alKulayni

alKulayni, more commonly written al-Kulayni or al-Kulayni al-Baghdadi, was a prominent medieval Shia Muslim scholar and compiler of hadith who lived in Baghdad during the late 9th and early 10th centuries. His full name is Abu Ja’far Muhammad ibn Ya’qub ibn Ishaq al-Kulayni, and he is best known for authoring the hadith collection al-Kafi, a foundational work in Twelver Shia Islam. He died circa 940 CE.

Life and work: Al-Kulayni traveled widely to collect traditions, seeking narratives associated with the Imams and their companions. He gathered hadith across theology, jurisprudence, ethics, and devotional practice, aiming to present a comprehensive picture of Shiite beliefs and law as transmitted through chain-linked isnads. His efforts produced al-Kafi, a multi-volume compilation completed in the early 10th century, which became a central reference for later Shia scholars.

Contents and significance: Al-Kafi is traditionally divided into three sections: Usul al-Kafi (principles of religion), Furu' al-Kafi (practical legal hadith), and Rawdat al-Kafi (miscellaneous and evaluative material). The collection covers doctrinal matters, legal rulings, devotional supplications, and exemplary narratives, reflecting the Twelver Shia emphasis on the guidance of the Imams. It is regarded as one of the most important Shia hadith sources and has shaped both juridical reasoning and theological interpretation.

Legacy: Al-Kulayni’s work helped establish al-Kafi as a foundational text in Shia scholarship and educated generations of students in the Shiite tradition. It is traditionally paired with later works such as Tahdhib al-Ahkam and Al-Istibsar in the broader corpus of Twelver Hadith literature, and its narrations are subject to critical scrutiny like other classical collections.