jurisprudential connotation are not the same as the past centuries. Due to wrong presuppositions and disregarding terminology of these words, this phenomenon has brought about mistakes concerning the related verses of the holy Quran. Utilizing the rules of understanding hadith and paying attention to the time of issuing hadith, the author of the present paper tries to demonstrate their Quranic and jurisprudential implications and view them from two perspectives: hadith and fiqh (jurisprudence). He points to some wrong references and express the necessity of re-evaluation of some hadith and jurisprudential researches.

Key Words: The Holy Quran, Zakat, Sadaqa, Hadiths

*****

Mahdi Mokhtari

Deficiencies of a Text about Fadl bn Shadhan Nayshaboori's Life

Without doubt Fadl bn Shadhan is one of the great faqihs (jurisprudents) and theologians who have innovated and brought about new thoughts. He died in the last decades of second century two months before Imam Hasan Askari's martyrdom in ٢٦٠ AH. He was contemporary of four Infallible Imams namely Imam Rida, Imam Jawad, Imam Hadi, and Imam Hasan Askari. He played a great role in transmitting Shiite heritage and in order to safeguard it, he has written ١٨٠ books. The Encyclopedia of Shia which is a product of studies on Islamic teachings and culture in recent years deals with this great scholar within a half-page. Unfortunately it indicates that this research has not thoroughly done as it is expected. The author of the present paper comes up with deficiencies of this half-page biography of this great scholar with the hope of improvement in latter editions.

Key Words: Encyclopedia of Shia, Fadl bn Shadhan, Book Review.

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Joseph Horovitz

The Origin of Isnad

Translated by Murtada Kariminia

The author of the present paper tries to investigate the origin of Isnad in Islamic sources and find out the reason for mentioning the chain of reporters in biographies and history books. To him Isnad and chain of reporters in Islamic tradition is originated from the Jewish texts. Presenting his evidences he tries to prove his claim.

Key Words: Isnad, Chain of Reporters, Talmud, Biography, History