ALI BIN YAQTEEN

Ali bin Yaqteen (742-798 A.D./124-182 A.H.) was an outstanding Shi'ite

traditionist, jurist, and theologian. He was born in Kufah and migrated to Madinah

with his father and then moved to Baghdad. He first started his business as a

chemist and then entered the Abbasid administrative setup and became an officer

under Mahdi, the Abbasid caliph and got close to Harun al-Rashid (d. 809 A.D/ 193

A.H.). He was an ardent Shi'ite but he like his father kept his beliefs in secret. He

was in close contact with Imam Musa al-Kazim (A.S.) (746-799 A.D./128-183 A.H.)

and the holy Imam had great confidence in him. Shi'ite writers believes that he

remained in the Abbasid administration at the instance of Imam Musa Kazim

(A.S.) in order to support the oppressed people and assist the shi'ites. About his

beliefs it was reported many times to Harun al-Rashid but he remained safe. Many

traditions has been quoted regarding the firn beliefs and piety of Ali bin Yaqteen

including a tradition in which Imam Kazim (A.S.) has guaranteed heaven to him. He

was a most reliable traditionist and narrated a tradition from Imam Sadiq (A.S.)

and many traditions from Imam Kazim (A.S.) Many narrators had quoted traditions

from him and many books are ascribed to him. He expired in Baghdad when Imam

Kazim (A.S.) was interned in prisons of Harun al-Rashid. Khuzaimah, Yaqoob and

Ubaid were the three sons of Yaqteen.and they were the companions of Imam

Musa al-Kazim (A.S.) and quoted traditions from the holy Imams.