The Book of Sulaym ibn Qays

The Book of Sulaym ibn Qays is a Hadith collection, collected by Sulaym ibn Qays who entrusted it to Aban ibn abi-Ayyash.

According to the Shi'a, the book "has received endorsement from five Infallible Imams." The author researched and verified events before he penned them so that their authenticity is incontrovertible. The book was entrusted to only one person, Aban ibni abi Ayyash who was held to a solemn oath not to talk of the book during Sulaym’s lifetime and that after his death he would give the book only to trustworthy Shi’a. [ [http://www.al-khoei.org/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1297 Shi'a review of a translation] ]

There is no doubt about the authenticity of the book itself among the Shi'a scholars. The author is also regarded as a trustworthy narrator. The book has been mentioned both in the four main collections of Shi'a hadith. Ibn Al-Nadim, the famous 10th century (C.E.) book publisher, said that the book was among the well known books of the Shi'a. [Al-Fihrist, p.275 in chapter titled, "Al-Fan Al-Khamis Min Al-Maqalaht Al-Saadesah".] No'mani has mentioned the book and the author in his book, "Al-Ghaibah". In fact, the book is so well known among the Shi'a that most books of hadith and rijal (commentary on the life and trustworthiness of the hadith narrators) have regarded both the book and its author with high esteem.

Currently, several variant manuscripts of this book exist, and it has been suggested that content was added to it and altered in it over time. [ [http://www.hurqalya.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/BIBLIOGRAPHY-HYP/08A-SHI%60ISM/IMAMOLOGY.htm Ths Shi'i Imams, Wilayah and aspects of Imamology] ] Furthermore, the oldest known copy, on which the majority of modern manuscripts are based, was written in 1676 C.E. [ [http://www.hurqalya.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/BIBLIOGRAPHY-HYP/08A-SHI%60ISM/IMAMOLOGY.htm Ths Shi'i Imams, Wilayah and aspects of Imamology] ] This is problematic as it may also suggest that the true appearance date for the current form of the book, if indeed it existed prior to the rise of the Safavid empire, was from around the 10th century C.E. as it was only at this point in time that mention of it became commonly attributed to imams and scholars.

Content

:" The Prophet said: "There never has been a nation which made someone its leader while there was a more learned person in its midst, but that it underwent steady decline, unless that it corrected its mistake". [ [http://www.iranembassy.hu/political_constitution.html Iranian political constitution] ]

References