Infiltration of The Sunni Corpus
I was scrolling through X (previously known as Twitter) one day and noticed a peculiar beef that a prominent ‘Sunni influencer’ was engaging in. He made a peculiar claim that was no where near the truth:
Opponent’s Challenge: “Show me one Rafidi Shia in the chains of al-Bukhari.”
This demand reflects a grave misunderstanding of his view of al-Bukhari’s methodology and the historical context of narrators. While al-Bukhari scrutinized narrators for reliability (ʿadālah and ḍabṭ), he did not exclude individuals solely for being labeled “Shia” or even “Rafidi” by critics of their time. In fact, prominent narrators in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhari were openly accused of tashayyuʿ (Shia leanings) or rafḍ (rejectionism) by classical scholars, yet al-Bukhari retained their transmissions due to their ‘established trustworthiness‘ (lol). Bukhari himself knew individuals who were Shia and called them out for it, and yet, allowed testimony to be accepted from them. So the following is a compilation of such individuals (typically coming from Kufan/Basran/Generally Iraqi territory) from Sahih al-Bukhari ALONE. I won’t even cite the lesser books such as Sahih Muslim, Tirmidih, Ibn Majah, etc. The challenge was Bukhari, so we’ll only engage with this compilation, God willing:
ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Aʿyan al-Kūfī (عبد الملك بن أعين الكوفي)
ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Aʿyan al-Kūfī Biography: https://shamela.ws/narrator/4014
| Criticizer | Statement | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Abu Hatim al-Razi | “He was among the early Shi’a (ʿAtiq al-Shiʿa), trustworthy in his honesty, acceptable in hadith, and his narrations are written down.” | Tahdhib al-Kamal (18/282), Tahdhib al-Tahdhib (2/607), Al-Jarh wa al-Ta‘dil (5/343) |
| Ahmad ibn Salih al-Misri | “‘Abd al-Malik ibn A‘yan was a trustworthy Kufan.” In another place, he said: “There is no harm in him.” | Ikmal Tahdhib al-Kamal (8/302) |
| Ibn Hibban | “He inclined toward Shi’ism.“ | Tahdhib al-Kamal (18/282), Tahdhib al-Tahdhib (2/607) |
| Ibn Hajar | “He has one hadith in the collections of the two Shaykhs (al-Bukhari and Muslim), in which he is paired with Jami‘ ibn Abi Rashid.” / “Truthful and Shi’i.” | Tahdhib al-Tahdhib (2/607), Taqrib al-Tahdhib (1/621) |
| Ibn Khallafun | “He was among the trustworthy.” | Ikmal Tahdhib al-Kamal (8/302) |
| Al-Dhahabi | “He was authentic.” / “He was a Shi’i, truthful, and both al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated from him, but only when paired with another narrator.” | Lisan al-Mizan (9/361), Al-Kashif (3/317) |
| Al-Saji | “He was a Shi’i, and his hadith is tolerable.” | Tahdhib al-Tahdhib (2/607), Ikmal Tahdhib al-Kamal (8/302) |
| Al-‘Ajli | “A Kufan, a Tabi’i, and trustworthy.” | Tahdhib al-Tahdhib (2/607) |
| Al-‘Aqili | “He was a Rafidi (extreme Shi’a). Al-Thawri narrated from him but then abandoned him.” | Ikmal Tahdhib al-Kamal (8/302) |
| Yahya ibn Ma‘in | “He is nothing (i.e., unreliable).” | Tahdhib al-Tahdhib (2/607), Al-Jarh wa al-Ta‘dil (5/343), Tahdhib al-Kamal (18/282) |
| Ibn al-Jarud | “He is nothing.” | Ikmal Tahdhib al-Kamal (8/302) |
| Ibn Shahin | “He was listed among the trustworthy but also in the weak narrators.” | Ikmal Tahdhib al-Kamal (8/302) |
| Al-Bukhari | “He was a Shi’i.” | Ikmal Tahdhib al-Kamal (8/302) |
| Abu Musa al-Zaman | “I never heard Ibn Mahdi narrate from Sufyan (al-Thawri) regarding ‘Abd al-Malik ibn A‘yan, although I was informed that he did before later refraining.” | Tahdhib al-Tahdhib (2/607) |
| Al-Kalabadhi | “Muhammad (al-Bukhari) only narrated from him when paired with another narrator, and he was a Shi’i.” | Ikmal Tahdhib al-Kamal (8/302) |
| Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah | “He was a Shi’i Rafidi and a man of (sectarian) opinions.” / “He was a Rafidi.” | Ikmal Tahdhib al-Kamal (8/302), Tahdhib al-Kamal (18/282), Tahdhib al-Tahdhib (2/607) |
| ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Mahdi | “I never heard ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Mahdi narrate from Sufyan about ‘Abd al-Malik ibn A‘yan, although I was informed that he did before later refraining.” | Tahdhib al-Kamal (18/282), Al-Jarh wa al-Ta‘dil (5/343) |
al-Ḥakam ibn ʿUtaybah (الحكم بن عُتَيْبَة)
al-Ḥakam ibn ʿUtaybah Biography: https://shamela.ws/narrator/1580
| Criticizer | Statement on Shi‘ism | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Al-‘Ajli | “He was among the jurists of Ibrahim’s students, a follower of the Sunnah, and committed to adherence, though he leaned towards Shi‘ism, but this was not evident from him.” | Tahdhib al-Tahdhib 1/466 |
| Al-‘Ajli (as quoted in Tahdhib al-Kamal) | “He leaned towards Shi‘ism, but this was not apparent until after his death.” | Tahdhib al-Kamal 7/114 |
| Ahmad ibn ‘Abdullah al-‘Ajli | “Sufyan did not hear from him despite having met him… He leaned towards Shi‘ism, but this was not apparent until after his death.” | Tahdhib al-Kamal 7/114 |
| Abu Ishaq al-Fazari | “He was a Shi‘i.“ | Lisan al-Mizan 2/429 |
| Al-Dhahabi | “He was one of the scholars and jurists of Kufa, but he had a tendency toward Shi‘ism.” | Mizan al-I‘tidal 1/592 |
| Ibn Sa‘d | “He was trustworthy, but there was some inclination toward Shi‘ism in him.” | Tabaqat Ibn Sa‘d 6/348 |
‘Adi ibn Thabit al-Ansari (عدي بن ثابت)
‘Adi ibn Thabit al-Ansari Biography: https://shamela.ws/narrator/4340
| Criticizer | Accusation of Shiism | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Abū Ḥātim al-Rāzī | “He is truthful, and he was the imam of the Shīʿa mosque and their preacher.” | Tahdhīb al-Kamāl, 19/522; Tahdhīb al-Tahdhīb, 3/85; al-Jarḥ wa-l-Taʿdīl by Ibn Abī Ḥātim, 7/2 |
| Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal | “He is reliable, but he was a Shīʿī.” | Tahdhīb al-Tahdhīb, 3/85; Ikmāl Tahdhīb al-Kamāl, 9/201; al-Jarḥ wa-l-Taʿdīl by Ibn Abī Ḥātim, 7/2 |
| Ibn Ḥibbān | No specific accusation of Shīʿism mentioned, just that he was reliable. | Tahdhīb al-Kamāl, 19/522; Tahdhīb al-Tahdhīb, 3/85 |
| Ibn Ḥajar | “He is reliable, but accused of Shīʿīsm.” | Taqrīb al-Tahdhīb, 1/671 |
| Ibn Shāhīn | “Aḥmad said: ‘He is reliable, but he was a Shīʿī.’” | Tahdhīb al-Tahdhīb, 3/85; Ikmāl Tahdhīb al-Kamāl, 9/201 |
| Al-Dāraquṭnī | “He is reliable, but he was an extreme Rāfiḍī.” | Ikmāl Tahdhīb al-Kamāl, 9/201; Tahdhīb al-Tahdhīb, 3/85 |
| Al-Dhahabī | “He is reliable, but he was a preacher (qāṣṣ) of the Shīʿa and their imam in Kūfah.” | al-Kāshif fī Maʿrifat man lahu Riwayah fī al-Kutub al-Sittah, 3/400 |
| Al-ʿIjlī and al-Nasāʾī | “He is reliable.” No accusation of Shīʿism. | Tahdhīb al-Tahdhīb, 3/85; Tahdhīb al-Kamāl, 19/522 |
| Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn | “There is no harm in him when he narrates from reliable narrators.” He also said: “He was an extreme Shīʿī.” | Tahdhīb al-Tahdhīb, 3/85; Ikmāl Tahdhīb al-Kamāl, 9/201 |
| Al-Ṭabarī | “The ḥadīth of ʿAdī ibn Thābit requires careful scrutiny.” | Ikmāl Tahdhīb al-Kamāl, 9/201; Tahdhīb al-Tahdhīb, 3/85 |
| Al-Bukhārī | “I asked Muḥammad (al-Bukhārī): ‘What is the name of ʿAdī ibn Thābit’s grandfather?’ He did not know, so I mentioned Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn’s statement that his name was Dīnār, but he did not consider it significant.” | Ikmāl Tahdhīb al-Kamāl, 9/201 |
| Al-Jūzjānī | “He deviated from the right path.” | Tahdhīb al-Tahdhīb, 3/85 |
| Abū Dāwūd al-Sijistānī | “The ḥadīth of ʿAdī ibn Thābit → his father → his grandfather is problematic.” | Ikmāl Tahdhīb al-Kamāl, 9/201 |
| Abū Bakr ibn Abī Dāwūd | “The ḥadīth of ʿAdī ibn Thābit → his father → his grandfather is problematic.” | Tahdhīb al-Tahdhīb, 3/85 |
| Ibrāhīm al-Ḥarbī | “ʿAdī ibn Thābit’s grandfather did not meet the Prophet.” | Ikmāl Tahdhīb al-Kamāl, 9/201 |
| Ibn Mājah | “I hope it is connected,” in reference to the ḥadīth from ʿAdī ibn Thābit. | Ikmāl Tahdhīb al-Kamāl, 9/201 |
| Shuʿbah ibn al-Ḥajjāj | “He was among the Rāfiḍah.” | Tahdhīb al-Tahdhīb, 3/85 |
| Al-Fasawī | “ʿAdī ibn Thābit al-Anṣārī was a Kūfan Shīʿī.” | Ikmāl Tahdhīb al-Kamāl, 9/201 |
ʿUbayd Allāh ibn Mūsā (عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُوسَى)
ʿUbayd Allāh ibn Mūsā biography – https://shamela.ws/narrator/4210
| Criticizer | Accusation of Shiism | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Ibn Hibban | “He was a Shi’ite.” | “Thiqaat” (7/152), “Tahdhib al-Tahdhib” (3/28) |
| Ibn Hajar | “He was a Shi’ite.” | “Taqreeb al-Tahdhib” (1/645) |
| Ibn Khulfoon | “He was inclined towards Shi’ism.” | “Ikmal Tahdhib al-Kamal” (9/68) |
| Ibn Shaheen | “He was a Shi’ite, and he used to make mistakes in his narration of Sufyan’s reports in an awkward way.” | “Tahdhib al-Tahdhib” (3/28), “Ikmal Tahdhib al-Kamal” (9/68) |
| Ibn Adi | “He was trustworthy, no specific mention of Shi’ism.” | “Tahdhib al-Tahdhib” (3/28) |
| Ibn Qani’ | “He was a Shi’ite.” | “Tahdhib al-Tahdhib” (3/28) |
| Al-Dhahabi | “He was one of the prominent figures who exhibited his Shi’ism and bid’ah.” | “Al-Kashf fi Ma’arifat Man Lahu Riwaya fi al-Kutub al-Sitta” (3/361) |
| Al-Saji | “He was an exaggerator in his Shi’ism.” | “Ikmal Tahdhib al-Kamal” (9/68), “Tahdhib al-Tahdhib” (3/28) |
| Al-Ajli | “He was a Shi’ite, and an expert in Qur’an.” | “Tahdhib al-Tahdhib” (3/28), “Ikmal Tahdhib al-Kamal” (9/68) |
| Abu Hatim al-Razi | “He was trustworthy but no specific mention of Shi’ism.” | “Tahdhib al-Tahdhib” (3/28) |
| Uthman Ibn Abi Shaiba | “No specific mention of Shi’ism.” | “Ikmal Tahdhib al-Kamal” (9/68) |
| Yahya Ibn Ma’in | “He was a trustworthy narrator despite accusations of Shi’ism.” | “Tahdhib al-Tahdhib” (3/28), “Ikmal Tahdhib al-Kamal” (9/68) |
| Abu Dawood | “He was a Shi’ite, but his narrations were acceptable.” | “Ikmal Tahdhib al-Kamal” (9/68), “Tahdhib al-Tahdhib” (3/28) |
| Ahmad Ibn Hanbal | “He was a Shi’ite and narrated some strange reports.” | “Tahdhib al-Tahdhib” (3/28) |
| Al-Fasawi | “He was a Shi’ite, and his narrations were controversial.” | “Tahdhib al-Tahdhib” (3/28), “Ikmal Tahdhib al-Kamal” (9/68) |
| Al-Jawzajani | “He was a Shi’ite, and his reports contained oddities.” | “Tahdhib al-Tahdhib” (3/28), “Ikmal Tahdhib al-Kamal” (9/68) |
ʿAbbād ibn Yaʿqūb (عَبَّادُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ)
ʿAbbād ibn Yaʿqūb biography – https://www.islamweb.net/ar/library/content/60/2116/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AC%D9%86%D9%8A
| Criticizer | Accusation of Shiism | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Abu Hatim | “He is a trustworthy sheikh.” | “al-Kamal fi Asma al-Rijal” |
| Al-Hakim | “Ibn Khuzaymah used to say: ‘We were narrated by the trustworthy in his narration, but he is suspicious in his faith, ‘Abad ibn Ya‘qub.'” | “al-Mustadrak” |
| Ibn ‘Adi | “He has exaggeration in Shi’ism.” | “al-Kamil fi Du‘afa” |
| ‘Abdan (from a trustworthy source) | “‘Abad used to curse the predecessors (Sahabah).” | “al-Kamil fi Du‘afa” |
| Ibn ‘Adi | “He narrated oddities in the virtues and defects of people.” | “al-Kamil fi Du‘afa” |
| Salih Juzrah | “‘Abad used to curse Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him). I heard him say: ‘Allah is more just than to allow Talhah and al-Zubayr to enter paradise, while they killed Ali after pledging allegiance to him.'” | “al-Kamil fi Du‘afa” |
| Ibn Jarir | “I heard him say: ‘Whoever does not declare their innocence from the enemies of the family of Muhammad every day in their prayer will be resurrected with them.'” | “al-Kamil fi Du‘afa” |
| Muhammad ibn al-Muthaffar al-Hafiz | “He tested students by asking about the sea and had a narrative about Ali and al-Husayn being involved in matters of the Mahdi.” | “al-Kamil fi Du‘afa,” “al-Manāqib” |
| Al-Bukhari | “‘Abad ibn Ya‘qub died in Shawwal, the year 250 AH.” | “al-Tarikh al-Kabir” |
| Critic’s personal comment | “I received some of his works in al-Ba‘th from Ibn Abi Dawood. I also saw a part of his book ‘al-Manāqib,’ which contains irrelevant things.” | “al-Kamil fi Du‘afa,” “al-Manāqib” |
This list will be an ongoing list as I run into more Shia-like narrators, but there are loads more out there. What Adnan fails to understand is that these individuals were part of the early Islamic scholarly tradition, and their inclusion in the chains of narrators in Sahih al-Bukhari or other Sunni collections does not negate their historical presence or their contributions to hadith literature. The science of ilm al-rijal (the study of narrators) is nuanced and does not operate on binary categorizations of “Sunni” or “Shia” as we understand these terms today. It’s only due to the increased polarization between these two sects that make individuals believe no Shia has ever narrated inside any Sunni book-let alone Sahih al-Bukhari.
This further substantiates the argument that Bukhari lacked the means to thoroughly verify the backgrounds of all the narrators included in his compilation. The formalized study of narrators (ilm al-rijal), which involves detailed biographical research and critical assessments of narrators’ lives, sectarian affiliations, and reliability, did not develop until centuries after his death. Scholars such as al-Mizzi, Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, and al-Dhahabi compiled works like Tahdhib al-Kamal, Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, and Mizan al-I’tidal long after Bukhari’s time, offering far more in-depth insights into the lives and affiliations of narrators than were available to him. While he is celebrated for his meticulous criteria and rigorous standards for accepting hadith, his methods were necessarily constrained by the historical context in which he worked. He could not have known the full range of every narrator’s theological perspectives, sectarian affiliations, or later scholarly evaluations, as these were recorded and analyzed by scholars who lived centuries after his death. This gap in available knowledge challenges the notion that his compilation is entirely free from narrators whose backgrounds might later be considered problematic or whose affiliations were deemed controversial.
The Response to Adnan’s comment: https://x.com/HadithCritic/status/1886146825331077198
