(by Sheikh Toosi)
"Sheikh Al-Tāyefah, Abu Ja'far, Muhammad, son of Hassan" known as Sheikh Toosi (385-460 A.H.), one of the most distinguished Shiite Scholars
This noble book is one of the most authentic collections of Traditions/Narratives in Shiah school of thought. It has been regarded as the third book among the four authentic reference books (known as Kutub-e 'Arba'eh) by Shiite Ulema, and is unanimously acknowledged by all Shiite Grand Jurisprudents.
The book is a collection of Shiite Jurisprudential Traditions (Hadiths) and Narratives (Riwāyāt) as well as religious injunctions & laws from among those attributed to the Ahl-ul Bayt (a.s.), i.e. the Infallible Household of the Holy Prophet (s.a.).
Sheikh Toosi has compiled this book to explain and elaborate the book entitled "Al-Moqne'ah" compiled by Sheikh Mofeed, his venerable teacher and preceptor.
Special Features: "Tahzeeb al-Ahkam" consists of all narratives on religious laws, injunctions, and decrees. It serves the purpose of providing major references needed by "Fuqaha" (Shiite Jurisprudents) and "Mujtahids" (Shiite Grand Scholars). The book contains various subject matters including Jurisprudential, rational, logical, fundamental, genealogical, evidential, and collative topics. Furthermore, the credibility of narrators and authentication of the sources are examined.
In the introduction of the book, the author explains his motivation to undertake the writing, as follows: "A friend of mine, upholding of whose right (as a friend) is a moral obligation on my part, once asked me to collect the Shiite Traditions (HADITHS), and scrutinize their differences, inconsistencies and contradictions. My friend further emphasized that there was not a single Hadith, some contents of which had not been invalidated by another.
The contradiction between Hadiths had occasioned sarcastic remarks by our adversaries, who viewed it as the major shortcoming of Shiite belief and thereby wanted it to be declared null and void.
Our opponents denounce us: 'Your learned men (Shiites Scholars) always criticized their opponents by saying that the latter were divided among themselves in their belief about what constitutes the basis of their devotion to God, and that the latter were involved in differences in their religious injunctions; Shiite Scholars further opined that such a belief would not be acceptable to God, the Omniscient. However, as compared to differences among your opponents, you Shiites, harbor more differences among yourselves. Therefore, while you concede that your opponents' own differences are indicative of degradation of their beliefs, then what you profess is not without discord as well, and, as such, your belief, too, denotes corruption.' To allay this controversy I decided to accept my friend's request and proceeded to write this book. I collected different Hadiths and narratives, and sought to bring about some consistency among them by separating the correct and authentic Hadiths from the undependable ones.
The contents of my book are based on the monograph of my respected teacher, Sheikh Mofeed. These are supported by my references to the Hadiths and the indication of the conjunction of paradoxes among them. At first, I wanted to quote the whole available narratives, either pros or cons, but later on I avoided this time-consuming process and contented myself with quoting the pro Traditions only."
1- Without delving into the "principles of faith" (known as Osool), Sheikh Toosi just deals with the religious injunctions and decrees (known as Foroo') and the Islamic laws in this book.
2- In this book Sheikh Toosi follows the same arrangement of chapters as in Sheikh Mofeed's book Al-Moqne'ah. Thus, his chapters begin in the "Tahārat" (a devotee's state of personal cleanliness) and end in the "Diyāt" (Blood Money) [as it is common in the books on "Fiqh" (Islamic Jurisprudence) even now].
3- The reasoning mentioned in each chapter is based on: (1) the Holy Koran's verses, including explicit and clear verses, or those verses whose meanings are revealed by the context or reasoning; (2) the Traditions (Hadiths/Narratives) of a conclusive kind with an uninterrupted sequence of narrators, or Narratives so frequently quoted that is expressive of their authenticity; (3) Consensus of Muslims and/or Shiite Ulema on an issue; and (4) Famous Narratives/Traditions among Shiite Narrators and Scholars.
4- Sheikh Toosi's reference to some contrary narrations by opponents is indicatively made to discard the same on the grounds of their lacking in authoritativeness and/or not conforming to the actual practice of Shiite grand Jurisprudents.
Sheikh Toosi began to write this book from the year 410 A.H., when he was twenty-five years old. He wrote about "Tahārat" and "Salāt" (Prayers) during the lifetime of his teacher, Sheikh Mofeed, i.e. before 413 A.H., and the rest subsequently.
This book, "Tahzeeb al-Ahkam", was written before Sheikh Toosi's other authentic book: "Istibsār".
Sheikh Toosi's sources of reference were available in two of the famous libraries of Baghdad during his stay there. These were: (1) library of his venerable preceptor, Sayyid Murtazā; complete with 80,000 titles of books, and (2) the larger library called as 'Shāpoor Library' established at Karkh/Baghdad for the use of the Shiite Ulema. Between these two, he could find the very best and most authentic books and Manuscripts, including the originals written by hand of the authors themselves.
Sheikh Toosi's book under review (Tahzeeb al-Ahkam) contains 13,590 Hadiths in 393 chapters.
One of the contemporary Ulema, Sheikh Aqa Bozorg Tehrani in his valuable work: "Al-Dhari'ah ila Tasāneef al-Shi'a" comments:
"Tahzeeb al-Ahkam is written by Sheikh al-Tāyefah, Abu Ja'far, Muhammad ibne Hassan ibne Ali Toosi. The book is one of the four reference books, and one of the collections of Traditions, which are held as authentic by Shiites of the Imamiyyah School of Thought from the days of its completion up until now.
The first part of the original manuscript in Sheikh Toosi's handwriting is preserved to this day."
At the end of the book, the author presents a complete bibliography. He states in the concluding part:
1) "Sharh" written by Allama Sayyid Hāshim Tubli in his book entitled: "Tanbeehul-Areeb wa Tazkiratul-Labeeb fi Eidhāh Rijal al-Tahzeeb";
2) "Sharh" by the Late Ayatollah Borujerdi, entitled "Tajreed Asānid al-Tahzeeb";
Explicatory Books on "Tahzeeb al-Ahkam"
1) "Sharh" by Sayyid Muhammad, the author of "Madarik" (died in 1009 A.H.);
3) "Sharh" by Mowla Abdullah Shooshtary (d. 1021 A.H.)
4) "Sharh" by Sheikh Muhammad ibne Hasan ibne Shahid Thani (d.1030 A.H.)
5) "Sharh" by Mowla Muhammad Amin Astarabadi (d.1036 A.H.)
6) "Sharh" by "Abdul-Latif Jāme'i, a pupil of Sheikh Bahāee (d. 1050 A.H.)
7) "Sharh" by Mowla Muhammad Taqi Majlesi, Senior, (d.1070 A.H.)
8) "Sharh" by Mowla Muhammad Tāher ibne Muhammad Hussein Shirazi Qummi (d. 1098 A.H.)
9) "Sharh" by Mohaqqiq Shirwani, son-in-law of Allamah Majlesi (d.1099 A.H.); and
10) "Sharh" by Mowla Muhammad Baqer Majlesi, Junior, (d. 1111 A.H.) entitled "Malāz al-Akhyar".
Various "marginal notes and explanations" (known as Hāshiyeh) have been written on the book "Tahzeeb al-Ahkam", as exemplified below:
1) "Hashiyeh" by Qāzi Nurollah Shooshtary;
2) "Hashiyeh" by Waheed Behbahāni;
3) "Hashiyeh" by Agha Jamāleddin Khānsāri;
4) "Hashiyeh" by Sheikh Hassan, the author of "Ma'ālim";
5) "Hashiyeh" by Mirza Abdullah Affandi, the author of "Riyadh";
6) "Hashiyeh" by Allamah Majlesi, Junior;
7) "Hashiyeh" by Sayyid Mirza Muhammad ibn Ali Astarabadi;
8) "Hashiyeh" by Sheikh Muhammad, the grandson of Shahid Thani;
9) "Hashiyeh" by Sheikh Muhammad Ali Balaghi; and
10) "Hashiyeh" by Sayyid Najmuddin Jazāyeri.
Different "Fehrists" have been compiled by writers in the past as follows. ["Fehrist" is referred to a book, which explains and discusses on the personality and authenticity of the Rijal (Narrators) and sources of Hadiths/Narratives in another book]:
(1) "Fehriste Tahzeeb al-Ahkam" by Muhammad Ja'far, one of the Ulema of the Eleventh Century A.H.
(2) "Fehriste Tahzeeb al-Ahkam" by Mowla Abdullah ibne Hajji Muhammad Bushrawi Tuni, well known as "Fazel Tuni".
"Tahzeeb al-Akkam" has been translated into Persian by Muhammad Yusof ibne Muhammad Ibrahim Gurkani.
(1) A manuscript in the elegant handwriting of "Ashraf ibne Muhammad Qāsim Shirazi", dated 1077 A.H., is preserved in the library of Hazrat Ayatollah Allamah Muhammad Sādiq Sadr. The Ultimate part of this MS has been adorned by the handwritings of Sheikh Bahaii's father and Shahid Thani. This MS has been transcribed from Sheikh Toosi's original manuscript.
(2) A beautiful, illuminated MS in the handwriting of Shokrollah ibne Muhammad Husseini, dated 1078 A.H. (3) A manuscript written by "Qāsim Ali ibne Hussein-Ali Bararequi Sabzewari", dated 1074 A.H. It is kept in the library of Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Baghdadi.