Risālah (pamphlet) Abī
Ghālib-e Zurārī'

This book is written by Ahmad son of Muhammad
son of Muhammad son of Sulaimān son of Hasan son of Juhm son of Bukair son of
A'yun Shaibānī Kūfī Baghdādī, known as
Abī Ghalib-e Zurārī (285-368
Hegira).The author was one of the greatest dignitaries of Shi'a sect in the 4th
century Hegira, and one of the outstanding narrators of Hadith.

Subject:

The book introduces the brilliant members of the
great family of Zurārah Ibn-e A'yun (a disciple of the infallible Imāms
A.S.), and other renowned Islamic jurisprudents (Fuqahā) and narrators (Ruwāt)
together with the list of their compilations; therefore, it is one of the most
precious books in the field of Hadīth (traditions), Rijāl (biographies of
narrators of Hadīths), and Fihrist (indexes).

Authenticity:

Abī Ghālib's pamphlet is one of the oldest books
in the field of Rijāl, which has reached us via the ancient Fuqahā of Shi'a.

Luminaries such as: Sheikh-e Tūsī, Najāshī,
Sheikh Horr-e Āmelī, Muhaddith-e Bahrānī, Sayyid-e Bahr-ul-Ulūm,
Sheikh-ush-Shari'a Isfahānī, and Sheikh Āqā Bozurg-e Tehrānī have some
references to this book in their compilations.

Motive of
writing:

Abū Ghalib-e Zurārī, who has been one of the
greatest dignitaries of Shi'a in the 4th century Hegira, has compiled
this book for his grandson, Abū Tāhir Muhammad son of Ubaidullāh, with the
intension to make him familiar with the scientific services made by the
honorable family of Zurārah Ibn-e A'yun, and their Ijāzāt (i.e.
authorization by infallible Imāms to narrate Hadīths), as well as their
compilations. By writing this book Abi Ghālib tried to keep alive the
remembrance of that respectable family.

Date of
compilation:

Abū Ghālib-e
Zurārī compiled the book in 356 Hegira, and completed it in 367 and rewrote
it.

Narrator of the book:

Rāwī (narrator) of
this book has been Husain son of Ubaidullāh Ghadhāerī a significant pupil of Abū
Ghālib-e Zurārī and a reliable Shi'a jurisprudent. He has also written a
complement to Risālah Abū Ghālib-e Zurārī', which is now accessible at the end
of the book.

Sayings of the Great Scholars:

Allāmah Majlesī
states: "Risālah Abū Ghālib-e Zurārī, comprises the biographies of Zurārah Ibn-e
A'yun and his brothers, children, and teachers as well as their compilations and
narrations. This book also includes lots of other fruitful subjects. God
willing; I will quote the whole text of this book at the closing chapter of my
Bihār-ul-Anwār."

Sheikh Āqā
Bozurg-e Tehranī in his Al-Dharī'ah elā Tasānif-ish-Shia' writes: "Risālah Abū
Ghālib-e Zurārī is the most premium and most precious Ijāzah (authorization for
narrating Hadīths), which has reached us via the ancient Shi'a scholars."

Manuscripts:

1- A copy
inscribed by Muhammad Taqī Sharīf Huseinī Yazdī dated 1279 Hegira, which is
compared to an old copy dated 630 Hegira, and has been recited to Najībuddīn
Yahyā son of Ahmad-e Hellī.

2- the copy made
by Sheikh Horr-e Āmelī, which was later handed in to Alī son of Hasan-e Bahrānī,
and then to Muhammad Samāwī.

3- the copy
inscribed by Ayatullāh Sheikh Fat'hullāh-e Gharawī, known as Sheikh-ush-Sharī'ah
Isfahānī, whose time goes back to 1326 Hegira.