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The Companions of Imam Hadi (a.s.) and the narrators of his traditions - Part 1

The vast culture and knowledge of Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) in all sciences such as tafsir (commentary of the Qur’an), jurisprudence, Islamic arts, ethics, and other fields made him the end that scholars and seekers of knowledge set off towards.

The companions of Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) represented the true mission of Islam. They saved the mission of Islam from lose. They associated with the infallible imams of the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) who were the flowing spring of the essence of Islam. They narrated and recorded their (the imams’) traditions in their four hundred records (usuls) that were collected later on in the four books to which the Shia jurisprudents referred and are still referring to in deriving legal verdicts.

These companions had done the Islamic world a great favor by writing down the knowledge and literature of the infallible imams (a.s.); otherwise, that great heritage would be lost and consequently the human culture and intellect would lose much.

The thing that makes one pride on the jihad of those narrators is that they associated with the infallible imams (a.s.) and recorded their traditions in a time that was most critical and full of offense and oppression. The Umayyad and Abbasid governments went too far in oppressing the Alawids and their followers and in preventing the public from associating with them (the Alawids). Those governments, with no mercy or leniency, chased everyone who tried to spread or talk about the virtues of the Alawids or narrate their traditions and arrested him to be killed or to remain in the darkness of prisons forever. Therefore, narrators refrained from mentioning the names of the infallible imams from whom they narrated traditions. They referred to them by surnames one time and by titles other time. They did not declare their real names.

Anyhow, we mention here the companions of Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) and the narrators of his traditions with brief accounts on them because this, as we think, shall complete the study on the imam that it discovers some important sides of his personality.

1. Ibrahim bin Isaaq

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions and said that he was reliable. 1

2. Ibrahim bin Abu Bakr ar-Razi

Al-Barqi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 2

3. Ibrahim bin Idris

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 3 So did al-Barqi. 4

4. Ibrahim bin Dawud al-Ya’qubi

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 5 Al-Barqi said he was from Imam al-Hadi and Imam al-Jawad’s companions. 6 Al-Kashshi mentioned him as one of the narrators who narrated from Imam Abul Hasan (a.s.). 7

5. Ibrahim bin Shayba

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 8 Once, he wrote a letter to Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) complaining to him against the deviants from religion who distorted the Islamic intellect. We shall discuss this matter when we talk about the age of the imam later on.

6. Ibrahim bin Abdah an-Naysaburi

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi and Imam al-Askari’s companions. 9 Al-Kashshi said that Imam al-Hasan al-Askari (a.s.) sent a letter to Isaaq bin Isma’il in which he greeted Ibrahim bin Abdah and appointed him as his agent to receive the legal dues. 10 Once, Imam al-Askari (a.s.) deputed him to Abdullah bin Hamdwayh al-Bayhaqi and sent a letter with him saying in it, “I have sent Ibrahim bin Abdah so that the (other) districts and the people of your district pay my dues on you to him and made him my trust and agent before my followers there. Let them fear Allah and pay the dues and they have no excuse in not doing that or delaying it. May Allah not distress them for disobeying His guardians and may He have mercy on them and on you through my mercifulness to them, and Allah is Ample-giving, Generous.” 11

7. Ibrahim bin Uqbah

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions, 12 and so did al-Barqi. 13 He narrated traditions from Imam Abu Ja’far al-Jawad (a.s.) and Imam Abul Hasan al-Hadi (a.s.). Sahl bin Ziyad and other narrators narrated from him. 14

8. Ibrahim bin Muhammad bin Faris an-Naysaburi

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi and Imam al-Hasan al-Askari’s companions. 15

9. Ibrahim bin Muhammad al-Hamadani

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam ar-Redha, Imam al-Jawad, and Imam al-Hadi’s companions. Al-Kashshi said he was the agent of Imam al-Hadi (a.s.). He performed the hajj forty times. 16 He was the agent of Imam al-Jawad (a.s.) who wrote to him, “Your account has been received. May Allah accept from you and be pleased with them and make them with us in this life and in the afterlife. So-and-so dinars and so-and-so clothes were sent to you. May Allah bless them for you and bless every gift He has given to you. I have written to an-Nadhr ordering him to refrain from troubling and objecting to you and informing him of your position to me. And I have written to Ayyub ordering him of the same too. I have written a book to my followers in Hamadan ordering them to obey you and follow your orders and that I have no agent (there) except you.” 17 This letter shows that Ibrahim bin Muhammad was so trusted and of a high position near the imam (a.s.).

10. Ibrahim bin Mahziyar

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Jawad and Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 18 An-Najashi said he had written a book called al-Bisharat. 19 Al-Kashshi mentioned a tradition narrated by Muhammad bin Ibrahim bin Mahziyar that he said, “When my father (Ibrahim) was about to die, he gave me some money and gave me a certain sign. No one knew about this sign except Allah the Almighty. He said to me, ‘Whoever show you this sign, you have to give him this money.’ I went to Baghdad and stopped at an inn. On the following day, someone came and knocked the door. I asked the servant to see who he was. The servant said, ‘An old man at the door.’ I said, ‘Let him come in.’ The old man came in, took a seat and said, ‘I am al-Umari. Give me the money that is with you which is so-and-so.’ He showed me the sign and I gave him the money. 20 This tradition shows that Ibrahim was the agent of the imam in receiving the legal dues and definitely he was fair and reliable in order to be the imam’s agent.

11. Ibrahim ad-Dahqan

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 21

12. Ahmad bin Isaaq bin Abdullah al-Ash’ari al-Qummi

He was the deputy of the people of Qum. He narrated traditions from Imam Abu Ja’far the second (al-Jawad) and Imam Abul Hasan al-Hadi (a.s.). He was from the close companions of Imam Abu Muhammad al-Askari (a.s.). He had written some books such as Ilal as-Sawm, Masa’il ar-Rijal of Imam al-Hadi, and Ilal as-Salat. He was one of those who saw Imam al-Mahdi (a.s.) and there were many traditions narrated on praising him.

13. Ahmad bin Isaaq ar-Razi

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 22 He narrated traditions from Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) and Sahl bin Ziyad narrated from him. 23

14. Ahmad bin Isma’il bin Yaqtin

Al-Barqi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 24

15. Ahmad bin Abu Abdullah al-Barqi

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 25 He narrated about forty traditions. 26

16. Ahmad bin al-Hasan bin Isaaq bin Sa’d

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 27

17. Ahmad bin al-Hasan bin Ali bin Muhammad bin Fadhdhal

He was eloquent and reliable in traditions. His brother Ali bin al-Hasan and other Kufi men narrated from him. 28 He had written some books such as the book of Salat (prayer) and the book of Wudu’. He died in 260AH. 29

18. Ahmad bin Hamza bin al-Yasa’ al-Qummi

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 30 He narrated from Imam al-Hadi (a.s.), Abban bin Uthman, al-Husayn bin al-Mukhtar, Zakariyya bin Adam, Muhsin bin Ahmad, and Muhammad bin Ali. Al-Husayn bin Sa’eed, Abdullah bin Ja’far, Ali bin Mahziyar and other men narrated from him. 31

19. Ahmad bin al-Khadheeb

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions, 32 and so did al-Barqi.

20. Ahmad bin Zakariyya bin Baba al-Qummi

Al-Barqi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 33

21. Ahmad bin al-Fadhl

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 34

22. Ahmad bin Muhammad as-Siyadi al-Basri

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi and Imam al-Hasan al-Askari’s companions. 35

23. Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Eesa al-Ash’ari al-Qummi

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam ar-Redha, Imam al-Jawad, and Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 36 He was the chief and notable of the people of Qum and was the head who met the rulers. He had written some books such as at-Tawhid (monotheism), The Virtue of the Prophet, al-Mut’ah (temporary marriage), an-Nawadir (rarities), an-Nasikh wel Mansukh (abrogating and abrogated), the Virtues of the Arabs, and other books. 37

24. Ahmad bin Hilal as-Sabrtani al-Baghdadi

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions (or just a narrator of his traditions). He was accused of exaggeration. 38 Many traditions dispraised him and said that he was irreligious.

25. Isaaq bin Isma’il bin Noubakht

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions, 39 and so did al-Barqi.

26. Isaaq bin Muhammad al-Basri

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions and said he was accused of exaggeration. 40 The author of al-Khulasah said he was from the companions of Imam al-Jawad (a.s.) but he was accused of exaggeration.

27. Ayyub bin Noah bin Duraj

He was trustworthy and reliable. An-Najashi said, ‘He was an agent of Abul Hasan (al-Hadi) and Abu Muhammad (al-Askari) (peace be upon them). He had a high position near them. He was trustworthy, very pious, and a devoted worshipper. He was reliable in his traditions. His father Noah bin Duraj was a judge in Kufa and was a true faithful. Jameel bin Duraj was his brother.’ 41 Sheikh at-Toosi said, ‘Ayyub bin Noah was reliable. He had a book and traditions from Abul Hasan the Third (Imam al-Hadi).’ Al-Kashshi said, ‘He was pious. He left just one hundred and fifty dinars after his death, though people thought him wealthy. He narrated from Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) and many narrators narrated from him.’

28. Bishr bin Bashshar an-Naysaburi

He was the uncle of Abu Abdullah ash-Shathani. He was from Imam al-Hadi’s companions as Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned in his Rijal. He narrated from Imam al-Hadi (a.s.), and Sahl narrated from him. 42

29. Ja’far bin Ahmad

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions, 43 and so did al-Barqi. He narrated from Muhammad bin Ali, and Ali bin Ibrahim al-Qummi narrated from him in his Tafsir. 44

30. Ja’far bin Ibrahim bin Noah

Al-Barqi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions, 45 and so did Sheikh at-Toosi.

____________
1. Rijal at-Toosi, p.409.

2. Rijal al-Barqi.

3. Rijal at-Toosi, p.409.

4. Rijal al-Barqi.

5. Rijal at-Toosi.

6. Rijal al-Barqi.

7. Rijal al-Kashshi.

8. Rijal at-Toosi.

9. Rijal at-Toosi.

10. Rijal al-Kashshi.

11. Mu'jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol.1 p.118.

12. Rijal at-Toosi.

13. Rijal al-Barqi.

14. Mu'jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol.1 p.121-122.

15. Rijal at-Toosi.

16. Rijal al-Kashshi.

17. Ibid.

18. Rijal at-Toosi.

19. Rijal an-Najashi.

20. Rijal al-Kashshi.

21. Rijal at-Toosi.

22. Ibid.

23. Mu'jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol.2 p.48.

24. Rijal al-Barqi.

25. Rijal at-Toosi. 26. Mu'jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol.2 p.32.

27. Rijal at-Toosi.

28. Rijal an-Najashi.

29. Mu'jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol.2

30. Rijal at-Toosi.

31. Mu'jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol. 2

32. Rijal at-Toosi.

33. Rijal al-Barqi.

34. Rijal at-Toosi.

35. Rijal at-Toosi.

36. Ibid.

37. Mu'jam Rijal al-Hadith.

38. Rijal at-Toosi.

39. Ibid.

40. Ibid.

41. Rijal an-Najashi.

42. Mu'jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol. 3 p.307.

43. Rijal at-Toosi, p.411.

44. Mu'jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol.4 p.49.

45. Rijal al-Barqi.

Adapted from the book: "The Life of Imam ALI bin Muhammad AL-HADI" by: "Baqir Shareef al-Qurashi"

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