The majority of classical Imami scholars—including Shaykh al-Mufid (d. 413 AH) and Shaykh al-Tusi—rejected the criticism of Yunus. Their counter-arguments are powerful:
Before dissecting Report 176, one must understand the source. Muhammad ibn Umar al-Kashi was a pioneer. Unlike later scholars (like Najashi or Tusi) who focused on praise (madh) or condemnation (dhamm), al-Kashi was a collector of reports about narrators. He documented what the earlier Imams (specifically Imams Baqir, Sadiq, Kadhim, and Ridha – peace be upon them) reportedly said about specific individuals. Rijal Al Kashi Report 176
His work is unique because it records "raw data"—statements from the Imams describing a narrator as a "liar," a "forger," a "believer," or a "ghali" (extremist). Report 176 is one such raw data point. When you encounter a narrator flagged as “Aftahi”
When you encounter a narrator flagged as “Aftahi” or “Fathi” in al-Kashi’s Report 176: " a "forger