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  In this article, after stating the necessity of referring to hadith and a brief history of compiling sources of hadith,  the main sources of Shiite hadith are divided into three periods of primary, secondary and late compilation and some examples are given for each period. It then describes the book of Bahar al-Anvar and then introduces the Safinah al-Bahar. While introducing this book, it explains the biography and works of Sheikh Abbas Qomi.