The Tradition:

Over four thousand persons reported traditions from al- Sadiq, peace be on him. Writing down (traditions) was before him and it (writing down) became very much during his time. And the traditions which were reported on his authority were about all sciences.

The Shi’a learned traditions from al- Sadiq as those who learned them from the Chief of the prophets, may Allah bless him and his family. That is because the Shi’a thought that al- Sadiq did not create those traditions. Rather, the Prophet had said them. For this reason, the Shi’a learned them from him without any doubt or objection. Also, they asked him about every thing which they needed. So, his reported traditions have every thing.

If the reporters were over four thousand persons, then what would be the number of the traditions? The biographers have mentioned that Aban b.Taghlub reported thirty thousand traditions from him, Mohammed b. Muslim reported sixteen thousand traditions from him, and thirty thousand traditions from al- Baqir, and Jabir al- Ju’fy reported a lot of traditions from al- Sadiq. Then can you count the traditions reported on his authority? Many of these traditions have been lost, and some of them have been neglected. Still, the traditions which were reported on the authority of al-Sadiq are very many.

From the four books Al- Kafi, Man La Yahdarahu Al- Faqih, Al-Tahdhib, and Al-Istibsar, I have collected a part of those traditions which have been reported on the authority of al- Sadiq, his grandfathers, and his children. These traditions are about ethics, manners, and rules only. Then Mulla Muhsin al- Fayd al- Kashany(183) has collected them in the book Al-Kafi. Al- Hur al- ‘Amily(184) found other suitable books for Islamic rules. He has added their contents to those of the four books mentioned- above. So, he has written his book called ‘Tafsil Wasai’l Al- Shi’a’. So, he has reported eighty tradition books from al- Sadiq with out means and seventy tradition books with means.

Finally, al- ‘Allama (the scholar) al- Nury Mirza Husayn(185) studied many books. He found them good for issuing Islamic rules. So, he has written his book called Mustadrak Al- Wasa’il. The above- mentioned books have been specialized to Islamic rules. Ethics and manners have not been collected in the four books except al-Kafi. Most traditions which have been mentioned in these books are on the authority of al-Sadiq, peace be on him. And if you want to count the books on the traditions on the authority of al- Sadiq, his grandfathers, and his children, you will be tired of counting. For example, Shaykh al- Saduq Mohammed b. ‘Ali b. Babawayh has written tens of books which contain the traditions of ahl al Bayt.

What al- Majlisy has collected in his book Bihar Al- Anwar denotes the plentiful traditions of Ahl al Bayt. Although this book has strong and weak traditions as the other big books have, you will find their plenty when you read some volumes of it.(186) It is strange that this comprehensive book does not have all the traditions of ahl al- Bayt So, the great scholar Mirza Mohammed al- Tehrani collected many traditions of ahl al- Bayt in his book called ‘Mustdrak al-Bihar’.

Al- Sadiq, peace be on him, encouraged his companions to report the tradition. In this connection he said to Mu’aawiya b. Wahab,(187) the reporter of the tradition: "Whoever is knowledgeable in the religion is better than a thousand worshippers who have neither knowledge nor a report." I (the author) say: I do not think that you are astonished at this preference because Allah, the Exalted, wants His servants to avail each other and reform each other. The worshipper is righteous. And the knowledgeable traditionalist is a righteous reformer.

Islamic Jurisprudence:

Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) is the knowledge of the branch rules beginning from tahara (ritual purity) to diya (blood money). These rules are taken from the four proofs. The most important one of these four proofs is the Sunna. The Sunna simply means the traditions of the Prophet and of the members of his House. Of course, this is a Shi’te definition for the Sunna. So, the Shi’te juristic books are taken from these four proofs. Al-Sadiq had more traditions than the members of the House. So, his traditions helped the Muslim scholars to conclude most of the Islamic rules.

Not only the Shi’te jurisprudence depended on al- Sadiq, but also many Sunni jurisprudence, who lived during his time, learned jurisprudence from him. Some of them were Malik, Abu Hanifa, the two Sufyanis, Ayyub, and so on. Besides, in his book ‘Sharh Nahjul Balagha, vol. 1, p. 6, b. Abu al-Hadeed has attributed the jurisprudence of the four doctrines to al- Sadiq. And in his book ‘Mukhtasar Al- Tuhfa Al- Ithna ‘Ashariya, p.8, al- Alusy says: "And this is Abu Hanifa, who was among the Sunnis, boasted and said with the most eloquent tongue: ‘Were it not for the two years, al-Nu’man (Abu Hanifa) would have perished.’ He meant the two years which he (Abu- Hanifa) spent to learn jurisprudence from Imam Ja’far al- Sadiq, peace be on him."

For this reason, it was natural for Abu Abd Allah, peace be on him, to be the unique jurisprudence in Islam. Many reports and reporters justify his much jurisprudence. And whoever studies carefully the tradition books will know al-Sadiq’s many traditions and reporters. Many jurisprudence lived during al-Sadiq’s time. But their reporters were very few. And no one of them reached al-Sadiq’s knowledge and jurisprudence. So, al- Sadiq was ready to answer any question.

Fiqh (jurisprudence) is the general system for men. Without it, religion is not known. From here, al- Sadiq ordered his followers to understand religion deeply. He, peace be on him, said: "The tradition about the lawful and the unlawful which you learn from a truthful person is better than this world and the gold and the silver where in."

Also, al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said: "Seeking your life in this world should not busy you from seeking your religion. That is because the person who seeks life in this world may achieve it or it may escape him. So, he will be perished by what has escaped him of it (life)."

To urge his companions to understand religion carefully, al- Sadiq said: "Would that the whips were over the heads of my companions to understand the lawful and the unlawful deeply!"

Also, al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said: "Understand religion deeply. That is because whoever does not understand it deeply then is I’rabi (nomad)."(188)

He (al- Sadiq) was asked about the word hikma (wisdom) in the following words of Allah, the Exalted, "And whoever is granted wisdom, he indeed is given a great good."(189) So, al- Sadiq said: "Indeed wisdom is knowledge and understanding religion deeply."(190)

Al- Sadiq thought that the jurisprudent was the person who understood the tradition deeply. So, he, peace be on him, said: "Know the position of our Shi’a (followers) through their good reports from us because we do not regard the jurisprudent of them as a jurisprudent unless he becomes a traditionalist."(191)

Ethics:

Ethics was not classified in the beginning. Rather, ethics were derived from the verses of the Holy Koran,(192) from the traditions of the Chief of the prophets and trustees of authority, and from their wise children, peace be on them. The Shi’a began writing books about ethics during the last years of the second century (A.H.). During those years, Isma’il b. Mahran b. Abu Nasir al- Suküny, a Companion of al- Rida’s (peace be on him) and a reliable reporter, wrote a book about ethics. He has called the book ‘Sifat Al- Mu’min wa Al- Fajir.’

In the third century (A.H.), great figures wrote books about ethics. Some of them were Abu Ja’far b. Mohammed b. Khalid al- Barquqy. He was among the reliable reporters. His father Mohammed was among the companions of al- Rida, peace be on him, and among his reliable reporters. The book of Abu Ja’far was one of the best books. He (Abu Ja’far) died in Qum in the year 273 or 280 (A.H.).
And al- Hasan b. ‘Ali b. Shu’ba has written a valuable book about ethics. He has called the book ‘Tuhaf al ‘Uqul’. The book has wise sayings, preachments, and ethics. Then writing about ethics spread. So, the reliable person in Islam al-Kulainy, may his grave be fragrant, spent many years writing a book about ethics.

He has chosen the most correct traditions in this field. Finally, he was able to write the best book on ethics. He has called the book ‘al- Kafi.’ If you read this book, you will know the Islamic ethics, the knowledge of al- Sadiq and of ahl al Bayt in this field.

Also if you read this book carefully, you will know that it is the best reference for ethics after the Holy Book (Koran), and that it has the words of the very polite Prophet and the words of those who inherited all knowledge and virtues from him. You will know this truth when you read the chosen words of al-Sadiq, peace be on him, in this book.

183 He has many valuable books. It is said that they are about a hundred books. Some of them are Al- Wafi, Al- Safi, Al- Shafi, Al- Mahjja al-Bayda" Al- Haqa’iq, Mafatih Al- Sharai’, ‘Ilm al- Yaqeen,  and so on. He died in the year 1091.

184 His name was Mohammed b. al- Husayn b. ”Ali al- Hur al- ‘amily. His book Al-Wasa’il is the most valuable book in classification. He finished the book on Rajab 15th, in the year 1082 A. H. He has another book called Amal Al- amal. He was born at Mashghara village at Jabal ‘Amil on Rajab 8th in the year 1033 A.H. And he died in Kurasan on Ramadan 21st, in the year 1104 A.H.

185 He has many valuable books. He used to collect and write. He died in the year 1320 A.H.

186 He was the Shaykh of Islam. He was Shaykh Mohammed Baqir b. Shaykh Mohammed Taqy al- Majlisy, may his grave be fragrant. He was an influential figure during the state of the king Husayn al- Safawy. His theological center had a thousand students. He has great books other than Bihar Al- Anwar. He was born in the year 1037. He died in Asfahan in the year 1110 or 1111 A.H. people visit his grave there.

187 Apparently, he was al- Bajali al- Kufi. He was a great, reliable figure. He reported traditions on the authority of al- Sadiq and al- Kazim, peace be on them. He had a book. A group of the great figures has reported the book.

188 Bihar Al- Anwar. 1/215/19.

189 Al-Baqara: 269.

190 Bihar Al- Anwar: 1/215/25.

191 Ibid: 2/82/1.