Musnad of Imam Zayd
GF Haddad
In reply to the following question:
>I would appreciate it if you can tell me what you know about: Musnad
al-Imam Zayd wa'Ali al-Rida ibn Musa al-Kazim. This reference was in a
book on Islamic Ecoomics (by a sunni author). I have never heard of it
before. It looks like the Imam is that which the shia revere as their '8th
Imam' (Imam Ali Rida)- which the ahlus sunnah, obviously disagree with.
Answer:
Musnad al-Imam Zayd (d. 122) was 1st published by a certain Griffini in
Milan, 1919. Followed by an edition in Cairo in 1340=1921. Then Beirut:
Dar Maktabat al-Hayat, 1966 in 518 pages. It is also known as al-Majmu`
al-Fiqhi.
This Musnad was gathered by Abu al-Qasim `Abd al-`Aziz ibn Ishaq
al-Baghdadi.
It received a commentary entitled al-Rawd al-Nadir Sharh Majmu` al-Fiqh
al-Kabir, by Sharaf al-Din al-Hasan ibn Ahmad al-San`ani (d. 221).
Published in Cairo at Matba`at al-Sa`ada in 1347/1938. This is an old and
established Sunni printing house.
The Sharh received a second edition at Ta'if: Maktabat al-Mu'ayyad, 1968
in 5 volumes.
The 1921 Cairo edition of Imam Zayd's Musnad also contains the Musnad of
al-Imam `Ali al-Rida (36 pages).
Another book by Imam Zayd was published, Minhaj al-Hajj, aw Manasik Al
Muhammad Sallallahu `alayhi wa Sallam. Ed. Muhammad Salih Ibrahim
al-Husayni. Baghdad: Matba`at al-Furat, 1342/1923.
Al-Dhahabi in Siyar A`lam al-Nubala' (1996 ed. 6:184) said that Hisham ibn
al-Barid narrated from Imam Zayd ibn `Ali ibn al-Husayn ibn `Ali ibn Abi
Talib (RAA) that he said: "Abu Bakr is the Imam of the Thankful" then
recited {and Allah shall reward the Thankful} (3:144). Then he said:
"Dissociation from Abu Bakr is dissociation from `Ali."
So the taking of this noble Imam as "one of the Twelve Imams" by those who
curse the Two Shaykhs [Abu Bakr and `Umar] is similar to their taking Imam
Ja`far ibn Muhammad (Ja`far al-Sadiq) as another one of the Twelve, as
both Zayd and Ja`far, like their forefather `Ali ibn Abi Talib, respected
and venerated the Two Shaykhs as their own Imams and Umara' al-Mu'minin.
In fact the Rafida got their name from the rejection (rafd) of Imam Zayd
ibn `Ali when he was asked: "Repudiate the Two Shaykhs and we shall
support you" but he replied: "Rather, I consider them my liege-lords" (bal
atawallaahuma) whereupon they replied: "Narfuduka - We reject you."
The Zaydi madhhab, centered in Yemen (San`a'), is the most moderate and
closest of all the Shi`i sects to Ahl al-Sunna wal-Jama`a in fiqh and usul
nor do they disrespect the Two Shaykhs wAllahu a`lam.
GF Haddad
Qas...@cyberia.net.lb