It is a compilation of authentic Hadith taken from Sahih Muslim. Both the Arabic text and translation are included. The aim of this compilation is two-fold:
1. Including Hadith on topics that serve as advice and reminders for the Muslim community. Each Hadith addresses an important topic. This book can be covered by scholars during advice sessions, lectures or in a short course.
2. Including Hadith with their Asaneed (chains of narration) for students of Hadith. Teachers of Hadith can use this to instruct students on how to analyse a Sanad. It has been colour-coded for this purpose.
Keep us in your prayers. If you notice any errors, please contact us.
INTRODUCTION TO MISHKĀT-UL-MASĀBEEH, MASĀBEEH-US-SUNNAH, IMAMS AL-BAGHAWI & AT-TABREZI
THE STATUS OF MISHKĀT-UL-MASĀBEEH
Mishkāt-ul-Masābeeh is a renowned work of Hadith and amongst the greatest. A long standing book, compiled hundreds of years ago, it continues to be studied hundreds of years later, ever-fresh and ever-proving guidance. It is unique amongst other books of Hadith due to it containing narrations from various books of Hadith all in one book. It contains narrations that are largely understood by the average student of Hadith and does not contain difficult to understand narrations. It is also not too voluminous, allowing easy navigation. It is for these reasons, amongst others, that it is included in the syllabus of Islamic universities all across the world where Muslim scholars-in-training devote a year or two to its study. Thus, its formation lends to students coming to know and analyse the proofs for religious rulings, as well as to discuss the narrations used as proofs by each school of Fiqh, in rulings where they do differ. It gives them a soft introduction to the larger canonical works of Hadith, preparing them to take the final step in their Hadith study where they study Hadith not only with Matan – as is the case in Mishkāt – but also with Sanad.
It must first be understood that this work is actually the contribution of two great scholars of Hadith. The original work, Masābeeh-us-Sunnah, was compiled by Imam al-Baghawi. It was then improved upon by Imam at-Tabrezi, who named this new compilation Mishkāt-ul-Masābeeh. The naming beautifully ties together their combined efforts aswell as the purpose of the book. Masābeeh-us-Sunnah means ‘lanterns of the Sunnah’ whilst Mishkāt-ul-Masābeeh means ‘niche/alcove for the lanterns.’ Placing the lantern in the niche allows its light to be enhanced; an apt analogy for the guidance that is found within the Hadith.
We will first discuss the biography of Imam Baghawi, then Imam Tabrezi, and then discuss both works.
AUTHOR OF MASĀBEEH-US-SUNNAH (LANTERNS OF THE SUNNAH): IMAM AL-BAGHAWI (MAY ALLAH BE PLEASED WITH HIM)
Nisbah (attribution): al-Farrā (because his family dealt in fur trade) al-Baghawi (because was from Baghthur/Baghshur/Bagh in Khurasan, between Marw and Herat in what is modern day Iraq)
Born: Anywhere between 433 to 436 A.H.
Passed away: Anywhere between 510 to 516 A.H.
Buried: in al-Marw al-Rudh graveyard, Baghthus, next to his teacher Qadhi Husain
Lived around 81-83 years
Fiqh school: Shafi’ee
HIS EDUCATION, PIETY AND UNIQUENESS
He travelled to al-Marw al-Rudh at age 27 and became a favourite pupil of Qadi Husain ibn Muhammad al-Marw al-Rudhi. Their attachment was so strong and in life and death that they are buried near each other. Imam Baghawi travelled all over Khurasan and other countries, seeking knowledge. He had many teachers including Abul Fadhl ibn Muhammad al-Hanafi. His brother Mufti Abu Ali Husain ibn Masu’d was also an Alim. His knowledge reached such peaks that he is considered one of the senior Shafi’ee jurists.
He spent his entire life in study of Hadith, Fiqh, writing and compilation. A rare scholar; he was a master in every field – be it Tafseer, Hadith or Fiqh – and his contributions in each field are some of the most studied.
He was a great Qāri, well known for his recitation. He was also the grand Mufti of his area.
He was known for his Zuhd (asceticism) and contentment with less. He would excessively fast and wear simple clothes. At the time of Iftar, he used to only take some dry bread and dip it into water. Due to the decline in his health, his students and doctors recommended that he add richer food in his diet. They urged him to this, citing the necessity of his contributions, which could only be achieved if he was healthy enable to do so. He then added gravy or olive oil with the bread.
He would only every study or teach in the state of Wudhu.
His wife passed away before him. Due to his Taqwa, he did not take any of the inheritance out of fear of taking even the smallest amount that could possibly be someone else’s right.
BLESSED DREAM
Imam Baghawi was given the title Muhyu-us-Sunnah (Reviver of the Sunnah). When Imam al-Baghawi wrote Sharh-us-Sunnah, he saw Rasulullah (peace be upon him) in a dream who gave him the glad tidings: ‘May Allah revive you the way you have revived my Sunnah.’
احياك الله كما احييت سنتي
What an honour! What a status! What closeness to the best of creation (peace be upon him)!
HIS LITERARY WORKS
He was a prolific writer. His most famous and well known book is مصابيح السنة Masābeeh us-Sunnah (Lanterns of the Sunnah)
In Hadith: Sharh us-Sunnah
In Hadith: al-Jam’ Bayn-as-Sahihain
In Tafseer: Ma’ālim-ut-Tanzeel, one of the most studied works of Tafseer world wide
In Fiqh: Kitāb-ut-Tahdheeb (in Shafi’ee Fiqh)
AUTHOR OF MISHKĀT-UL-MASĀBIH (NICHE OF THE LANTERNS): IMAM AT-TABREZI (MAY ALLAH BE PLEASED WITH HIM)
Laqab (title): Wali-ud-Deen, al-Khateeb at-Tabrezi. (Note: do not confuse the name with Imam Khateeb Yahya Tabrezi or with Shams Tabrezi.)
Kunya (teknonym): Abu Abdullah
Name: Muhammad ibn Abdullah
Attribution: at-Tabrezi (born in Tabrez, Iran)
Descent: al-Umari; descended from Sayyidina Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)
Passed away: Between 740-748 A.H
HIS KNOWLEDGE AND PIETY
He was well-versed in the intricacies of the Arabic language, and was a great scholar and orator. Due to his heart moving, eloquent Khutbahs, he was called Khateeb.
He was especially known for his piety, good character and Zuhd (asceticism). It is interesting to note that both Imam Baghawi and Imam Tabrezi were known for their simple lifestyles and disengagement from worldly luxuries.
He was a great Muhaddith who also wrote Al-Ikmālu fi Asmā-ir-Rijāl, a great work on narrators of Hadith. This work was completed around 740 AH (just before he passed).
It is sad that not much is known about his life. Yet, the legacy he leaves behind clearly shows his calibre and his acceptance with Allah Almighty. His own teacher, Allamah Tibi, described with following words of praise:
Imam Baghawi, when compiling Masābeeh-us-Sunnah, had sufficed to narrate only the Hadith without mention of the Isnad, Takhrij or Sahabi’s name who narrated the Hadith. Perhaps he did not include these for the sake of conciseness so that students of Hadith could focus on the Matn (text). None the less, this work was well regarded but its benefit was limited. It is of utmost importance to know the source and chain of narrations as this affects their validity which in turn affects their usage as proof.
Allah Almighty had destined for the Ummah to benefit from this work despite this obstacle. A few hundred years later, there came Imam Tabrezi. He heard his teacher Allamah Sharf-ud-Deen Husain ibn Muhammad at-Tibi mentioning the greatness of the book but regretting how the scholars were limited in benefitting fully from it due to certain reasons. Taking these words to heart, Imam Tabrezi decided to embark on this great undertaking. It is interesting to note that Imam al-Bukhari also was inspired to compile his great Sahih due to the encouragement of his teacher. This clearly shows their connection to their teachers was a sign of acceptance with Allah Almighty, and acceptance within the Ummah.
Imam Tabrezi finished compiling Mishkāt in 737 A.H. in the last Jumu’ah of Ramadhan, the night before Eid-ul-Fitr. The next day, he presented it to his teacher, Allamah Tibi. His teacher was so impressed with the improvements to Masābeeh and he understood the use this book would be to the Ummah. It is a testament to the work that Imam Tibi was the first to write a commentary on Mishkāt.
THE KEY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MASĀBEEH-US-SUNNAH AND MISHKĀT-UL-MASĀBEEH
The book is split into Kutub (subjects). In each Kitab, there are various Abwab (topics). In each Bab, there are three Fusul (chapters). Total number of Kutub is 29, Abwab is 327, and Fuṣul is 1038. Imam Baghawi included two Fusul in each Bab whilst Imam Tabrezi added a third. This increased the volume of the book a great deal.
MASĀBEEH
MISHKĀT
Fasl 1 : Only those Ahadith taken from al-Bukhari and Muslim Fasl 2 : Ahadith from other books
Fasl 3 : Ahadith from other books, more from al-Bukhari and Muslim, and Mauqoof narrations/Āthār
Approximately 4434 Ahadith
Addition of 1511 = 5945 Ahadith
Sahabi’s name not included
Sahabi’s name included
Takhreej (sourcing) not mentioned
Takhreej (sourcing) mentioned
Explained whether a narration was Ghareeb, Dha’eef etc.
Reclassified and reorganised some narrations, and elaborated on others
(Sometimes there is an aberration to the general theme where Ahadith of different levels of classifications are in the non-intended Fasl. This is perhaps because the Imam’s aim was to collect Hadith based on their source books, rather than focusing on their classifications.)
The Hadith books, besides Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, which the narrations are taken from:
Mu’atta Imam Malim
Musnad Imam Shafi’ee
Musnad Imam Ahmed
Sunan Tirmidhi
Sunan Abu Dawud
Sunan Nasa’i
Sunan Ibn Majah
Sunan Darimi
Sunan Dar-al-Qutni
Sunan Baihaqi
Kitab Razin ibn Mu’awiyah
Imam Ibn al-Jawzi has mentioned that there are 18 Mowḍu’ (fabricated) Ahadith in Mishkāt. However, Imam Ḥafiẓh ibn Hajar wrote a short treatise called Ajwibat ‘an Ahadith-ul-Masābih which proves that those narrations are not so. It should be borne is mind that sometimes the Muhadditheen may label a Hadith as reliable or unreliable depending on their own criteria. For example, according one Muhaddith’s extensive research, a narrator may be deemed reliable whilst another Muhaddith’s extensive research will lead him to conclude that he is not reliable. Another reason why there may be difference on this issue is that one Muhaddith may be incorrectly overly-strict in his criteria whilst another may be incorrectly overly-lenient.
COMMENTARIES OF MISHKĀT-UL-MASĀBEEH
The status of Mishkāt-ul-Masābeeh is clearly evidenced by the fast that it is probably the book of Hadith that has the most Shuruhat (commentaries) and Hawāshi (marginal notes) about it, after Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. Imam Baghawi was of Shafiee’ Fiqh. This affected the narrations he chose to bring and clearly his Fiqhi background is part of his educational background, and he would be most aware of narrations relating to that partical school of Fiqh. One of the specialities of this book is that it is one of the most loved books by all scholars. Its best commentary is perhaps Mirqāt which was compiled a great Hanafi in Fiqh scholar. These contributions added to the richness of its study.
Al-Kāshif ‘an Haqā’iq-us-Sunan: by Imam Sharf-ud-Deen al-Husayn ibn Muhammad at-Tibi. This was the very first commentary on Mishkāt.
Mirqāt al-Mafāteeh: by Allamah Mulla Ali ibn Sultan Muhammad al-Qāri al-Hanafi (d.1014 A.H.) is the most comprehensive and excellent Arabic commentary on Mishkāt. It is a wondrous work of Hadith within itself.
Sharh-ul-Mishkāt: by Imam Abul Hasan Ali ibn Muhammad Alam-ud-Deen Bukhari
Minhāj-ul-Mishkāt: by Shaykh Abdul Aziz Abhari
Sharh-ul-Mishkāt: by Shaykh Shihab-ud-Deen Abul Abbas Ahmad ibn Ali
Hāshiyah Mishkāt: by Shaykh Sayyid Shareef Ali Jurjani
Hāshiyah Mishkāt: by Shaykh Muhammad Sa’eed ibn al Mujaddid Alf Thani
Hidayat-ul- Ruwāt ‘ila Takhreej-ul-Masābeeh wal Mishkāt: by Imam Hafizh Ibn Hajar Asqalani
Lam’āt al-Tanqeeh and Asha’t-ul- Lam’āt (Persian): by Shaykh Abdul Haq Muhaddith Dahlavi
At-Ta’leeg al-Sabeeh: by Allamah Mawlana Muhammad Idrees Khandhalwi.
Mir’āt al-Mafāteeh: by Mawlana Ubaydullah Rahmani MubarakPuri
Azeeqat-un-Najāt Sharh Mishkāt: by Shaykh Abd-un-Nabi Imad-ud-Deen Muhammad Shatari
Zinyat al-Nukāt Sharh Mishāt: by Shaykh Sayyid Muhammad Abdul Majd Mahbood Alam Ahmadabadi
Mazāhir Haq (Urdu): by Allamah Nawab Muhammad Qutb-ud-Deen Khan Dahlavi. This is an invaluable contribution which has also been translated into English.
EXAMPLE OF A SANAD OF MISHKĀT BACK TO THE COMPILER
Shaykh Nawab Muhammad Qutub-ud-Deen ibn Muhyuddin Khan Dahlavi (Author of Mazāhir Haq)
Shaykh Muhammad Ishaq Dahlavi
(His grandfather) Shaykh Abdul Aziz Dahlavi
(His father) Shah Waliullah Dahlavi
Shaykh Abu Tahir Madani
Shaykh Ibrahim Kurdi
Shaykh Ahmad Qashashi
Shaykh Ahmad ibn Abdul Quddos Shanadi
Sayyid Ghaznafar ibn Sayyid Ja’far Naharwani
Shaykh Muhammad Sa’eed Meer Kalan
Sayyid Naseemuddin Meerak Shah
(His father) Sayyid Jamal-ud-Deen Ataullah ibn Sayyid Ghiyath-ud-Deen ibn Abdur Rahman
(His paternal uncle) Sayyid Assel-ud-Deen Abdullah ibn Abdur Rahman Sheerazi Hasani
Sharaf-ud-Deen Abdur Raheem al-Jurhani Siddiqi
Allamah Imam-ud-Deen Mubarak Shah Saadji Siddiqi
Imam Wali-ud-Deen Muhammad Abdullah Khateeb Tabrezi (Compiler of Mishkāt)
May Allah Almighty have mercy on Imam Baghawi, Imam Tabrezi, all the commentators of Mishkāt, and all the scholars of Hadith. May He raise us up with them, make our study of their works a Sadaqah Jariyah for them, and give us correct understanding. Aameen.
Please note: This information has been derived from various sources. Some has been paraphrased while other parts are direct quotes. All intellectual properties belong to their respective owners.
TIME PERIOD:
The Seventh Century of Islam was a very turbulent time, especially for the area of Shaam. The Mongols invaded the East and the Crusaders controlled part of the Muslim lands from the West. The Muslim forces continued to battle and make headway against the Mongols. Similarly, the Crusaders were defeated and removed from Shaam in the year 691 CE. By the grace and mercy of Allah, these turbulent times did not mean the end of Islam studies for the inhabitants of that area. In fact, Noor-ud-Deen Zanki (d. 569 CE) opened many schools for the study of Islam. He opened the first Dar-ul-Hadeeth in Damascus, Aleppo and elsewhere. One does not find a shortage of scholars and learning even during that century of Islamic history.
NAME:
Abu Zakariyyah Muhy-ud-Deen Yahya ibn Sharaf al-Hizaami an-Nawawi or an-Nawaawi
His father named him Muhy-ud-Deen (the reviver of the Religion). Imam Nawawi, who always had respect for his father, refused to use the name out of humility saying, ‘Who am I to give life to the Deen when the Deen lives and I die?’
LINEAGE:
Yahya, son of Sharaf, son of Murry, son of Hasan, son of Husain, son of Muhammad, son of Juma, son of Hizaam. His ancestors were from a place in Syria called Hizaam.
BIRTH:
Imam Nawawi was born in a village called Nawaa, south of Damascus, Syria.
He was born in 631 A.H. (1233 CE) and passed away in 676 A.H. (1277 CE). He only lived 44 years but is an example of someone whose life was so blessed that he left behind a legacy that would take hundreds of years for an average person to build. This is a sign of his acceptance with Allah Almighty.
FAMILY AND UPBRINGING:
Imam Nawawi did not come from a well-known family. They were a modest family, not known for producing great scholars. His father was very pious. His father had a garden in which he would grow food for his family. He would avoid, and taught his family to avoid, eating anything which may be forbidden in any way whatsoever.
Shaykh Afthar (one of his greatest students) mentions from Imam Nawawi’s father that when Imam Nawawi was around 7 years old, Imam Nawawi woke up in the middle of the night. They had a small house and slept in the same room. He asked his parents, ‘Do you all see that?’ They asked him, ‘What? It is dark with no light?’ He asked startled, ‘Do you not see the room filled with Nur?’ They did not understand what he meant but then realised in was the 27th night of Ramadan. His father considered the greatness of his young son who had received the blessings of Laylat-ul-Qadr.
Another indication of who this boy was to become occurred when he was 10 years old. A pious Shaykh named Shaykh Yasin al-Murakashi was walking in the streets of Nawaa. He saw boys playing during their Madrasah playtime. There was a boy off to the side who they kept insisting to join them. He was studying Mushaf and at their insistence started to cry, ’I don’t want to play. I just want to study.’ Shaykh Yasin found the boy’s Qur’an teacher and told him to pay attention to this boy because he will be someone for the Ummah. His Qur’an teacher looked at Shaykh Yasin and said in shock, ‘How can you make a prediction of the future?’ The Shaykh assured him that he is not a charlatan astrologer but rather he saw signs of piety in the young boy. Imam Nawawi’s father is also told to care of his learning. His father, despite being a labouring farmer, dedicated his attention to his son’s studies. He sat him in the store and told his son, ‘You sit here and memorize the Qur’an.’ Thus, Imam Nawawi memorized. His family were pious and his father had a desire that his son dedicate his life to Islamic education from a young age. His father’s prayers came true and now Imam Nawawi is one of the greatest scholars in Islam.
At the age of 18, his father took him to Damascus to continue his studies. Imam Nawawi never
married because he only wanted to dedicate his life to knowledge.
YOUTH AND FURTHER EDUCATION:
Because there were no Islamic institutes where he lived, when he was 18, his father took him to Damascus which was considered the centre of learning and scholarship. During that period, there were more than 300 Islamic institutes, colleges and universities in Damascus. Imam Nawawi first studied at the Saaramiya Madrasah in Damascus. He had no housing there whatsoever.
After some time, he approached the Shaykh of the Madrasah to ask if he had any housing. They had no housing so the Shaykh suggested that he go to Rawaahiyah Madrasah. Imam Nawawi joined Madrasah Rawaahiyah which was affiliated with the Ummavi University. The founder and patron of this Madrasah was a trader named Zakiuddin Abul-Qasim, known as Ibn Rawaha (He was called such because he was a descendant of the great Sahabi Abdullah ibn Rawaha). He studied in this institution for 2 years. There he was given a very small room in which he lived for a number of years. He remained in that small room until he was named the head of the Ashrafiyah Madrasah, a number of years later.
INTELLIGENCE AND STRUGGLE FOR DEEN:
Imam Nawawi states about himself (whilst encouraging other students to continue studying with a cheerful heart despite lack of physical comforts), ‘During my stay in Madrasah Rawaahiyah, I never had complete rest and lived on the limited food supplied by the institution.’
He used to sleep very little at night. When it became difficult, he would lean and slumber against the support of books. After a short duration he would again study.
It was stated that, when one visited him, the room was so small and the books were so many, that the only was one could sit down was to remove the books and pile them on top of each other to make some room to sit.
Imam Nawawi says, ‘For 2 years I was in that Madrasa I never slept on my side. I slept leaning back because I wouldn’t allow myself to sleep too much.’
This attitude of disengagement with worldly comforts allowed him to amass large portions of knowledge in short amounts of time. In 4 months he memorized Kitab-ut-Tarbih, a very difficult book in Shafii fiqh, and then spent rest of period memorizing Hadith.
He used to have twelve study sessions (lessons) a day with his teachers. These included explanations, verifications, commentaries, explaining the different aspects and expressions as well as exacting the correct wordings. This would take, at a least approximation, twelve hours a day.
Al-Qutb al-Yauneeni said, ‘He would not waste any moment of the day or night but he would spend it busy with attaining knowledge. Even when he walking and in the streets he will be busy going over what he had remembered and reviewing his notes. He continued gaining knowledge in that way for a period of six years.’
He would go home to his room at night and he would write. He would write until he couldn’t write anymore that evening, then he would lean back and sleep until he heard the Adhan. He would wake up and restart the same blessed schedule.
One of great statements he makes about that time is, ’It came to my mind while I was engaged in all this study, that perhaps I should study some medicine. So I bought Qitab al-Qanoon of Ibn Sina and brought it home and I resolved that I was going to study medicine. So my heart began to darken and days would pass I was unable to do anything so I started thinking what could it be? And then it came to me I was inspired to recognize, it was because I was busying myself with medicine, so I sold the book and I took out of my house any book that was related to medicine and light entered my heart, and I came back to the state I was in before.’ This does not discourage the study of medicine but shows that Allah Almighty had selected him for expertise in the science of Deen.
Allah Almighty blessed him immensely in his time. He gave him the ability to complete in one day what it takes everyone else 2 years to accomplish. Whatever the book he read, he put down the marginal notes and explanations on that book. According to Imam Dhahabi, Imam Nawawi’s concentration and absorption in academic love gained proverbial fame. This is the only way we can explain this tremendous undertaking that made him one of the greatest scholars of his time in about 10 years. In fact, it made him one of the leading, if not the leading, Imam of his time.
TEACHING:
At the age of 24, he began teaching at the Ashrafiyah Madrasah.
He did not accept a stipend for his teaching. It seems that he may have accepted money for the first year or two. That money he did receive, he would spend on books that were left as endowments after him. However, after that time, he refused to accept any money whatsoever for his services. This shows that he did not spend money on anything besides the very basic necessities and what was required for his studies and writing. He chose not to accrue wealth.
TEACHERS:
During his stay at Damascus, he studied from more than 20 celebrated teachers. He studied all the sciences – whether it be Hadith, Islamic Jurisprudence, its principles, syntax and Etymology – from great scholars of his time. His intelligence, hard work, love, devotion and absorption in his-studies amazed his teachers and they became fond of him and began to praise and admire him. A few examples of his teachers:
Abu Ibrahim Ishaq bin Ahmad aI-Maghribi
Abu Muhammad Abdur-Rahman bin Ibrahim al-Fazari,
Radiyuddin Abu Ishaq Ibrahim al-Mudari
Abu Ishaq Ibrahim bin Isa al-Muradi
Abul-Baqa Khalid bin Yusuf an-Nablusi
Abul-Abbas Ahmad bin Salim al-Misri
Abu Abdullah al-Jiyani
Abul-Fath Umar bin Bandar
Abu Muhammad at-Tanukhi
Sharaf-ud-Deen Abdul-Aziz bin Muhammad al-Ansari
Abul-Faraj Abdur-Rahman bin Muhammad al-Maqdisi
Abul-Fada’il Sallar bin al-Hasan al Arbali etc.
STUDENTS:
There were hundreds of Imam’s students. Some notables are:
Alauddin bin Attar
Ibn Abbas Ahmad bin Ibrahim
Abul-Abbas al-Ja’fari
Abul-Abbas Ahmad bin Farah
Rashid Ismail bin Mu’allim al-Hanafi
Abu Abdullah al-Hanbali
AbulAbbas al-Wasiti
Jamaluddin Sulaiman bin Omar az-Zar’i
AbulFaraj Abdur-Rahman bin Muhammad
Badr Muhammad bin Ibrahim
Shamsuddin Muhammad bin Abu Bakr
Ash-Shihab Muhammad bin Abdul-Khaliq
Hibatullah al-Barizi
Abul-Hajjaj Yusuf bin az-Zaki etc.
HAJJ:
He went to Hajj with his father. His father was very moved by Imam Nawawi’s piety. Imam Nawawi was overtaken by a strong fever which remained until the day of Arafah. His father notes about him that he did not moan or complain once traveling in desert to Hajj with a sever fever. When they returned from that Hajj, his father said it was like Allah was pouring knowledge down into Imam Nawawi.
PIETY:
Imam Nawawi is known for his humbleness for the sake of Allah, his asceticism and adherence to the Sunnah lifestyle. He lived an extremely simple life. Some narrations state that all the clothing he possessed was a turban and long gown.
Imam Nawawi is also one of the rare scholars who never married, despite marriage being a blessed Sunnah. This is because he had dedicated his life to the study and spreading of knowledge and hardly had time relax for himself, let alone to care for the rights of a wife or offspring.
At one point in time, he would not eat anything except some bread and olives that his father would send him from time to time from their garden in Nawaa. Indeed, he refused to eat any of the fruits of Damascus because he feared that orchards, many of which were endowments and for orphans and others, were not handled properly and he feared that the food he would be eating was not from a permissible source. Another reason he gave for not eating the fruit was that much of it was handled through sharecropping and there was a difference of opinion among the scholars concerning the validity of sharecropping. In a footnote, Imam al-Haddaad points out that in reality all of those matters boiled down to one thing: Imam Nawawi was afraid to involve himself in any matter concerning which there was even the slightest doubt.
Cheif Justice Sulaimaan Zara’i narrated that he visited Imam Nawawi on the day of Eid. Imam Nawawi was eating some kind of broth with no meat. He asked Sulaiman to eat with him and he said that is was not appealing to him. Sulaiman’s brother went and bought some roasted meat and sweets. Sulaiman told Imam Nawawi to eat from it and he refused. Sulaiman said to him, ‘O my brother! Is this forbidden?’ He said, ‘No, but it is the food of the tyrants (and extravagant).’
He was also well-known for his modesty. Part of his modesty included never being served by any of his students. At the same time, he continued to serve his students even into his old age.
When someone would go to visit him, he would not sit to socialise because there was not enough room to sit in room due to the room being small in size and full of book. Also, he would sharpen his pens whilst they were present so as not waste time.
An-Nawawi would fast perpetually (every day except the days of Eid). In general, he would only eat once a day, after the last obligatory prayer of the day; and he would only drink once a day, before dawn. When he drank, he would drink cold water out of fear that it may make him drowsy.
BRAVERY:
One day, he was called by king Zhahir Bebris to sign a Fatwa, a way for the king claim religious approval for whatever plan he had. Imam Nawawi came; a skinny man wearing modest clothes. The king commanded him, ‘Sign this Fatwa!’ He read it and refused to sign it. The king got angry and asked why. He replied, ‘Because it contains a clear oppression.’ The king got even angrier and said, ‘Discharge this man from all his positions!’ The king’s servants said, ‘He owns no position at all.’ The king was eager to kill him but Allah prevented him from doing it by putting a fear of it in his heart. When he was asked, ‘Why didn’t you kill him, whereas he had dared to behave so impudent to you?’ The king answered, “By Allah, I feel really low in front of him.’ The king told him to go back to Nawa and he did. The scholars interceded on his behalf but Imam Nawawi refused to return as long the king was alive. One month after this, he passed away.
FIQHI MADHAB AND TAZKIYAH:
Imam Nawawi was a Shafi’ee in Fiqh and he was a Sufi -in the correct and upright meaning of the word- who focused on not only outward knowledge but inward knowledge too; which is the purification of the heart. He writes:
The specifications of the way of the Sufis are five:
1. To keep the Presence of Allah in your heart in public and in private
2. To follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) by actions and speech
3. To keep away from (unnecessary interaction with) people and from asking them
4. To be happy with what Allah gave you, even if it is less
5. To always refer your matters to Allah
STATUS:
His teacher Imam Muhy-ud-Deen says, ‘Imam Nawawi had three distinctive commendable qualities in his person. If anybody has even one out of these three, people turn to him in abundance for guidance.
1) Having knowledge and its dissemination.
2) To evade completely from the worldly inclinations.
3) Inviting to all that is good (Islam) enjoining virtue and forbidding vice.’
RETURN TO HOMELAND:
Imam Nawawi spent 27 years in Damascus and returned to his homeland Nawa, Syria. This world renowned scholar spend the last moments of his life teaching, moulding and benefitting the people the people of his hometown, along with others.
DEMISE:
After a brief illness, he passed away in the month of Rajab in the year year 676 A.H. He was around 44 years of age. Although he lived a short life, he benefitted the world so much that if a person lived hundreds of years, he would not be able to do what Imam Nawawi did. His resting place is in Nawa, Syria. There is a tree growing over his grave. (May Allah Almighty preserve his blessed grave; damage was done to the stone tomb but the tree survived during the ongoing bloodshed in Syria. May Allah Almighty bring peace, justice and safety for the people there and protect them from tyrants. Aameen.) May Allah fill his grave with Nur and benefit us through him. Aameen.
WORKS:
Imam Nawawi is a scholar whom the entire Ummah in indebted to. Allah Almighty gave him a depth of knowledge which is unparalleled. His contributions in every field, primarily the field fo Hadith, are invaluable and his words, views, teachings, explanations, compilations are studied all across the world. His tirelessness and dedication paid off. He would write and write until his hand felt pain, after which he would recite a couplet of poetry to keep him going. Some of his works are:
• Al-Minhaj bi Sharh Sahih Muslim شرح صحيح مسلم, (is considered the best commentary on Sahih Muslim) • Riyadh as-Saaliheen رياض الصالحين, (a collection of hadith on ethics, manners, conduct, and is very popular in the Muslim world today) • Al-Majmu’ sharh al-Muhadhdhab المجموع شرح المهذب, (is a comprehensive manual of Islamic law according to Shafii fiqh) • Minhaj al-Talibin منهاج الطالبين وعمدة المفتين في فقه الإمام الشافعي, (a classical manual on Islamic Law according to Shafii fiqh) • Tahdhib al-Asma wal-Lughat تهذيب الأسماء, (biographical Dictionary of Illustrious Men chiefly at the Beginning of Islam) • Taqrib al-Taisir التقريب والتيسير لمعرفة سنن البشير النذير, (an introduction to the study of Hadith) • Forty Hadiths (al-arbaʿīn al-nawawiyya) الأربعون النووية, (possibly the most celebrated Arba’in work across the world, published along with numerous commentaries) • Kitab al-Adhkar الأذكار المنتخبة من كلام سيد الأبرار, (is a collection of Sunnah supplications) • Manasik متن الإيضاح في المناسك, on Hajj rituals • Ma Tamas ilayhi hajat al-Qari li Saheeh al-Bukhaari ما تمس إليه حاجة القاري لصـحيح البـخاري, • Tahrir al-Tanbih تحرير التنبيه, • al-Tibyan fi adab Hamalat al-Quran التبيان في آداب حملة القرآن, • Adab al-fatwa wa al-Mufti wa al-Mustafti آداب الفتوى والمفتي والمستفتي, • al-Tarkhis fi al-Qiyam الترخيص بالقيام لذوي الفضل والمزية من أهل الإسلام, • Sharh Sunan Abu Dawood • Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari • Mukhtasar at-Tirmidhi • Tabaqat ash-Shafi’iyah • Rawdhat al-Talibeen • Bustan al-Arifin
IMAM AT-TIRMIDHI (MAY ALLAH HAVE MERCY ON HIM AND BENEFIT US THROUGH HIM)
Title: al-Imam al-Hāfizh
Teknonym: Abu Eesa
Name: Muhammad ibn Eesa ibn Sawrah ibn Musa ibn Dhahhāk
Tribe: Banu Sulaim of Ghailān tribe
Attributed to land of: Tirmidh (also pronounced Tarmidh, Turmudh, Tarmadh)
Born: 209 A.H. (During reign of Ma’mun ar-Rashid)
Born in: Al-Būgh (modern day Uzbekistan and Afghanistan area) in Tirmidh province (great city of ancient Khurasan)
Passed away: 13 Rajab 279 A.H.
Buried in: Al-Būgh in Tirmidh
Lived: 70 years
JOURNEY OF KNOWLEDGE
Studied from renowned local Khurasani scholars during his younger years
Travelled all across the Muslim world – including Hijaz, Sham and Iraq – seeking Ilm, beginning his travels at age 26
Returned home 15 years later, after having amassed vast amounts of narrations
Took from the other compilers of Sihah Sitta; Imams al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, Nasai’, Ibn Majah
Took from renowned scholars like Imams ad-Darimi, Ishaq ibn Rahwayh, Qutayba ibn Said, Ishaq ibn Musa, Mahmud ibn Ghaylan
Students include the like of Imams Abu Bakr Ahmed Ibn Ismail As-Samarkandi, Ahmad ibn Yusuf al-Nasafi, and Haytham ibn Kulayb al-Shashi
His Fiqhi school is not confirmed; either he was Mujtahid, Mujtahid Murajjih, with inclination toward Shafi’ee school
SPECIALITIES
Had an unparalleled photographic memory
Incident of reading two chapters from memory: He had 2 notebooks of narrations from a particular scholar. When he met the scholar, he wanted to recite them to him so that Imam at-Tirmidhi could gain the chain for those narration directly from the scholar and ensure that they were correct, corroborated by the scholar’s own notes. The scholar allowed him to do so. However, upon checking his luggage, Imam at-Tirmidh realised that he did not have the note books with him. What to do?! He took blank sheets and started to recite to the scholar. He was reciting the narrations correctly. When the scholar realised that Imam at-Tirmidhi was reading from blank pages, he became angry. However, Imam at-Tirmidhi assured him that although he did not have the notebooks he knew every word by memory, and had not wished to lose the opportunity to recite to him. The scholar, testing him, told him to keep reciting. And by Allah! He narrated everything correctly exactly as they were in the teacher’s notes.
Incident of tree after blindness: He was on a journey during his old age. He ducked on a particular road. His companions mentioned that there was no tree to duck from, he needn’t worry. He became agitate and mentioned that he had travelled down this road many decades before when he still had his eyesight and there used to be a tree before. He remembered the exact place and position of a tree he had seen only once, decades ago! The people investigated from the locals and found out that there indeed had been a tree there which had been cut. He praised Allah and mentioned that if his memory had failed him in that, he would have stopped narrating Hadith out of fear of weakening memory.
Known for his Taqwa, wept so much that he lost his eyesight later on in life
Imam Musa ibn Alak said, ‘after Imam al-Bukhari passed away, he has left behind no scholar on the calibre of Imam at-Tirmidhi.’
Master not only of Hadith and but also in many fields such as Ilm-ul-Rijāl and Ilal
WORKS
Compiled around 20 known works besides his Jami’
Known works which have been passed down and are well studied: al-Ilal us-Sughra, az-Zuhd, al-Ilal ul-Kubra, al-Asmā wal Kuna, Kitab at-Tarikh
His most famous works are his Jami’ at-Tirmidhi and Shamā’il Muhammadiyyah, about the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)’s lifestyle, description and biography
JAMI’ AT-TIRIMIDHI
Full name of book:
الجامع المختصر من السنن عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ومعرفة الصحيح والمعلول وما عليه العمل
Number of Hadith and number of narrators:
Imam at-Tirmidhi narrates from 206 Shuyoukh in his Jami’. 90,000 Muhadditheen heard his Jami’ from him. It has roughly 4,400 Ahadith
Its rank amongst the books of Hadith:
Some classify its status as 5th greatest of the Sihah Sitta after Abu Dawud and Nasai’, due to them having stronger narrations
Others classify it as 3rd for its benefits and usage, and the level of knowledge of the Imam
Considered the strongest book of Hadith to study Fiqh because of Imam at-Tirmidhi’s focus on mentioning the proofs of different Imams and their Aqwal
Every single Hadith in the book is acted upon by some school of Fiqh or another. Every student of Hadith should study this because it covers the Fiqhi proofs of the various schools.
Imam Abu Ismai’l Abdullah ibn Muhammad Ansari found it more beneficial than Sahihain because an experienced scholar can know how to utilise the Ahadith in Sahihain but the Ahadith bought in at-Tirmidhi can also be used by a general scholar
Shah Abdul Aziz considered it Ahsan (finest) of the Kutub of Hadith
When Imam at-Tirmidhi presented it to the scholars of Hijaz, they were pleased, as were the scholars of Iraq and Khurasan
Imam at-Tirmidhi says: من كان هذا الكتاب في بيته، فكأنما في بيته نبي يتكلم. ‘Whoever has this book in his home, it is as though he has in his the Prophet (peace be upon him) speaking.’
Its specialities and method of compilation:
Both a Jami’ and a Sunan, with chapter ordering based on Fiqh
Not many repetition and sometimes only the relevant portion of a narration is brought
There is one Thulathi narration
Easy to navigate, and the Tarājim-ul-Abwab are clear; often based on the wording of the Hadith within
Most of the Tarājim are either focused on Ahl-ul-Hijaz (Shafi’ee school) or Ahl-ul-Iraq (Hanafi school)
It contains narrations that are strong, sound and even some weak ones
Imam at-Tirmidhi clarifies Ilal, names of narrators, and weakness in chain
Imam at-Tirmidhi mentions the views of the different Sahabah, Tabi’een and schools of Fiqh on the topics he brings
Sometimes he indicates towards different Ahadith that can be studied in that chapter if a person wants to look for them elsewhere under ‘wa fil baab’
Brings the Hadith with the strongest Sanad first in the Baab
Looks for narrators with Itqān, as well as Kathrat-ul-Mulazimah bi ash-Shaykh
View on ‘an-ana’ narration is that of Imam Muslim
View on Mursal is that it is accepted provided it has another Muttasil chain
Connection with other compilers of Sihah Sitta:
The compilers of the Sihah Sitta, namely Imams al-Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasai’ and Ibn Majah, all share 9 teachers whom all 6 narrate from in their famous canonical books of Hadith.
He narrates from 3 other compilers of the Sihah Sitta in his Jami’; Imams al-Bukhari, Muslim and Abu Dawud
Special bond with Imam al-Bukari: Imam al-Bukhari also heard 2 Hadith from him. Imam al-Bukhari said to him, ‘You did not benefit from me more than I benefitted from you.’ He often refers to the views of Imam al-Bukhari in his Jami’ by saying, ‘Muhammad ibn Isma’il says…’ or ‘Muhammad says (about this)…’
Its Shuruhāt (commentaries):
There have been commentaries written on it by the likes of Imam Abubakr ibn al-Arabi, Imam Suyuti, Ibn Ibn Sayyid an-Nās, Imam Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, Shah Anwar Kashmiri, Shaykh Sirajuddin as-Sarhindi Shaykh Yahya al-Khandalwi and Shaykh Yusuf al-Binori.
Note: Tuhfatul Ahwazi by Shaykh Abdur Rahman al-Mubarakpuri is a famous and good Sharah but has elements of ta’ssub in its anti-Hanafi bias.
Dars Tirmidhi is a commentary by the renowned Mufti Taqi Usmani, covering the first few chapters of the book.
TERMINOLOGY OF IMAM AT-TIRMIDHI IN HADITH CLASSIFICATION
1) SAHIH (STRONGLY/RIGOROUSLY AUTHENTICATED) – His use of this term is in accordance with the general usage, i.e. the existence of five conditions.
The narrators must have adl (approval of trustworthiness)
The narrators must have itqān of dhabt (excellent retention)
The chain must be muttasil i.e. have no breaks
There can be no shudhudh i.e. when the narrator narrates differently to a stronger narrator
There can be no illah (hidden defect only spotted by experts) that is severe
2) JAYYID (GOOD) – This term is used synonymously with sahih (although it may be slightly lower than sahih).
3) SAHIH GHARIB (STRONGLY AUTHENTICATED, ISOLATED) – This term implies that the hadith is rigorously authenticated, but there is an isolated narrator in its chain of transmission.
4) HASAN (SOUNDLY AUTHENTICATED) – The definition of hasan according to Imam at-Tirmidhi (as clarified in his Kitab-ul-Ilal) is a hadith:
Where the chain does not contain a narrator accused of lying
Where the narration does not oppose another which is reported by more authentic narrators, as this would create shudhudh in it
Which is transmitted through more than one chain.
This is different to the usual definition of hasan which is that it has all 5 conditions of sahih, except that narrator is not on level of dhabt of a narrator of a sahih hadith.
Imam Ibn Salah explains that the usual definition of hasan is used by Imam at-Tirmidhi when referring to hasan li-ghairihi whilst the one mentioned in his Kitab-ul-Ilal refers to the definition of hasan li-dhātihi.
5) HASAN GHARIB (SOUND, ISOLATED) – Same as Sahih Gharib, with the authentication being at the level of hasan.
Some have said that this creates a conundrum because if his definition of hasan (as mentioned in his Kitab-ul-Ilal) is used here, then hasan and gharib being qualities of the same narration would be a contradiction. They provide the answer to this conundrum by explaining that Imam at-Tirmidhi means that it is hasan li-dhātihi with gharābat in the chain.
Others have explained by saying that he is using the usual definition of hasan in this particular case.
According to Imam Salah’s explanation, he is referring to hasan li-ghairihi with gharābat in the chain.
The best answer seems to be that of Shah Waliullah who mentions that Imam Tirmidhi provides to explanation for ways in which gharābat can occur. One is through an isolated chain, but this type of narration would in opposition to his definition of hasan. Another way that Imam at-Tirimidhi explains gharābat occurring is when there are a few chains for a narration but one or some of them contain tafarrud or ziyadat-ur-rāwi. This is the definition he uses of gharib when he classifies a narration as both hasan and gharib.
6) DA’IF (WEAKLY ATTRIBUTED) – That which fails to reach the level of hasan.
7) ASAHHU SHAY’ FI AL-BĀB (MOST AUTHENTIC IN THIS CHAPTER) – This means that the hadith is relatively more authentic than other ahādith in the chapter, although in of itself it may sometimes be weak.
8) GHARIB (ISOLATED) – Normally refers to a hadith in the chain of which there is only one narrator at a particular level. Imam at-Tirmidhi sometimes says ‘gharib min hadha al-wajh’; meaning the text of the hadith is well-known, however this particular chain is gharib.
9) HASAN SAHIH (SOUND, STRONG) –This term has caused much debate amongst the Muhaddithin:
a) Imam at-Tirmidhi is unsure whether the hadith is sahih or hasan as some classify it as each [view of Imam Ibn al-Hajar]
b) The hadith is transmitted through two chains; one is hasan and the other sahih [view of Imam an-Nawawi]
c) Imam at-Tirmidhi has made a new term; the hadith is higher than hasan but lower than sahih [view of Imam Ibn Kathir]
d) The hadith contains the highest level of hasan narrators and can be pulled up to sahih [view of Imam Ibn Daqiq al-Eid]
e) The hadith is in the category of sahih and is hasan i.e. good and beneficial [view of Imam Ibn as-Salah]
f) The hadith is in the category of sahih and it hasan i.e. should be acted upon [view of Shaykh Ahmed Shākir]
g) Imam at-Tirmidhi’s definition of hasan is different (he does not include weakness of dhabt). Thus, if a narrator is also strong in dhabt, he calls is hasan sahih. [view of Mufti Taqi Uthmani]
In conclusion, this is a reliable category and many of these narrations come in Sahihain.
10) HASAN SAHIH GHARIB (SOUND, STRONG, ISOLATED) – The same explanation applies here in terms of combining hasan and sahih, with the exception of there being more than one chain. It is also possible that the hadith has multiple chains, but a particular word is gharib.
INTRODUCTORY ADVICE BEFORE STUDYING
These books of Hadith are so great that if a student studies them with a) concentration b) respect, they will be successful. The final year of the Islamic scholarship course focuses on Hadith. This is due to the importance and reliance on Sunnah in understanding the rulings of our faith and in understanding the meanings of the Qur’an.
The compilers of these books did not author the works yet they have put in more effort than any person who authors his own work. Imam Muslim passed away due to his spending hours searching for one Hadith. Even today there are people who travel the world and seek out scholars for their chains of Hadith. We should be very grateful that we are being offered it so easily.
This science is full of blessings. After you graduate, don’t ever think that you have not achieved anything from these books of Hadith. Don’t ever wish to exchange this knowledge for anything. Shah Ganj Muradabadi once saw a dream of the damsels of Jannah. He asked them if they were learned of the Qur’an. If they were, they could stay. Otherwise, he had no need for them. Such was the focus and love of our scholars of the Islamic sciences that they wanted this not to be an aspect of their life but to permeate their whole life. Many scholars suffer from chronic pain or fatigue due to old age but as soon as they teach Hadith, all their pain disappears and they deliver with more energy than young people.
Through the blessing of this course, as your life extends, it will continue to improve until you pass away with a good end. With any other qualification, it helps you make money. What do you do with money? Use it up. This wealth is in your heart. It benefits you here and there. These great Imams will intercede for you on the day of judgement. And In Jannah, this knowledge will also benefit, inshāAllah.
May Allah Almighty continue to send blessings to Imam at-Tirmidhi and benefit the Ummah through his efforts. May He bless and have mercy on all the authentic and pious scholars. Aameen. Imam at-Tirmidhi was a man whose life was dedicated to the love of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and in return Allah Almighty raised him to the rank of the greatest luminaries of this Ummah. He was hardworking, humble, passionate about his faith, and obedient to His Lord. He is known through his great work and his great work is known better by learning about the man behind its compilation. We pray to follow in his footsteps and to be amongst his companions in Jannah, for Allah Almighty is powerful over everything and we have good hopes in Him. Aameen.
Below is attached an essential read for every student of Hadith and student of Islamic scholarship.
It is also an essential read for every Muslim in a college/university environment or any environment where one finds many Muslims with a wide range of practices.
It has become very common amongst certain environments, particularly in the West, for some Muslims to approach guileless Muslims and tell them that the Hanafi, Maliki, Shaf’iee or Hanabli schools of Fiqh (and the rulings derived within them) should not be followed, but rather the Fiqh promoted by these individuals should exclusively be followed. They quote Sahih al-Bukhari, which contains utmost authentic narrations, to seemingly back their stance and disprove or even condemn the practices within any of these four schools of Fiqh. This has created a great deal of confusion, misinformation and sectarianism within the Muslim community.
This book in question explains to the reader how to understand and study Sahih al-Bukhari as a book of Hadith as well as a book containing rules of Fiqh. The author is a seasoned scholar of Hadith and of Sahih al-Bukhari and has kindly allowed us to upload this book for free use for all. May Allah Almighty accept their endeavour. Aaamen.
A gift for teachers and students. Especially designed for students of the Alimiyyah course. Topics include: • Virtues of Ilm and Ulama • Etiquettes of a seeker • Revision and memorisation tips • Note making tips • Timeline of authors • Personality management • Communication management etc.
Updated September 2021. CORRECTION: The previous versions have an incorrect translation of the Hadith at the top of page 10 under the topic of ‘notemaking.’ Please correct if you have printed the previous versions. Jazakumullah khairan. Previously it was translated as ‘a servant does an action’ whereas it should be ‘one of you does an action.’ The Hadith in Tabarani is إن الله يحب إذا عمل أحدكم عملا أن يتقنه. The Hadith at the top of page 19 has also been re-referenced.
Contact us at piousfacts@hotmail.com if you notice any errors. Keep us in your prayers.
Explore Educational Content With Us @PIOUSFACTS 