IBN BABAWAYH

Muhammad bin Ali bin Husain bin Musa bin Babawayh Qummi nicknamed Shaykh

Sadook (917-919 A.D. / 305-381 A.H.) was a prominent Shi'ite traditionist and

jurist. Shaykh Tousi in his chains of Al-Istibsar has nicknamed him as Imad al-Din.

About his date and place of birth there is no exact information. Ibn Babawayh was

brought up in a learned family in Qum and in his youth got education under famous

teachers of the city. Ibn Babawayh during an unknown date left Qum for Ray which

was the capital of the Buwahids and settled in that city. In 963 A.D./ 352 A.H.) with

the permission of Rukn ad-Dawlah the governor of Ray, he left for the holy city of

Mashhad to perform the pilgrimage of the holy shrine of Imam Reza (A.S.).

Main charaeteristic of Ibn Babawayh is that he by stressing on traditions explains

and proves theological arguments and his jurisprudence is also based on traditions.

He considers analogy and deduction as not permissible.

Ibn Babawayh travelled extensively to collect the traditions. He met many masters

of traditions and he has left behind many works in tradition. His nickname

"Sadook" was due to his authencity in narrating the traditions. The first person

who nicknamed Ibn Babawayh as "Sadook" was Ibn Idris.

Ibn Babawayh was a voluminous writer. He himself mentions that he is the author

of more than 245 books. His works which are printed are as follows: Al-Iteqadat,

Al-Amali, Al-Tawhid, Thawab al-Amaal wa Uqab al-Amaal, Al-Khisal and few other

manwscripts which are present in the libraries of Iran and outside Iran. About 200

books ascribed to him are mentioned in Rijal-i Najashi and the catalogues of Tousi

and Ibn Shahr Aashub.