Ulum-i Hadith (Hadith Sciences) No. 82 Released
Publish Date: 10/16/2017 Code: 61122

Ulum-i Hadith (Hadith Sciences) No. 82 Released

Traditions of Joseph s beauty in Sunni sources; pathology and dating
Criticism and evaluation of Ibn Ṭāwūs report about the clothes of Lady Fāṭimah al-Zahrā (AS) based on the Dua of Nūr
The Testament of Mufaḍḍal ibn ‘Umar: a retrieval and validity assessment
A careful study on the meaning of “ḍarb” (beating) in traditions dealing with punishment of children for praying

 

Traditions of Joseph’s beauty in Sunni sources; pathology and dating

Ali Rad

Dating of the traditions of Joseph’s beauty in Sunni sources and assessment of the validity of their isnāds constitute the main problems of this article. The results of this study indicate that in the issue of of Joseph’s beauty two traditions from Ka‘b al-Aḥbār (d. 34/654, Syria) and Ibn Isḥāq (d. 151/768, Baghdad) have been reported. The third tradition has been attributed to the Prophet (SAWA) through Anas ibn Mālik (d. 93/711, Basra). Despite the presence of certain companions as the link between the first and second traditions, the compilers of Sunni hadith collections were not that much inclined to cite them until the beginning of the 3rd/9th century when al-Ṭabarī (d. 310/922) cited them in his commentary of the Qur'an called Jāmi` al-Bayān. The third tradition was reported in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim and certain earlier sources; however, Samā` ibn Thābit al-Banānī in its isnād is seriously questioned. Al-Ḥākim al-Naysābūrī (d. 405/1011) in his al-Mustadrak `ala al-Ṣaḥīḥayn has cited all these traditions claiming that he has considered their isnāds as sound in accordance with the fundamentals of Ṣaḥīḥayn and this way he maintains a kind of soundness for their isnāds.

In the perspective of the Sunni Rijal experts the weakening of the ṭuruq (channels of transmission), tadlīs (concealing defects) in the Shuyūkh (transmitter’s masters), defected transmitters, the isnād being mu‘an‘an (applying the formula: on the authority of), khalṭ (to confuse) in isnād, I‘rāḍ (a turning away) of the traditionists of Medina, privilege in the Hadith School of Basra, and the Ḥākim’s taṣḥīḥ (validation) being makhdūsh (not being clear and concise) are among the challenges about these traditions that have affected the extent of their validity.

On the other hand a comparison between the content of these traditions with that of the Old Testament (Torah) indicates that they have roots in the Old Testament because the normal beauty in Joseph’s youth has been referred to in the Genesis. In the first half of the first century AH Ka'b al-Aḥbār having improperly used the Old Testament as a model, propounded an exaggerating beauty of Joseph in Medina, which was spread in the Hadith School of Basra in the second half of the first century and through certain companions who were inclined to him.

Ibn Isḥāq had a serious role in establishment of these texts as hadiths in the second/eighth century. Later, it was considered as tradition in the heritage of the adherents to hadith who were emphasizing the isnāds (and not the content) and was included in the narrative legacy.

Keywords: hadith pathology, Jewish and Christian lore, dating of hadith, beauty of Joseph (AS)

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Criticism and evaluation of Ibn Ṭāwūs’ report about the clothes of Lady Fāṭimah al-Zahrā’ (AS) based on the Du`a’ of Nūr

Hasan Asghar-pour

Observing veil (ḥijāb) and chastity are among valuable teachings of the revealed religions. In addition to the Qur’an, in the Prophet’s precedent (Sunnah) and the life and conduct (sīrah) of his Household the importance and role of this religious value have clearly been elucidated. There exists diversity of opinions about the kind and extent of the shar'ī ḥijāb (Islamic veil) inferred from the scriptures; however, not only a slight indication of tolerance and superficiality to the issue of ḥijāb and chastity is never seen in the life and conduct (sīrah) of the Prophet's Household, but also their words and behavior have always encouraged people to guard the boundaries of ḥijāb and chastity, and be bound to observing the Islamic ḥijāb. Meanwhile, some scholars by relying upon certain transmitted reports in later hadith sources, have ruled about tolerance and flexibility in the issue of ḥijāb and chastity beyond the prescription of the religion.

The study and evaluation of the three items of source, text (denotation) and isnāds of these reports, and at times traditions, unveils the incorrectness of certain paragraphs of them by benefiting from historical facts. Therefore, the mere citation in famous hadith collections cannot be an evidence for the truthfulness of the content. Rather it is appropriate for one to evaluate the origin and the validity extent of this kind of reports by applying of scientific tools and methods, in order to be aware of the precise Islamic rule in different religious issues (including ḥijāb).

Keywords: Lady Fatimah Zahra (AS), Salmān al-Fārsī, ḥijāb (Islamic veil), Ibn Ṭāwūs, the du`ā’ of Nūr

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The Testament of Mufaḍḍal ibn ‘Umar: a retrieval and validity assessment

Mahmoud Maleki

Muhammad Kazem Rahman-setayesh

A text entitled “al-Waṣiyyah” is at hand from Mufaḍḍal ibn ‘Umar that includes two types of words: the writer’s words and the traditions of Imam al-Ṣādiq (AS). The whole text or at least the traditions contained in it were handed round among the traditionists from the second to the fifth centuries AH (8th to 11th centuries CE). This text is among the lost works that had not been extant separately, so that no script of it survived. The present article has dealt with the retrieval (and restoration) of the above work in the books entitled al-Fihrist (index of books) and tradition works, al-Kāfī, in particular, as well as its validity assessment applying the method used by early scholars. The research method of this article is a ‘library method’. It analyzes the insand and the text based on the isnād-based and textual information.

Keywords: Al-Waṣiyyah, Mufaḍḍal ibn ‘Umar, retrieval (restoration), validity assessment, al-Kāfī.

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A careful study on the meaning of “ḍarb” (beating) in traditions dealing with punishment of children for praying

Ali Karimiyan

In hadith resources there exist numerous traditions with regard to religious training of the children among which being watchful of their prayers has allotted a notable position to this issue. Among them certain traditions are found that because of occurrence of the term “ḍarb” in them, what is understood in the first look is that the Infallibles (AS) have encouraged the parents to beat their children in case they disobey the command of offering their prayers!

This article intends to prove that considering the evidences available in lexicology, traditions, and the life and conduct (sīrah) of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS), as well as the psychological findings, this is a case of miscomprehension and that the term “ḍarb” in these traditions denotes ‘to oblige the children to pray with the purpose of practicing and making them ready for the period of maturity'.

Keywords: hadith, prayer, corporal punishment, children, psychology

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A critical study on the orientalists’ method in hadith comprehension in the matter of the doctrine of Imamate

(a case study of the book “Rāhnamā-ye Rabbānī dar Tashayyo’-e Nakhostīn”)

Mahyar Khani Moqaddam

Muhammad Taqi Diari Bidgoli

The present research made with the descriptive-analytical method and with the goal of pondering in the orientalists’ method in hadith comprehension in the matter of the doctrine of Imamate, critically studies the book “Rahnama-ye Rabbani dar Tashayyo’-e Nakhostin” (a divine guide in the early Shi’ism) compiled by Muhammad Ali Amir-Mo’ezzi, the Professor of the Shialogy Chair at the University of Sorbonne in France.

The results of this research suggests that despite the strong points in Amir-Mo’ezzi’s method including: relevant early reliable resources, precision in the semantic transformation of the expressions and the attempt for organized elucidation of the concept of “Imam”, certain defects can be viewed in his method that resulted in presenting certain baseless teachings about the doctrine of Imamate and the characteristics of the Imam. They include: carelessness in citation from the resources, improper usage of the principle of dissemination (taqiyyah) in justifying certain traditions, neglect in establishing a hadith family, and finding meanings for the words applied in the hadiths without mentioning a reference.

Keywords: hadith comprehension, orientalists, Shialogy, Imamate, Amir-Mo’ezzi

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A study on the Persian words occurred in the Four Books and the Six Books

Sayyid Mustafa Manaqeb

Mahdi Azarifar

Samad Abdullahi Abed

Communications in languages play an important role in impressing and being impressed. What a language borrows from another language depends on the communications of the two speaking groups. This is true for the Arabs who because of their communications with other people have borrowed certain words from other languages. These words remained in the Arabic language in the course of time and because of frequent application. They are called Arabicized words. These words were used - in addition to the Qur’an – in the traditions.

This article studies a number of Persian words occurred in the traditions available in the hadith collections of the Two Schools (Shi’a and Sunni). The discussion, therefore, revolves around the Four Books of the Shi’a and the Six Books of the Sunnis. The study made about 68 Persian words indicates that the Persian Arabicized words applied in the Four Books compared with those applied in the Six Books enjoy more variety both from the aspect of (the number of) words and subjects. Also the scrutiny in this study shows that the Persian words occurred in these traditions have different functions for they have been applied in such fields as hadith comprehension, jurisprudence, hygiene, allegory and parable, and commentary (of the Qur’an).

Keywords: Persian words, Arabicized words, traditions, the Four Books, the Six Books.

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Analysis and reexamination of the Rijal-oriented information about Muhammad ibn Qays

Muhammad Ghafouri-nezhad

Based on the present Rijal-oriented information, the title “Muhammad ibn Qays” is a homonymous name referring to different people amongst them “Muhammad ibn Qays al-Asadī” and “Muhammad ibn Qays al-Bajalī” are of higher importance. The isnād analysis of these information and their comparison with certain Rijal-oriented resources of Sunni scholars indicate that Muhammad ibn Qays al-Asadī is an outstaning Sunni hadith authority; however, he is not basically a person of rank among the Shi’a. Therefore, that certain early and later (contemporary) jurisprudents, heedless of the distinguishing indications, have rejected some of the traditions narrated by Muhammad ibn Qays because of this title being homonymous and thus referring to a reliable person and at the same time to an unreliable person, is not valid. The title Muhammad ibn Qays occurred in the Shi’a traditions majorly refers to Muhammad ibn Qays al-Bajalī, who is a great reliable hadith authority.

Keywords: Muhammad ibn Qays al-Bajalī, Muhammad ibn Qays al-Asadī, the Aṣl of Muhammad ibn Qays, Kitāb al-Sunan wa al-Qaḍāyā wa al-Aḥkām.

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