The Hisotry of Shi`ite Hadith (1): During the Presence of the Infallibles

The Prophet (SAW) and the Imams (AS) are the second important sources of understanding religious principles. This source is credible and permanent just like the Quran which is the central and primary truth in comprehending religion.
This is an accepted fact that Hadiths – as the background that makes possible access to Sunnah -from the time of their genesis until they became available to us they had a long and tortuous history and have witnessed bitter and sweet events and periods. The study of these events and delving into their means and effects, and also familiarity with different historical periods and their upheavals, help us with a more comprehensive understanding of religious principles.
The collection of reports of the Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW) and Infallible Imams (AS), which have come to us by narrators of the Hadiths and Hadiths scholars of Shiite is called Shi’ah Hadith. This concept is put up against the Sunni Hadith which traces the reports of the Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW) through the Companions and the Followers and does not accept the household of the Prophet to be endowed with any distinctive privileges.
This work tries to show that the Shi’ah Hadiths is different from that of the Sunnis and remains from the time of the Prophet to the present day. Therefore understanding this field of study is in need of separate research and investigation from that of the Sunnis.