1. I see, so not everything is to be taken, but not everything is rejected either. Have scholars worked on a compendium/encyclopedia of all the well accepted narrations of all the books that have been corroborated about historical/non Fiqhi related issues?

As a layperson, when reading primary sources I wouldn’t know what is verified and what is, so such a work would be extremely invaluable.

2. For Zubayr, absolutely he should’ve joined the army of Imam Ali (a), but as a fallible being he made a mistake, but would that make the difference between him being salvageable and being condemned if Imam Ali (a) himself let him go? Didn’t Imam Husain (a) let Dahhak Al Mashriqi go? Of course from our perspective, their decisions are the biggest blunders a person can ever make, but does that mean the Imams consented to them being doomed?

In the translation of Kitab Sulaym that I read, it stated that Imam Ali (a) confirmed the statement of uthman that Zubayr would be killed as an apostate. Is this Hadith to be accepted?

I’ve read that Imam Ali (a) wept over Zubayr after his death. Isn’t that a sign that shows he’s still salvageable? Is this true? Do the other Imams have any statements regarding him?

3) I understand Zubayr wouldve been condemned for rising up, but he changes his mind. Since his actions are questionable, would he not get credit for being one of the 4 who stood up for the Imam when all others abandoned him?

If so, and a person like him can stray, then most of the early generations are doomed, and what does that say about us?

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These are all good questions.

1) As far as the specific Hadith from Sulaym’s book and their authenticity, I don’t know off hand. Our scholars have provided many references about which Hadith are authentic and which aren’t. Thus, please consider a deeper research into it.

2) As far as Zubayr’s fate, only Allah knows. We can only act and conclude according to the historical facts presented to us, to me, his actions at Jamal to some degree negated his previous good deeds. Moreover, he was mixed in his actions and it was not clear where his true allegiance lay, much like his son!

3) As far as our Imam crying for him, there is no surprise in this (if true). Imam Hussain (p) wept for those gathered against him in Karbala. I think the message to us is that there were all types of companions to our Imams, some who were hypocrites, some who were weak and some who were the best of the best