Kitab al-Kafi
Al-Kafi (Arabic: ٱلْكَافِي, al-Kāfī, Translated from Arabic means ‘The Sufficient’) is a hadith collection of the Twelver Shī‘ah tradition, compiled in the first half of the 10th century CE (early 4th century AH) by Muḥammad ibn Yaʿqūb al-Kulaynī. It is one of the Four Books (Kutub al Arba’a) In twelver shia Islam.
It is divided into three sections: Uṣūl al-Kāfī, dealing with epistemology, theology, history, ethics, supplication, and the Qurʾān; Furūʿ al-Kāfī, which is concerned with practical and legal issues; and Rawdat (or Rawḍah al-Kāfī, which includes miscellaneous traditions, many of which are lengthy letters and speeches transmitted from the imams. In total, al-Kāfī comprises 16,199 narrations.
Al-Kafi is a comprehensive collection of Shia hadith, compiled by Muhammad ibn Ya’qub al-Kulayni, containing a vast number of narrations. It’s divided into three main sections: Usul al-Kafi (beliefs), Furu’ al-Kafi (jurisprudence), and Rawda al-Kafi (historical narrations). While considered a foundational text for Shia Muslims, some narrations are considered weak by certain scholars.
Key Aspects of Al-Kafi Narrations:
- Extensive Collection: Al-Kafi encompasses a total of 16,199 narrations.
- Three Sections: The book is structured into three main parts:
- Usul al-Kafi: Focuses on foundational beliefs, including discussions on the intellect, knowledge, divine unity, and prophethood.
- Furu’ al-Kafi: Deals with jurisprudence, covering Islamic laws and practices.
- Rawda al-Kafi: Contains miscellaneous narrations, including historical accounts and letters from the Imams.
- Importance for Shia Muslims: Al-Kafi is highly regarded as a primary source of hadith for Shia Muslims, providing insights into their faith and practices.
- Authorship and Compilation: Al-Kulayni spent 20 years traveling to compile these narrations, gathering them from various cities.
- Authenticity Concerns: While generally reliable, some scholars, like Allama Zayn al-Din al-Amili, have deemed a portion of the narrations as weak.
- Chain of Narrators: It’s crucial to examine the chain of narrators (isnad) and the context of each hadith when evaluating its authenticity.
- Purpose of Compilation: Al-Kafi was compiled in response to a request for a comprehensive book encompassing all aspects of the religion.
In summary, Al-Kafi is a significant and extensive collection of Shia hadith, offering a wealth of information on various aspects of Islamic belief and practice. While considered a foundational text, it’s important to consider both the context and the chain of narrators when studying its contents.
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[1] wikipedia/en/Kitab_al-Kafi
[2] https://thaqalayn.net/book/8
[3] https://en.wikishia.net/view/Al-Kafi_(book)
[4] https://www.reddit.com/r/Quraniyoon/comments/1b516we/what_are_quranist_thoughts_on_the_alkafi/
[5] https://www.youtube.com/shorts/8hvKVy7y1Rc