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The
Righteous Life and Blessed Works of the Poet of the Holy Prophet -
Allâh bless and greet him - the Pious Erudite Imâm
al-Qâd.î Yûsuf al-Nabhânî
(1265/1849-1350/1932)
by GF
Haddad
(Courtesy of As-Sunnah
Foundation)
Bismillâh
al-Rahmân al-Rahîm
Al-Nabhânî
wrote of himself in his first published book, al-Sharaf al-Mu'abbad
li-Ali Muh.ammad - Allâh bless and greet him - (1309/1891), in
Asbâb al-Ta'lîf lil-`Abdi al-D.a`îf, and in
Jâmi` Karâmât al-Awliyâ' (both 1329/1911):
"I am
the faqîr Yûsuf ibn Ismâ`îl ibn Yûsuf ibn
Ismâ`îl ibn Muh.ammad Nâs.ir al-Dîn
al-Nabhânî. We go back to the Banû Nabhân, an
Arab desert folk who settled of old in the town of Ijzim1 North of the
Holy sites in the land of
Palestine, presently part of the district (qad.â') of H.aifa in
`Akka, province of Beirut. I was born in Ijzim in 1265/1849
approximately.
"I
read the Qur'ân with my Master and father, the righteous Shaykh
and meticulous memorizer of the Book of Allâh, Shaykh
Ismâ`îl al-Nabhânî who is now [in 1891] past
eighty, in full possession of his senses, of strong build
and excellent health, and who spends most of his time in works of
obedience.
"My
father's daily devotion in every twenty-four hours was one third of the
Qur'ân, then he would complete the Qur'ân three times every
week. The praise for this belongs to Allâh! {Say: In the bounty
of Allâh and in His mercy:
therein let them rejoice. It is better than what they hoard} (10:58).
"Then
he sent me - Allâh save him and thank him on my behalf! - to
Cairo for study. I entered the Mosque of al-Azhar the day of al-Sabt in
early Muh.arram of the year 1283 [16 May 1866] and resided there until
Rajab 1289
[October 1872]. During that time, I learnt all that Allâh
destined for me to learn of the sciences of the Sharî`a and its
preparatory disciplines at the hands of the accomplished teachers and
major established masters of the
time, any one of whom, if he were found in a place, would be the leader
of its people to the gardens of Paradise and would meet their
requirements in all of the sciences - the spoken and the rational.
"One
of them, or rather their peerless leader was the accomplished, erudite
teacher, the refuge of meticulous understanding, the Shaykh of all
Shaykhs, Teacher of all Teachers, Sayyidî al-Shaykh
Ibrâhîm al-Saqqâ al-Shâfi`î who died in
1298 aged around ninety years. He spent his entire blessed long life
reading lessons until most of the Ulema of our time became his
students, either directly, or through an intermediary. I attended his
classes - Allâh
have mercy on him! - for three years and read with him the two
commentaries - al-Tah.rîr and al-Manhaj - of Shaykh
al-Islâm Zakariyyâ al-Ans.ârî together with
their marginalia by al-Sharqâwî and al-Bujayrimî
respectively.
"Also
among my teachers is the venerable erudite Scholar, Sayyidî
al-Shaykh al-Sayyid Muh.ammad al-Damanhûrî
al-Shâfi`î who died in 1286 aged around ninety years.
Also the erudite Scholar Sayyidî al-Shaykh Ibrâhîm
al-Zurrû al-Khalîlî al-Shâfi`î who died
in 1287 aged around seventy.
Also the erudite Scholar Sayyidî al-Shaykh Ah.mad
al-Ajhûrî al-D.arîr al-Shâfi`î who died
in 1293 aged around sixty.
Also the erudite Scholar Sayyidî al-Shaykh H.asan al-`Adawî
al-Mâlikî who died in 1298 aged around eighty.
Also the erudite Scholar Sayyidî al-Shaykh al-Sayyid `Abd
al-Hâdî Najâ al-Abyârî who died in 1305
aged just over seventy years.
Also Shaykh Shams al-Dîn Muh.ammad al-Anbâbî
al-Shâfi`î the Master of al-Azhar Mosque, who died in 1313.
Also Shaykh `Abd al-Rah.mân al-Sharbînî
al-Shâfi`î the Master of al-Azhar Mosque, who died in 1326.
Also Shaykh `Abd al-Qâdir al-Râfi`î al-H.anafî
al-T.arabulsî the Master of the Damascenes' Porch (Ruwâq
al-Shawâmm) in al-Azhar Mosque, who died in 1323.
Also Shaykh Yûsuf al-Barqâwî al-H.anbalî the
Master of the H.anbalîs' Porch in al-Azhar Mosque.2
[And many others, some of whom are named in Hâdî
al-Murîd and Jâmi` Karâmât al-Awliyâ'.]
"[After
I graduated and returned home to Ijzim] I began to hold a number of
religious courses in `Akka and my home town of Ijzim. Then I travelled
frequently to Beirut, then Damascus where I met the eminent Ulema.
Chief
among them was the Jurist of Damascus at the time, our Master the
erudite Imâm, al-Sayyid al-Sharîf Mah.mûd
Effendî H.amza - Allâh have mercy on him! - with whom I
read the beginning of al-Bukhârî's S.ah.îh., after
which
he gave me a general certificate comprising the rest of the
S.ah.îh. as well as all his other narrations and his own works.
He wrote this long certificate in his superb style and handsome
handwriting.
"Then
I headed for Constantinople twice and worked there for several years. I
edited the periodical al-Jawâ'ib until it folded. I also
proofread the Arabic books that came out of its press. My monthly
salary there was ten Lîras for editing and proofreading. I worked
on this for about two or three hours [daily] and did it on the
insistant request of the paper's owner, Ah.mad Effendî
Fâris. He considered me his greatest blessing and showed great
sadness at seeing me leave for my new position with the government [as
a judge]. He offered me to work as his partner or a raise, but I
refused.
"I
left Constantinople, the first time, for Iraq. I went to the district
of Kawî S.anjaq in the province of Mosul. Then I returned to
Constantinople. I left it a second time in 1300 when I was appointed
head judge of al-Jaza' court in al-Lâdhiqiyya on the
Syro-Palestinian sea-shore. After living there for five years the Dawla
- Allâh grant her victory! - transferred me to the head judgeship
of the court of al-Qudus al-Sharîf. This took place through those
at whose hands Allâh decreed goodness for me, without request nor
prior knowledge on my part. Then, after less than a year - eight months
to be precise - they promoted me, without request nor prior knowledge
on my
part, to the chief judgeship of the Beirut Court of Justice. This was
in 1305/1888." 3
After
al-Nabhânî retired he turned entirely to writing and
worshipping. He travelled to al-Madîna al-Munawwara and lived in
the Noble Neighborhood for a while. Then he returned to Beirut where he
passed on to the mercy of His
Lord in the beginning of the month of Ramad.ân 1350/1932.
Bibliography of al-Qâd.î
al-Nabhânî
Afd.alu
al-S.alawât `alâ Sayyid al-Sâdât ("The Choicest
Invocations of Blessings on the Master of Masters") <1309>.
Ah.san
al-Wasâ'il fî Naz.mi Asmâ'i al-Nabiyyi al-Kâmil
("The Best Means in Versifying the Names of the Perfect Prophet -
Allâh bless and greet him"), in three hundred verses, in print.
The Qâd.î wrote a brief history of the
compilations of the Prophetic Names in his introduction to his
commentary on al-Jazûlî's Dalâ'il al-Khayrât
titled al-Dalâlât al-Wâd.ih.ât in which he
mentioned various recensions to date:
Al-Qâd.î
`Iyâd.'s superlative masterpiece al-Shifâ'
Al-Fâkihânî's al-Fajr al-Munîr
Abû `Imrân al-Zanâtî's compendium (201 names)
Al-Jazûlî's devotional masterpiece Dalâ'il
al-Khayrât in which he relied on
al-Zanâtî
Al-Suyût.î's al-H.adâ'iq fî Asmâ'i Khayr
al-Khalâ'iq (300+ names)
Al-Suyût.î's al-Riyâd. al-Anîqa fî
Asmâ'i Khayr al-Khalîqa listing sources
for the H.adâ'iq
Al-Suyût.î's al-Bahjat al-Saniyya (500 names)
Al-Sakhâwî's al-Qawl al-Badî` fil-S.alât
`alâl-H.abîb al-Shafî` (450 names)
Al-Qast.allânî's al-Mawâhib al-Lâduniyya in
which he relied on al-Sakhâwî
Al-Zurqânî's Sharh. al-Mawâhib (800+ names)
Al-Nabhânî's Ah.san al-Wasâ'il in verse and
al-Asmâ fîmâ li-Rasûlillâhi -
Allâh bless and greet him - min al-Asmâ in prose (830
names)
A
trilingual recension was recently published by Shaykh Anîs
Ludhianvî rah.imahullâh.
Al-Ah.âdîth
al-Arba`în fî Fad.â'il Sayyid al-Mursalîn
("Forty Narrations on the Excellent Traits of the Master of Messengers
- Allâh bless and greet him"), in print.
Al-Ah.âdîth
al-Arba`în fî Fad.l al-Jihâd
wal-Mujâhidîn ("Forty Narrations on the Immense Merit of
Jihâd and Mujâhidîn"), in print.
Al-Ah.âdîth
al-Arba`în fî Wujûbi T.â`at Amîr
al-Mu'minîn ("Forty Narrations on the Obligatoriness of Obeying
the Commander of the Believers"), in print.
Al-Ah.âdîth
al-Arba`în min Amthâl Afs.ah. al-Mursalîn ("Forty
Narrations Containing Similes Made by the Most Eloquent of All
Messengers - Allâh bless and greet him"), in print.
Al-Anwâr
al-Muh.ammadiyya ("The Muh.ammadan Lights"), an abridgment of
al-Qast.allânî's al-Mawâhib al-Lâduniyya ("The
Otherworldly Bestowals") <1310> in 632 pages.
Al-Arba`îna
Arba`în min Ah.âdîthi Sayyid al-Mursalîn
("Forty Times Forty Narrations from the Master of Messengers")
<1329>.
Arba`ûna
H.adîthan fî Arba`îna S.îghatin
fîl-S.alâti `alâ al-Nabî ("Forty Narrations on
Forty Wordings of Invocations of Blessings on the Prophet - Allâh
bless and greet him").
Arba`ûna
H.adîthan fî Fad.â'ili Ahl al-Bayt ("Forty Narrations
on the High Merits of the People of the Prophetic House").
Arba`ûna
H.adîthan fî Fad.li Abî Bakr ("Forty Narrations on
the Excellence of Abû Bakr").
Arba`ûna
H.adîthan fî Fad.li Abî Bakrin wa-`Umar ("Forty
Narrations on the Excellence of Abû Bakr and `Umar").
Arba`ûna
H.adîthan fî Fad.li `Alî ("Forty Narrations on the
Excellence of `Alî").
Arba`ûna
H.adîthan fî Fad.li Arba`îna S.ah.âbiyyan
("Forty H.adîths on the Hight Merits of Forty Prophetic
Companions").
Arba`ûna
H.adîthan fî Fad.li Lâ Ilâha Illâ
Allâh ("Forty Narrations on the Excellence of Lâ
Ilâha Illâ Allâh").
Arba`ûna
H.adîthan fî Fad.li `Umar ("Forty Narrations on the
Excellence of `Umar").
Arba`ûna
H.adîthan fî Fad.li `Uthmân ("Forty Narrations on the
Excellence of `Uthmân").
Al-Asâlîb
al-Badî`a fî Fad.l al-S.ah.âba wa-Iqnâ`i
al-Shî`a ("The Beautiful Methods in [Presenting] the High Merits
of the Companions and Persuading the Shî`îs")
Asbâb
al-Ta'lîf min al-`Ajiz al-D.a`îf ("The Reasons Why This
Helpless Poorling Writes"), appended to the Jâmi`
Karâmât al-Awliyâ'.
Al-Asmâ
fîmâ li-Rasûlillâhi - Allâh bless and
greet him - min al-Asmâ ("The Apex in Knowledge of the Names of
the Prophet - Allâh bless and greet him") in which the
Qâd.î listed about 830 to 860 names of the Prophet -
Allâh bless and greet him - in a 300-verse poem.
Al-Bashâ'ir
al-Imâniyya fîl-Mubashshirât al-Manâmiyya ("The
Faith-Informed Glad Tidings in the Mercy-Telling Dreams"), in print.
Al-Burhân
al-Musaddad fî Ithbâti Nubuwwati Sayyidinâ Muh.ammad
- Allâh bless and greet him - ("The Ironclad Demonstration of the
Prophethood of our Master Muh.ammad - Allâh bless and greet
him"), in print.
Dalîl
al-Tujjâr ilâ Akhlâq al-Akhyâr ("The Guide of
Traders in the High Manners of the Elect"), in print.
Al-Dalâlât
al-Wâd.ih.ât Sharh. Dalâ'il al-Khayrât, a
commentary on Imâm al-Jazûlî's manual of invocations
of blessings on the Prophet - Allâh bless and greet him, the
foremost manual of its kind. Shaykh Bassâm `Abd al-Wahhâb
al-Jâbî of Damascus produced a good new edition of this
work in 2001 printed with the fully vowelized Dalâ'il.4
Al-Nabhânî's
introduction to the Dilâlât is rich in historical and legal
details on the etiquette of invoking blessings on the Prophet -
Allâh bless and greet him -. In the introduction to this work the
Qâd.î recapitulates his detailed examination - which he
first presented in the introduction to Sa`âdat al-Dârayn -
of the preferability of adding the title Sayyidinâ ("our Master")
to the name of the Prophet - Allâh bless and greet him - in
tashahhud. This is the position preferred by the late
Shâfi`î authorities in particular such as Ibn `Abd
al-Salâm, al-Isnawî, al-Mah.allî,
al-Suyût.î, al-Fayrûzâbâdî,
al-Ramlî, al-Sakhâwî, al-Haytamî,
al-Nabhânî himself, and others.
The
proofs for giving precedence to respect (adab) over obedience
(t.â`a) in the matter are [1] the refusal of Abû Bakr to
pray as imâm in front of the Prophet - Allâh bless and
greet him - although the latter ordered him. After
the prayer, the Prophet - Allâh bless and greet him - asked him:
"Abû Bakr, what prevented you from standing firm when I ordered
you to?" Abû Bakr excused himself with his famous statement:
"Mâ kâna li-Ibni Abî Quh.âfata an
yataqaddama bayna yaday Rasûlillâh - It was not fitting for
the son of Abû Quh.âfa to stand ahead of the Messenger of
Allâh." The Prophet - Allâh bless and greet him - approved
of him.5 [2] The statement of Ibn Mas`ûd: "When you invoke
blessings on your Prophet, invoke blessings in the best possible way
(idhâ s.allaytum fa-ah.sinû al-s.alâta `alâ
nabiyyikum) for - you do not know - this might be shown to him.
Therefore, say: 'O Allâh! Grant your s.alât, mercy, and
blessings upon the Master of Messengers (sayyid al-Mursalîn), the
Imâm of the Godfearing, and the Seal of Prophets, Muh.ammad your
servant and Messenger, the Imâm of goodness and leader of
goodness and Messenger of Mercy! O Allâh! Raise him to a glorious
station for which the first and the last of creatures will yearn! O
Allâh! Grant mercy to Muh.ammad and to the House of Muh.ammad as
You granted mercy to Ibrâhîm and to the House of
Ibrâhîm! Truly, You are the Lord of glory and praise! O
Allâh! Bless Muh.ammad and the House of Muh.ammad as You blessed
Ibrâhîm and the House of Ibrâhîm! Truly, You
are the Lord of glory and
praise!'"6
The
proofs for calling the Prophet - Allâh bless and greet him -
sayyid are in the verses {lordly (sayyidan), chaste, a Prophet of the
righteous} (3:39) and {and they met her lord and master
(sayyidahâ) at the door} (12:42) as well as the following
Prophetic narrations: [1] "I am the Master (sayyid) of human beings";7
[2] "This son of mine [al-H.asan] is a leader of men (sayyid)";8 [3]
"Get up to meet your chief (qûmû ilâ sayyidikum)
[Sa`d ibn `Ubâda]";9 this h.adîth is also narrated as
Qûmu li-sayyidikum which means the same thing.10 (It is
noteworthy that the Prophet - Allâh bless and greet him -
specifically invoked the blessings and mercy of Allâh upon the
family
of Sa`d ibn `Ubâda as well as Jâbir ibn `Abd Allâh
and the family of Ibn Abî Awfâ.) [4] "Whenever
Fât.ima entered a room where the Prophet - Allâh bless and
greet him - was sitting he would get up and greet her, take her hand,
kiss her, and make her sit in his place; and whenever he entered a room
where she was sitting she would get up and greet him, take his hand,
kiss him, and make him sit in her place."11 [5] Sahl ibn H.unayf said
"My
liege-lord!" (yâ sayyidî) when he asked the Prophet -
Allâh bless and greet him - a certain question.12 [6] Mâlik
and Sufyân gave the fatwa that one should not say Yâ
Sayyidî in du`â' but Yâ Rabbî.13
Al-Fad.â'il
al-Muh.ammadiyya ("The Muh.ammadan High Merits"), in print.
Al-Fath.
al-Kabîr fî D.amm al-Ziyâdat ilâl-Jâmi`
al-S.aghîr ("The Great Divine Opening: [Al-Suyût.î's]
al-Jâmi` al-S.aghîr [edited together] With Its Addenda"),
in print.
Hâdî
al-Murîd ilâ T.uruq al-Asânîd ("Guide for the
Seeker to the Paths of Transmission") <1317>, appended to
S.alawât al-Thanâ' and detailing al-Nabhânî's
Thabt or compendium of transmission chains in h.adîth and other
Islamic sources.
H.izb
al-Awliyâ' al-Arba`în al-Mustaghîthîna
bi-Sayyid al-Mursalîn - Allâh bless and greet him - ("The
Devotion of the Forty Friends of Allâh That Seek Help Through the
Master of Messengers - Allâh bless and greet him"), also
known as H.izb al-Istighâthât bi-Sayyid
al-Sâdât - Allâh bless and greet him, in print.
H.usn
al-Shir`ati fî Mashrû`iyyati S.alât al-Z.uhri
Idhâ Ta`addadat al-Jumu`a ("The Beauty of the Law in Permitting
the Z.uhr Prayer When More Than One Jumu`a is Held [in one and the same
region]"), in print.
Irshâd
al-H.âyârâ fî Tah.dhîr al-Muslimîn
min Madâris al-Nas.ârâ ("Guidance of the Perplexed:
Warning the Muslims Against the Christians Schools"), an advice royally
ignored by most Muslims nowadays, especially the educated and the
wealthy. Al-Nabhânî also wrote an abridgment titled
Mukhtas.ar Irshâd al-H.âyârâ.
Al-Istighâthat
al-Kubrâ bi-Asmâ' Allâh al-H.usnâ ("The Great
Invocation of Help Through the Beautiful Names of Allâh"),
printed together with Riyâd. Ahl al-Janna.
Ith.âf
al-Muslim bi-Ah.âdîth al-Targhîb wal-Tarhîb min
al-Bukhârî wa-Muslim ("A Gift for Every Muslim in the
Narrations of Encouragement to Goodness and Deterrence from Evil from
al-Bukhârî and Muslim") <1329>.
Jâmi`
Karâmât al-Awliyâ' ("Compendium of the Miraculous
Gifts of the Friends of Allâh") <1329> in two volumes
(reprint Beirut: al-Maktaba al-Thaqâfiyya, 1991), an encyclopedia
of the miracles of the Muslim Saints in the
introduction to which he includes a bibliography for his works which
served for the present bibliography. In this introduction he also said
(1:9-11): "I will mention the titles of some of the books from which I
quoted material":
-
Al-Tibrîzî's Mishkât al-Mas.âbîh. ("The
Niche of Lights" c.737).
-
Al-Râzî's (d. 606) al-Tafsîr al-Kabîr.
- Usâma ibn Munqidh's al-I`tibâr ("The Book of Reflection")
by the Emir Usâma ibn Munqidh (d. 584).
- Al-Qushayrî's (d. 465) al-Risâla al-Qushayriyya ("Epistle
to the Sufis").
- Mis.bâh. al-Z.alâm fil-Mustaghîthîna
bi-Khayri al-Anâm ("The Illumination of Darkness Concerning Those
Who Seek Aid by Means of the Prophet, Allâh bless and greet him")
by Abû `Abd Allâh ibn al-Nu`mân
al-Marrâkishî's (d. 683).
- Rûh. al-Qudus ("The Spirit of Holiness"),
al-Futûh.ât al-Makkiyya ("The Meccan Disclosures"),
Mawâqi` al-Nujûm ("The Orbits of the Stars"), and
al-Muh.âd.arât ("The Conferences") by the Greatest Shaykh,
Sayyidî Muh.yî al-Dîn ibn al-`Arabî (d. 636).
- Imâm al-Yafi`î's (d. 768) Rawd. al-Rayyâh.în
("The Grove of Sweet Scents") and Nashr al-Mah.âsin ("The
Proclamation of Perfections").
- Tuffâh. al-Arwâh. ("The Apple of Spirits") by Kamâl
al-Dîn Muh.ammad ibn Abî al-H.asan `Alî
al-Sirâj al-Rifâ`î al-Qurashî
al-Shâfi`î who lived in the Eighth Century and was a
contemporary of al-Subkî and Ibn Taymiyya.
- Sharh. al-H.ikam al-`At.â'iyya ("Commentary on the Aphorisms of
Ibn `At.â' Allâh") by the Knower of Allâh, Ibn
`Abbâd (d. 792).
- Tuh.fat al-Ah.bâb ("The Gem of the Loved Ones") by
al-Sakhâwî who lived in the 9th century (not the
h.adîth Master).
- Al-Ishârât li-Amâkin al-Ziyârât
fî Dimashq al-Shâm ("Visitation Shrines in Damascus") by
Ibn al-H.awrânî, 11th c.
- Tuh.fat al-Anâm fî Fad.â'il al-Shâm ("The Gem
of Creatures Concerning the Merits of al-Shâm") by Shaykh
Jalâl al-Dîn al-Bas.rî al-Dimashqî who composed
it in 1002.
- T.abaqât al-Khawâs.s. min Ahl al-Yaman ("Biography-Layers
of the Elite of Yemen by Imâm Zayn al-Dîn Ah.mad ibn Ah.mad
al-Sharjî al-Zubaydî (d. 893) the author of the abridged
S.ah.îh. al-Bukhârî [al-Tajrîd
al-S.arîh.].
- Qâd.î `Abd al-Rah.mân al-`Alîmî
al-H.anbalî's (d. 927) al-Uns al-Jalîl ("The Sublime
Friendship").
- T.âsh Kubrâ's (d. 893) al-Shaqâ'iq
al-Nu`mâniyya ("The Red Anemones").
- Sayyidî al-Shaykh `Alwân al-H.amawî's (d. 936)
Sharh. Ta'iyyat Ibn H.abîb al-S.afadî ("Commentary on Ibn
H.abîb's Poem Written with the Rhyme Tâ'") and
Nasamât al-Ash.âr fî Karâmât
al-Awliyâ' al-Akhyâr ("The Pre-Dawn Breezes: The Miraculous
Gifts of the Friends of Allâh").
- Shaykh Muh.ammad ibn Yah.yâ al-Tâdhifî
al-H.anbalî's (d. 963) Qalâ'id al-Jawâhir fî
Manâqib al-Shaykh `Abd al-Qâdir ("The Necklaces of Diamonds
Concerning the Great Merits of Shaykh `Abd al-Qâdir").
- Imâm `Abd al-Wahhâb al-Sha`rânî's (d. 973)
al-Minan al-Kubrâ ("The Vast Grants"), al-Bah.r al-Mawrûd
("The Sea Where All Go"), al-Ajwiba al-Mard.iyya ("The Satisfying
Replies"), and al-T.abaqât al-Kubrâ ("The Major
Biograpihical Layers").
- Imâm al-Munâwî's (d. 1021) T.abaqât
[al-S.ûfiyya] al-Kubrâ and al-Shughrâ ("The Major and
Minor Biography-Layers of the Sufis").
- Shaykh Ah.mad ibn al-Mubârak's al-Ibrîz fî
Manâqib Sayyidî `Abd al-`Azîz al-Dabbâgh ("The
Pure Gold: The Great Merits of My Master `Abd al-`Azîz
al-Dabbâgh"), composed from the year 1129.
- Al-Sayyid Muh.ammad ibn Abî Bakr al-Shillî Bâ
`Alawî's (d. 1093) al-Mashra` al-Râwî fî
Manâqib Sâdâtinâ Al Bâ `Alawî ("The
Quenching
Watering-Station: The Great Merits of Our Masters of the Bâ
`Alawî Shaykhs").
- Shaykh Muh.ammad Najm al-Dîn al-Ghazzî's (d. 1061)
al-Kawâkib al-Sâ'ira fî A`yân al-Mi'at
al-`Ashira ("The Revolving Stars: Eminent Persons of the 10th
Century").
- Al-Shihâb Ah.mad al-Muqrî's (d. 1041) Nafh. al-T.îb
("The Wafts of Sweet Scents").
- Al-Muh.ibbî's (d. 1111) Khulâs.at al-Athar fî
A`yân al-Qarn al-H.âdî `Ashar ("The Epitome of
Reports: Eminent Persons of the Eleventh Century").
- Al-Sayyid Muh.ammad Khalîl al-Murâdî's (d. 1206)
Silk al-Durar fi A`yân al-Qarn al-Thânî `Ashar ("The
Pearl String: Eminent Persons of the Twelfth Century").
- `Abd al-Rah.mân ibn H.asan al-Jabartî's (d. 1237)
Târîkh Mis.r ("History of Egypt").
- Sharh. al-T.arîqat al-Muh.ammadiyya by my Master, the Knower,
Shaykh `Abd al-Ghanî al-Nâbulusî (d. 1144).
- Sharh. al-Burda ("Commentary on the Poem of the Mantle") by our
teacher, Shaykh H.asan al-`Adawî al-Mis.rî (d. 1303).
- Al-H.adâ'iq al-Wardiyya fi H.aqâ'iq Ajillâ'
al-T.arîqat al-Naqshbandiyya ("The Fields of Roses Concerning the
Spiritual Realities of the Naqshbandi Grandmasters") by Shaykh `Abd
al-Majîd, the son of our teacher, the erudite
scholar and spiritual guide Shaykh Muh.ammad al-Khânî
al-Naqshbandî (d. 1317).
Jâmi`
al-S.alawât ("The Compendium of the Invocations of Blessings")
<1318>.
Jâmi`
al-Thanâ'i `alâ Allâh ("The Compendium of the
Glorification of Allâh Most High"), in print.
Jawâhir
al-Bih.âr fî Fad.â'il al-Nabî al-Mukhtâr
("The Jewels of the Seas in the Excellent Traits of the Elect Prophet -
Allâh bless and greet him") <1327>, in four volumes.
Khulâs.at
al-Kalâm fî Tarjîh.i Dîn al-Islâm ("The
Summation Concerning the Preferability of the Religion of
Islâm"), in print.
Al-Khulâs.at
al-Wafiyya fî Rijâl al-Majmû`at al-Nabhâniyya,
in print.
Al-Majmû`atu
al-Nabhâniyya fîl-Madâ'ih. al-Nabawiyya ("The
Nabhân Collection of Prophetic Praises") <1320>, with a
marginal glossary.
Mithâl
al-Na`l al-Sharîf ("The Image of the Noble Sandals [of the
Prophet - Allâh bless and greet him]"), in print. The major
Indian H.anafî Scholar Mawlânâ Ashraf `Alî
al-Tahânawî titled a chapter Nayl al-Shifâ' bi-Na`l
al-Mus.t.afâ ("Obtaining Remedy through the Sandals of the Elect
One - Allâh bless and greet him") in his book Zâd
al-Sa`îd ("Provision for the Fortunate"). The Shaykh of our
Shuyûkh and Muh.addith of India, Shaykh Muh.ammad Zakariyyâ
Kandihlawî said in his English translation of Imâm
al-Tirmidhî's foundational work al-Shamâ'il al-Nabawiyya
wal-Khas.â'il al-Mus.t.afawiyya ("The Prophetic Traits and
Muh.ammadan Features"):
"Mawlânâ
Ashraf `Alî Thanwî S.âh.ib has written in his book
Zâdus-Sa`îd a detailed treatise on the barakât
[blessings] and virtues of the shoes of Rasûlullâh
S.allAllâhu `alayhi wasallam. Those interested in this should
read that book [which is available in English]. In short, it may be
said that it [the Prophet's - Allâh bless and greet him - sandal]
has countless qualities. The Ulema have experienced it many a time. One
is blessed [through it] by seeing RasûlAllâh
S.allAllâhu `alayhi wasallam in one's dreams; one gains safety
from oppressors and every heartfelt desire is attained. Every object is
fulfilled by its tawassul. The method of tawassul [using a means] is
also mentioned therein."
Al-Mubashshirât
al-Manâmiyya, see al-Bashâ'ir al-Imâniyya.
Mufarrij
al-Kurûb wa-Mufarrih. al-Qulûb ("The Remover of
Difficulties and Cheer of Hearts"), in print, a collection of Prophetic
supplications for the removal of difficulties.
Mukhtas.ar
Irshâd al-H.âyârâ, see Irshâd
al-H.âyârâ.
Muntakhab
al-S.ah.îh.ayn ("Anthology from the Two S.ah.îh.s [of
al-Bukhârî and Muslim]"), in print, containing about 3,000
h.adîths.
Al-Muzdawijatu
al-Gharrâ fîl-Istighâthati bi-Asmâ' Allâh
al-H.usnâ ("The Shining Verse and Prose of Seeking Help Through
the Beautiful Divine Names").
Al-Naz.m
al-Badî` fî Mawlid al-Shafî` - Allâh bless and
greet him - ("The Fine Poetry on the Birth of the Intercessor" -
Allâh bless and greet him -) <1312>.
Nujûm
al-Muhtadîn wa-Rujûm al-Mu`tadîn fi Ithbâti
Nubuwwati Sayyidinâ Muh.ammadin Sayyid al-Mursalîn
wal-Raddu `alâ A`dâ'ihi Ikhwâni
al-Shayât.în ("The Stars of the Well-Guided and the
Missiles against the Attackers in
Affirmation of the Prophethood of our Master Muh.ammad - Allâh
bless and greet him - the Master of Messengers, and the Refutation of
His Enemies the Brothers of Devils"), a massive volume in print.
Al-Qas.îdat
al-Râ'iyya al-Kubrâ fî Was.fi al-Ummat
al-Islâmiyyati wal-Milal al-Ukhrâ ("The Major
Râ'-Rhyming Poem on the Description of the Islamic Community and
the Other Groups"), in print.
Al-Qas.îdat
al-Râ'iyya al-S.ughrâ fî Dhamm al-Bid`ati
wa-Ahlihâ wa-Madh.i al-Sunnati al-Gharrâ' ("The Minor
Râ'-Rhyming Poem on the Blame of Innovation and the Praise of the
Radiant Sunna"), in print. This work focused on "the three
arch-innovators of the times": Jamâl al-Dîn
al-Afghânî, Muh.ammad `Abduh al-Mis.rî, and
Rashîd Rid.â the owner of the periodical al-Manâr.
Al-Qawl
al-H.aqq fî Madh.i Sayyid al-Khalq ("The Word of Truth on the
Praise of the Master of Creation"), in print.
Qurrat
al-`Ayn min al-Bayd.âwî wal-Jalâlayn ("The Coolness
of the Eyes: [The Combined Qur'anic Commentaries of]
al-Bayd.âwî and al-Jalâlayn"), in print.
Raf`
al-Ishtibâh fî Istih.âlati al-Jihati `alâ
Allâh ("The Removal of Uncertainty Concerning the Impossibility
of Direction for Allâh Most High"), published as part of
Shawâhid al-H.aqq.
Al-Rah.mat
al-Muhdât fî Fad.li al-S.alât ("The Bestowed Gift
Concerning the Excellence of Prayer"), in print.
Ryâd.
al-Janna fî Adhkâr al-Kitâbi wal-Sunna ("The Groves
of Paradise: Supplications from the Qur'ân and Sunna"), in print.
Sa`âdatu
al-Anâm bi-Ittibâ`i Dîni al-Islâm ("The Bliss
of Creatures in Following the Religion of Islâm"), in print.
Sa`âdatu
al-Dârayni fîl-S.alâti `alâ Sayyidi al-Kawnayn
("The Bliss of the Two Abodes in the Invocation of Blessings on the
Master of the Two Universes") <1318> in 720 pages, comprising a
sequence of ten-verse poems
with an acrostic rhyme scheme according to the Arabic alphabet,
beginning with the hamza in the following poem:
1.
Anâ `abdun li-sayyidi al-anbiyâ'i wa walâ'î
lahu al-qadîmu walâ'î
I am the slave of the Master of Prophets And my fealty to him has no
beginning.
2.
Anâ `abdun li-`abdihi wali-`abdi al-`abdi `abdun kadhâ
bi-ghayri intihâ'i
I am slave to his slave, and to his slave's slave, And so forth
endlessly!
3.
Anâ lâ antahî `anil-qurbi min bâbi
rid.âhu fî jumlati al-dukhalâ'i
I do not cease to approach the door Of his good pleasure among the
novices.
4.
Anshuru al-`ilma fî ma`âlîhi lil-nâsi
wa-ashdû bihi ma`al-shu`arâ'i
I proclaim to all the science of his high attributes, And sing this
science among the poets.
5. Fa
`asâhu yaqûlu lî anta Salmânu
walâ'î H.assânu h.usni thanâ'î
Perhaps he will tell me: "You are the Salmân Of my allegiance,
the H.assân of my excellent homage!"
6.
Wa-birûh.î afdî turâba h.imâhu
wa-lahul-fad.lu fî qabûli fidâ'î
Yes, I would sacrifice my soul for the dust of his sanctuary! His favor
should be that he accept my sacrifice.
7.
Fâza man yantamî ilayhi wa-lâ h.âjata
fîhi bi-dhâlika al-intimâ'i
He has triumphed who ascribes himself to him - Not that he needs such
following,
8.
Huwa fî ghunyatin `ani al-khalqi t.urran wa humu al-kullu `anhu
dûna ghinâ'i
For he is not in need of creation at all, While they all need him
without exception.
9.
Wa-huwa lil-Lâhi wah.dihi `abduhu al-khâlis.u mujallâ
al-s.ifâti wal-asmâ'i
He belongs to Allâh alone, Whose pure servant he is, As his
attributes and names have made manifest;
10.
Kullu fad.lin fil-khalqi fa-huwa min Allâhi ilayhi wa-minhu
lil-ashyâ'i
And every single favor in creation comes from Allâh To him, and
from him to everything else.
Sa`âdat
al-Ma`âd fî Muwâzanat Bânat Su`âd ("The
Bliss of the Return in Metrical Correspondence to [Ka`b ibn Zuhayr's
Poem] 'Su`âd Has Departed'"), in print.
Sabîl
al-Najât fîl-H.ubbi fil-Lâhi wal-Bughd.i
fil-Lâh ("The Path to Salvation in Loving for the sake of
Allâh and Hating for the Sake of Allâh"), in print.
Al-Sâbiqâtu
al-Jiyâdu fî Madh.i Sayyid al-`Ibâd - Allâh
bless and greet him - ("The Excellent Enduring Good Deeds in the Praise
of the Master of All Servants - Allâh bless and greet him"), in
print.
S.alawât
al-Akhyâr `alâ al-Nabiyyi al-Mukhtâr - Allâh
bless and greet him - ("The Invocations of Blessings of the Best Saints
on the Elect Prophet - Allâh bless and greet him").
Al-S.alawât
al-Alfiyya fîl-Kamâlât al-Muh.ammadiyya ("The
Thousand-Verse Invocations of Blessings on the Muh.ammadan
Perfections").
Al-S.alawât
al-Arba`în lil-Awliyâ' al-Arba`în ("Forty Invocations
of Blessings by Forty Friends of Allâh").
S.alawât
al-Thanâ' `alâ Sayyid al-Anbiyâ' - Allâh bless
and greet him - ("The Invocations of Blessings and Glory on the Master
of Prophets") <1317>, followed by Hâdî
al-Murîd.
Al-Sharaf
al-Mu'abbad li-Ali Sayyidinâ Muh.ammad - Allâh bless and
greet him - ("Eternal Honor for the Family of Our Master Muh.ammad -
Allâh bless and greet him") <1309>.
Shawâhid
al-H.aqq fil-Istighâtha bi Sayyid al-Khalq - Allâh bless
and greet him - ("The Witnesses to Truth on the Obtainment of Aid
through the Master of Creatures") <1323>, a summation of several
hundred pages comprising
several epistles in refutation of various heresies. Among them:
[1]
On the affirmation of direction (al-jiha): al-Nabhânî's
magnificent epistle Raf` al-Ishtibâh fî Istih.âlat
al-Jiha `alâ Allâh ("The Removal of Uncertainty Concerning
the Impossibility of Direction for Allâh Most High") (p.
210-240), a refutation of Shaykh Ah.mad ibn Taymiyya's notorious
Fatwâ H.amawiyya which had adduced the "verses of unapparent
meaning" (mutashâbihât) to affirm direction and place for
the Divinity. Other refutations include Imâm Ibn Jahbal
al-Kilâbî's (d. 733) lengthy reply which Imâm
Tâj al-Dîn Ibn al-Subkî reproduced in full in his
T.abaqât
al-Shâfi`iyya al-Kubrâ;14 Shaykh Muh.ammad Sa`îd ibn
`Abd al-Qâdir al-Baghdâdî al-Naqshbandî's (d.
1339) al-Wajh fî Ibt.âl al-Jiha in thirty-six folios as of
yet unpublished;15 and Imâm Muh.ammad Zâhid
al-Kawtharî's Khut.ûrat al-Qawli bil-Jiha ("The Gravity of
the Doctrine that Attributes Direction to Allâh Most High") in
which he reports Imâm al-Bayâd.î's explanation of
Imâm Abû H.anîfa's statement: "Whoever says, 'I do
not know whether my Lord is in the heaven or on earth' is a disbeliever
and, similarly, whoever says, 'He is on the Throne and I do not know
whether the Throne is in the heaven or on earth' is a disbeliever."16
Al-Bayâd.î said in Ishârât al-Marâm:
"This is because he implies that the Creator has a direction and a
boundary,
while anything possessing direction and boundary is necessarily
created. So this statement explicitly attributes imperfection to
Allâh Most High. The believer in [Divine] corporeality and
direction is someone who denies the
existence of anything other than objects that can be pointed to with
the senses. They deny the Essence of the Deity that is transcendent
beyond that. This makes them positively guilty of disbelief."17
Imâm
`Abd al-Qâhir al-Baghdâdî in his Us.ûl
al-Dîn cites, among those who consider the verse of istiwâ'
among the mutashâbihât or Qur'ânic ambiguities,
Imâm Mâlik ibn Anas, the seven jurists of Madîna, and
al-As.mâ'î.18 Imâm al-Pazdawî said of the
attribute of corporeality in his Us.ûl that it is "known in
principle but ambiguous in escription (ma`lûmun bi-as.lihi
mutashâbihun bi-was.fihi).19 Al-Baghdâdî's and
al-Pazdawî's words show the fallacy of Ibn Taymiyya's claim in
the epistle al-Iklîl fîl-Mutashâbih wal-Ta'wîl
that "I do not know any of the Salaf of the Community nor any of the
Imâms, neither Ah.mad ibn H.anbal nor other than him, that
considered these [the Divine Names and Attributes] as part of the
mutashâbih"!20 Al-Nabhânî (p. 251) points out that
Ibn Taymiyya not only claimed to know the meaning of these verses, but
also added categorical interpretive terms to their purported meanings,
such as "literally" (h.aqîqatan) and "with His essence" (bi
dhâtihi). He concludes, "If the meaning of such verses [of
corporeality in relation to the Divine Attributes] were known, it could
not be other than in the sense in which the attributes of created
entites are known, as in istiwâ' in the sense of sitting
(al-julûs) which we know in relation to ourselves, and this
applies to the rest of the ambiguous terms."
[2]
On the proofs of the hearing of the Prophet - Allâh bless and
greet him - in his noble grave (p. 283-285) contrary to the contrary
assertions by modernist "Salafis" such as Nu`mân
al-Alûsî's al-Ayât al-Bayyinât fî `Adam
Samâ` al-Amwât ("The Clear Signs that the Dead Cannot
Hear") - whose editor went so far as to state: "I have found no
evidence for the Prophet's - Allâh bless and greet him - hearing
of the salaam of those who greet him at his grave!" 21
[3]
On the proofs of tawassul or seeking the intermediary of the Prophet -
Allâh bless and greet him: al-Nabhânî refutes in
great detail those who deny the permissibility of tawassul adducing,
among other texts, the proofs
listed by the Mufti of Makka, Shaykh al-Islâm al-Sayyid Ah.mad
Zaynî Dah.lân in his Khulâs.at al-Kalâm
fî Bayân Umarâ' al-Balad al-H.arâm ("The
Summation Concerning the Leaders of the Holy Land" in full (p.
151-177). Dah.lân also authored al-Durar al-Sunniyya
fîl-Radd alâ al-Wahhâbiyya ("The Sunni Pearls in
Refuting the Wahhâbîs" Cairo 1319 and 1347), Fitnat
al-Wahhâbiyya ("The Wahhâbî Tribulation"), all of
these works detailing the development of the Wahhâbî
movement in Najd and the H.ijâz. A number of the latter-day
Scholars of Ahl al-Sunna in the H.ijâz and its surroundings wrote
book-length refutations along the same lines, notably Muh.ammad ibn
`Abd al-Wahhâb's brother Sulaymân; the Yemeni scholar
al-Sayyid `Alawî ibn al-H.abîb Ah.mad
al-H.addâd Bâ `Alawî; the H.ijâzî scholar
Sayyid `Abd Allâh ibn H.asan Bâshâ Bâ
`Alawî; Shaykh Ibrâhîm al-Samnûdî
al-Mans.ûrî (d. 1314); and the late erudite scholar Shaykh
Salâmat al-`Azzâmî (d. 1376).22
[4]
On the claimed impermissibility of travelling to visit the Prophet -
Allâh bless and greet him: al-Nabhânî's
counter-refutation (p. 241-247, 275-298) of Muh.ammad ibn `Abd
al-Hâdî's al-S.ârim al-Munkî fî Nah.r
al-Subkî ("The Hurtful Blade in the Throat of al-Subkî"!),
a violent attack on Shaykh al-Islâm al-Taqî
al-Subkî's masterpiece on the visitation of the Prophet -
Allâh bless and greet him - [Shifâ' al-Siqâm fî
Ziyârati Khayr al-Anâm - Allâh bless and greet him -
("The Healing of Hearts in Visiting the Best of Creatures")] in which
Ibn `Abd al-Hâdî "adopted the manner of fanatics and
departed from the norms of the h.adîth Scholars" according to
Shaykh `Abd al-`Azîz ibn al-S.iddîq
al-Ghumârî,23 in defense of his teacher Ibn Taymiyya's
aberrant fatwa that it was a sin to undertake travel to the intention
of visiting the Prophet - Allâh bless and greet him -. Ibn `Abd
al-Hâdî filled his book with unfounded accusations "in
order to defend the innovations of his teacher.... It should have been
titled al-Shâtim al-Ifkî ('The Mendacious Abuser')."24 He
falsely accuses Imâm al-Subkî of encouraging pilgrimage to
the Prophet's - Allâh bless and greet him - grave, prostration to
it, circumambulating around it, and the belief that the Prophet -
Allâh bless and greet him - removes difficulty, grants ease, and
causes whoever he wishes to enter into Paradise, all independently of
Allâh Most High! Nu`mân al-Alûsî also wrote an
attack on both Imâms al-Haytamî and al-Subkî titled
Jalâ' al-`Aynayn fî Muh.âkamat al-Ah.madayn which he
dedicated to the Indian Wahhâbî S.ûfî,
S.iddîq H.asan Khân al-Qinnawjî and in which,
according to al-Nabhânî, he went even further than Ibn `Abd
al-Hâdî. Also among the counter-refutations of these two
works:
al-Samannûdî's Nus.rat al-Imâm al-Subkî and a
monograph by al-Akhnâ'î.
Al-Nabhânî cites the poems of two other critics of
al-Subkî - the H.anbalî Abûl-Muz.affar Yûsuf
ibn Muh.ammad ibn Mas`ûd al-`Ubadî al-`Uqaylî
al-Saramrî and Muh.ammad ibn Yûsuf al-Yumnî
al-Yâfi`î "who claimed to follow the Shâfi`î
school" - then proceeds to refute them as well as Ibn `Abd
al-Hâdî and al-Alûsî. Also rejecting Ibn
Taymiyya's fatwa as invalid are Shaykh al-Islâm Ah.mad
Zaynî Dah.lân in his books, Abû `Abd Allâh ibn
al-Nu`mân al-Maghribî al-Tilimsânî
al-Mâlikî in Mis.bâh. al-Anâm fî
al-Mustaghîthîn bi Khayr al-Anâm, Nûr
al-Dîn `Alî al-H.alabî al-Shâfi`î - the
author of the S.îra H.alabiyya - in his Bughyat al-Ah.lâm
(both of them included in al-Nabhânî's H.ujjat Allâh
`alâ al-`Alamîn), Imâm al-Lacknawî's
Ibrâz al-Ghay fî Shifâ' al-`Ay ("The Exposure of
Deviation for the Healing of the Sick"), Shaykh Muh.ammad ibn
`Alawî al-Mâlikî in Shifâ' al-Fu'âd
fî Ziyârati Khayr al-`Ibâd, the works of al-Sayyid
Yûsuf al-Rifâ`î of Kuwait, those of Shaykh `Isâ
al-H.imyarî of Dubai, etc.
Al-Nabhânî
said of Ibn Taymiyya in Shawâhid al-H.aqq: "He refuted the
Christians, the Shî`îs, the logicians, then the
Ash`arîs and Ahl al-Sunna, in short, sparing no one whether
Muslim or non-Muslim, Sunni or otherwise," all the while "clamoring a
lot about following the Salaf" (p. 207). He also praised Ibn Taymiyya's
"worthy book" (p. 275-276) al-S.ârim al-Maslûl `alâ
Shâtim al-Rasûl ("The Drawn Sword Against the Insulter of
the Prophet - Allâh bless and greet him") and said that he saw in
his dream that Ibn Taymiyya had been forgiven but that he was in a
lower level of Paradise than Taqî al-Dîn al-Subkî.
The Qâd.î never declared Ibn Taymiyya a disbeliever nor do
any of the reliable Ulema of Ahl al-Sunna. May Allâh forgive him
and them, take us back to Him as Muslims, and join us with His
righteous servants! Amîn.
Al-Sihâm
al-S.â'iba li-As.h.âb al-Da`âwâ
al-Kâdhiba ("The Sure Missiles Against the Prevaricators"),
printed with Shawâhid al-H.aqq.
Tahdhîb
al-Nufûs fî Tartîb al-Durûs ("The Education of
Souls in the Arrangement of the Lessons") <1329>, an abridgment
of Imâm al-Nawawî's Riyâd. al-S.âlih.în.
Al-Tah.dhîr
min Ittikhâdh al-S.uwar wal-Tas.wîr ("Warning against the
Use of Photographs and Photography"), in print.
Tanbîh
al-Afkâr ilâ H.ikmat Iqbâl al-Dunyâ `alâ
al-Kuffâr ("Awakening the Thoughts to the Wisdom Behind the
World's Embrace of the Disbelievers").
Tarjîh.
Dîn al-Islâm ("The Preferability of the Religion of
Islâm"), in print.
T.ayyibat
al-Gharrâ' fî Madh.i Sayyid al-Anbiyâ' - Allâh
bless and greet him - ("Radiant T.ayyiba [another name for
Madîna] on the Praise of the Master of Prophets - Allâh
bless and greet him") with a marginal glossary <1314>.
Al-`Uqûd
al-Lu'lu'iyya fîl-Madâ'ih. al-Nabawiyya ("The Strings of
Pearls: Prophetic Praises"), in print.
Wasâ'il
al-Wus.ûl ilâ Shamâ'il al-Rasûl - Allâh
bless and greet him - ("The Means of Arrival to the Characteristics of
the Messenger - Allâh bless and greet him"), a commentary on
Imâm al-Tirmidhî's Shamâ'il (see above, Mithâl
al-Na`l al-Sharîf).
Al-Wird
al-Shâfî ("The Healing Spring"), in print, an abridgment of
Imâm al-Jazarî's al-H.is.n al-H.as.în ("The
Superfortress"), a manual of supplications and invocations from the
Sunna.
May
Allâh shower His greatest mercy on the Qâd.î
Yûsuf al-Nabhânî, bless him with the Highest Company
in Paradise, and thank him and reward him abundantly on behalf of the
Umma! Truly, the benefit of his spiritual
company, meticulous teaching, love for the Seal of Prophets -
Allâh bless and greet him, and spirit of humility and truth is
palpable to anyone that looks into his works. The Community of
Islâm have placed these peerless pearls next to the legacies of
the love-consumed, learned authorities of the past such as Imâm
`Abd al-Ghanî al-Nâbulusî and Imâm `Abd
al-Wahhâb al-Sha`rânî rah.imahum Allâh.
The
writer of these lines was privileged to visit the light-bathed grave of
Qâd.î Yûsuf al-Nabhânî - Allâh have
mercy on him! - in the Bâshûrâ neighborhood of the
Bast.a district of Beirut on the day of Jumu`a 24 Dhûl-H.ijja
1423 / 8 March 2002, the tombstone of which reads "H.assân Ah.mad
- Allâh bless and greet him, Yûsuf Ismâ`îl
al-Nabhânî." The next day, I was honored to meet one of the
Qâd.î's direct students, the venerable Shaykh H.usayn
`Usayrân al-Shâfi`î al-Naqhsbandî (b.
1329/1911) - Allâh save him! - who kindly granted me his chains
of transmission to the Qâd.î among other prestigious chains
in his possession. {This is of the bounty of my Lord}, (27:40) {He
selects for His mercy whom He will. Allâh is of infinite bounty}
(3:74). {And peace be unto the Messengers}, especially the Master of
Messengers, {and praise be to Allâh, Lord of the Worlds!}
(37:181-182).
Hajj Gibrîl
GF
Haddad
[email protected]
NOTES
1
28 kms. south of H.aifa, Palestine on the Southern edge of Mount
Carmel, 100 meters above sea level.
2
Al-Sharaf al-Mu'abbad li-Ali Muh.ammad - Allâh bless and greet
him - (p. 140-142).
3
Asbâb al-Ta'lîf (p. 290, 332) and Jâmi`
Karâmât al-Awliyâ' (2:52).
4
Cairo: al-Dâr al-Ghannâ', 2001.
5
Narrated from Sahl ibn Sa`d al-Sâ`idî by
al-Bukhârî, Muslim, Mâlik, Abû
Dâwûd, al-Nasâ'î, and Ah.mad.
6
Narrated from Ibn Mas`ûd by Ibn Mâjah, Abû
Ya`lâ (9:175 #5267), al-T.abarânî in al-Kabîr
(9:115 #8594), Abû Nu`aym in the H.ilya (1985 ed. 4:271), and
al-Bayhaqî in the Shu`ab (2:208 #1550), all through `Abd
al-Rah.mân ibn `Abd Allâh ibn `Utba al-Mas`ûdî
who is weak although al-Mundhirî declared the chain fair in
al-Targhîb (1997 ed. 2:329 #2588) cf. Fath. (11:158). Further,
al-Bûs.îrî in Mis.bâh. al-Zujâja (1:111)
said it is corroborated by an identical narration from Ibn `Umar by
Ah.mad ibn Manî` in his Musnad. Al-Mas`ûdî is further
corroborated by Abû Salama al-Mughîra ibn al-Nu`mân
in `Abd al-Razzâq (2:213-214 #3109-3112) while
al-Dâraqut.nî in his `Ilal (5:15 #682) cites yet two other
chains to Ibn Mas`ûd, raising the narration to a grade of h.asan
at the very least, or rather s.ah.îh. in shâ' Allâh.
7
Narrated from: Abû Hurayra by al-Bukhârî, Muslim,
al-Tirmidhî (h.asan s.ah.îh.), Abû Dâwûd,
Ah.mad, al-Nasâ'î in al-Sunan al-Kubrâ (6:378), Ibn
Abî Shayba (6:307, 6:317, 7:257), Ibn Sa`d (1:20), Ibn
H.ibbân (14:381), al-Bayhaqî in al-Sunan al-Kubra (9:4);
H.udhayfa by al-H.âkim (4:617) and al-T.abarânî in
al-Awsat. cf. al-Haythamî (10:377) and others; Abû
Sa`îd al-Khudrî by al-Tirmidhî (h.asan
s.ah.îh.), Ibn Mâjah, and Ah.mad; by Ah.mad and
al-Dârimî; Ibn `Abbâs by Ah.mad; `Ubâda ibn
al-S.âmit by al-H.âkim (1990 ed. 1:83 s.ah.îh.); Ibn
Mas`ûd by Ibn H.ibbân (14:398); `Abd Allâh ibn
Salâm by al-T.abarânî and Abû Ya`lâ cf.
al-Haythamî (8:253) and al-Maqdisî's
al-Ah.âdîth al-Mukhtâra (9:455); and Jâbir ibn
`Abd Allâh by al-H.âkim (1990 ed. 2:660 s.ah.îh.
al-isnâd) and al-T.abarânî in al-Awsat. cf.
al-Haythamî (10:376); etc.
8
Narrated from Abû Bakrah by al-Bukhârî,
al-Tirmidhî, al-Nasâ'î, Abû Dâwûd,
and Ah.mad.
9
Narrated from Abû Sa`îd al-Khudrî by
al-Bukharî, Muslim, Abû Dâwûd,
al-Nasâ'î, and Ah.mad.
10
Cf. al-T.ah.âwî, Mushkil al-Athâr (2:38), Ibn
Kathîr, Bidâya (4:122), and al-Zabîdî,
Ith.âf al-Sâdat al-Muttaqîn (7:142).
11
Narrated from `A'isha by al-Tirmidhî, Abû
Dâwûd, al-Nasâ'î, al-H.âkim
("s.ah.îh. narration per the criteria of al-Bukhârî
and Muslim") while al-Zayla`î in Nas.b al-Râya (4:258)
said: "Al-Tirmidhî said: h.adîth h.asan and in some of the
manuscripts: h.asan s.ah.îh.." Cf. Ibn al-Muqri', al-Rukhs.a
bil-Qiyâm (p. 91 #26).
12
Narrated from Sahl ibn H.unayf by Abû Dâwûd, Ah.mad,
al-Nasâ'î in al-Kubrâ (6:72 #10086, 6:256 #10873) and
`Amal al-Yawm wal-Layla (p. 252 #257, p. 564 #1034),
al-T.ah.âwî in Sharh. Ma`ânî al-Athâr
(4:329), al-T.abarânî in
al-Kabîr (6:93 #5615), al-H.âkim (1990 ed. 4:458
isnâd s.ah.îh.),
13
Cited by Ibn Rajab in his Jâmi` al-`Ulum wal-H.ikam (Dâr
al-Ma`rifa ed. p. 107).
14
Ibn Jahbal wrote: "How can you say that Allâh is literally
(h.aqîqatan) in (fî) the heaven, and literally above (fawq)
the heaven, and literally in (fî) the Throne, and literally on
(`alâ) the Throne?!" Ibn Jahbal, Refutation of Ibn Taymiyya
§93 in Ibn al-Subkî, T.abaqât al-Shâfi`iyya
al-Kubrâ (9:61).
15
Cf. `Imâd `Abd al-Salâm Ra'ûf, al-Athâr
al-Khat.t.iyya fî al-Maktabat al-Qâdiriyya fî
Baghdâd (2:493 ms. 642).
16
In al-Fiqh al-Absat. ("The Greatest Wisdom"), the same work as the Fiqh
al-Akbar but in catechetic form narrated from the Imâm
exclusively by Abû Mut.î` al-H.akam ibn `Abd Allâh
ibn Muslim al-Balkhî al-Khurâsânî through
Abû `Abd Allâh al-H.usayn ibn `Alî al-Alma`î
al-Kâshgharî (d. >484), both of them discarded as
narrators.
17
Al-Kawtharî, Maqâlât (p. 368-369).
18
Cf. al-Khat.t.âbî in Ma`âlim al-Sunan (Hims ed.
5:101) and al-Qârî in al-Asrâr al-Marfû`a (2nd
ed. p. 209-210 #209; 1st ed. p. 126 #478).
19
Kashf al-Asrâr (1:55-60).
20
Majmû`at al-Rasâ'il (13:294).
21
Nâs.ir al-Albânî, footnote to al-Alûsî's
al-Ayât al-Bayyinât (p. 80) and al-Silsila al-D.a`îfa
(#203).
22
Cf. Sulaymân ibn `Abd al-Wahhâb (d. 1210/1795), Fas.l
al-Khit.âb fî Madhhab Ibn `Abd al-Wahhâb, also
published as al-S.awâ`iq al-Ilâhiyya fî al-Radd
`alâ al-Wahhâbiyya; `Alawî ibn Ah.mad
al-H.addâd, Mis.bâh. al-Anâm (1216/1801) of which we
published the introduction in full together with the translation of
al-Sayyid Yûsuf al-Rifâ`î's Advice to Our Brothers
the Scholars of Najd (1420/1999); Sayyid `Abd Allâh ibn H.asan
Bâshâ Bâ `Alawî, S.idq al-Khabar fî
Khawârij al-Qarn al-Thânî `Ashar ("The Truthful News
Concerning the Khawârij of the Twelve Century")
(al-Lâdhiqiyya, 1346/1928); Ah.mad Zaynî Dah.lân (d.
1304/1886), al-Samnûdî al-Mans.ûrî,
Sa`âdat al-Dârayn fîl-Radd `alâl-Firqatayn
al-Wahhâbiyya wal-Z.âhiriyya ("The Bliss of the Two Abodes
in the Refutation of the Two Sects: Wahhâbîs and
Z.âhirîs"), and Salâmat al-`Azzâmî,
al-Barâhîn al-Sât.i`a fi Radd Ba`d. al-Bida`
al-Shâ'i`a ("The Radiant Proofs in Refuting Some Widespread
Innovations").
23
In his al-Tahânî fî al-Ta`qîb `alâ
Mawd.û`ât al-S.âghânî (p. 49).
24
Al-Nabhânî, Shawâhid al-H.aqq (p. 275-276).
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