Usul al-Kafi

Audience

As stated in the introduction of the Kitab al-Kafi, the intended audience for al-Kulayni’s text was intelligent people who sought religious understanding and who could then teach and lead others. Since al-Kulayni was writing in a Shia stronghold, we may assume that he was writing for a Shia audience and, presumably, to those who were receptive to Shia authority.

One of the strengths in these volumes is that al-Kulayni refrained from editorializing about the Hadith, leaving further analysis to subsequent commentators. Because of this, the document retains its original freshness. Usul al-Kafi has spawned commentary of its own, and there is a rich Shia tradition of examining and weighing the reliability of the Hadith presented therein. The commentary on the Usul began almost immediately after publication by such figures as the famous Shia scholar Al-Shaykh al-Saduq. Other collections of Shia Hadith exist. Together with three other collections by other authors, the Kitab al-Kafi makes up the famous Al-Kutub al-Arba’ah, or “Four Books,” that Shia scholars rely upon. However, these volumes merely add to al-Kulayni’s work, rather than superseding it. In modern times, the Usul al-Kafi remains a foundational work that retains a vital place in Shia discourse. It is consistently referred to by contemporary Shia legal scholars and political leaders, to exhort people to the faith and also to serve as a source of legal authority. Among non-Islamists, the text occupies a significant space in medieval studies.