Analyzing the traditions of Mufaḍḍal ibn Umar's range in Kāfī book

 
Introduction
Mufaḍḍal ibn Umar Jufi is one of the companions of Imam Sadiq and Imam Kazim (as), whose name appeared 95 times in the series of Isnads in the book Al-Kāfī. He is one of those transmitters who have transmitted special topics related to the Imam's high position in the world, the knowledge of the Imam's encirclement of the universe, the luminous creation of the Imams, and traditions related to the past worlds. In this article, the range of Mufaḍḍal is introduced as a group of transmitters who are carriers of the above topics and who have master-student relationships and who have been accused of exaggeration (ghuluw) by the leading scholars. Considering the significant position of the book Al-Kāfī in the Shi'a ḥadith heritage, understanding Kulayni's intermediaries in accessing the traditions of Mufaḍḍal ibn Umar's spectrum will be an important point.
 
Materials and Methods
Books on rijāl rijāl are significant resources for understanding the history of the lives of transmitters, as well as their tendencies and biases. Assessing the authenticity or lack thereof of these transmitters is just one of the functions of these texts. Utilizing conventional methods in historical studies and analyzing available data from historical events and reports regarding transmitters enhances our understanding of the realities during the time of the Imams (as) and the prevailing discourse of their era. One notable historical reality within Shi'a ḥadith is the existence of differing opinions among the companions, reflecting various intellectual and theological inclinations that have led to the formation of distinct movements and schools of thought. At times, these differences have resulted in confrontations between these groups. In this article, Mufaḍḍal ibn Umar can be viewed not merely as a movement leader but as the head of a splinter group within the majority of ḥadith transmitters, opposing the faction of Hishām ibn Hakam. The shared themes in traditions, the master-disciple relationships, and the accusations of exaggeration are considered criteria for distinguishing this group. This paper examines a series of Isnads in Al-Kāfī that relate to the traditions of Mufaḍḍal ibn Umar regarding the elevated status of the Imams in creation, their comprehensive knowledge of the universe, the luminous nature of their creation, and the ḥadiths concerning the realm of al-Dharr. The study aims to explore the connection between this series and Kulayni by employing a descriptive-analytical approach.
 
Results and Findings
Based on the chains of tradition that comprise the collection of traditions of the Mufaḍḍal in the book Al-Kāfī, it can be concluded that there are a total of 56 recognized chains through which the traditions of Mufaḍḍal spectrum were transmitted to Al-Kulayni. Among these 56 chains, 33 begin with the name Muḥammad ibn Yaḥyā, indicating that over 50% of these traditions reached Al-Kulayni through Muḥammad ibn Yaḥyā. In 23 of these 33 chains, Muḥammad ibn Yaḥyā obtained the reports from Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn 'īsā. Muḥammad ibn Yaḥyā al-Attar, also known as Abu Ja'far, was recognized by Najāshī as a prominent Shi'a figure in Qum and regarded as reliable. Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn 'īsā was one of the notable scholars of Qum and the author of several works, including “Al-Nawādir” and “aẓillah”. Given the thematic similarities between the traditions of Mufaḍḍal spectrum and the titles of Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad's two books, it is highly probable that these works were among the sources through which some traditions of Mufaḍḍal spectrum were transmitted to Al-Kulayni. Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn 'īsā al-Ash'ari was known for his stringent evaluation of transmitters, particularly in contrast to those who were lenient and inclined towards exaggeration(ghuluw) views. Nevertheless, it is observed that most of the traditions of Mufaḍḍal spectrum reached him via Muḥammad ibn Yaḥyā, who was validated by Najāshī.
Ali ibn Muḥammad ibn Ibrāḥīm ibn Aban al-Razi al-Kulayni, known as 'Allān, was the uncle of Muḥammad ibn Ya'qūb al-Kulayni. In the chains of tradition for the reports of Mufaḍḍal spectrum, 10 traditions are attributed to Ali ibn Muḥammad, who also reported from Sahl ibn Ziyad and Salih ibn Abi Hamad. Al-Kulayni transmitted the largest volume of traditions in Al-Kāfī from Ali ibn Ibrāḥīm al-Qummi. However, in the chains of tradition for the reports of Mufaḍḍal spectrum, the name Ali ibn Ibrāḥīm appeared only twice. In one chain, Ali ibn Ibrāḥīm narrates from his father Ibrāḥīm ibn Hāshim from Hasan ibn Maḥbūb, while in the other; the intermediary of Mufaḍḍal to Ibrāḥīm ibn Ḥāshim is not mentioned. Hussain ibn Muḥammad ibn Amer al-Ash'ari, another scholar from Qum associated with Al-Kulayni, is mentioned five times in the chains of tradition for the reports of Mufaḍḍal spectrum. In most of these instances, Hussain ibn Muḥammad narrates from Ma'ali ibn Muḥammad.
 
Conclusion
An examination of the chain of transmitters for the traditions of Mufaḍḍal ibn Umar in the book Al-Kāfī reveals that these ḥadiths are predominantly transmitted by Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn 'īsā and Muḥammad ibn Yaḥyā. Given the esteemed status of both Muḥammad ibn Yaḥyā and Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn 'īsā, a exaggeration (ghuluw) interpretation of Mufaḍḍal's traditions in Al-Kāfī seems implausible. Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn 'īsā, a prominent scholar from Qom, actively opposed both exaggerated (Ghālī) and lax transmitters in ḥadith transmission. Additionally, the chain of transmitters for Mufazzal's traditions does not include Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad Khalid al-Burqi. Therefore, the claim that Kulayni was a leading figure in the Mufaḍḍal ibn Umar movement and that Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn Khalid served as a link between Kulayni and the Mufaḍḍal movement lacks a scientific basis.