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As-Salamu-Alaykum. I recently watched a video where some of my Sunni brothers criticised the Shia hadith tradition, and so I've come on here to ask a few questions. I am very fascinated by the topic of hadith, and particularly the Shia tradition. As I understand it, you do not view your Kutab al-Arba'ah the same way we view our Kutub al-Sittah (or more specifically Bukhari/Muslim as the four Sunnans can have quite a few weak hadith). I understand you perhaps view Kitab al-Kafi similarly to how we view the Sunan al-Kubra of Imam an-Nasa'i Rahimullah (not his Sunan al-Saghir which is included in Kutub al-Sittah) i.e. it has many authentic reports but may have quite a few weak reports too (and both books are a similar size etc.) Perhaps an even better comparison is Sunan al-Kubra of Imam Bayhaqi Rahimullah - which is around the same time period. Anyway, my question relates to verification of hadith and the exact method. As I am an English speaker, who doesn't know much arabic, I can't really go and open up your books of Rijal/Biographies etc. So I want to ask on here instead. Could someone demonstrate to me how a Shia Muhadith would go about verifying a Hadith? As in can you bring a Hadith from Kitab al-Kafi (let's say the first one), and walk me through the methodology use with regards to authenticating the chain etc. Also could someone tell me if it is true that Shia give more weight to the Matn than the Isnad? Are Nawasib reported (as in the Khawarij) rejected or are they allowed to report? If a Hadith goes against your theology, would you be able to reject it based on just the content of the Matn? Also how do you evaluate reporters of hadith - what makes them thiqah? I think the more detail you go into the better it will be. Please do not link videos - unless the content in them in 100% Sunni-friendly (no Sahabah cursing etc.). Thanks in advance!

There has not appeared via authentic isnads, hadiths testifying to the virtues of any Companion like what has appeared testifying to the virtues of Ali b. Abi Talib. ~ Ahmad ibn Hanbal Sunni source; Ibn Abi Ya’la, Tabaqat al-hanabila, vol. 2, page 156. As narrated to us by Jabir ibn Abdullah, the Prophet ((صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)) said; Ali b. Abi Talib is the earliest to embrace Islam in my community, the most knowledgeable of them, the most correct in his religion, the most virtuous in his certainty, the most prudent, generous and brave of heart, and he is the imam and caliph after me. Shia source; Shaykh al-Saduq, Amali al-saduq, p. 7. The same hadith can be found in many Sunni collections, even early ones such as the Musannaf of al-Sanani and the Musnad of ibn-Hanbal. However, with absence of the last section referring to Imam Ali (عليه السلام) as a Caliph and Imam. Other hadiths such as Ghadir Khumm, ruled by al-Tirmidhi and al-Hakim al-Naysaburi to be sahih (authentic), and the hadith of two weighty things (Quran and Ahlul Bayt) ruled by al-Hakim, Ibn Khuzayma, Muslim b. al-Hajjaj to be sahih (authentic). Among some, al-Naysaburi declared the hadith narrated from the Prophet ((صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)) “O Fatima, Allah is angered when you are angered, Allah is pleased when you are pleased”, to be sahih (authentic). Many times Shia narrations were openly stolen and incorporated into the Sunni books by giving them different authorship. For example, Shaykh al-Saduq quoted (Amali, p. 6) Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (عليه السلام) that the Prophet ((صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)) had said that the best of Allah’s (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) slaves are those “Who, when they seek perfection in their acts, hope for good tidings, seek forgiven when they do wrong, are thankful to Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) when they give, persevere when they are tired, and forgive when they are angered.” The same hadith can be found in Hilyat al-awliya (volume 6, page 120) by Abu Nuy’am but through a very Sunni isnad. Shaykh al-Saduq died before Abu Nuy’am. Overall, at least 100 Shia narrators found themselves in the major Sunni “authentic” books. In rijal alshi'ah fii asaneed alsunnah we can find the names of 140 of them. al-Muraja’at lists 100 of them. For example, narrations from Adi ibn Thabit al-Kufi can be found in Sunan ibn Majah and other books. Ibn Ma`in has described him as a "Shi`a extremist," while Dar Qutni calls him "Rafidi, extremist, but also reliable." Al-Mas`udi says, "We have never seen anyone who is so outspoken in preaching his Shi`a views like `Adi ibn Thabit."

Assalam o Alaykum dear members, I am new here. Could someone please guide me which of the following narrations are authentic and which are not. JazakumAllah Khaira ! الکافی، ج ۲، ص ۵۵۲، حدیث: ۶ 6- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي دَاوُدَ (?)عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ (?)عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ: جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّص فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي ذُو عِيَالٍ وَ عَلَيَّ دَيْنٌ وَ قَدِ اشْتَدَّتْ حَالِي فَعَلِّمْنِي دُعَاءً أَدْعُو اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بِهِ لِيَرْزُقَنِي مَا أَقْضِي بِهِ دَيْنِي وَ أَسْتَعِينُ بِهِعَلَى عِيَالِي فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ تَوَضَّأْ وَ أَسْبِغْ وُضُوءَكَ ثُمَّ صَلِّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ تُتِمُّ الرُّكُوعَ وَ السُّجُودَ ثُمَّ قُلْ يَا مَاجِدُ يَا وَاحِدُ يَا كَرِيمُ يَا دَائِمُ *أَتَوَجَّهُ إِلَيْكَ بِمُحَمَّدٍ نَبِيِّكَ نَبِيِّ الرَّحْمَةِ ص* *يَا مُحَمَّدُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي أَتَوَجَّهُ بِكَ إِلَى اللَّهِ رَبِّكَ وَ رَبِّي وَ رَبِّ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ أَنْ تُصَلِّيَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَ أَسْأَلُكَ نَفْحَةً كَرِيمَةً مِنْ نَفَحَاتِكَوَ فَتْحاً يَسِيراً وَ رِزْقاً وَاسِعاً أَلُمُّ بِهِ شَعْثِي وَ أَقْضِي بِهِ دَيْنِي وَ أَسْتَعِينُ بِهِ عَلَى عِيَالِي.* الکافی، ج ۲، ص ۵۸۲، ۔۔ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ قَالَ قَالَ لِي أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع ابْتِدَاءً مِنْهُ يَا مُعَاوِيَةُ أَ مَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّ رَجُلًا أَتَىأَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ص فَشَكَا الْإِبْطَاءَ عَلَيْهِ فِي الْجَوَابِ فِي دُعَائِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَيْنَ أَنْتَ عَنِ الدُّعَاءِ السَّرِيعِ الْإِجَابَةِ فَقَالَ لَهُ الرَّجُلُ مَا هُوَ قَالَ قُلِاللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِاسْمِكَ الْعَظِيمِ الْأَعْظَمِ الْأَجَلِّ الْأَكْرَمِ الْمَخْزُونِ الْمَكْنُونِ النُّورِ الْحَقِّ الْبُرْهَانِ الْمُبِينِ الَّذِي هُوَ نُورٌ مَعَ نُورٍ وَ نُورٌ مِنْ نُورٍ وَنُورٌ فِي نُورٍ وَ نُورٌ عَلى‏ نُورٍ وَ نُورٌ فَوْقَ كُلِّ نُورٍ وَ نُورٌ يُضِي‏ءُ بِهِ كُلُّ ظُلْمَةٍ وَ يُكْسَرُ بِهِ كُلُّ شِدَّةٍ وَ كُلُّ شَيْطَانٍ مَرِيدٍ وَ كُلُّ جَبَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ لَا تَقِرُّ بِهِ أَرْضٌ «1» وَ لَا تَقُومُ بِهِ سَمَاءٌ وَ يَأْمَنُ بِهِ كُلُّ خَائِفٍ وَ يَبْطُلُ بِهِ سِحْرُ كُلِّ سَاحِرٍ وَ بَغْيُ كُلِّ بَاغٍ وَ حَسَدُ كُلِّ حَاسِدٍ وَ يَتَصَدَّعُ لِعَظَمَتِهِ الْبَرُّ وَ الْبَحْرُ وَ يَسْتَقِلُّ بِهِالْفُلْكُ حِينَ «2» يَتَكَلَّمُ بِهِ الْمَلَكُ فَلَا يَكُونُ لِلْمَوْجِ عَلَيْهِ سَبِيلٌ وَ هُو اسْمُكَ الْأَعْظَمُ الْأَعْظَمُ الْأَجَلُّ الْأَجَلُّ النُّورُ الْأَكْبَرُ الَّذِي سَمَّيْتَ بِهِ نَفْسَكَوَ اسْتَوَيْتَ بِهِ عَلَى عَرْشِكَ *وَ أَتَوَجَّهُ إِلَيْكَ بِمُحَمَّدٍ وَ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ أَسْأَلُكَ بِكَ وَ بِهِمْ* أَنْ تُصَلِّيَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ أَنْ تَفْعَلَ بِي كَذَا وَ كَذَا. الکافی، ج ۳، ص ۴۷۳۔ أَتَوَجَّهُ إِلَيْكَ بِمُحَمَّدٍ نَبِيِّكَ نَبِيِّ الرَّحْمَةِ يَا مُحَمَّدُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي أَتَوَجَّهُ بِكَ إِلَى اللَّهِ رَبِّكَ وَ رَبِّ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ الکافی، ج ۳، ص ۴۷۸ وَ بِهَذَا الْإِسْنَادِ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْمَاعِيلَ السَّرَّاجِ عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنْ شُرَحْبِيلَ الْكِنْدِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ: إِذَا أَرَدْتَ أَمْراً تَسْأَلُهُ رَبَّكَ فَتَوَضَّأْوَ أَحْسِنِ الْوُضُوءَ ثُمَّ صَلِّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَ عَظِّمِ اللَّهَ وَ صَلِّ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ص وَ قُلْ بَعْدَ التَّسْلِيمِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِأَنَّكَ مَلِكٌ وَ أَنَّكَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍقَدِيرٌ مُقْتَدِرٌ وَ بِأَنَّكَ مَا تَشَاءُ مِنْ أَمْرٍ يَكُونُ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَتَوَجَّهُ إِلَيْكَ بِنَبِيِّكَ مُحَمَّدٍ نَبِيِّ الرَّحْمَةِ ص يَا مُحَمَّدُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي أَتَوَجَّهُ بِكَ إِلَى اللَّهِ رَبِّكَوَ رَبِّي لِيُنْجِحَ لِي طَلِبَتِي اللَّهُمَّ بِنَبِيِّكَ أَنْجِحْ لِي طَلِبَتِي بِمُحَمَّدٍ ثُمَّ سَلْ حَاجَتَك‏ کامل الزیارات، ص ۱۶۔ وَ إِنِّي أَتَوَجَّهُ إِلَيْكَ بِنَبِيِّكَ نَبِيِّ الرَّحْمَةِ مُحَمَّدٍ ص يَا مُحَمَّدُ إِنِّي أَتَوَجَّهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ رَبِّي وَ رَبِّكَ بِكَ لِيَغْفِرَ لِي ذُنُوبِي‏ كامل الزيارات، النص، ص: 221 13- حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ عَنِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ عَامِرٍ عَنْ أَبَانٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِعَطِيَّةَ أَبِي نَابٍ بَيَّاعِ السَّابِرِيِّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ مَنْ أَتَى قَبْرَ الْحُسَيْنِ ع كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَهُ حِجَّةً وَ عُمْرَةً وَ [أَوْ] عُمْرَةً وَ حِجَّةًقَالَ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ فَمَا أَقُولُ إِذَا أَتَيْتُهُ- قَالَ تَقُولُ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَوْمَوُلِدْتَ وَ يَوْمَ تَمُوتُ وَ يَوْمَ تُبْعَثُ حَيّاً أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ حَيٌّ شَهِيدٌ تُرْزَقُ عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ وَ أَتَوَالَى وَلِيَّكَ وَ أَبْرَأُ مِنْ عَدُوِّكَ وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ الَّذِينَ قَاتَلُوكَ وَ انْتَهَكُواحُرْمَتَكَ مَلْعُونُونَ عَلَى لِسَانِ النَّبِيِّ الْأُمِّيِّ وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ قَدْ أَقَمْتَ الصَّلَاةَ وَ آتَيْتَ الزَّكَاةَ وَ أَمَرْتَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَ نَهَيْتَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَ جَاهَدْتَفِي سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَ الْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ أَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ وَلِيَّكَ وَ وَلِيَّنَا أَنْ‏ يَجْعَلَ تُحْفَتَنَا مِنْ زِيَارَتِكَ الصَّلَاةَ عَلَى نَبِيِّنَا وَ الْمَغْفِرَةَ لِذُنُوبِنَا اشْفَعْ لِي يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ. طب الأئمة عليهم السلام، ص: 74 عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُوسَى الطَّبَرِيُّ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ الْبَرْقِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ السِّنَانِيِّ عَنِ الْمُفَضَّلِ بْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ: شَكَا رَجُلٌ مِنْ إِخْوَانِنَا إِلَى‏ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع شَكَاةَ أَهْلِهِ مِنَ النَّظْرَةِ وَ الْعَيْنِ وَ الْبَطْنِ وَ السُّرَّةِ وَ وَجَعِ الرَّأْسِ وَ الشَّقِيقَةِ وَ قَالَ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ لَا تَزَالُ سَاهِرَةً تُصْبِحُاللَّيْلَ أَجْمَعَ وَ أَنَا فِي جَهْدٍ مِنْ بُكَائِهَا وَ صُرَاخِهَا فَمُنَّ عَلَيْنَا وَ عَلَيْهَا بِعُوذَةٍ فَقَالَ الصَّادِقُ ع إِذَا صَلَّيْتَ الْفَرِيضَةَ فَابْسُطْ يَدَيْكَ جَمِيعاً إِلَى السَّمَاءِثُمَّ قُلْ بِخُشُوعٍ وَ اسْتِكَانَةٍ أَعُوذُ بِجَلَالِكَ وَ قُدْرَتِكَ وَ بَهَائِكَ وَ سُلْطَانِكَ مِمَّا أَجِدُ يَا غَوْثِي يَا اللَّهُ يَا غَوْثِي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ يَا غَوْثِي يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَاغَوْثِي يَا فَاطِمَةُ بِنْتَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أَغِثْنِي أَغِثْنِي ثُمَّ امْسَحْ بِيَدِكَ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى هَامَتِكَ وَ تَقُولُ يَا مَنْ سَكَنَ لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَ مَا فِي الْأَرْضِ سَكِّنْمَا بِي بِقُوَّتِكَ وَ قُدْرَتِكَ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ وَ سَكِّنْ مَا بِي.

Why twelver shias consider ‘Praying is better than sleep’ (al-salaatu khayrun min al-nawm) a biddah? وما رواه هو أيضا عن أحمد بن الحسن عن الحسين عن فضالة عن العلا عن محمد بن مسلم عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: كان أبي ينادي في بيته بالصلاة خير من النوم” Imam Abu Jaafar (Al-Baqir) said: ‘My father (Ali Ibn Al-Hussein, Al-Sajjad/Zayn Al-Abideen) used to call out from his house in prayer: ”Praying is better than sleep’ (al-salaatu khayrun min al-nawm)’. [Tahdhib vol.7, p.63 no. 15, Wasa’el Al-Shia v.22 S.651, Number 4. Hadith grading: Muwathaq/authentic] Note: Narration say from his house, so it can not be considered as taqqiyah, common shia excuse. فأما ما رواه محمد بن علي بن محبوب عن أحمد بن الحسن عن الحسين عن حماد بن عيسى عن شعيب بن يعقوب عن أبي بصير عن أبي عبدالله عليه السلام قال: النداء والتثويب في الاقامة من السنة” Imam Abu Abdallah (Al-Sadiq) said: ‘The calling and the Tathweeb in Iqamah is from the Sunnah.’ [Wasa’el Al-Shia vol.22, p.65 no.3 and in Tahtheeb Al-Ahkaam] Tathweeb stands for ‘al-salaatu khayrun min al-nawm'. Scholar Al-Hilli says Tathweeb is biddah Link. Which is contradiction to narrations above. والتثويب مكروه وهو قول: ” الصلاة خير من النوم ” ‘Al-Tathweeb is disliked (Makrooh) and it’s the saying: “as-salaatu khayrun min al-nawn”.’

Hi I am a born shia, and have decided to take a more active role in inter-sectarian dialogue amongst my sunni friends at university. however to do so i'm trying to encourage the similarities between sunni-shia in day to day islamic practice, in order to alleviate government manufactured sectarianism (Allah help the people of iraq and syria). so my question is, which hadith do we consider reliable enough for us to use? despite quoting imam ali (as) a lot of my friends tend to frown upon the mention of his name.

(salam) How authentic and sound are the narrations of our hadith compared to the 6 books of Sunnism (Bukhari muslim)? Our Sunni brethren argue that the hadith books that we refer to are a bunch of fabricated myths and stories. They say that the narrations are not very sound and that none of them root back to the prophet through a solid continuous chain of narrators. Do their scholars actually spend years to study our hadith like our scholars do in Hawza? I doubt that they do but how can this claim be refuted? I find this issue with hadith very hard to refute because I have limited knowledge on the basics of the science of Hadith (ilm al hadith) and the science of narrators(ilm al rejal). What do you guys think?

who is your favorite prophet in the Quran (other than of course Muhammad may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)? Then tell me why and how you take this prophet as an example among the many examples Allah gives us in the Quran

Salaam aleikum I would like to know if the prophet (pbuh) actually announced all of his 12 successors by names? If he did, can I please have a shia authentic hadith mentioning this. The only hadith i can find which does this is from Yanabi Al muwaddah, but it appears to be very weak. Salaam Ali