Seena ba Seena Learning or By the Text (Quran & Ahadith)’

Summary:

Allah^-azwj Sent Holy Books and Commanded His^-azwj Prophets^-as to explain the Verses of Allah^‑azwj. Allah^-azwj did not leave the matters of the religion at the mercy of people’s memories – for them to transfer Allah^-azwj’s Commands from ‘Seena ba Seena’ (from a chest to a chest, i.e., from a father to a son).  Allah^-azwj Preferred written text in order to avoid differing in the transmission of the Holy Message, as otherwise the original Message would get corrupted over a duration of time, either deliberately or due to forgetfulness of people.

One may argue that Shias were persecuted by the enemies of Ahl Al-Bayt^-asws, so the knowledge of Ahl Al-Bayt^-asws had to be transferred ‘Seena ba Seena’.  Well, this argument cannot be supported by any Hadith.  However, there are so many Ahadith which emphasise that the need to record Ahadith in forms of written text (i.e., books) as these will be useful for later generations.

وَ عَنْ عِدَّةٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ أَبِي خَالِدٍ شَيْنُولَةَ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ الثَّانِي ع جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنَّ مَشَايِخَنَا رَوَوْا عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ وَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع- وَ كَانَتِ التَّقِيَّةُ شَدِيدَةً فَكَتَمُوا كُتُبَهُمْ فَلَمْ تُرْوَ عَنْهُمْ فَلَمَّا مَاتُوا صَارَتْ (تِلْكَ) الْكُتُبُ إِلَيْنَا فَقَالَ حَدِّثُوا بِهَا فَإِنَّهَا حَقٌّ.

And from a number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Muhammad Bin Al Hassan Bin Abu Khalid Sheynulat, said:

‘I said to Abu Ja’far^-asws the second, ‘May I be sacrificed for you^-asws! Our elders used to narrate from Abu Ja’far^-asws and Abu Abd Allah^-asws, and it was a period of severe dissimulation (Taqayya). They used to hide their books and not narrate from them. When they died, they left their books for us’. He^-asws said, Narrate by them, for they are the truth’.[2]

In addition, any knowledge which one has either from ‘Seena ba Seena’ or through a dream, ilham (thoughts in the heart) has to be verified against the Holy Quran and Ahadith, otherwise it cannot be talked about in public, as due to lack of its reliability, it will cause contention and distress among the believers.

For example, Imam^-asws says:

عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ الْمَدَنِيِّ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حُسَيْنٍ الْأَحْمَسِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ الْقَلْبُ يَتَّكِلُ عَلَى الْكِتَابَةِ .

Ali Bin Muhammad Bin Abdullah, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Abu Ayoub Al Madany, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Husayn Al Ahmasy, from:

Abu Abdullah^-asws said: ‘The heart relies upon the written (words)’.^[3]

Also, Amir ul-Momineen^-asws used to write down whatever was Revealed unto Rasool-Allah^‑saww:

فَمَا نَزَلَتْ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) آيَةٌ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ إِلَّا أَقْرَأَنِيهَا وَ أَمْلَاهَا عَلَيَّ فَكَتَبْتُهَا بِخَطِّي وَ عَلَّمَنِي تَأْوِيلَهَا وَ تَفْسِيرَهَا وَ نَاسِخَهَا وَ مَنْسُوخَهَا وَ مُحْكَمَهَا وَ مُتَشَابِهَهَا وَ خَاصَّهَا وَ عَامَّهَا وَ دَعَا اللَّهَ أَنْ يُعْطِيَنِي فَهْمَهَا وَ حِفْظَهَا فَمَا نَسِيتُ آيَةً مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَ لَا عِلْماً أَمْلَاهُ عَلَيَّ وَ كَتَبْتُهُ مُنْذُ دَعَا اللَّهَ لِي بِمَا دَعَا

Thus, whatever was Revealed unto Rasool-Allah^-saww a Verse from the Quran except that he^‑saww recited it and dictated it to me^-asws. So I^-asws wrote it down by my^-asws own handwriting, and he^-saww taught me^-asws its explanation and its interpretation, and its Abrogating and its Abrogated, and its Decisive and its Allegorical, and its particular and its general. And he^-saww supplicated to Allah^-azwj that He^-azwj should Give me^-asws its understanding and its preservation. So, I did not forget a Verse from the Book of Allah^-azwj, nor any knowledge dictated unto me^‑asws, and I^-asws wrote it down since he^-saww supplicated to Allah^-azwj for me^-asws with what he^‑saww supplicated (An extract).[4]

Introduction:

The Holy Quran was memorised by many companions of Rasool Allah^-saww but that was not transmitted to next generations and that remained for their own benefit while they remained in the world. The Holy Quran which we have or Muslims memorise today is from the written texts.  Similarly, there are over 150,000 written Ahadith in books of traditions. Imam^-asws says:

الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْوَشَّاءِ عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ حُمَيْدٍ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) يَقُولُ اكْتُبُوا فَإِنَّكُمْ لَا تَحْفَظُونَ حَتَّى تَكْتُبُوا .

Al Husayn Bin Muhammad, from Moalla Bin Muhammad, from Al Hassan Bin Ali Al Washha, from Aasim Bin Humeyd, from Abu Baseer who said,

‘I heard Abu Abdullah^-asws saying: ‘You must write down, for you would not be preserving (original message) until you are writing it down’.[5]

It is Important to Write and Read Ahadith:

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 اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) احْتَفِظُوا بِكُتُبِكُمْ فَإِنَّكُمْ سَوْفَ تَحْتَاجُونَ إِلَيْهَا .

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa, from Al Hassan Bin Ali Bin Fazzal, from Ibn Bukeyr, from Ubeyd Bin Zurara who said,

‘Abu Abdullah^-asws said: ‘Be preserving with your books, for very soon you would need those’.^[6]

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 اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) اكْتُبْ وَ بُثَّ عِلْمَكَ فِي إِخْوَانِكَ فَإِنْ مِتَّ فَأَوْرِثْ كُتُبَكَ بَنِيكَ فَإِنَّهُ يَأْتِي عَلَى النَّاسِ زَمَانُ هَرْجٍ لَا يَأْنَسُونَ فِيهِ إِلَّا بِكُتُبِهِمْ .

A number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Khalid Al Barqy, from one of his companions, from Abu Saeed Al Khaybari, from Al Mufazzal Bin Umar who said,

‘Abu Abdullah^-asws said to me: ‘Write and transmit your knowledge among your brethren. So, if you were to die, so leave your books as an inheritance, for there would be coming a time of commotion upon the people, they would not be finding comfort (during) in it but except with your books’.^[7]

وَ قَدْ تَقَدَّمَ فِي الزِّيَارَاتِ حَدِيثُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مَارِدٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‏ فِي فَضْلِ زِيَارَةِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع إِلَى أَنْ قَالَ ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا ابْنَ مَارِدٍ اكْتُبْ‏ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ‏ بِمَاءِ الذَّهَبِ‏.

And in the Ziyaarat, the Hadith of Muhammad Bin Maarid has mentioned:

Abu Abd Allah^-asws regarding the virtues of the Ziyaarat of Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws – until he^-asws said – : ‘O Ibn Maarid! Write down this Hadith in golden liquid’.[8]

وَ قَدْ تَقَدَّمَ فِي الْأَمْرِ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ فِي أَحَادِيثِ إِذَاعَةِ الْحَقِّ مَعَ الْخَوْفِ إِلَى أَنْ قَالَ: اكْتُبْ هَذَا بِالذَّهَبِ فَمَا كَتَبْتَ شَيْئاً أَحْسَنَ مِنْهُ.

And it has preceded regarding the enjoining of the good in a Hadith on blood rights – until he^-asws said: ‘Write this down in gold (as it will never fade away – since gold is not corroded), for you will not have written anything better than this’.[9]

وَ قَدْ رَوَى الصَّفَّارُ فِي بَصَائِرِ الدَّرَجَاتِ عَنْهُمْ ع حَدِيثاً فِي فَضْلِ الْأَئِمَّةِ ع إِلَى أَنْ قَالَ يَجِبُ أَنْ يُكْتَبَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ بِمَاءِ الذَّهَبِ

And it has been narrated by Al-Saffar in Basaair Al-Darajaat from them^-asws a Hadith regarding the virtues of the Imams^-asws – until he^-asws said: ‘It is (more like) obligatory to write down this Hadith by the ink of gold (which would neither fade nor corrode)’.[10]

وَ عَنْهُمْ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ رَفَعَهُ قَالَ: قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‏ إِيَّاكُمْ وَ الْكَذِبَ الْمُفْتَرَعَ قِيلَ لَهُ وَ مَا الْكَذِبُ الْمُفْتَرَعُ قَالَ أَنْ يُحَدِّثَكَ الرَّجُلُ بِالْحَدِيثِ فَتَتْرُكَهُ وَ تَرْوِيَهُ عَنِ الَّذِي حَدَّثَكَ عَنْهُ.

And from them, from Ahmad, from Muhammad Bin Ali who has narrated the following:

Abu Abd Allah^-asws said: ‘Beware of lies and deceit’. It was said to him^-asws, ‘What lies and deceit?’ He^-asws said: ‘A man narrates a Hadith to you and you avoid him and narrate from the one whom he had narrated from’.[11]

وَ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مِهْرَانَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَظِيمِ الْحَسَنِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَسْبَاطٍ عَنِ الْحَكَمِ بْنِ أَيْمَنَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ‏ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَمِعُونَ الْقَوْلَ‏ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ أَحْسَنَهُ‏ إِلَى آخِرِ الْآيَةِ فَقَالَ هُمُ الْمُسَلِّمُونَ لآِلِ مُحَمَّدٍ- الَّذِينَ إِذَا سَمِعُوا الْحَدِيثَ لَمْ يَزِيدُوا فِيهِ وَ لَمْ يَنْقُصُوا مِنْهُ جَاءُوا بِهِ كَمَا سَمِعُوهُ.

And from Ahmad Bin Mehran, from Abdul Azeem Al Hasany, from Ali Bin Asbaat, from Al Hakam Bin Ayman, from Abu Baseer said:

‘I asked Abu Abd Allah^-asws regarding the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic, Those who listen to the word, then follow the best of it –    39:18,until the end of the Verse’. He^-asws said: ‘They are the ones who have submitted to the Progeny^-asws of Muhammad^-saww, when they hear the Hadith, they do not add anything to it nor do they leave anything out of it, they go with it (act upon it) as they have heard it’.[12]

وَ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَسْبَاطٍ عَنِ الرِّضَا ع‏ فِي حَدِيثِ الْكَنْزِ الَّذِي قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ‏ وَ كانَ تَحْتَهُ كَنْزٌ لَهُما قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَكْتُبَهُ قَالَ فَضَرَبَ يَدَهُ وَ اللَّهِ إِلَى الدَّوَاةِ لِيَضَعَهَا بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ فَتَنَاوَلْتُ يَدَهُ فَقَبَّلْتُهَا وَ أَخَذْتُ الدَّوَاةَ فَكَتَبْتُهُ.

And from Al Husayn Bin Muhammad, from Moala Bin Muhammad, from Ali Ibn Asbaat who has narrated the following:

Al-Reza^-asws in the Hadith Al-Kanz in which Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic has Said, and there was beneath it a treasure belonging to them – 18:82 , when it was said to him^-asws, ‘May I be your ransom, I would like to write it down’. He^-asws hit his^-asws hand, by Allah^-azwj, towards the ink pot and placed it in front of me. I kissed his^-asws hand and took it, and wrote it down’.[13]

وَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ دَرَّاجٍ قَالَ: قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‏ أَعْرِبُوا حَدِيثَنَا فَإِنَّا قَوْمٌ فُصَحَاءُ.

And from Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Abu Nasr, from Jameel Bin Daraaj who has narrated the following:

Abu Abd Allah^-asws said: ‘Place ‘e’raab’ on our^-asws Hadith for we^-asws are an eloquent people’.[14]

وَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ وَ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ وَ غَيْرِهِ قَالُوا سَمِعْنَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‏ حَدِيثِي حَدِيثُ أَبِي وَ حَدِيثُ أَبِي حَدِيثُ جَدِّي- وَ حَدِيثُ جَدِّي حَدِيثُ الْحُسَيْنِ- وَ حَدِيثُ الْحُسَيْنِ حَدِيثُ الْحَسَنِ- وَ حَدِيثُ الْحَسَنِ حَدِيثُ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ- وَ حَدِيثُ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ حَدِيثُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ- وَ حَدِيثُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص ‏قَوْلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ.

And from Ali Bin Muhammad, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Umar Bin Abdul Aziz, from Hisham Bin Saalim, and Hamaad Bin Uthman, and others, who have narrated the following:

‘We have heard Abu Abd Allah^-asws say: ‘My^-asws Hadith is the Hadith of my^-asws father^-asws, and the Hadith of my^-asws father^-asws is the Hadith of my^-asws grandfather^-asws, and the Hadith of my^_-asws grandfather is the Hadith of Al-Husayn^-asws, and the Hadith of Al-Husayn^-asws is the Hadith of Al-Hassan^-asws, and the Hadith of Al-Hassan is the Hadith of Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws, and the Hadith of Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws is the Hadith of the Rasool Allah^-saww, and the Hadith of the Rasool Allah^-saww is the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic’.[15]

Imam^-asws Provides a pen to write a Hadith:

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنِ الْحَكَمِ بْنِ مِسْكِينٍ عَنْ رَجُلٍ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ مَكَّةَ قَالَ: قَالَ سُفْيَانُ الثَّوْرِيُّ اذْهَبْ بِنَا إِلَى جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ قَالَ فَذَهَبْتُ مَعَهُ إِلَيْهِ فَوَجَدْنَاهُ قَدْ رَكِبَ دَابَّتَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ سُفْيَانُ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ حَدِّثْنَا بِحَدِيثِ خُطْبَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فِي‏ مَسْجِدِ الْخَيْفِ‏ قَالَ دَعْنِي حَتَّى أَذْهَبَ فِي حَاجَتِي فَإِنِّي قَدْ رَكِبْتُ فَإِذَا جِئْتُ حَدَّثْتُكَ فَقَالَ أَسْأَلُكَ بِقَرَابَتِكَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص لَمَّا حَدَّثْتَنِي قَالَ فَنَزَلَ فَقَالَ لَهُ سُفْيَانُ مُرْ لِي بِدَوَاةٍ وَ قِرْطَاسٍ حَتَّى أُثْبِتَهُ فَدَعَا بِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ اكْتُبْ‏ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ* خُطْبَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فِي‏ مَسْجِدِ الْخَيْفِ‏ نَضَّرَ اللَّهُ عَبْداً سَمِعَ مَقَالَتِي فَوَعَاهَا وَ بَلَّغَهَا مَنْ لَمْ تَبْلُغْهُ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ لِيُبَلِّغِ الشَّاهِد الْغَائِبَ فَرُبَّ حَامِلِ فِقْهٍ لَيْسَ بِفَقِيهٍ وَ رُبَّ حَامِلِ فِقْهٍ إِلَى مَنْ هُوَ أَفْقَهُ مِنْهُ الحديث

And from Muhammad Bin Al Hassan, from one of our companions, from Ali Bin Al Hakam, from Al Hakam Bin Maskeen, from A man from the Quraysh who said:

Sufyan Al-Sury told him to accompany him to Ja’far Bin Muhammad^-asws. He said, ‘I went with him to him^-asws. Sufyan said to him^-asws, ‘O Abu Abd Allah^-asws! Narrate to us the sermon of the Rasool Allah^-saww in Masjid Al-Kheef’. Until he said that Sufyan said, ‘Get for me a pen and paper so that I may write it down’. He^-asws ordered it for him, then said: ‘Write – In the Name of Allah^-azwj the Beneficent the Merciful – Sermon of the Rasool Allah^-saww in Masjid Al-Kheef: ‘May Allah^-azwj Make happy a servant who hears my^-saww speech, accepts it, tells it to the one to whom it has not been told. O you People! Let those who are present tell it to those who are absent. Sometimes a recipient is not an understanding one, and sometimes the one to whom he relates it to is more understanding than him’.[16]

وَ عَنْ أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ نُوحٍ عَنِ الصَّفْوَانِيِّ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْوَجْنَاءِ قَالَ: كَتَبْنَا إِلَى أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ ع نَسْأَلُهُ أَنْ يَكْتُبَ أَوْ يُخْرِجَ لَنَا كِتَاباً نَعْمَلُ بِهِ فَأَخْرَجَ لَنَا كِتَابَ عَمَلٍ.قَالَ الصَّفْوَانِيُّ نَسَخْتُهُ فَقَابَلَ بِهِ كِتَابَ ابْنِ خَانِبَةَ زِيَادَةَ حُرُوفٍ أَوْ نُقْصَانَ حُرُوفٍ يَسِيرَةٍ وَ ذَكَرَ النَّجَاشِيُّ- أَنَّ كِتَابَ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْحَلَبِيِّ- عُرِضَ عَلَى الصَّادِقِ ع فَصَحَّحَهُ‏ وَ اسْتَحْسَنَهُ‏.

And from Abu Al Abbas Bin Nuh, from Al Safwany, from Al Hassan Ibn Muhammad Bin Al Wajna’ who says:

‘We wrote to Abu Muhammad^-asws asking him^-asws to write or give us a book that we can act by it. He^-asws sent to us a book of action’. Safwany said: ‘We copied it by the writing of Ibn Khanab, and there was a difference of a little bit more or less. And Al-Najashy mentioned, ‘The book of Ubeydullah Bin Ali Al-Hably was presented to Al-Sadiq^-asws. He^-asws deemed it to be correct and good’.[17]

Looking into the Parchment is an act of worship

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ الْمُبَارَكِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ جَبَلَةَ عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ وَهْبٍ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنِّي أَحْفَظُ الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى ظَهْرِ قَلْبِي فَأَقْرَؤُهُ عَلَى ظَهْرِ قَلْبِي أَفْضَلُ أَوْ أَنْظُرُ فِي الْمُصْحَفِ قَالَ فَقَالَ لِي بَلِ اقْرَأْهُ وَ انْظُرْ فِي الْمُصْحَفِ فَهُوَ أَفْضَلُ أَ مَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّ النَّظَرَ فِي الْمُصْحَفِ عِبَادَةٌ .

A number of our companions, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Yahya Bin Al Mubarak, from Abdullah Bin Jabala, from Muawiya Bin Wahab, from Is’haq Bin Ammar,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws, said, ‘I said to him^-asws, ‘May I be sacrificed for you^-asws! I have memorised the Quran by heart, reading it from memory so is it superior or looking into the Parchment (while reciting)?’ So he^-asws said to me: ‘But, recite and while looking into the Parchment, for it is superior. Do you not know that the looking into the Parchment is an act of worship?’[18]

Concluding Hadith:

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي يَعْفُورٍ قَالَ وَ حَدَّثَنِي حُسَيْنُ بْنُ أَبِي الْعَلَاءِ أَنَّهُ حَضَرَ ابْنَ أَبِي يَعْفُورٍ فِي هَذَا الْمَجْلِسِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) عَنِ اخْتِلَافِ الْحَدِيثِ يَرْوِيهِ مَنْ نَثِقُ بِهِ وَ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ لَا نَثِقُ بِهِ قَالَ إِذَا وَرَدَ عَلَيْكُمْ حَدِيثٌ فَوَجَدْتُمْ لَهُ شَاهِداً مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ أَوْ مِنْ قَوْلِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) وَ إِلَّا فَالَّذِي جَاءَكُمْ بِهِ أَوْلَى بِهِ .

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Abdullah Bin Muhammad, from Ali Bin Al Hakam, from Aban Bin Usman, from Abdullah Bin Abu Yafour who said, ‘And it was narrated to me by Husayn Bin Abu Al A’ala that he was present with Ibn Abu Yafour in this gathering where he said,

‘I asked Abu Abdullah^-asws about the differing in the Ahadith being reported by the ones we trust with it and the ones we do not trust with it’. He^-asws said: ‘Whenever a Hadith arrives to you and you find evidence for it from the Book of Allah^-azwj, or from the words of Rasool-Allah^-saww (fine), or else, the one which came to you which was the closest with it (the Book)’.[19]

[1] From chest to a chest (

[2] Wasail ul Shia, H. 33272

[3] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Intellect and Ignorance CH 17 H 8

[4] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Intellect and Ignorance CH 20 H 1

[5] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Intellect and Ignorance CH 17 H 9

[6] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Intellect and Ignorance CH 17 H 10

[7] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Intellect and Ignorance CH 17 H 11

[8] وسائل الشيعة، ج‏27، ص: 82, H. 33264

[9] Wasail ul Shia, H. 33265

[10] Wasail ul Shia, H. 33266

[11] Wasail ul Shia, H. 33267

[12] Wasail ul Shia, H. 33268

[13] Wasail ul Shia, H. 33269

[14] Wasail ul Shia, H. 33270

[15] Wasail ul Shia, H. 33271

[16] Wasail ul Shia, H. 33289

[17] Wasail ul Shia, H. 33326

[18] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Merits of the Quran CH 8 H 5

[19] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Intellect and Ignorance CH 21 H 2