['Aalim Network QR] Extant written works from the Imams (as)

["Akil M. Karim" <amk@ican.net>]

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|       In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the All-Merciful       |\
|  Greeting of Allah be upon Muhammad and the pure members of his House |\
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Salaamun 'Alaykum

The following question was kindly answered by Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi.


Fee Amaanillah,

Akil Karim
Moderator - 'Aalim Network

---------- Forwarded Message ----------

QUESTION:

I am curious as to what written works the Imams of the Ahl al-bayt (as)
composed and, of them, which are extant.  for example, I have heard that
Imam Sadiq (as) wrote down a tafsir of the qur'an but that it was lost.


ANSWER:

I have not yet seen a list of the written works of all the Imams of Ahlul
Bayt (a.s.). Doing research before answering the question would have
further delayed the answer so I am writing what I can recollect from my
past readings.

The most famous are the following two works of Imam Zaynul 'Abidin (a.s.):
        1. Risalatul Huquq.
        2. Sahifa Sajjadiya.

As for other Imams, I cannot recall a book as such but there are many
letters or tracts written by Imams, specially 8th, 9th and 10th Imams, in
the various collections of hadith. There are also some books ASCRIBED to
certain Imams (e.g., the Tafsir of Imam Hasan al-'Askari) but the scholars
of hadith have doubts about their authenticity.

As for Imam 'Ali, most of what he wrote during his caliphate in forms of
letters and circulars have been preserved in the Nahjul Balagha. The
longest document written by the Imam in Nahjul Balagha is the letter to
Malik Ashtar in which he outlines the art of ruling and governing a
society. There is also a book written by Imam 'Ali known as Kitab ad-Diyaat
describing various indemnities and penalties one has to pay in violation of
certain laws of Islam. This book was with the later Imams (Imam as-Sadiq
and Imam ar-Riza), and has been preserved in early collection of hadith,
e.g., al-Kafi of Kulayni and at-Tahzib of Tusi.

More insha Allah when I get time in future.

Was-salaam,

Sayyid M. Rizvi