Usul al-Kafi

The book Al-Kāfī (The Sufficient Book) is a Twelver Shīʿī ḥadīth collection compiled by Muhammad ibn Ya‘qūb al-Kulaynī. It is divided into three sections: Usūl al-Kāfī, which is concerned with epistemology, theology, history, ethics, supplication, and the Qurʾān, Furūʿ al-Kāfī, which is concerned with practical and legal issues, and Rawdat (or Rauda) al-Kāfī, which includes miscellaneous traditions, many of which are lengthy letters and speeches transmitted from the Imāms. In total, al-Kāfī comprises 16,199 narrations.

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Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 1 month ago

We never believe that all the companions left Islam after the passing away of the Prophet Muhammad (SAWA). We believe in Quranic facts (Sura 3, verse 144) stating :(Muhammad is really a messenger before him messengers were sent, if he dies or is killed, you will then turn back on your heels).  Most of Muslims of that society remained as Muslims in faith but did not obey the orders of the Prophet (SAWA) who clearly ordered them to follow and obey Ali when he announced seventy days before his departure that ( Foe whom so ever I am the master, Ali is his master).

IRTADDU ارتدّوا does not mean that they left Islam, but did not fulfill their responsibility to obey the Prophetic orders in following the divine leadership which was been appointed by Allah and the Prophet.

Wassalam.

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Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 4 months ago

The obligatory acts of Salah of man and woman are same, except reciting in Fajr, Maghrib and Isha where man should recite with clear voice and woman should whisper. There are few recommended acts for woman and another few recommended acts for man which are mentioned in the narration.

'Wassalam.

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Amina Inloes, Amina Inloes is originally from the US and has a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Exeter on Shi'a hadith. She is the program leader for the MA Islamic Studies program at the... Answered 8 months ago

This likely refers to volume 1, page 289.

Frequently, the standard Arabic printing is cited, and so you can find it in that version. If the book was written in Farsi, they may be citing a version in Farsi or with Farsi in it. So you may need to dig to find the exact narration, if they have not given publication information.

Sometimes it is easiest to try to find it by back-translating it and searching online or on library software such as ablibrary.net until you find what you are looking for. This website can also help with seaching: https://hadith.academyofislam.com/

Best wishes!

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Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answer updated 9 months ago

Hearing the angles is not restricted for the prophets only but many persons were mentioned in Quran used to hear the angles like mother of Musa ( We inspired to mother of Musa that: Suckle him ) Sura Al-Qassass, verse 7. 
Mariam, the mother of Easa used to hear the angles (Sura 3m verse 42 and 45) but she was never a prophet. Sara, wife of Prophet Ebrahim was also hearing the angles as we read in Quran (Sura Hood, verse 69 to 73).

Even Sunni Muslims claim that Umar ibn Al-Khattab used to hear the angles. They called Umar ibn Al-Khattab by the name: Muhaddath Al-Ummah. Fadhaa'il Al-Sahabah, by Mohammad Hasan abdul-Ghaffar, V.4, page 6.

The 12 Unfallible Imams were granted by Allah great gifts and abilities to guide the Ummah to the right path after the Prophet Muhammad (SAWA).

Islam was completed before the departure of the Prophet from this life. Infallible Imams never added any thing but preserved the real teachings of Islam. Their status definitely higher than mother of Musa and mother of Easa and Sara wife of Ebrahim.who were hearing the angles.
Wassalam.

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Same question should be put for Sunni books of Hadeeth. Thousands of narration were been fabricated by Sunni narrators for different reasons, so how Sunni Ulama identify the authentic? Our Shia scholars do thorough research on every narration and all its narrators. We don't accept but the narration which is according to Quran and authentic Hadeeth and which has been narrated by authentic narrators one after another. Our main books of Hadeeth have much more authentic Hadeeths that what our Sunni brothers have in their books of Hadeeth.

Wassalam.

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Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 1 year ago

Such narrations are not to be taken for granted and most of our great scholars did not follow it in their verdicts. It might be talking about a specific year and can not be taken for all the years.

‘Wassalam.

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According to Hadeeths narrated from Ahlul Bayt (AS), Kursi of Allah is His Knowledge about Skies and earths and creatures which has got an outer existence, while Arsh is His Full Knowledge about everything, which is more inclusive than Kursi. There are degrees of Knowledge, in which Arsh is deeper, wider and more inclusive than Kursi, that is why we read in the Hadeeth that The Kursi is within The Arsh. In the Hadeeth from Imam Ja'far Al-Sadiq (AS): Everything created by Allah is in the Kursi except His Arsh because it is greater than be included in The Kursi.

Hadeeth of Hanan ibn Sadeer from Imam Al-Sadiq (AS) when he was asked about Arsh and Kursi, he replied: Both of them are great gates of the Unseen. Kursi is the outer gate of the Unseen and Arsh is the inner gate of the Unseen.

Kursi is limited to the skies, earth and what is between them while Arsh is unlimited.

In some narrations we read that The Kursi is the knowledge which Allah granted to His Prophets and messengers, while  The Arsh is The Knowledge  which no one knows but Allah.

Wassalam.

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Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 1 year ago

It has been very clearly mentioned in many authentic narrations from our Infallible Imams e.g. Imam Ja'far Al-Sadiq (AS) that: My Hadeeth is the Hadeeth of my father, and it is the Hadeeth of my grand father, which is the Hadeeth of Imam Husain, which is the Hadeeth of Imam Hasan,  which is the Hadeeth of Ameerul Mo'mineen, which is the Hadeeth of the Prophet (SAWA) which is the order of Allah. 

(Kitab Al-Kaafi, V.1, P. 53.).

Wassalam.

Amina Inloes, Amina Inloes is originally from the US and has a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Exeter on Shi'a hadith. She is the program leader for the MA Islamic Studies program at the... Answer updated 1 year ago

In the Shi'i view, it is held that the knowledge of the Prophet (S) passed directly to the Imams. Therefore, when one of the Imams speaks, they are speaking accurately and correctly on behalf of the Prophet, whether or not it is word for word.

In some cases, the Imam may have a dialogue with someone present with them, refer to people in their time by name, or discuss current events and questions. In these cases, these are not word for word quotations from the Prophet (S) but accurately reflect or expound upon the Prophet's teachings as applied to those situations.

In other cases the Imams provide a direct quotation from one of their forebears.

Apart from that, it would be very lengthy to always give the full chain of narration back to the Prophet (S) through all the Imams. However, it is understood that this is intended to be the chain of transmission of knowledge. 

This principle is mentioned in al-Kafi and is related from Imam al-Sadiq (A) as follows:

"My hadith is the hadith of my father. The hadith of my father is the hadith of my grandfather. The hadith of my grandfather is the hadith of al-Husayn. The hadith of al-Husayn is the hadith of al-Hasan. The hadith of al-Hasan is the hadith of the Commander of the Faithful. The hadith of the Commander of the Faithful is the hadtih of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). The hadith of the Messenger of God is the word of God, the Mighty and Glorious."

علي بن محمد، عن سهل بن زياد، عن أحمد بن محمد، عن عمر بن عبد العزيز عن هشام بن سالم وحماد بن عثمان وغيره قالوا: سمعنا أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: حديثي حديث أبي، وحديث أبي حديث جدي، وحديث جدي حديث الحسين، وحديث الحسين حديث الحسن، وحديث الحسن حديث أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام وحديث أمير المؤمنين حديث رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وحديث رسول الله قول الله عز وجل.

Here, of course, the "word of God" does not mean the same thing as the Qur'an being the "word of God" in the sense of the literal divine word, but rather is the correct teaching given from God to the Prophet (S). 

So, from a Shi'i perspective, the Imam has full knowledge of the teachings of the Prophet (S) and full authority to speak about it. Therefore the Imam can speak authoritatively without giving a further chain of narration back or may provide a further chain of narration back. 

Hope that helps! 

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Amina Inloes, Amina Inloes is originally from the US and has a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Exeter on Shi'a hadith. She is the program leader for the MA Islamic Studies program at the... Answered 2 years ago

I don't think there is a full resource on this in English available presently (online or in print). However, you can purchase the Dirayat al-Noor software from Iran and it offers an easy to use database for hadith narrators in Arabic (not sure about Farsi). Another useful resource is Mu'jam Rijal al-Ahadith by Ayatollah al-Khoei, which is also available online in Arabic.

Sometimes, you can find information about some of the narrators in some other books in English. For instance, some of the biographies of the Imams by Baqir Sharif Qarashi have information on some of the companions of the Imams. There is a book called Tradition and Survival by Hossein Modarressi which also has some bibliographic information on some early Shi'i narrators. 

So if there is someone specific you want to know more about, you may be able to find information in other sources. However in general I don't think there is a comprehensive source available in English. Perhaps someone will update this answer with one, or perhaps you will create one!

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Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 2 years ago

Many Shia books of Hadeeth are already translated including all-Kafi. Many books are under translation. You can check on www.shiasearch.org

Wassalam.

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Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 2 years ago

There is no book of Hadeeth compiled by Shia or Sunni scholars which is 100% and fully authentic in each and every narration. Al-Kafi is the most authentic book of Hadeeth among Shia scholars. Bukhari is claimed to be fully authentic by many Sunnis but it contains narrations which go against Quran and allegation against the Prophets. The authentic Hadeeths in Al-Kufi are more in number than all the total authentic Hadeeths in all the six books of Sunni Hadeeth الصحاح الستة. 
Number of unrepeated narrations in Saheeh al-Bukhari is 2602 and in Saheeh Muslim 4000, while the number of unrepeated narration mentioned in both Bukhari and Muslim is 2514 narrations.

Al-Kafi alone has 16199 narrations.

Wassalam.