replied, “It is when a person narrates a Hadith to you and you would ignore him and narrate it from the person from whom he had narrated the Hadith.’”

13ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ دَرَّاجٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَعْرِبُوا حَدِيثَنَا فَإِنَّا قَوْمٌ فُصَحَاءُ.

13. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn abu Nasr from Jamil ibn Darraj who has said the following. “Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) said, ‘Speak our Hadith clearly because we are eloquent people.’”

14ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ وَحَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ وَغَيْرِهِ قَالُوا سَمِعْنَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ حَدِيثِي حَدِيثُ أَبِي وَحَدِيثُ أَبِي حَدِيثُ جَدِّي وَحَدِيثُ جَدِّي حَدِيثُ الْحُسَيْنِ وَحَدِيثُ الْحُسَيْنِ حَدِيثُ الْحَسَنِ وَحَدِيثُ الْحَسَنِ حَدِيثُ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَحَدِيثُ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ حَدِيثُ رَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَحَدِيثُ رَسُولِ الله قَوْلُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ.

14. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ‘Umar ibn ’Abd al-‘Aziz from Hisham ibn Salim, Hammed ibn ‘Uthman and others who said: Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) said, ‘My Hadith is the Hadith of my father. The Hadith of my father is the Hadith of my grandfather. The Hadith of my grandfather is the Hadith of al-Husayn. The Hadith of al-Husayn is the Hadith of al-Hasan. The Hadith of al-Hasan is the Hadith of Amir al-Mu'mineen (a.s.). The Hadith of Amir al-Mu'mineen is the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah (sw), and the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah is the words of Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious.’

15ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ أَبِي خَالِدٍ شَيْنُولَةَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي جَعْفَرٍ الثَّانِي (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنَّ مَشَايِخَنَا رَوَوْا عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ وَأَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَكَانَتِ التَّقِيَّةُ شَدِيدَةً فَكَتَمُوا كُتُبَهُمْ وَلَمْ تُرْوَ عَنْهُمْ فَلَمَّا مَاتُوا صَارَتِ الْكُتُبُ إِلَيْنَا فَقَالَ حَدِّثُوا بِهَا فَإِنَّهَا حَقٌّ.

15. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn al-Hassan ibn abu Khalid Shaynula who has said the following: “I said to abu Ja‘far al-Thani (a.s.), ‘May Allah take my soul in your service, our sheikhs have narrated from abu Ja‘far and abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.), and at that time Taqiyah was severe. So they concealed their books and did not narrate from them. When they died their books came to us.’” He (the Imam) replied, “You may narrate from them because they contain the truth.”