This is the text of a lecture delivered by Dr. Hassan Ansari,¹ which will eventually be published in a more complete and documented form.

---

In recent years, research on the Nusayris has increased. Part of this is due to the growing availability of their books, which had previously been inaccessible, albeit mostly published in non-critical editions. Consequently, our understanding of the beliefs and intellectual sources of the Nusayris has significantly expanded in recent years. However, many of these books have yet to undergo precise analysis and study, and we still lack a clear understanding of the evolution of their thought and their internal divisions.

One of the obstacles to such research is the limited understanding of the sources and origins of their written works, specifically the hadith sources cited in their texts. This challenge exists because the history of the dissemination of the Nusayri sect and its teachings in Baghdad, Aleppo, Latakia, and other regions remains poorly understood. Their primary sources on these matters have not been fully published and are only referenced sporadically in later writings—assuming, of course, that such biographical sources can be considered reliable.

Another reason is the numerous distortions and omissions in the names and chains of transmission (isnads) of the hadiths cited in Nusayri works, which sometimes make identifying their origins extremely difficult, if not impossible.

One of the challenges in studying the thought and religious tendencies of the Nusayris lies in the later intellectual developments and influences among them, which often obscure a clear understanding of the foundational context in which the Nusayri sect emerged and evolved. This foundational context is rooted in the ghali Shi‘i tendencies in Kufa, Basra, and later Baghdad during the 2nd and 3rd centuries AH.

While the Nusayri sect deeply draws from the traditions of the ghali and esoteric Shi‘i groups of that era—such as the followers of Abu al-Khattab al-Asadi and other ghali or Mufawwida groups from the later period of the Imams’ presence—it differs from many other ghali Shi‘i groups of that time. The early figures later regarded as the founders and leaders of the Nusayri sect believed in the Imami chain of succession and its continuity until the time of the Eleventh Imam. Thus, they maintained a strong connection to the earliest stages of the formation of the Imami sect.

Nevertheless, their initial stance on the occultation of the Twelfth Imam and their interpretation of it remains unclear, as does their exact position on the issue of wakala during the early period of the occultation, traditionally referred to as the Minor Occultation.

One reason for this lack of clarity is the loss of their primary writings, particularly those from the period before the formal establishment of the sect in the 4th century AH. What we possess from their early period is not only distorted but also clearly reconstructed texts that reflect later influences and narratives.

One unresolved issue is the role of Husayn ibn Hamdan al-Khasibi in the formation of the Nusayri sect. While it is known that he referred to a tradition ultimately linked to Abu Shu‘ayb Muhammad ibn Nusayr (from whom the sect derives its name) and, through him, to earlier ghali Shi‘i traditions, especially those of the Khattabiyya and Mukhammasa, it is unclear to what extent Husayn ibn Hamdan’s beliefs were related to those of Muhammad ibn Nusayr or his direct disciples. Additionally, it remains uncertain how much Husayn ibn Hamdan contributed to shaping this sect as a distinct identity.

It is undoubtedly an exaggeration to overstate his role in this context, even in academic writings. It appears that greater emphasis should be placed on the contributions of his Syrian rather than Iraqi disciples in shaping the Nusayri sect into a new identity—a tradition in which Al-Tabarani played a major role in its consolidation.

Even other ghali contemporaries of Muhammad ibn Nusayr, who were not directly connected to him but whose narrations and works are cited in later Nusayri writings (e.g., Ishaq al-Ahmar al-Nakha‘i), have unclear contributions to the formation of their teachings. What is certain, however, is that the structure of the Nusayri madhhab, as it developed into a more complete form by the 5th century AH, owed much to intellectual and literary transformations, repeated modifications, the restriction of sources, and the refinement of their religious authorities.

One of the best approaches to studying this topic is to examine the written sources of the Nusayris and analyze the evolution of their literature by investigating the names, books, and chains of transmission they utilized. It is also essential to study their connections with the larger Imami community and explore how Imami hadith heritage was transmitted and used in Nusayri works. Research on the context of interaction between the Nusayris and the diverse Imami community during the 4th and 5th centuries AH has received little attention so far.

The book al-Hidaya al-Kubra, attributed to Husayn ibn Hamdan al-Khasibi in both the Nusayri and Imami traditions, contains significant information about these connections. This includes shared isnads, the names of Imami narrators, and al-Khasibi’s stance on the occultation of the Twelfth Imam, as well as on various disputes within the Imami community shortly before and after the occultation, such as the opposition to the Imamate of Imam Hasan al-‘Askari or the followers of Ja‘far al-Kadhdhab. This book even discusses the issue of wakala of the Four Deputies of the Hidden Imam and its connection to the doctrine of babiyya of Muhammad ibn Nusayr.

However, the authenticity of the existing versions of this book is questionable, especially since even the surviving copies show significant differences—most notably regarding the inclusion of the final chapter on the abwab of the Imams. The original text, referred to in some Nusayri sources as Kitab al-Hidaya, certainly belongs to al-Khasibi, but it is evident that it contains numerous later additions. It has been said that this book was authored by al-Khasibi for Sayf al-Dawla al-Hamdani. Even if this information is accurate, what survives today is unlikely to be identical to what was originally presented to Sayf al-Dawla.

In other works, a text attributed to al-Khasibi under the title al-Anwar is mentioned, which may be a different version of the same al-Hidaya. It seems that what al-Khasibi himself authored was primarily a book about the names and characteristics of the Imams—a genre with a longer tradition in the Imami school. It is likely that in writing this book, al-Khasibi was influenced by and transmitted from a similar work authored by his teacher, Ja‘far ibn Muhammad ibn Malik al-Fazari.

It is possible that the current version of al-Hidaya is essentially a record of al-Khasibi’s book with numerous additions from other sources, later compiled by one of his disciples. Another set of additions, especially concerning the Twelfth Imam, appears to have been later appended to the original text of al-Hidaya based on another work of al-Khasibi, with numerous new inclusions. From the existing text of al-Hidaya, it is evident that the section on the Eleventh Imam was the book’s original conclusion, where al-Khasibi also discussed the final Imam. The final chapter, which appears only in some manuscripts and subsequently in certain printed editions, is most likely the work of one of al-Khasibi’s disciples. This disciple included narrations from al-Khasibi and added substantial material to update the text.

Even al-Tabarani, when quoting this section in a similar part of his book al-Ma‘arif, makes no mention of al-Khasibi or al-Hidaya. Unfortunately, many of the isnads in the text of al-Hidaya are distorted or incomplete. Some of the individuals mentioned as direct teachers (mashayikh) of al-Khasibi in the book are undoubtedly not his actual teachers. Many of his supposed teachers are, in fact, unknown figures. Most of them seem to belong to Imami circles in the city of Jablah and other small, obscure Imami groups, which is why their names do not appear in traditional rijal literature.

What is certain, however, is that these figures were largely associated with the well-known ghali Shi‘i groups active during the time of the Tenth and Eleventh Imams. Some of them even claimed direct connection to these two Imams or to their prominent and recognized companions.

Al-Khasibi’s major activities date to around the years following 270 AH. He was a contemporary of figures such as Sa‘d ibn ‘Abdullah al-Ash‘ari and the teachers of individuals like Muhammad ibn Ya‘qub al-Kulayni and Ali ibn Babawayh. Nevertheless, he lived a long life and was active for many years after al-Kulayni’s death, though far from Baghdad—in Aleppo. Since he never travelled to Iran, he could not directly narrate from the teachers of Qom or Khurasan. As a result, he sometimes narrated from his contemporaries indirectly. Like Ibn Hammam al-Iskafi, the Imami scholar from Baghdad, he directly narrated from Ja‘far ibn Muhammad ibn Malik, whereas al-Kulayni narrated from him through intermediaries.

Al-Khasibi was acquainted with major Imami hadith transmitters in Kufa and Baghdad. Ibn ‘Uqda, who belonged to the generation before al-Kulayni, reportedly narrated from al-Khasibi. Al-Tal’ukbari met him in Baghdad and transmitted hadith from him. Even after al-Khasibi moved to Aleppo, some Imamis in Baghdad were familiar with his narrations and sometimes indirectly influenced by his book al-Hidaya, without explicitly mentioning his name.

We know that al-Najashi and Ibn al-Ghada’iri were well aware of him and considered his beliefs to be corrupt—referring to his ghali doctrines. Ibn al-Ghada’iri even seems to hold him primarily responsible for the formation of the Nusayri sect. Later, as we know, al-Khasibi was rarely cited by Imami authors, and his narrations—some of which were sourced from al-Hidaya al-Kubra—were occasionally transmitted. However, it was during the Safavid era, particularly in the time of al-Majlisi, that this book gained increased attention among Imami scholars, although there were sometimes disagreements over the exact identity of the author and the precise spelling of his name.

One of al-Khasibi’s students, whose works were less cited in later Nusayri developments in Aleppo and Latakia and whose views seem to have been at odds with the Ibn al-Jalli-Tabarani school within the Nusayri tradition, was Abu Muhammad al-Hasan ibn Shu‘ba al-Harrani. In Imami tradition, he is known from slightly before the Safavid era as the author of a hadith collection on the Imams titled Tuhaf al-‘Uqul. Imamis were apparently unaware of his Nusayri leanings and frequently cited this book, even in jurisprudential discussions. In contemporary Alawi writings in Syria, however, this book is referenced as a Nusayri work.

Ibn Shu‘ba’s significance, as evidenced by another of his books titled Haqa’iq Asrar al-Din, lies in his access to numerous Shi‘i hadith collections. These included not only the esoteric works of the ghali Shi‘i groups but also hadith collections from other Shi‘i factions, which he referred to as muqassira. He undoubtedly studied in Baghdad and narrated hadith from figures like Ibn Hammam al-Iskafi and Ibn Akhi Tahir. Additionally, in Aleppo, he not only attended the sessions of al-Khasibi and learned his esoteric teachings but also narrated hadith from Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Nu‘mani. At the time of his association with al-Khasibi, Ibn Shu‘ba appears to have been of advanced age. He narrated from hadith transmitters who belonged to the generation of al-Kulayni’s teachers, such as Ibn Hawdha.

Ibn Shu‘ba’s wide-ranging transmission from Imami narrators allowed him to include many non-ghali Shi‘i hadiths in his books. He also accessed the writings of earlier esoteric ghali groups, including works attributed to the Khattabiyya and Mukhammasa traditions. Among these were Kitab al-Mithal wa al-Sura, attributed to Muhammad ibn Shu‘ayb, and the books of Ishaq al-Nakha‘i. Later, as we know, the writings and teachings of Ishaq al-Nakha‘i faced harsh criticism from the Ibn al-Jalli-Tabarani faction and were regarded as deviant.

Interestingly, Ibn Shu‘ba leaned toward the teachings of Ishaq al-Nakha‘i, which were relatively more moderate than the Nusayri doctrines, offering a distinct interpretation of the divinity of the Imams. Nonetheless, much of what Ibn Shu‘ba recorded in his works was later frequently cited in Nusayri writings, even if his name was not explicitly mentioned. This was especially true for the esoteric ghali literature to which he may have had greater access than even Husayn ibn Hamdan al-Khasibi. Notably, he also utilized al-Kafi by al-Kulayni, marking one of the earliest known uses of this book.

After this period, Al-Tabarani also became familiar with and occasionally had access to Imami Shi‘i narrations and figures. In his works, or those attributed to him, there are narrations from one of the descendants of Al-Tal’ukbari. Similarly, the name of Shaykh al-Mufid and his significance are emphasized; even his jurisprudential book al-Muqni‘a is mentioned and cited.

Among the Imami community, some attention was occasionally given to certain Nusayri narrations, and their texts were sometimes quoted. Manuscripts have been found in Imami libraries and outside the Nusayri tradition that either include the name of al-Khasibi and other Nusayri figures or are clearly associated with the Nusayris or groups closely related to them, such as the Mukhammasa or Mufawwida.

Although the relationship between the Nusayris and the Imamis became much more limited in later centuries, there are occasional references in sources to individuals associated with both traditions or indications of such connections in their writings. In several Nusayri books, especially in their biographical and tabaqat works, there are mentions of Nusayri scholars active in various cities such as Iraq, the Levant, Egypt, Khurasan, and Ray—cities that were sometimes centers of Imami activity. However, the accuracy of these reports has not yet been verified through independent sources.

1. Source