Abd-ul-Husain Al-Musawi on the four books

Question:

According to Al-Musawi, are the traditions of the four books “Al-Kafi”, “Man La Yahduruh-ul-Faqih”, “Al-Istibsar” and “Tahdhib-ul-Ahkam” authentic (Sahih)?

Answer:

Abd-ul-Husain Sharaf-ud-Din Al-Musawi writes:

وأحسن ما جمع منها الكتب الأربعة التي هي مرجع الإمامية في أصولهم وفروعهم من الصدر الأول إلى هذا الزمان وهي الكافي والتهذيب والإستبصار ومن لا يحضره الفقيه وهي متواترة ومضامينها مقطوع بصحتها والكافي أقدمها وأعظمها وأحسنها وأتقنها وفيه ستة عشر ألف ومئة وتسعة وتسعون حديثا وهي أكثر مما اشتملت عليه الصحاح الستة (للمخالفين) بأجمعها كما صرح به الشهيد في الذكرى وغير واحد من الأعلام

“The best that has been collected from these, are the four books which serve as a reference (Marja’) for the followers of the Imams (a.) in terms of their principles and branches from the early times until this time and these are Al-Kafi, At-Tahdhib, Al-Istibsar and Man La Yahduruh-ul-Faqih, which have been continuously transmitted (Mutawatir) and their contents leave no doubt that they are authentic (Sahih). Al-Kafi is the oldest and greatest and best and most profound of these and it contains 16,199 traditions and it is more than what the six authenticated books ( the opponent ) comprise in their entirety, as Ash-Shahid clearly expressed in (the book) Adh-Dhikra and others by scholars.” [Al-Muraja’at, page 334]