1. Selection: This publication
does not contain all the chapters and the traditions as
are in the original Al-Kafi in Arabic. Selected traditions
are presented.
Why a selection?
A. The target readers are youth who are
still in the process of acquiring knowledge of religion.
The traditions containing higher levels of ideologies
and those with an abstract expression have not been included.
B. Traditions, which are very lengthy
and detailed have also been left out.
C. If there are several traditions, which
are identical in their meaning and purport only one of
them has been selected.
Thus this presentation is Selection.
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| 2.
Books: The book Al-Kafi, originally in Arabic is
in three volumes, each divided into a number of sub-books
referred in Arabic as “Kitab” meaning Book,
instead of being referred as Parts or Sections. This presentation
maintains this same style of Arabic in its English translation,
dividing the Book into many sub-Books. |
| 3.
Serial numbers: The serial number of the Chapters
and the Traditions, in this publication are continuous from
the beginning of the book till the end, unlike the numbers
that start fresh under every sub-book and Chapter respectively
in the original Al-Kafi in Arabic. The exact serial numbers
as are in the original Al-Kafi in Arabic are given at the
end* of every Chapter and Tradition in brackets* and as
well as in the table of cross reference at the end of the
book, in order to facilitate the readers to refer the corresponding
Tradition in the original Al-Kafi in Arabic, if so desire
for research.
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| *for
example (B2, C5, T3) where in the abbreviation ‘B’
means ‘Book’, ‘C’ is for ‘Chapter’
and ‘T’ is for Tradition, corresponding to the
original Al-Kafi in Arabic.
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| 4.
Names of Prophets: The names of Prophets are given
into Biblical names with their original names as in Arabic
with in brackets.
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| 5.
Italics: The text in Italics is
the Arabic origin and also the translation of Quranic verses.
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| 6.
The names of the entire chain of narrators in every tradition
are left out to make the text less lengthy
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| 7.
Some traditions have been partially translated omitting
abstract and philosophical text or text that has already
been included in some other tradition. Dots at the end of
the text mean further portion is deleted.
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| 8.
Abbreviations: small ‘p’ with
in bracket (p) used beside the names of Prophets and the
Imams, represents “Peace be upon him/her or them”.
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