Below is attached a compilation of 40 narrations where the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) gives indications to his Companions (Allah be pleased with them) about his coming demise. Studying such narrations develops our love for him, gives us perspective about what is truly important in life, and softens our hearts.
Name of book:
الأربعين في وصال سيد المرسلين ﷺ
‘40 Hadith of the Leader of the Messengers (peace and salutations be upon him) foretelling his passing’
Do you wish to add some Tasbeeh into your routine? Here is a selection of wonderful short Tasbeeh, along with their virtues, taken from Sunan at-Tirmidhi.
سنن الترمذي، كتاب الدعوات ، باب مَا جَاءَ فِي فَضْلِ التَّسْبِيحِ وَالتَّكْبِيرِ وَالتَّهْلِيلِ وَالتَّحْمِيدِ
It is best to select one or two and do with consistency, rather than start alot and leave it later.
“Do deeds which is within your capacity as Allah does not tire (i.e. stop giving and limit His rewards) until you yourself tire.” Hadith narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari
VARIOUS ADHKAR AND THEIR VIRTUES (REF: JAMI’ AT-TIRMIDHI, kitab-ud-da’wat)
Reward of freeing 10 enslaved persons, 100 good deeds, 100 Sayyi’ah (sins) removed, protected from Shaitan until evening, nobody will bring more virtue except someone who has done more
100 Tasbeeh morning and evening = Like one who performs Hajj 100 times 100 Tahmeed morning and evening = Like one who provides 100 horses in the cause of Allah 100 Tahleel morning and evening = Like one who freed 100 enslaved persons from offspring of Isma’il i.e. Arabs And 100 Takbeer morning and evening = None shall bring on that day, more than what he brought, except one who said similar to what he said, or increased upon it
1 Tasbeeh in Ramadan
–
Greater than 1000 Tasbeeh outside of it (This is a saying of the early Muslims)
10 times after Fajr Salah while feet are still folded, before speaking
10 good deeds, 10 Sayyi’ah (sins) removed, 10 ranks raised, in security all that day from every disliked thing, in protection from Shaitan, no sin will meet him or destroy him that day except for associating partners with Allah (meaning he will be guided to good deeds and forgiveness)
This is not supposed to be a standalone document; it is merely a guiding summary to assist in note making. ‘The Etiquette of Hadith’ by Shaykh Maulana Saleem Dhorat (may Allah preserve him) is a book containing many advices, quotes and stories to motivate the student of Hadith in making the most of their studies. It is very short and can be read in a 30 min sitting.
If a person does not know they have a treasure, they will be unable to benefit from it. If a person knows they have a treasure but do not know how to handle it, they too will be unable to benefit from it. The student of Hadith should recognise that the Ahadith are full of light and guidance. One who shows through their behaviour – their etiquette – that they want to be bathed in the guidance of this light, will surely see the blessings of studying Hadith after the very first lesson, with Allah’s Grace. Maulana Rumi (may Allah have mercy on him) says: طرق العشـق كـلها آداب أدبوا النفس أيها الاصحـاب
Bullet points from the book ‘The Etiquette of Hadith’ by Shaykh Maulana Saleem Dhorat hafizhahullah (translated by Maulana Mohamed Mohamedy)
INWARD ETIQUETTES
Have the Azhmat (honour) of the knowledge in your heart
Have the Muhabbah (love) of the knowledge in your heart
Have the correct intention: a. To earn the pleasure of Allah Almighty ((مَنْ تعلَّم علْمًا ممَّا يُبْتَغى به وَجْهُ الله -عز وجل- لا يَتَعلَّمُه إلا لِيُصِيبَ به عَرَضًا من الدنيا، لمْ يَجِد عَرْفَ الجنة يومَ القيامة.)) الحديث رواه ابو داؤدو أحمد و ابن ماجة
b. To have a glow in this world and hereafter ((نضَّر الله امرءًا سمِع مقالَتي فوعاها وحفِظها وبلَّغها فرُبَّ حاملِ فقهٍ إلى من هو أفقهُ منه.)) الحديث رواه الترمذي c. To earn closeness to Rasulullah (peace be upon him) ((أولى الناس بي يوم القيامة أكثرهم عليّ صلاة)) الحديث رَوَاهُ التِّرمِذِيُّ
d. To earn the title of ‘Khulafā’ of Rasulullah (peace be upon him)
عن ابن عباس قال : قال النبي – صلى الله عليه وسلم : (( اللهم ارحم خلفائي )) قلنا : يا رسول الله ، ومن خلفاؤك ؟ قال
((الذين يأتون من بعدي ، يروون أحاديثي ويعلمونها الناس)) . الحديث رواه الطبراني في الأوسط ، وفيه أحمد بن عيسى بن عبد الله الهاشمي e. To understand the Holy Qur’an بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ وَالزُّبُرِ ۗ وَأَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الذِّكْرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ. (سورة النحل : ٤٤) f. To take enjoyment from the words of the Beloved (peace be upon him) g. To earn the Sha’n (honour) of Sahabiyat (Prophetic companionship) The poet says: أهلُ الحديثِ هُمُ أهلُ النبيّ وإن لم يصحَبوا نفسَهُ ، أنفاسَهُ صَحِبوا h. To adorn one’s self with the Prophetic character
OUTWARD ETIQUETTES
Utilise your full strength and means
Never miss a lesson
Always be in a state of Wudu
Apply scent and be clean
Learn the pre-requisite sciences
Read the Ibarat (text) correctly
Recite the correct Ad’iah after the names of pious people and keep respect for them in the heart
Take the name of your teacher with Ta’zheem (honour)
Act upon the knowledge
Respect the teacher
Respect the tools of knowledge
Be considerate to classmates
Have the Jazba (zeal) to spread knowledge of Deen
Don’t hide knowledge when you can help someone
Adopt Akhlāq Hameedah (praiseworthy character)
Write the knowledge down, do not merely listen to it
Have Mudāwamat (continuity) on the etiquettes
Make Mashwarah (consultation) with your spiritual elders instead rushing into a decision
BENEFITS OF ADOPTING ETIQUETTES
The Nusrat (help) of Allah Almighty will be with you
Falah (success) in acquiring knowledge
The colour of this knowledge will be manifested on you صِبْغَةَ اللَّهِ ۖ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللَّهِ صِبْغَةً ۖ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ عَابِدُونَ (سورة البقرة: ١٣٨)
Allah Almighty will make you a means to convey this colour to others
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
This is a testament to this Ummah that it records the names, lives, and stories of not only the pious men but the pious women, as an inspiration for generations to come.
This article is dedicated to the all the pious Shaykhahs of our day and age, who continue to work in silence, serving the needs of the Ummah of Muhammad (peace be upon him). Such women who do not wish for their names to be recorded in the annals of History but who leave behind a lasting contribution, from which we all continue to benefit. Below are 5 points derived from the book ‘Khawatin aur Deen ki khidmat’ written by Allamah Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi (rahimahullah)
يَوْمَ تَرَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَسْعَىٰ نُورُهُم بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَبِأَيْمَانِهِم
On the Day you see the Believing men and Believing women, their light proceeding before them and on their right…. (Surah Hadid, Ayah 12)
Women have just as much ability as men to reach Wilāyah. Wilāyah is a level of piety where the servant attains a close friendship with their Maker, Allah Almighty. From what we know of the previous Ummahs, the names of their Awliyah have not passed down to us. This Ummah is unique in that whichever country and community of Muslims you go, people will recognise the name of esteemed Awliyah like Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani. In the same vein, they will also recognise the name of Rabi’a Basria. This is a testament to this Ummah that it records the names, lives, and stories of not only the pious men but the pious women, as an inspiration for generations to come.
Once there was a king who, in a moment of passion, announced to his court that whatever anyone touched would be theirs. Beside themselves with elation, some grabbed the throne. Some grabbed the crown. Some ran to the stables and grabbed the horses. As each one tried to grab onto anything and everything they could, a servant stood watching. The king questioned him why he was not taking advantage of his generosity. He asked the king whether he would really fulfil his promise. The king assured him that he would. The servant then went to the king and grabbed him. Thus, everything became his! In the same way, we should divert our attention from the trappings of the world to the Maker, Owner and Maintainer of the world. If we direct that focus onto becoming Allah’s, we will be granted the pleasure of both worlds. This is an advice for both the men and women of this Ummah. Do not hanker after the material and vanishing things of this temporal abode.
M’umināt’s dominion. This is how Shaykh Lutfullah used to refer to the city of Bhopal, India. It had been ruled by two Muslim women; Nawab Sikander Begum and her daughter Shah Jahan Begum. There was such honour for the Believing woman that if a case was brought to the great Mufti Shaykh Abdul Qayyoum of Bhopal and he was unable to come to a conclusion, he would go home and ask his wife. She was the daughter of the esteemed Shah Ishaq and had benefited greatly from his knowledge. Often times, he would direct the questioner to his wife instead.
Eagerness and excellence in ‘Ilm (knowledge) and bravery is the forte of both men and women. The chain of Sahih Bukhari (the greatest book after the Holy Qur’ān) that great Muhadditheen like Shaykh Mahmoud-ul-Hasan and Shaykh Muhammad Zakariya Kandhlawi taught from was none other than the chain the comes through the great Muhaddithah Kareemah. Shaykha Kareemah bint Ahmad al-Marwaziyyah was considered the best authority of Sahih Bukhari in her time. She passed away in 463 A.H./1070 A.D. Islamic history is embellished with examples of women’s feats. The bravery of Sahābiyah Asmā bint Abi Bakr is unparalleled when she stood up to the Fira’un of his time, Hajjāj ibn Yusuf. The patience of Sahābiyah Khansā is unparalleled when, she, upon hearing about the martyrdom of all of her sons, praised Allah for the paradise that awaited her sons.
Never underestimate the importance of maintaining and nourishing home and family life. Islam not only considered it an essential part of living in society but Islam raised it to the rank of ‘Ibādah (worship). The emphasis that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) placed on paying attention to the obvious as well as the intricate needs, wishes, sentiments, and status due unto women, such emphasis cannot be found in the efforts of others claiming to be upholders of womens’ rights. He would cut his Salāh short when hearing a child cry, empathising with the distress of the mother. Despite his busy role, he would spend leisure time with each wife enjoying activities of her interest, empathising with the desire of the wife. If the men of this Ummah follow the footsteps of the Sahābah and the women follow the footsteps of the Sahābiyāt then there will be true reformation in our home lives. This will in turn enrich the wider society. Sahābiyat had such strength of Imān that there were great influencing superpowers in their times also – from the Byzantine Romans to the Sassanid Persian – but they were not influenced by them. Sahābiyāt maintained their own unique identity. They wore it as their crown. Their identity was simply put: Mu’mināt.
Would you like to know why it is necessary to follow one of the four Madhahib (schools) in matters of Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence)? How is Ijtihad done (rulings derived)? Why do some Riwayat (narrations) differ?
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RIYADH-US-SALIHEEN is a Hadith collection compiled by the great scholar Imam Abu Zakariyyah Yahya ibn Sharaf an-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him). It is called ‘Gardens of the Pious’ in English. Imam Nawawi particularly compiled this book for the general Muslim population to access Ahadith that they could understand and practice upon, with a teacher going through the text with them.
Below is a compilation of authentic Sunnah supplications that come in the CHAPTER OF SUPPLICATIONS. الأدعية المأثورة تخريج: رياض الصالحين كتاب الدعوات
Below are worksheets (requiring students to fill in themselves) for the Sunnah Adhkaar (remembrances of Allah Almighty) that come in the CHAPTER OF ADHKAAR. لأدعية المأثورة تخريج: رياض الصالحين كتاب الأذكار
May Allah Almighty grant us the ability to recite these prayers and earn His pleasure. Aameen. As always, if you notice a mistake please contact us on piousfacts@hotmail.com
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