A brief history of Sheikh Al-Hurr al-`amili (d. 1104 A.H.) and his famous book Wasa’il al-Shi`a:
Allama Mohammed Ibne Hasan Al-Hurr Al-Aameli (a.r) was from Jabal-e-Aamil in Lebanon. He was born in Rajab 1033 H and expired in 1104 H. He was Mo’aasir (contemporary) of Allama Majlisi. His relatives like father, uncle and grandfather were his teachers. Allama Majlisi and Nematullahe Jazaeri took permission from him to narrate tradition. He wrote 27 books. Some of them are as follows.
i. Wasaelush Shia
ii. Isbatul Hudaat
iii. Fusoolul Mohimma
iv. Al-Eeqazo Minal Haajaat Fee Isbaate Rajaat (من الحاجة الايقاظ)
v. Al-Jawaherus Saniyya Fil Ahadeesil Qudsiyya
vi. Man La Yahzarohul Imam
vii. Amalul Aamil (امل الآمل) – hope of the hopeful
viii. Bedayatul Hedaya (بداية الهداية) (1535 Wajibaat & 1448 Moharramat is present in this book) Shaikh Abbas Qummi has written a Mustadrak of this book.
Wasa’il al-Shi`a formally was in 9 volumes but on the order of Aqa Burujardi it was compiled in 20 volumes with references from Kutube Arba and other original & reliable books under the supervision of Marhoom Rabbani-e-Shirazi. Presently it has come in 30 vol. with some more references. (To refer to any particular tradition you can check the baab and hadith number)
Wasa’il al-Shi`a has 42 books (Kitab), 187 chapters (Baab), 7065 sub chapters (Fasl) and 35843 traditions.
He has compiled this book directly from 180 books and at the end he has brought the names of 1487 narrators whom he has used and says that according to me all of them are authentic.
Sheikh Al-Hurr al-`amili writes:
The great traditionist, outspoken Faqih and author of the leading modern encyclopedia titled Wasa’il al-Shi`a, discussing Abu Bakr and how he was unfit for being a caliph, has said the following: “Among them is that he and `Omer sought to burn the house of the Commander of the Faithful (A.S.) when he and a group of others refused to swear the oath of allegiance to him. This is documented by al-Waqidi in his narrative, by al-Tabari in his Tarikh and by Ibn `Abd Rabbih in a slightly different wording.”[1]
He has delivered numerous and different speeches on the level of debating and deriving evidence which we see no need here to quote. Whoever wishes may review them.”[2]