ILAL-USH-SHARĀYE'

Sheikh-e Sadūq, Abū
Ja'far, Muhammad son of Ali son of Husain son of Bāb-e Weyh-e Qummī (305-381
H.), one of the outstanding Shiite Jurisprudents (Faqīhs) and Narrators
of the fourth century Hegira.

SUBJECT:

This book gives a collection of Riwāyāt
(Narrations/ Traditions) attributed to the Holy Prophet (S.A.) and the
Immaculate Imams (A.S.) concerning the philosophy and origins of some of
religious precepts and Islamic Injunctions. Sheikh-e Sadūq indicates also the
original grounds for some specific names of the divine prophets and the
reasons behind certain acts of the prophets, or those of the prophet of Islam
(S.A.) and the infallible Imams (A.S.)

MOTIVATION:

Sheikhe Sadūq who himself is a distinguished
Shiite narrator, spent his lifetime in listening to, recording and quoting the
Traditions of Ahl-ul Bayt (A.S.), so that he could convey the sayings to others
and the posterity. By writing this book he presented a great service towards
introducing Islamic teachings and explaining the motives and reasons behind the
Islamic commandments.

CREDIBILITY:

This and other books of Sheikh-e Sadūq have been
acknowledged by the Shiite Jurisprudents (Ulamā) as the most credible principal
sources of narrations of the Shiite. Sadūq's narrations are quoted in the
collections of major Shiite reference books of Traditions like Bihār-ul Anwār,
Wasā'il-ush-Shi'a, as authentic ones. Ilal-ush-Sharāye' is one of
the authentic books of narrations, which Shiite Ulamā included it in their
authorizations (Ijāzāt).

Scope of Topics:

The scope ranges from explaining the raison
d'tre of the Islamic precepts as well as the philosophy behind them, to matters
of detail such as the reason why it is incumbent upon Believers to offer Salāt'
(prayer), and why the Zuhr (noon) & Asr (afternoon) prayers, as well as Maghrib
(sunset) & Ishā (night) prayers can be accomplished successively without
intervals.

The discussions, too, are varied. Some concerning
the Islamic beliefs and ideas include such questions as to why prophets are
superior to angels and as to why we do need the prophets and the Imams (A.S.).
Also some historical matters are documentarily evidenced, like the sacred
Saturday prohibitions for hunting observed by the Jews, as well as explanation
of the reason for nighttime burial of Hazrat-e Fātimah Zahrā (S.A.), among other
useful subjects.

On the
whole, this book is all the more valuable for its narrations from the Ahl-ul
Bayt (A.S.) which pinpoint the singular way to one's acquisition of Islamic
teachings and precepts.

COMMENTS OF ULAMĀ ON THE
BOOK:

Allāmah Majlisī has commented: "The books of
Sheikh-e Sadūq are of the same importance of Kutub-e Arba-ah' (the four
significant reference books of Shi'a). Sadūq's books are included among the
books authorized by the great Shiite Mashāyekh' (senior Ulamā). Many of the
Shiite Ulamā and Jurisprudents quote Traditions from his books. By God's Grace,
we do have all manuscripts and the proofread copies of the Traditions at our
disposal."

Āqā Buzurg Tehrāni says: "The book
Īlal-ush-Sharāye' wal-Ahkām' was written by Sheikh-e Sadūq, Abū Ja'far Muhammad
son of Ali son of Mūsā son of Bāb-e Weyh-e Qummī. This book has been summarized
by Sheikh Ibrāhīm Kaf'amī in his work Ikhtesār Īlal-ush-Sharāye', and by Sheikh
Sharafuddīn Yahyā Bahrānī in his book entitled as Talkhīs Īlal-ush-Sharaye'.
Furthermore, Āqā Najafī, Sheikh Muhammad Taqī Isfahāni translated the book into
Persian language."

CONTENTS OF THE BOOK:

Some of the
topics in this book are as follows: circumstance of marriage of the children of
Hazrat-e Ādam (A.S.) with angels, the reason for participation of Hazrat-e Ali
(A.S.) in the High council, why the morning prayer should be voiced, the
philosophy of Zakāt, why a person's bequest (to be spent as an act of charity
- for himself after his death) should be rightly confined to one-third of his
assets, why a physician is called or named a Tabīb', why the meat of wild
animals are Harām (religiously unlawful to eat), and many other useful and
valuable topics.