1. Ask A Question About Islam And Muslims
  2. Ask A Question About Islam And Muslims

Ask A Question About Islam And Muslims

162 Questions

The Imams had around them non-Imamis, deviants, and people who did Ghuluw. How do we know the narrations we have today are actually from the Imams themselves and through narrators who did not corrupt the narration?
Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi

There is a full field of knowledge called E'lm Al-Rijaal which deals with every narrator and searching and assessing his authenticity. Deviat persons are known by our scholars of E'lm Al-Rijaal and their narrations are never accepted.

Famous  Shia books on E'lm Al-Rijaal are like Kitab Al-Rijaal  by Al-Najaashi (450 Hijri),

Rijaal Al-Kashshi (350 Hijri) ,

and  Al-Fahrist by Al-Shaikh Al-Tousi  (460 Hijri) , 

Ma'aalim Al-Ulama' by Ibn Sharashoob 588 hijri.

Khulasat Al Awwal by Al-Allama Al-Hilli  726 hujri.

Tanqeeh Al-Maqaal by Al-Mamaqani 1351 hujri.

and Mu'jam Rijaal Al-Hadeeth by Al-Khoei 1413 hijri.

We only accept narrations from authentic narrators who were always in the right path.

Wassalam.
On the basis of the Hadith that says that whoever dies without knowing the Imam of his time dies the death of ignorance, does that mean that Sunnis, therefore, will be unable to enter paradise?
Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi

It is not our job to determine who will enter Paradise or who will not. Allah knows the intentions and circumstances of every creature, and He grants Paradise to whom He wants, according to His Knowledge and Mercy.

No doubt, the authentic Hadeeth is mentioned in both Sunni books and Shia books states that: Who dies with out giving allegiance to the Imam of his time will die a death of Jahilyyah. ( Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal, v,13, p. 188 and Saheeh Muslim, v.6, p.22 and Kitab Al-Sunnah by ibn Abi Aasim;489 and many other books of Hadeeth.

Wassalam.
What are the sources and authenticity of the Hadith from the Prophet (saw) that anyone who dies without knowing the Imam of his time dies the death of ignorance?
Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi

The Hadeeth stating that who dies without allegiance to the Imam of his time, will die the death of Jahiliyyah (Ignorance) is a Mutawaatir Hadeeth which means narrated by many authentic narrators that can never jointly lie. 
It has been narrated in many Sunni references like:

1. Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, V. 28, P. 88.

2. Saheeh Muslim, V. 3, P. 1478.

3. Hilyatul Awliyaa' by al-Asbahani, V.3, P. 244.

4. Kitab Al-Sunnah by Ibn Abi 'Aasim , V.2, P.503.

5. Al-Sunan Al-Khubra by al-Bayhaqi, V.8, P. 270.

6. Saheeh ibn Hibbaan, V.10, P.434.

7. Sunan Abi Dawood, V.3, P.425.

8. Al-Mo'jam Al-Kabeer by al-Tabaraani, V.19, P.334. And many other Sunni books.
Main Shia books as well narrated this Hadeeth like:

Kitab Al-Kaafi by al-Kulaini 2; 21,

Kamaal Al-Deen by Al-Sadouq;2;409,

and Kifayat Al-Athar by Al-Khazzaz 296.

Wassalam.
Do Shia and Sunni Muslims believe in all the same Hadith collections and sources?
Amina Inloes

Sunnis and Shi'is have different hadith collections.

However, there is some shared material between the collections - after all, the goal is to obtain the teachings of the Prophet (S), and the Prophet (S) was a single person.

Shi'is will generally allow for the use of some hadith from the Sunni books, depending on sourcing, narrator, and so forth. The reverse is much less common (that is, Sunnis do not usually give credence to Shi'i hadith for matters such as jurisprudence). 

Shi'is do not give a special place to or automatically accept the sihah al-sittah or "six authentic books" famed in Sunnism. 

Shi'is also give equal weight to the narrations from the Imams (A) as they do to narrations from the Prophet (S), on the grounds that the words of the Imams (A) are the teachings of the Prophet (S).

Hope that helps!