Sulaym ibn Qays

Sulaym ibn Qays al-Hilālī al-ʿĀmirī (, died before 714, was one of the Tabi‘un and a companion of Ali towards the end of the latter's life. Sulaym was also a loyal companion of the Shia Imams Hasan ibn Ali, Husayn ibn Ali, Ali Zayn al-Abidin, and Muhammad al-Baqir.

He is the purported author of an early Shi'ite hadith collection, the Kitab Sulaym ibn Qays ('The Book of Sulaym ibn Qays'), the attribution of which to Sulaym is generally considered false. Scholars also dispute whether he ever existed as a historical figure.

Biography Historicity Much of the information about Sulaym comes from Shia Muslim tradition. Other scholars, such as Mohammad Ali Amir-Moezzi, have been more cautious in rejecting Sulaym ibn Qays' historicity, but do agree that the attribution of the extant Shi'i hadith collection to him is false.

Ibn al-Nadim himself, as well as later biographers including al-Tusi, relied on the Alid writer Ali ibn Ahmad al-Aqiq (d. 911). The exact date of Sulaym's birth is not known. He belonged to the Banu Hilal branch of the Banu 'Amir tribe.

Writings

A book was falsely attributed to him, which became known as the Kitab Sulaym ibn Qays (The Book of Sulaym ibn Qays). It is a collection of traditions, teachings, and eye witness accounts of historical events. However, the fact that it contains so many later additions and alterations may render it impossible to reconstruct the original text. Two individual passages which have been the subject of a case study have been dated to and to the late 8th or early 9th century, respectively.

This book documents prophetic traditions concerning Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi.