Kitab al-Kafi
book by Muḥammad Ibn-Yaʿqūb al-Kulīnī
Al-Kafi (Arabic: ٱلْكَافِي, al-Kāfī, 'The Sufficient') is the most important and authoritative hadith collection in Shia Islam, compiled in the first half of the 10th century CE (early 4th century AH) by Muḥammad ibn Yaʿqūb al-Kulaynī (c. 868–941). It is one of the Four Books (Kutub al Arba'a) of Shia Islam.
It is divided into three sections: Uṣūl al-Kāfī, dealing with epistemology, theology, history, ethics, supplication, and the Qurʾān; Furūʿ al-Kāfī, which is concerned with practical and legal issues; and Rawdat (or Rawḍat al-Kāfī), which includes miscellaneous traditions, many of which are lengthy letters and speeches transmitted from the Twelve Imams. In total, al-Kāfī comprises 16,199 narrations. It reportedly took him twenty years to finish the book.
Contents
Usul al-Kafi
The first eight books of al-Kāfī are commonly referred to as Uṣūl al-Kāfī, Uṣūl meaning 'Fundamental'. The first typeset edition of the al-Kāfī, which was published in eight volumes, placed Uṣūl al-kāfī in the first two volumes. Generally speaking, Uṣūl al-kāfī contains traditions that deal with epistemology, theology, history, ethics, supplication, and the Qurʾān.
Furūʿ al-Kāfī
Books 9 through 34 are referred to as Furūʿ al-Kāfī and are found in volumes three through seven of the first typeset edition. Furūʿ al-Kāfī contains traditions that deal predominantly with practical and legal issues.
“Kitab al-Kafi” enters the record as book by Muḥammad Ibn-Yaʿqūb al-Kulīnī. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Kitab, al-Kafi and book can confirm, complicate or overturn.
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