Objections which raise questions regarding the Authenticity of Kitab Sulaym bin Qays B) The objection of 13 Imams
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Hadith study, Kitab Sulaym bin Qays
B) The objection of 13 Imams
Sulayms book contains a narrative about the Prophet (saws) saying,
Surely Allah cast a look at the people of the earth and chose from among them two men: one of them is I, so He sent me as His Messenger, and the other is Ali ibn Abi Talib, till he comes to say, Surely Allah cast a second look, and He chose after us twelve wasis from among my Ahlulbayth, so He made them the elite among my nation, one after the other. [1]
We say that this cannot be used to discredit the book for the following reasons:
1. It is quite likely that the phrase He chose after us twelve wasis may somehow contain an error in transcribing: one letter looking like another.Allama Majlisi and others have all said, We have found in some copies accurate wording without any insinuation. [2]
Al Majlisi has also suggested that the original text referred to eleven Imams but the copyists distorted it. [3] What leads to this conclusion is the fact that the same tradition contains the accurate wording in another part of the book. [4]
2. Sulayms book, according to someones statistics [5], contains a list of twenty four other references besides the one under discussion. They all contain the text that the Imams are twelve in clear and unambiguous way. [6] So, it does not make any sense to stick to the last text in order to cast doubt about the entire book in the pretext that it counts thirteen Imams.
3. If this single place is indicative of the book being labelled as inaccurate, let twenty four others prove its accuracy and originality especially in the light of the very strong possibility that there was a mistake in transcribing one word as we have referred to above.
4. Syed Abul Qasim al Khoei said :
If a book contains something wrong in one or two places, this does not indicate that it is inaccurate. What would you say about the existence of many more in most books, including Al Kafi, which is the most reliable book of hadith and the best written? [7]
5. Allama Majlisi said :
and this cannot be a reason for discrediting, for seldom do we find a book containing many times as many insinuations and alterations. These things exist in Al Kafi and in other highly respected books as every researcher finds out. [8]
6. Al Masadi said :
The final answer regarding the Twelve Imams, the ones counted by Sulaym ibn Qais al-Hilali in his book. [9]
7. A number of scholars have counted it among the ancient references which discuss the Twelve Imams, peace be upon them, so refer to it.[10] This proves that someone made an error in writing this tradition while making copies of the original.
8. The critic, Shaikh Muhammed Taqi Tasatturi, has mentioned many such places in Al Kafi, and we would like here to cite what Shaikh Tasatturi [11], has said:
This is an error of expression committed by the narrators; otherwise, the same exists in Al Kafi, too. For example, in a chapter regarding the Twelve Imams, the Prophet (saws) is quoted as having said, I and twelve from among my offspring, and you, Ali, are the button of the earth, If the Twelve from among my offspring are gone, the earth will collapse with its people [12]
In another narrative, He (as) is also quoted as having said, From among my offspring are Twelve naqabs instilled with knowledge, the last of them is al Qaim [13] Both traditions were narrated by Aba Saad al Asfari in the original of which the text says eleven [14]
In a third transmission (of the same tradition), Jabir [ibn Abdullah] Ansari says,
I visited Fatima (sa) and she was holding a tablet in her hands on which the names of the wasis from among her offspring were recorded. I found them to be twelve in number [15] The same transmission is recorded by al Saduq in his book "Kamaluddin" as well as in "Uyoon Akhbar Ridha" (as) and Al Khisal without the phrase from among her offspring [16]
In a yet fourth transmission (of the same tradition), Imam Baqir (as) is quoted as having said :
The Twelve Imams from the Progeny of Muhammed (as), from among the offspring of the Messenger of Allah (saws) and from the offspring of Ali ibn Aba Talib (as)" [17]
And he narrated it in Al Khisal and in "Uyoon Akhbar Ridha" (as) in this wording: After the Messenger of Allah (saws) they all are spoken to, and Ali ibn Aba Talib is one of them [18]
In a fifth narrative from Aba Saad al Khudri, in the incident involving a Jew asking about the Imams after the Prophet (saws) and the Commander of the Faithful (as), He (as) said to him :
This nation has Twelve Imams of Guidance from among the Progeny of its Prophet, and they are from me, till he came say, As to those who are with him in his house, they are twelve from among his offspring [19]
The gist of this narrative is recorded by al Numani without the phrase “from among the Progeny of its Prophet” [20] Such is the wording of Shaikh Tasatturi as exists in Qamas al Rijal. [21]
Reply 2 :
Hossein Modarressi writes that the alleged indication in the Book of Sulaym bin Qays was that there were thirteen Imams instead of the traditionally held twelve, is a later addition by one Islamic fourth century scholar who wanted to please his Zaydi patron, and added Zayd ibn Ali to the list as an Imam. It wasn’t a part of the original book and was removed in successive editions
Refer: 'Tradition and survival: a bibliographical survey of early Shiite literature' Oxford, England: Oneworld Publications, pg 84
[1] Book of Sulaym ibn Qais, v 2, pg 857
[2] Bihar al Anwar, v 22, pg 150 See the Introduction to Sulayms book, v 1, pg 181
[3] Bihar al Anwar, v 22, pg 150
[4] Book of Sulaym ibn Qais, v 2, pg 686
[5] This is a reference to Shaikh Muhammed Baqir Ansari al Khoeini
[6] Refer to the Introduction written by Muhammed Baqir Ansari al Khoeini to the book by Sulaym ibn Qays
[7] Mujam Rijal Hadith, v 8, ph 225. He is also quoted in the Introduction to Sulayms book written by Shaikh Muhammed Baqir al-Ansari al Khoeini, pg 170
[8] Bihar al Anwar, v 22, pg 150. He is quoted in the Introduction by Shaikh Muhammed Baqir al Ansari to Sulayms book
[9] Al Tanbeeh wal Ishraf, pg 198
[10] Refer to the Introduction by Ansari al Khoeini to the book of Sulaym ibn Qais, v 1, pg 172
[11] See the Introduction to the book by Sulaym ibn Qais, v 1, pg 183, written by al Ansari al Khoeini as cited by the critic Shaikh Tasatturi
[12] Al Kafi, v 1, pg 534
[13] Ibid
[14] Aba Saad Asfari, Al Asl, pg 1
[15] Al Kafi, v 1, pg 532
[16] Kamaluddin, v 3, pg 311
Uyoon Akhbar al Rida ع v 1, pg 37
Al Khisal, v 49, chp 12
[17] Al Kafi, v 1, pg 533
[18] Uyoon Akhbar al Rida ع , v 1, pg 46
Al Khisal, v 49, chp 12
[19] Al Kafi, v 1, pg 232
[20] Al Numani, Al Ghayba, pg 67
[21] Qamus al Rijal, v 4, pg 452
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