The Narrators’ Position in Sheikh Tusi’s Rijal

Sheikh Tusi’s Al-Rijal, being compiled in thirteen chapters and including 8900 narrators, has been written with the aim of counting the narrators of the immaculate imams and determining their ranks. The paper is an attempt to find out the principles and methods on which Sheikh’s classification of the narrators` position was based. Although Sheikh has not sought to state reliability, weakness, and to modify the matters in detail, his Rijali method, in general, is based on refraining from undermining the vulnerable people or, ultimately, from weakening the weak. And it is the fact originated from his moderate mood and, at the same time, being partially related to the historical situation of his era i.e. the early arrival of the Seljuks prejudiced in Shafei religion that led to the intension of conflicts between Shia and Sunni. The result of his attempt in this delicate situation is documentation of some narrations from the Sunnis and different Shia sects to reduce some dimensions of these damages. Therefore, his Rijali circle has been considerably expanded. It should be mentioned that referring to only the name of someone in this book does not mean that one could make sure that he is Imami or even Shiite.