Manhaj al-Tullab (2) The book of purification/water

The book of purification;


Water

Purifying water is the only purifying liquid among liquids. Purifying water is that water which can be termed water without a necessary qualification.

Water that has changed excessively by mixing with something that could have been avoided is not purifying, with the exception of earth and sea-salt even when thrown into the water.

Severely hot and cold water are disliked as well as water heated by the sun with it’s necessary preconditions.

A small amount of water previously used in an obligatory purification is not purifying.

2 qullahs of water do not become impure by mere contact with filth, though if the water changes it becomes impure. 2 qullahs roughly equal 500 Baghdadi Ritls. If the change disappears on its own or by water being added to it, it is again purifying. Less than 2 qullahs becomes impure, like any other liquid, by mere contact with filth, though dead creatures without flowing blood unintentionally thrown in and filth that cannot be seen are among the exceptions.

If the water reaches 2 qullahs through additional water and is unchanged, the water is purifying.

Manhaj al-Tullab (1) introduction

In the name of Allah,Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

All praise belongs to Allah who guided us to this, surely we would not have been guided if it wasn't for Allah guiding us. Prayers and peace upon Muhammad, His family and companions, the victorious through Allah's elevation.


To commence;

This is a an abridged text according to the Fiqh of the Madhhab of Imam al-Shafi'i, may Allah have mercy on him and be well pleased with him, in which I have abridged the text of Imam Abu Zakariyya al-Nawawi entitled Minhaj al-Talibin. I have added what simplifies and replaced the non-Mu'tamad views with Mu'tamad views through clarifying expressions. I have omitted differences of opinion so as to simplify it for those desirous. I have named it Manhaj al-Tullab, hoping that Allah benefits the intelligent by it. I ask Allah for success in what is correct and for victory on the last day.

Abridgments and commentaries of Minhaj al-Talibin

BismiLlahir Rahmanir Rahim,



Abridgments;

1. Sheikh Muhammad bin Yusuf al-Andulusi (d.740 a.h)- al-Wahhaj fi Ikhtisar al-Minhaj.

2. Sheikh al-Islam Zakariyya al-Ansari - Manhaj al-Tullab. Zakariyya al-Ansari also wrote a commentary upon his abridgment (Manhaj al-Tullab) providing Dalil and Ta'lil and named it Fath al-Wahhab bi-Sharh Manhaj al-Tullab. Sheikhs Sulaiman al-Bujayrmi and Sulaiman al-Jamal wrote marginalia (Hawashi) upon Fath al-Wahhab. Sheikh Ahmad Shumailah mentions another Hashiyah by the name of Miftah al-Bab from Sheikh Muhammad bin Ahmad 'Abd al-Bari al-Ahdal. Several other Hawashi have been written but remain in manuscript only.

Furthermore, Sheikh al-Islam's Manhaj was abridged by Sheikh al-Jawhari in his Nahj al-Talab.


Lastly, Imam al-Suyuti versified Minhaj al-Talibin in his poem entitled al-Ibtihaj ila Nadhm al-Minhaj, other versification exist by 'Abd al-Karim al-Mawsuli and other.

Commentaries;


1. Imam ibn 'Imad al-Aqfahsi - al-Bahr al-'Ajjaj ila Sharh al-Minhaj

2. Imam al-Zarkashi - al-Dibag fi Tawdhih al-Minhaj

3. Imam Siraj al-Din al-Bilqini - Tashih al-Minhaj

4. Imam al-Suyuti - Durr al-Tajj fi 'Irab Muskhil al-Minhaj

5. Imam Fakhr al-Din al-Maradini - al-Bahr al-Mawwaj (14 volumes)

6. 'Allamah Jamal al-Din al-Damiri - al-Najm al-Wahhaj fi Sharh al-Minhaj (4 volumes, published by Dar al-Minhaj)

7. Sheikh Taqi al-Din bin Qadhi Shuhbah- (title not mentioned)

8. The son of the aforementioned Taqi al-Din, Badr al -Din, known as Ibn Shuhbah al-Asadi - Bidayat al-Muhtaj and Irshad al-Muhtaj

9. Sheikh al-Islam Abu al-Fadhl 'Ajlun - Hadi al-Raghibin ila Sharh Minhaj al-Talibin

10. Imam ibn Hajar al-Haytami - Tuhfat al-Muhtaj bi-Sharh al-Minhaj. The Mufta bihi work of Hadramawt, Hijaz, Sham Kurdistan, and Daghestan. Widely available, typically printed with the Hashiyahs of 'Abd al-Hamid al-Sharwani and Ibn Qasim al-'Abbadi.

11. Imam Jamal al-Din al-Ramli - Nihayat al-Muhtaj ila Sharh al-Minhaj. The Mufta bihi work of Egypt, easier than Tuhfat al-Muhtaj to a certain degree. Widely available with it's indispensable Hashiyah by Imam Nur al-Din al-Shabramilisi. Both Tuhfah and Nihayah are the most reliable works for Fatwa in the Shafi'i Madhhab.

12. Imam al-Khatib al-Shirbini - Mughni al-Muhtaj ila Ma'rifat Ma'ani Alfadh al- Minhaj. Available through multiple publishers, considered to be the easiest commentary of Minhaj al-Talibin and ranks just under Fath al-Wahhab as the most reliable work for Fatwa in the Shafi'i Madhhab.

13. Imam Jalal al-Din al-Mahalli - Kanz al-Raghibin Sharh Minhaj al-Talibin

14. Imam Shihab al-Din al-Adhra' - Qut al-Muhtaj

15. Imam Taqi al-Din al-Subki - al-Ibtihaj fi Sharh al-Minhaj

16. Imam Jamal al-Din al-Asnawi - (title not mentioned)

17. Imam Badr al-Din al-Ardibili - (not mentioned)

18. Sheikh al-Islam Zakariyya al-Ansari - (not mentioned)

19. Sheikh Muhammad bin Ahmad 'Abd al-Bari al-Ahdal - I'anat al-Muhtaj ila Sharh al-Minhaj. The author reached the chapter dealing with divorce before passing away.


Sheikh Ahmad Shumailah mentions as a beneficial note;

Among the best commentaries mentioned are,

Tuhfat al-Muhtaj, for it is said that it encompasses knowledge, both implicitly and explicitly and Nihayat al-Muhtaj. Thereafter, Mughni al-Muhtaj.


Based upon Sullam al-Muta'llim al-Muhtaj by Sheikh Ahmad Shumailah al-Ahdal.

The life of Imam ibn Rislan al-Ramli (author of Safwat al-Zubad)

In the name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate


Imam ibn Rislan is the Imam and 'Allamah, Shihab al-Din, Abu al-'Abbas, Ahmad bin Hussain bin Hasan bin 'Ali bin Yusuf bin 'Ali bin Arsalan, al-Ramli, al-Shafi'i, inhabitant of Jerusalem commonly known as Ibn Rislan.

Ibn Rislan was born Palestine in the year 773 or 775 a.h in the town of al-Ramlah,a town in which his spent his childhood. In his youth, he never acquired childish manners, he memorized the Qur'an at the age of ten and busied himself with Nahw, language and poetry at the onset of his studies.

He studied al-Hawi (in Shafi'i Fiqh) with Shams al-Din al-Qalqashandi thereafter traveling in acquisition of the Islamic sciences. He heard Hadith from a group of Hadith scholars,hearing Sahih al-Bukhari from Shihab al-Din Abu al-Khair bin al-Ala', al-Muwatta with Yahya bin Bakir's narration from Abu Hafs 'Umar bin Muhammad bin 'Ali al-Salihi. Furthermore, he heard Tirmidhi, ibn Majah, al-Shifa and Sirat ibn Hisham from Abu al-'Abbas Ahmad bin 'Ali al-Maradini. He read most of Sahih al-Bukhari with al-Jalal al-Bilqini who authorized him to give legal verdict and took from Jalal's father, Siraj, and attended his lessons. He read Nahw upon al-Ghamari and al-Nashawari authorized him to give legal verdict.

He persisted in his acquisition of knowledge and continually revised and was attached to reading and staying occupied whilst residing in Jerusalem and al-Ramlah.
He remained this way even after he became an Imam advancing in Fiqh,Usul al-Fiqh and Arabic joined between Hadith, Tafsir, theology and the like. All the while, avidly carrying out other acts of obedience such as prayer and Tahajjud.

He preferred to be unknown and had a distaste for fame. He left what was offered to him from the worldly life and it's concerns.

He was appointed to teach for a period of time, a post which he later left. He turned to Allah Ta 'Ala and treaded the straight Sufi path. He strove and became a luminous light by which seekers were guided and a figure which the worshipers emulated. Love for him was deeply planted into the hearts of people. He was as al-Sakhawi desribed him, "Abstinent, scrupulous, ascetic, follower of the Sunnah and of sound beliefs."

Imam ibn Rislan took from the most prominent scholars of his time, such as;

Sheikh Shams al-Din al-Qalqashandi,

Sheikh Shihab al-Din ibn al-Ha'im,

Sheikh Jalal al-Din al-Bistami

Sheikh Shihab al-Din ibn al-Nasih

Sheikh Muhammad al-Qurmi

Sheikh Muhammad al-Qadiri

He took Tasawwuf from the aformentioned Shuyukh, was taught the prescribed Dhikr and wore the mantle given by al-Qurmi, ibn Nasih and Abu Bakr al-Mawsuli.

He took an abundance of knowledge from Abu Hurayrah ibn al-Dhahabi, ibn al-'Izzi, ibn Abi Majid and ibn Sadiq.

Also counted among his teachers are the likes of Jalal al-Din al-Bilqini and his father Siraj al-Din al-Bilqini

His most prominent students are al-Kamal ibn Abi Sharif and Shihab al-Din Abu al-Asbat al Ramli.

Imam ibn Rislan left behind an enormous amount of beneficial works, such as commentaries on the following;

Sahih al-Bukhari

Sunan Abu Dawud

al-Hawi

al-Bahjat al-Wardiyyah

Zahid's Muqaddimah

Jam' al-Jawami'

Mukhtasar ibn Hajib

Nihayat al-Sul

Tayyibat al-Nashr fi al-Qira'at al-'Ashar

Mulhat al-'Irab

Alfiyyah al-Iraqi (Sirah)

The biography of ibn Abi Jamrah

an 'Irab of ibn Malik's Alfiyyah

a Tabaqat of Shafi'i jurists



He abridged Imam al-Nawawi's Minhaj al-Talibin and Rawdhat al-Talibin and a Tanqih of Nawawi's al-Adkhar. Additionally, he abridged al-Dimiri's Hayat Hayawan.


He was most famous for his versifications, in particular his versification of Imam al-Barizi's al-Zubad entitled Safwat al-Zubad. Safwat al-Zubad is considered to be among his most precious works containing the greatest amount of Barakah.

He passed away on the 24th of Sha'ban, 855 a.h in his place of residence, al-Madrasah al-Khataniyyah in Masjid al-Aqsa, Jerusalem.

Daily program at Ribat Tarim

As Salamu alaikum,

Ribat Tarim has three periods per day. The first period takes place after Subh,the second before 'Asr and the third between Maghrib and 'Isha. The Ribat is not limited to three periods, there are many extra (ar: Idafhi)classes taking place day and night also.

The study periods in detail;

1st period: all of the 1st period classes began after Salat al-Fajr and the litanies following the prayer. The subject of study in the first period is Grammar, Morphology and other sciences of the Arabic language. This is the normal schedule,save for Tuesday and Thursday when inheritance and marriage law are taught in the place of the Arabic sciences. The lessons last around an hour and a half and sometimes another subject is read along with Grammar.

2nd period: Lessons in Shafi'i Fiqh and other sciences are held just before 'Asr enters and last for an hour and a half (thereafter, the students and teachers pray 'Asr together). After Salat al-'Asr, about a page is read from Imam al-Ghazali's Ihya 'Ulum al-Din. Between 'Eid al-Fitr and 'Eid al-Adhha, Grammar and Morphology replace this Fiqh period.

3rd period: Lessons in Fiqh and Hadith are held between Maghrib and 'Isha,(similar to the 1st and 2nd period, 3rd period last for about an hour and a half). At times, the number of traditional learning circles can number up to 47.

Classes are held soley for revising the lesson, both before and after the lesson itself.(There is alot of emphasis on mastering the lessons and subjects at hand.This is very good compared to other schools which offer 12+ subjects and the student has little mastery of even one subject, let alone 12.)

For more info, see : http://rubat-tareem.net/?ID=153

al-Zarkashi's commentary of Minhaj published by DKI.

al-Dibaj fi Tawdheeh al-Minhaj

http://www.fadakbooks.com/alshal1.html, http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/fadakbooks_2093_34363316

'Ilm and Dhikr

This is an excellent article regarding the importance of Dhikr in Madaris.

http://deoband.org/2009/06/tasawwuf/dhikr/gatherings-of-dhikr-in-madrasahs/