As illustration only; two paintings by Eckhout 1641
 
Back to Table of Contents2
To next page
Al-Kulayni (d939) Usool al-Kafi
(basics of what suffices)
from Iran, worked in Baghdad
------------------------------------------------

 Taken from: http://devilsdeceptionofshiism.wordpress.com/category/journey-to-shia-books/

A holy book of the Ithna Ashari. Usool al-Kafi is a collection of narrations attributed to the Shiite Imans, Ahlul Bayt and the Prophet.
 

Chapter: Whom Are Disliked for Marriage

 

(Narrated by) Ali bin Ibrahim, from Haroon bin Muslim, from Mas’adah bin Ziyad, from Abu Abdullah [as] said: Amirul-Mu’mineen Ali [as] said: Beware of marrying the Negroes (Zunj) for they are an ugly creation.(1)

 

 (Narrated by) Ali bin Ibrahim, from Ismael bin Muhammad al-Makki, from Ali bin al-Husain, from Amr bin Othman, from al-Husain bin Khalid, from whom he mentioned from Abu Ar-Rabi’ al-Shami said: Imam Abu Abdullah [as] said: Do not [even] buy anyone who is a Negro , but if you must, then (buy) the Nubians, …(2)

 

(Narrated by) Several of our fellows from Sahl bin Ziyad, from Musa bin Ja’far, from Amr bin Sa’eed, from Muhammad bin Abdillah al-Hashimi, from Ahmad bin Yousuf, from Ali bin Dawood al-Haddaad said: Imam Abu Abdullah [as] said: Marry not from the Negroes (Zanj) nor the Khazar (3), for they have near relatives whom are unfaithful

Note: this text does not learn us anything about E-Africa, but by writing down everything found about the Zanj, we may finally get a clearer view on the relationship Africa-Persia

(1) This hadith is repeated by: Abu Nu’aym al Isfahani 1038; Abu Ubayd al Bakri 1067; Ibn Qudama al Maqdisi 1223; Ibn al Jawzi 1257; Ibn abd al Rahman al Mizzi 1342; al Dhahabi 1348; (and many others). Al Kulayni 939 was maybe the first to use it.

(2) Ja’far al Sadiq; (d765) was maybe the first to use this hadith.

(3) Khazars: Semi nomadic people from south Russia, south Ukraine, Crimea, Kazakhstan.