DENUNCIATION OF THE PRESENCE OF UNWORTHY THINGS IN BOOKS OF HADEES AND DUAS

First: It is noticeable that this author made all these distortions and baseless additions because he followed his own opinion and taste, intending to cover up the imperfection of the book. Yet, he believed that such imperfection cannot be removed unless distortions are added to it. We may compare this idea to the additions, changes, and alterations that we may add to some supplications and forms of ziyarah out of our ignorance that is imposed upon us by our imperfect impressions and tastes. While we claim that these maters would increase the excellence and sublimity of these supplications and forms of ziyarah, the fact is the opposite; these changes and distortions strip these supplications of excellence and sublimity and deprive them of consideration in the views of experienced and intelligent people. Hence, we must maintain the reported forms of these texts, by observing them, without adding or erasing any single letter.

Second: The author of the book that we have given as example is alive; he can thus revise and correct his book. Nevertheless, we find his book full of distortions and deformation. How would be the matter with other books then? And how can we, after that, trust the other published books? Hence, the only books that we can trust must be those which were written by famous scholars who must have submitted their works on more knowledgeable people who would then admit these writings before they would be published.

In the biography of Yunus ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman - the trustworthy, sublime, and preferred scholar and companion of the Holy Imams - it has been reported that he wrote a book on the recommended devotional acts on days and nights. When Abu-Hashim al-Ja’fari submitted the book to Imam al-’Askari (‘a), the Imam, having browsed the entire book, said, “This is the faith of my fathers and me. It is absolutely true.”

Commenting on this incident, we say: Because Abu-Hashim wanted to follow the example of Yunus in writing a book, he did not stop at the abundant knowledgeability, experience, sublimity, and religiousness of Yunus; therefore, he submitted the book before the Imam (‘a) to seek his opinion.

It has been also reported that Bawraq al-Shanajani al-Harawi, one of the honest, virtuous, and upright personalities, traveled for Samarra’ to meet Imam al-’Askari (‘a) and show him the book entitled al-Yawm wa’l-Laylah, which was written by Fazl ibn Shadhan, the sublime scholar, saying, “May Allah accept me as ransom for you! I would like you to see and browse this book.” The Imam (‘a), having looked through the book, said, “This is true. You may depend upon it.”

There are many other traditions confirming this fact.

When I proceeded with the current work, I have already realized the impressions of the people of this age and their inattentiveness to such matters of accuracy and revision. Nevertheless, I wrote this book in order to put them under conclusive argument. I therefore exerted all possible efforts to quote the supplications and forms of ziyarah, mentioned in this book, from their original sources, taking into consideration the different copies of these supplications. I have also done my best in correcting and omitting the mistakes so that the reader who acts upon the material of this book would trust and confide in it. However, I have one condition; the copiers of this book must not distort any thing of it and the reader must neglect the materials that do not correspond to his personal impression and taste.

Shaykh al-Kulayni reported ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Qasir as saying:

One day, I visited Imam al-Sadiq, blessings of Allah be upon him, and said, “May Allah accept me as ransom for you! I have invented a supplication.”

The Imam (‘a) answered, “Save me from your inventions!”

Hence, the Imam (‘a) turned away from his inventions and disallowed him to show him the invented supplication.

The Imam (‘a) then endued the man with a favor to do.

Shaykh al-Saduq, may Allah perfume his tomb, has reported on the authority of ‘Abdullah ibn Sinan that Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) said:

I see coming that a seditious matter shall inflict you, leaving you without visible sign or leader to the true guidance. None will be saved from so except those who say the Supplication of the Drowned (Du’a’ al-Ghariq).

The reported asked, “What is the Supplication of the Drowned?”

The Imam answered: It is as follows: