The Four Books
Four canonical hadith collections of Shia Islam
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The Four Books (Arabic: ٱلْكُتُب ٱلْأَرْبَعَة, romanized: al-Kutub al-ʾArbaʿa) are the four canonical hadith collections of Twelver Shia Islam. The term is used mostly by Twelver Shias.
| Name | Collector | No. of hadith |
|---|---|---|
| Kitab al-Kafi[a] | Muhammad ibn Ya'qub al-Kulayni al-Razi (329 AH) | 16,199 |
| Man La Yahduruhu al-Faqih | Muhammad ibn Babawayh | 9,044 |
| Tahdhib al-Ahkam | Shaykh Muhammad Tusi | 13,590 |
| Al-Istibsar | Shaykh Muhammad Tusi | 5,511 |
| Total ahādith | 44,344 |
Twelver Shia Muslims use different hadith books than those used by Sunni Muslims,[b] who prize the six major hadith collections. Unlike Sunnis, Twelver Shi'i Muslims uphold the Twelve Imams as their absolute authority of religion after the prophet Muhammad, and thus much of their hadith is transmitted on the authority of the Imams.[2] Shi'ites consider many hadith transmitters in Sunni tradition to be unreliable, particularly due to their indifferent or, at times, antagonistic stance towards Ahl al-Bayt (Household of Muhammad).[3]
See also
Notes
- Divided into Usul al-Kafi, Furu al-Kafi and Rawdat al-Kafi.
- However, for example Zaydi Shi'a Muslims accept and hold Sunni Hadith collections in high esteem.[1]
