Muhammad Baqir Al-Bihbudi writes:

والذي تحصل لي بعد السبر والتحقيق وبعد تلك المباحث العميقة أن الصحيح إنما يكون من حيث السند والمتن معا بأن يكون سند الحديث عاريا عن الرجال المتروكين ومتن الحديث خاليا عن الوهم والاضطراب والتخليط وها أنا الآن أقدم إليكم صحيح الكافي سندا ومتنا على تلك الشريطة

“The result that i arrived at after the investigation and verification and after those profound researches is that something is only authentic (Sahih) if it is applicable to the chain and the content together, in that the chain is free of untrustworthy people and the content of the narration is free of error, confusion and disarray and behold, on the basis of that condition i now present to you that of Al-Kafi which is authentic (Sahih) both in chain and content.” [Sahih-ul-Kafi, Volume 1, Page 17]

محمد بن يحيى عن أحمد بن محمد، عن علي بن الحكم وحميد بن زياد، عن ابن سماعة عن غير واحد من أصحابه جميعا عن أبان بن عثمان عن أبي صالح، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: قدم على رسول الله قوم من بني ضبة مرضى فقال لهم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: أقيموا عندي فإذا برئتم بعثتكم في سرية، فقالوا: أخرجنا من المدينة فبعث بهم إلى إبل الصدقة يشربون من أبوالها ويأكلون من ألبانها فلما برئوا واشتدوا قتلوا ثلاثة ممن كانوا في الإبل فبلغ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله فبعث إليهم عليا عليه السلام فهم في واد قد تحيروا ليس يقدرون أن يخرجوا منه قريبا من أرض اليمن فأسرهم وجاء بهم إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله فنزلت هذه الآية عليه إنما جزاء الذين يحاربون الله ورسوله ويسعون في الأرض فسادا أن يقتلوا أو يصلبوا أو تقطع أيديهم وأرجلهم من خلاف أو ينفوا من الأرض فاختار رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله القطع فقطع أيديهم وأرجلهم من خلاف

“Muhammad Ibn Yahya reported from Ahmad Ibn Muhammad, who reported from Ali Ibn Hakam and Humaid Ibn Ziyad, who reported from Ibn Sama’ah, who reported from several of all our companions, who reported from Aban Ibn Uthman, who reported from Abu Salih that Abu Abdillah (As-Sadiq) said: “People who were sick from the children of Dabbah came to the Messenger of God (s.). Then the messenger of God (s.) said to them: “Stay with me. When you get well, i will send you to a company.” Then they said: “Let us go out of Medina.” So he sent them to the camels of charity, from whose urine they drank and from whose milk they were fed. When they recovered and gained strength, they killed three of those who were taking care of the camels. Then the messenger of God (s.) heard about it. So he sent Ali (a.) to them while they were in a valley. They got into confusion and could not get out from there near Yemen. So he took them captive and brought them to the messenger of God (s.). Then this verse was sent down to him: “The reward of those who wage war against God and His messenger and seek destruction in the land consists only in killing them or crucifying them, or cutting off their hands and feet from each other, or driving them out of the land. (3:55) Then the Messenger of God (s.) chose to cut them. Thus he separated their hands and feet from each other.” [Sahih-ul-Kafi, Volume 3, page 320, Hadith 4128]


Comment:

Aban Ibn Uthman is trustworthy even with the strictest critics.