The Second Martyr, the Shiite Great Expert in Transmission of Hadith

Zay al-Din Ibn Ali Amili (died AH 965), known as the Second Martyr, is one of the great Shiite expert in transmission of hadith of the recent era. The views of this scholar on transmission can be seen in his invaluable comments on Khulāsat al-Aquāl by al-Allāmah al-Hilli. He is one of the distinguished researchers of narrations in the two fields of transmitters and hadith. In his study of the state of the narrators his independent objective views are conspicuous. The second martyr as one of the eminent critiques of transmission of hadith used to investigate narrations and narrators with caution and precision. He sometimes prefers even to put more emphasis on the defects and weakness of the narrators rather than on modifying or endorsing them. His great emphasis on evidence, strict policy in the evaluation of the trustworthiness of the narrators, and paying less attention to contexts indicating the correctness of hadith are examples of his strict positions.Of course in modifying this viewpoint one should not ignore certain issues like the trustworthiness of the people of consensus and also the Sheikhs who give permissions [to narrate], or the needlessness of the condition of belief and recording. In any case, considering all intellectual aspects of this expert in transmission will help us to have a fair judgment in this regard.