An Analysis of Yahya bin Sa’id Al-Hilli’s Chains of Transmission to the Book of Zuraif bin Nasih

Abstract

Zuraif bin Nasih, a companion of the two Imams, Al-Sadiq and Al-Ridha (peace be upon them), authored several works, including the Kitab Al-Diyat (The Book of Blood Money). This book is considered part of the correspondence of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) to his governors, preserved across generations and reviewed by Imams Al-Sadiq and Al-Ridha (peace be upon them). Zuraif bin Nasih is one of the narrators of this seminal work, which later became widely known under his name. Over the course of history, the Kitab Al-Diyat has been cited by prominent Shia scholars. After completing his Al-Jami’ lil-Shara’i’, Yahya bin Sa’id Al-Hilli transferred the content of the Kitab Al-Diyat through several chains of transmission at the request of one of the scholars.
This study focuses on analyzing and compiling Yahya bin Sa’id’s multiple chains of transmission to the Kitab Al-Diyat as well as the book’s various chains to the Imams (peace be upon them). It also addresses the doubts raised by scholars such as Ibn Idris Al-Hilli, Al-Shahid Al-Thani, and Sayyid Muhammad Al-Sadr concerning this book.