sanads (chains of authorities) of hadiths in Wasa'il al-Shi`a. These hadiths have been well-received by jurisprudents of the past and present and acted upon by the followers of the Infallible Imams. In many cases, Kashshi, while jarh (criticism or contestation) and tadil (justification) of narrators of hadiths, have quoted him and trusted his words as his teacher.
Mohammad Baqir Behboodi, the author of two books: Marifat al-Hadith and `Ilal al-Hadith and editor of the encyclopedia of Bihar al-Anwar, has a negative view of Ali bn Muhammad bn Qutaybah and describes him through words such as liar, forger, hypocrite which are explicit words of jarh.
The author of this paper gives an account of Ibn Qutaybah's teachers and students describing his hadith status through them. Pondering upon the words of Kashshi, Najashi, Tusi, Hilli and other scholars of rijal like Mir Damad, Vahid Behbahani, Tustari, and Zanjani, about reliability and high status of Ibn Qutaybah among other hadith scholars, the author of the present paper holds that Ibn Qutabah's efforts made the thought and hadith heritage of some companions of Imam Rida, Imam Jawad, Imam Hadi, Imam Askari, peace be upon them, survive in the third century and on.
Key Words: Ali bn Muhammad bn Qutaybah, Sayyid Muhammad Amili, Sayyid Abulqasim Khuee, Mohammad Baqir Behboodi, Jarh wa Ta`dil.
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Criteria for Analysis of Taqiya Hadiths

Mohammad Hasan Kardan Pur

Hadith is the second source of Islam after the Holy Qur'an. It provides the most extensive source for Islamic law. Taqiyya (alternate spellings taqiya, taqiyah), meaning religious dissimulation, is a practice emphasized in Shi'a Islam whereby adherents may conceal their religion when they are under threat, persecution, or compulsion. This means a legal dispensation whereby a believing individual can deny his faith or commit otherwise illegal or blasphemous acts while they are under those risks. Taqiyya was developed to protect Shiites who were usually in minority and under pressure. In the Shi'a view, taqiyya is lawful in situations where there is overwhelming danger of loss of life or property and where no danger to religion would occur thereby.
Key Words: Religious Dissimulation, Taqiya Hadiths, Criteria for Analysis,
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Methodology of Minhaj al-Bara`ah fi Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah

Mohsen Rafat

Minhaj al-Bara`ah fi Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah is a detailed commentary on Nahj al-Balaghah authored by Mirza Habibollah Khuee. The author of the present paper first gives a brief description of the style and characteristics of the above mentioned book and then deals with the methodology of this commentary from two perspectives: form and content. Some examples of its form are as follows: identification of the addressees of the Imam's sermons, letters, and words; introduction of personalities mentioned in Nahj al-Balaghah; illustration of Imam's words in an outline; explanation of Imam's words under related titles; textual commentary; and etc. Some examples of its content analysis are as follows: topical classification; numerous references of the Holy Quran and Hadith, answering the related questions; analysis of poems and proverbs; investigation of the different manuscripts; and verification of isnads and sources. He finally comes up with some deficiencies of this commentary.
Key Words: Minhaj al-Bara`ah fi Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah, Mirza Habibollah Khuee, Nahj al-Balaghah, Imam Ali (peace be upon him), Methodology.
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Status of Tuhaf al-Uqul in Shiite Hadith Sources

Ali Akbar Shayesteh Nezhad

Hadith sources have reached us through the big efforts of competent Shiite hadith scholars. They are the big spiritual and cultural assets and a means of education, ethics, and happiness in two worlds. One of these precious treasuries is the book Tuhaf al-Uqul `an Ali Rasul authored by Abi Muhammad al-Hassan bn Ali bn al-Hussayn bn Shubah al-Harrani a great scholar of the fourth century A.H. Though some scholars of the recent centuries have praised him and his book, there is no strong confirmation of him and his book among the old hadith scholars. Since some rijal scholars do not accept the authentication of the old scholars by the modern ones, thus there are some ambiguities about Harrani and his book. In this paper, the author tries to remove the baseless accusations of Harrani and on the strength of Harrni's motivation and testimony and views of modern scholars make a step to revive this great hadith book.
Key Words: Tradition, Hadith Sources, Harrani, Tuhaf al-Uqul, Al-Tamhis, Text Criticism.
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