Defence of the Hanafi Madhab from al-Ahsa

Defence of the Hanafi Madhab from al-Ahsa
Salam, we have recently made mention of this recent ‘giant’ of Ahsai scholarship. Alhumdulilah I got to know his grandson Sheikh Rayed al-Mulla quite well and read the text Wasilah al-Talab with him. He also kindly pointed me towards some rare works including a manuscript which I hope to edit in the near future (Inshallah). The following information is taken from Sheikh Rayed’s small booklet on the description of the prayer according to hanafi school, along with evidences, interestingly entitled : 'Sifah Salat al-Nabi'. Sheikh Abd al-Rahman appears to be from the same level of narration as Sh. Yasin al-Fadani, however whereas Sheikh al-Fadani passed away in 1989/1990, Sheikh Abd al-Rahman lived till 2001, when alive having one of the shortest chains in the world.****Allamah al-Muhaddith al-Sheikh Abd al-Rahman bin Abi Bakr al-Mulla (Allah have mercy on him) said in his treatise ‘Al-Itiraf bi Sihhah Madhab al-Ahnaf’:Know O seeker of benefit that Abu Hanifah (Allah have mercy on him) was the first of the Imams of Ijtihad, and the earliest of them in terms of preservation of the sunnah and recording of knowledge and legal issues, not least that of fiqh linked to the understanding of the book of Allah and the sunnah of His Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace). He met a number of the companions and based his madhab upon the Quran, Sunnah and its rulings. As for that which is said regarding his madhab -which is in opposition to the truth, and is incorrect- has been rejected by the people of truth and verification who are relied upon.If his madhab were as they claimed, then why does it have a greater following than the others in terms of its muqallids. For we have been ordered to the majority, which is that what the majority of muslims who follow the truth are upon, because this is closer to that which is correct.He (Allah have mercy on him) also said:That which is incumbent upon us with regards to our Imams of ijtihad, the people of the four madhabs whose righteousness and virtue is witnessed to, is that we hold a good opinion of them because of the great struggle that they undertook in preserving the pure sunnah by their recording, preserving and guarding it from those who tampered with it. Along with our belief that all of them are upon truth and guidance from Allah, and all of them are agree on the principles of the religion, their difference being only being in the branches, as it is the area of ijtihad. This is according to that which reached them from the sunnah from the evidences related to rulings, each one of them took that which reached him and he regarded as authentic.
****Allamah al-Muhaddith al-Sheikh Abd al-Rahman bin Abi Bakr al-Mulla (Allah have mercy on him) was born in to the scholarly ‘al-Mulla’ family which traces its origin back to the noble companion Abd al-Rahman bin Abi Bakr al-Siddiq (Allah be pleased with them both) from the tribe of Quraish.
He was born on the day of Arafah in the year 1323. He kept the close company of his father Sheikh Abu Bakr, and likewise studied with other scholars of his city. He then travelled to Makkah and studied in the Madrassah al-Sawlatiyyah and kept the close company of the scholars of the Hijaz in the Haram al-Makki and Madani aswell as al-Taif.
From the notable Shuyukh he studied with are:
-His father Sheikh Abu Bakr-Sheikh Muhammad Abd al-Latif al-Mulla-Sheikh Abd al-Latif al-Jafari-Sheikh Ahmad al-Aliyy al-Arfaj-Sheikh Abd al-Aziz al-Ulji-Sheikh Umar Hamdan al-Mahrasi-Sheikh Hussein Abd al-Ghani al-Hanafi-Sheikh Muhammad Yahya Amaan-Sheikh Hasan Mashat-Sheikh al-Sayyid Muhammad Abd al-Hayy al-KattaniThe Sheikh passed away in the year 1421 aged approximately 98 years old having spent a life busy in learning, teaching and benefiting the muslims. His written works include:-An anthology of his poetry-A poem on the different types of hadith-Collection of treatise on various issues
Posted by al-Kakazai at 11:59 PM 0 comments
Labels: Fiqh, Scholarship

Chains of Transmission of Sh. Yahya al-Mulla
SalamI have received requests from a number of people whom I have met and others (via email) to share a little about the scholars in al-Ahsa. Mainly due to the lack of coverage that they receive. I recall mentioning to Sh. Yahya al-Mulla that I had occasionally heard of the ‘Hanafi’s in al-Ahsa’ but whenever I tried to obtain more information about them whilst on Umrah I could never seem to find any detailed information (it was if their existence was almost mythical). Sh. Yahya replied that they were happy to not be in the limelight and get on with their work quietly, they didn't want nor do not need the publicity.Inshallah please find below some of the Shuyukh and Asanid in Hadith of Sh. Yahya al-Mulla. I hope it is of benefit and will help shed some more light on his level of scholarship. We hope to publish a more detailed biography detailing all of his Shuyukh in the different sciences (if the Sheikh grants us permission!) in our upcoming translation of a work he had edited and annotated. Note: The information below is what I managed to obtain from the Sheikh after some persistent requests! He may well have not mentioned all of his teachers in hadith.***
Sheikh Yahya studied hadith with the following scholars:Sheikh Ahmad Jabir Jibran: With whom he studied the treatise of Imam Murtada al-Zabidi on the science of hadith, the Muwatta of Imam Malik with the commentary of al-Zarqani and Sahih MuslimSheikh al-Bukhari: with whom he studied Nukhbat al-Fikr with its commentarySheikh Ashiq Ilahi al-Barni: Sheikh Ashiq was resident in Madinah, and there Sheikh Yahya studied with him the hadith work Mishkat al-MasabihSheikh Muhammad Yasin al-Fadani: Sheikh Yahya attended his lessons on Sahih al-Bukhari, and gained Ijaza from him on numerous occasions, which included regularly visiting the Sheikh in his home.Sheikh Abd al-Rahman al-Mulla: Sheikh Abd al-Rahman was one of the renowned elderly scholars of the al-Mulla family who had studied in the Madrassa al-Sawlatiyyah in Makka and had spent a large part of his life in the Hijaz, towards the end of his life he returned back to al-Ahsa. It was here that Sheikh Yahya studied Sahih al-Bukhari and the Muwatta of Imam Malik with him alongside parts of the other books of hadith, indeed it was Sheikh Yahya who was chosen by Sheikh Abd al-Rahman to be the appointed reader in the lessons which were attended by people from as far away as Riyadh. Note: The Sheikh passed away in 2001 aged 98, and when alive had one of the shortest chains of transmission in the world, hence people travelling 4/5 hours to attend his reading of hadith.Sheikh Abd al-Shakur bin Fayyad al-Burmi: With whom he read the six books of hadithSheikh Yahya also has numerous Ijazas in hadith from a number of well known Shuyukh such as Sheikh Abdullah al-Ghumari and Sheikh Abd al-Fattah Abu Ghuddah.
Posted by al-Kakazai at 1:46 PM 0 comments
Labels: Scholarship
Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Sheikh Muhammad Yasin al-Fadani
Salam, please find this draft biography and bibliography of the Sheikh of so many of the teachers we in the west (and elsewhere) have benefitted from.
Sheikh Yahya al-Mulla informed me (after I had finally persuaded him to mention his teachers) that he had studied two years in the Dar al-Ulum in Makkah run by Sheikh al-Fadani. He also added that he regularly attended his lessons, including those in Sheikh al-Fadani's home. He added that everytime he would meet Sheikh al-Fadani he would ask for Ijazah, such that the Sheikh one day remarked to him: 'Whats this! everytime you see me you ask for Ijazah!?'.
The information below is taken from the article written by Sheikh Abd al-Wahab al-Jabi, dated 1402/1982. Sheikh al-Fadani (Allah have mercy on him) passed away some years later. We ask Allah (the Exalted) to strengthen our links with him and with those that he was also close to. Ameen
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Sheikh Muhammad Yasin bin Muhammad Isa al-Fadani al-MakkiHe is Abul Fayd, Muhammad Yasin bin Muhammad Isa al-Fadani, belonging to Fadan or Badan, an area of Indonesia. He was of Indonesian origin but was born and raised in Makkah.Birth and Early EducationThe Sheikh was born in Makkah in the year 1335 (AH). He began his studies with his father Sheikh Muhammad Isa al-Fadani and his uncle Sheikh Mahmud al-Fadani. He then joined the Madrassa al-Sawlatiyyah al-Hindiyyah where he supplemented his studies with his regular attendance of the circles taking place in the Masjid al-Haram. He completed his studies at the Dar al-Ulum al-Diniyyah after it was set up.His Teachers and Subjects StudiedFrom those that he studied with during this period were the Sibaway of his age: Allamah Sheikh Muhammad Ali bin Hussein bin Ibrahim al-Maliki al-Makki (Allah have mercy on him) with whom he read a number of works amongst them being:-Jam’ al-Jawami’ with its commentary Hum’ al-Hawami’ in grammar by al-Hafidh al-Suyuti-Jalal al-Mahalli’s commentary on the Jam’ al-Jawami’ in Usul along with the marginalia of al-Attar and al-Bannani-Tafsir al-Khazin-Tuhfa al-Muhtaj of Ibn Hajar al-Haytami al-Makki with the marginalia of al-Sharwani and Ibn Qasim al-Ibadi-Zad al-Muslim of al-Shinqiti-Al-Risalah al-Waladiyah fi Adaab al-Bahth wal-Munazarah-Portions from the Sahih’s of al-Bukhari and Muslim-The whole of Sunan al-NasaiHe studied other works with him and kept his close company for a considerable time. He compiled his Sheikhs chains of narration in a work which he named: ‘Al-Maslak al-Jalli fi Asanid Fadilah al-Sheikh Muhammad Ali’ in which he also included a detailed biography.
***He studied with Allamah al-Sheikh Hasan bin Muhammad al-Mashat al-Makki (Allah have mercy on him) a number of works, amongst them being:-Al-Tuhfah al-Sanniyah on Inheritance-Al-Fawaid al-Shanshuriyyah on Inheritance-Lub al-Usul with its commentary Ghayah al-Wusul-The commentary on al-Suyuti’s Alfiyyah on hadith terminology by Muhammad Mahfiz al-Tarmasi entitled: Manhaj Dhul Nazar fi Manzumah Ilm al-Athar-Mukhtasar Ibn Abi Jamrah-Jami’ al-Tirmidhi-Sunan Abi Dawud-Raf’ al-Astar an Mahya Mukhadrat Talat al-Anwar-Tafsir al-Jalalayn-Al-Mawahib al-Laduniyyah of al-Qastallani-Ihya Ulum al-Din of al-Ghazali with its commentary by al-Hafidh al-Sayyid Muhammad Murtada al-Zabidi-The Hikam of Ibn Ataillah al-Iskandari
***He Studied with the Muhaddith of the two noble sanctuaries: Umar bin Hamdan al-Mahrasi al-Maliki (Allah have mercy on him) a large number of works in the Madrassa al-Sawlatiyyah, in the Haram al-Makki and in the Sheikhs home, amongst them being:-A considerable amount of the six books of hadith-Muwatta Imam Malik-Al-Jami’ al-Saghir of al-Suyuti with its commentary Fayd al-Qadir of al-Munawi-Bulugh al-Maram min Adillah al-Ahkam-Al-Shifa fi Huquq al-Mustafa-Jam’ al-Fawaid of al-Rawdani-Portions of al-Ashbah wal Nazair-A large number of portions from around 20 works in grammar, hadith, tafsir and their related sciences
He attended his lessons in fiqh, balaghah and read with him the pattern chained narrations (musalsalat) of:-Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Aqilah al-Makki-Ali bin Zahir al-Witri al-Madani-Abid al-Sindi al-Madani-Falih bin Muhammad al-Zahiri al-Madani-Al-Sayyid Hussein bin Muhammad al-Habashi al-MakkiAlong with other rare pattern chained narrations from other scholars.He gathered together his chains of narration in a large work named: Matmah al-Wajdan min Asanid Umar Hamdan, which he later abridged into: It-haf al-Ikhwan***He read with the Mufti of the Shafi’s, Allamah al-Faqih al-Sheikh Umar Ba Junayd (Allah have mercy on him) a number of works, amongst them:-Ibn Qasim al-Ghazzi’s commentary on the text al-Ghayah wal-Taqrib-Al-Iqnah Sharh Matn Abi Shujah (Matn Ghayah wal-Taqrib)-Fath al-Wahhab Sharh Manhaj al-Tullab of Zakariyyah al-Ansari-Tuhfa al-Muhtaj of Ibn Hajar al-Haytami-Minhaj al-Talibin of al-Nawawi with the commentary of al-Mahalli and marginalia of Qalyubi and Umayrah-Mughni al-Muhtaj of al-Khatib al-Shirbini-Sahih al-Bukhari with the notes of al-Sindi
***He studied Rawd al-Talib and its commentary Asna al-Matalib and the Sharh of al-Mahalli with the the Minhaj of al-Nawawi with the mariginalia of Qalyubi and Umayrah with Sheikh Saeed bin Muhammad al-Yamani and his son Sheikh Hasan al-Yamani (Allah have mercy on them both). Likewise he attended the latters lessons on Sahih Muslim and Sunan al-Nasai.These three scholars: Sheikh Umar Ba Junayd, Sheikh Saeed Yamani and Sheikh Hasan Yamani were regarded as his main teachers of Shafi fiqh.
***He studied with al-Sayyid Muhsin bin Ali al-Musawi al-Fillimbani then al-Makki (Allah have mercy on him) Shafi fiqh and Usul. He kept his close company and benefited greatly from him. He compiled a biography of his along with his chains of narration in the work: Fayd al-Muhaimin fi Tarjamah wa Asanid al-Sayyid Muhsin.
***He studied with Allamah Abdullah Muhammad al-Ghazi al-Makki (Allah have mercy on him) a large number of athbat (collations of chains of narration), more specifically his large thabat: Tanshit al-Fuad bin Tazkar Ulum al-Isnad, and the thabat in which he gathered the chains of his Sheikh al-Habib Hussein al-Habashi al-Alawi named: Fath al-Qawi.He took from him the Musalsalat of Ibn Aqilah and kept his close company and benefited greatly from him.
***He studied with Sheikh Ibrahim bin Dawud al-Fatani al-Makki a number of works in Masjid al-Haram and Dar al-Ulum al-Diniyyah, amongst them:-Tafsir al-Baydawi with the marginalia of Shihab al-Khafaji, which entailed a detailed reading, study and verification.-Tafsir al-Jalalayn-Jam’ al-Jawami’ of Taj al-Subki with its commentary Jalal al-Mahalli-Hashiyah of al-Sabban on Urud and Qawafi-The treatise of Tash Kubrazadah on Adaab al-Bahth al-Munazarah and other works
***He studied with Allamah Alawi bin Abbas al-Maliki al-Makki (Allah have mercy on him) portions from:-Al-Ajrumiyyah-Sharh Ibn Aqil on the Alfiyyah-Lub al-Usul-Al-Lam’ of Abu Ishaq al-Shirazi-Portions from Sunan Abu Dawud-The athbat of al-Kawrani, al-Basri, al-Nakhli, al-Fulani, al-Shawkani and al-Ameer (Allah have mercy on all of them).
***He studied with Allamah al-Sayyid Muhammad bin Ameen al-Kutbi al-Makki a number of works, amongst them:-Al-Ashmuni on the Alfiyyah-The treatise of Tash Kubrazadah on Adaab fi al-Bahth wal-Munazarah
***He attended the lessons of Allamah Shihab Ahmad al-Mukhallalati al-Shami then al-Makki (Allah have mercy on him). He took from him the musalasalat transmitted from the scholars of al-Shaam. He compiled his chains and biography in a work named: Al-Wasl al-Rati fi Asanid wa Tarjamah al-Shihab Ahmad al-Mukhallalati
***He studied with Allamah Khalifah bin Hamd al-Nabhani al-Bahraini then al-Makki a number of sciences, more specifically that of astronomy. He compiled his chains and biography in : Fayd al-Rahman fi Tarjamah wa Asanid al-Sheikh Khalifah bin Hamd aal-Nabhan
***He attended the lessons on hadith, its terminology and hadith of Allamah Ubaidullah bin al-Islam al-Sindi al-Diyobundi in the Masjid al-Haram.Likewise he attended the lessons of Allamah Hussein Ahmad al-Faydabadi better known as al-Madani, and Allamah Abd al-Qadir bin Tafiq Shilbi, both of them in al-Madinah al-Munawwarah.
***He received the hadith collection: Al-Manahil al-Salsalah fi al-Ahadith al-Musalsalah, from its compiler Allamah Muhammad Abd al-Baqi al-Luknawi al-Ansari al-Madani (Allah have mercy upon him).Likewise he received the musalsalat: Hadi al-Mustarshidin, from its author Abd al-Hadi al-Madrasi al-Shafi (Allah have mercy on him).Apart from the above mentioned scholars, Sheikh Muhammad Yasin al-Fadani received ijazah from a large number of scholars reaching approximately 700 in number, including both men and women.Allah the Exalted blessed him with the opportunity to teach a number of the Islamic sciences in the Masjid al-Haram and Dar al-Ulum al-Diniyyah, focussing later in his teaching career on the instruction of the noble hadith and its sciences.TeachingAfter Sheikh Muhammad Yasin gained his share of knowledge he focussed his energies towards the spreading of it amongst the students of Makkah and other lands. He began teaching in Dar al-Ulum Diniyyah at the beginning of the year 1356 (AH), becoming its head in the middle of the year 1359 (AH). Alongside this he delivered a variety of lessons in the Masjid al-Haram, between the doors (Bab) Ibrahim and Wada’, along with those in his home and office. Numerous students studied with him, many of them from the far east. He also gave ijazah to a large number of visitors to the holy city who came to visit him. Not least his ijazah to all those of his age which he gave a number of times.His WorksThe Sheikh authored a number of works, some of them unpublished, others in print and used by students in centres of learning throughout the world, not least for the soundness of their content and fine layout. From amongst his works are:Hadith-Al-Dur al-Mandud Sharh Sunan Abi Dawud (20 volumes)-Fath al-Allam Sharh Bulugh al-Maram (4 volumes)Usul al-Fiqh And Qawaid al-Fiqh-Bughyah al-Mushtaq Sharh Lum’ Abi Ishaq (2 Volumes)-Hashiyah ala al-Ashbah wal-Nazair fi al-Furu al-Fiqhiyyah of al-Suyuti-Tatmim al-Dukhul Taliqat ala Madkhal al-Wusul ila Ilm al-Usul-Al-Durar al-Nadid Hawashi ala Kitab al-Tamhid of al-Isnawi-Al-Fawaid al-Junniyah Hashiyah ala al-Mawahib al-Sunniyah ala Qawaid al-Fiqhiyyah-Taliqat ala Lum’ al-Sheikh Abi Ishaq-Ida’ah al-Nur al-Lami’ Sharh al-Kawkab al-Sati’ Nazm Jam’al-Jawami’-Hashiyah ala al-Talatuf Sharh al-Tarruf fi Usul al-Fiqh-Nayl al-Ma’mul Hashiyah ala Lub al-Usul and its commentary Ghayah al-WusulVarious Sciences-Janni al-Thamr Sharh Manzumah Manazil al-Qamr-Al-Mukhtasar al-Muhadhab fi Istikhraj al-Awqat wal Qibliyyah bi Ribh alMujib-Al-Mawahib al-Jazilah Sharh Thamarat al-Wasilah fil Falak-Tashnif al-Sam’, Mukhtasar fi Ilm al-Wada’-Bulghah al-Mushtaq fi Ilm al-Ishtiqaq-Manhal al-Ifadah, Hawashi ala Risalah al-Bahth li Tash Kubrazadah-Husn al-Siyaghah Sharh Kitab Durus al-Balaghah-Risalah fil Mantiq-It-haf al-Khallan Tawdih Tuhfah al-Ikhwan fi Ilm al-Bayan of al-Dardir-Al-Risalah al-Bayaniyyah –In a question and answer formatScience of Hadith and Chains of Narration-Matmah al-Wajdan fi Asanid al-Sheikh Umar Hamdan (3 large volumes)-It-haf al-Ikhwan bi Ikhtisar Matmah al-Wajdan-Tanwir al-Basirah bi Turuq al-Isnad al-Shahirah-Fayd al-Rahman fi Tarjamah wa Asanid al-Sheikh Khalifah bin Hamd aal-Nabhan-Al-Qawl al-Jamil bi Ijazah Samahah al-Sayyid Ibrahim Aqil-Fayd al-Muhaimin fi Tarjamah wa Asanid al-Sayyid Muhsin-Al-Maslak al-Jalli fi Tarjamah wa Asanid al-Sheikh Muhammad Ali-Al-Wasl al-Rati fi Tarjamah wa Asanid al-Shihab Ahmad al-Mukhallalati-Asanid Ahmad bin Hajar al-Haytami al-Makki-Al-Irshadat al-Sawiyyah fi Asanid al-Kutub al-Nahwiyyah wal-Sarfiyyah-Al-Ujalah fi al-Ahadith al-Musalsalah-Asma al-Ghayat fi Asanid al-Sheikh Ibrahim al-Khuzami fi al-Qira’at-Asanid al-Kutub al-Hadithiyyah al-Sab’ah-Al-Iqd al-Farid min Jawahir al-Asanid-It-haf al-Bararah bi Asanid al-Kutub al-Hadithiyah al-Asharah-It-haf al-Mustafid bi Nur al-Asanid-Qurrat al-Ain fi Asanid Alam al-Haramain-It-haf Ulul Himamal-Aliyyah bi Kalam ala Hadith al-Musalsal bil Awwaliyyah-Al-Dur al-Farid min Durar al-Asanid-Bughyah al-Murid min Ulum al-Asanid-Al-Muqtataf min It-haf al-Akabir bi Marwiyyat Abd al-Qadir al-Siddiqi al-Makki-Ikhtisar Riyadh Ahl al-Jannah min Athar Ahl al-Sunnah of Ab al-Baqi al-Ba’li al-Hanbali-Fayd al-Ilah al-Aliyy fi Asanid Abd al-Baqi al-Ba’li al-Hanbali-Arbaoon Hadithan min arbaeen Kitaban an Arbaeen Sheikhan-Arbaoon al-Buldaniyyah Arbaoon Hadithan an Arbaoon Sheikhan min Arbaeen Baladan-Arbaoon Hadithan Musalsalah bi al-Nuhah ila Jalal al-Suyuti-Al-Salasil al-Mukhtarah bi Ijazah al-Muarrikh al-Sayyid Muhammad bin Muhammad Zayarah-Tadhkar al-Musafi bi Ijazah al-Fakhr Abdullah bin Abd al-Karim al-Jurafi-Al-Nafha al-Makkiyahfi Asanid al-Makkiyah, Ijazah li Nabighah al-Qadi Muhammad bin Abdullah al-Umari-Fath Rab al-Majid fima al-Ashyakhi min Faraid al-Ijazat wal Asanid-Silsilah al-Waslah Majmuah Mukhtarah min al-Ahadith al-Musalsalah, Ijazah lil Qadi al-Sayyid Abu Bakr al-Habshi-Al-Kawakib al-Durari bi Ijazah Mahmud Saeed Mamduh al-Qahiri-Fayd al-Mubdi bi Ijazah al-Sheikh Muhammad Awd Munqash al-Zabidi-Al-Fayd al-Rahmani bi Ijazah Samaha al-Allamah al-Kabir Muhammad Taqi al-UthmaniHis Notes Upon Other Collections of Chains of Transmission-Nihayah al-Matlab Ala al-Arb fi Ulum al-Isnad wal Adab-Two treatise upon al-Amirs thabat (i) Al-Dur al-Nadir (ii) Al-Rawd al-Nadir fi Majmu al-Ijazat bi Thabat al-Amir-Two treatise upon the al-Awail al-Sunbuliyyah (i) Al-Ujalah al-Makiyyah (ii)Al-Nafha al-Miskiyyah-Waraqat ala Al-Jawhar al-Thamin fi Arbaeen Hadithan min Ahadith Sayyid al-Mursaleen of al-Ajluni-It-haf al-Bahith al-Surri ala Thabat Abd al-Rahman al-Kuzbari-Taliqat ala Kifayah al-Mustafid lil Sheikh Mahfuz al-Tarmasi-Tahqiq al-Jami’ al-Hawi fi Marwiyyat al-Sharqawi
Posted by al-Kakazai at 2:35 PM 2 comments
Labels: Scholarship
Saturday, July 05, 2008

Hanafi Ahsai Trends
SalamI posted the message below on another forum, it is reproduced here for fellow students of fiqh who may be interested. May Allah (the Exalted) facilitate the successful completion of the translation projects we have undertaken of some of the texts mentioned below.
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With regards to the hanafis in al-Ahsa, when they come to studying fiqh they have some flexibility. Recently the shuyukh there have edited and published the mutun authored by the hanafi ahsai scholars themselves which they have in turned used in their teaching.
For example in the past beginners might study:
Kifayah al-Ghulam: A 150 line poem on aqidah and fiqh al-ibadatAnd Wasilah al-Talab: Which is a brief text on aqidah, fiqh and tasawwuf (both were studied by Sh. Yahya as a young boy in al-Ahsa)
Now they are increasingly reading:Tuhfa al-Mubtadi: Beginners text on taharah and salahMinhaj al-Raghib Sharh It-haf al-Talib: Commentary on the aqidah/fiqh/tasawwuf text called It-haf al-Talib
Sh. Yahya in al-Ahsa some years ago published the 2000 line poem on fiqh called Tuhfa al-Tullab which covers all the chapters of fiqh. Some students read it with him (some even memorizing parts of it)
Despite this lessons for al-Quduri and al-Hidayah are still taking place currently in al-Ahsa. It seems the ahsai texts are being used more with students who are beginners due to their greater suitability when compared to more traditional texts such as Nur al-Idah.
Ws
Posted by al-Kakazai at 1:09 AM 2 comments
Labels: Fiqh
Sunday, June 22, 2008

Family Tree: Shah Waliullah and Knowledge
Salam. Inshallah I hope to be travelling soon, and may not get a chance to update the series of biographies of Indian hadith scholars we have been posting recently. The aim of the series was to make mention of those ulema who came after Shah Waliullah but before the solidifying of the Barelwi/Deobandi/Ahl al-Hadith split in the Indian Subcontinent. Its is accepted that all three of the aforementioned schools trace back their isnad in hadith to Shah Waliullah al-Dehlawi. Inshallah I hope to discuss this further in more detail in the future.
I found the above family tree in the thabat of Dr Taqi al-Din al-Nadwi (p.74), it consists of a diagram respresenting the scholarly descendants of Shah Waliullah. When I recently visited Dr Taqi I asked him whether he knew of any family members of Shah Waliullah presently living in India or elsewhere. Dr Taqi answered that he was not aware of any.
We ask Allah (the Exalted) to have mercy on all those mentioned in the diagram, and facilitate us to be linked to those mentioned therein even more closely.
Posted by al-Kakazai at 5:57 PM 0 comments
Labels: Hadith, Scholarship
Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Music (A Brief Note)
Salam, I recorded the following post back in June 2007 after a visit to al-Ahsa. It has to do with music. I've made some minor changes to it, and added the story at the end.
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Salam, alhumdulilah I set off for a visit to al-Ahsa after fajr and returned late this evening:
Hanafis: Musical Instruments are Unlawful (Haram)
Vis a vis music: I didn't have much time to spend with Sheikh Yahya al-Mulla, but I did ask him about music and his editing of a fiqh text where he comments that musical instruments are haram, even to the point that there are issues with the playing of the daff according to some hanafis.
He replied in response to my question: yes, most of the hanafi books state that the playing of musical instruments is haram. I asked him about Sh al-Nabulsi and he replied that: yes he does permit instruments and that he had in his possession Sh. al-Nabulsi's book on the issue.
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Difference of Opinion and Tolerance
He also said that it was therefore an issue that is differed amongst the scholars so we cannot condemn others who allow it as the other madhabs have more lenient rules on this issue. However he advised that the student of knowledge/practising people should try NOT to listen to nasheeds with music.
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Musicians in Muslim Societies and an Interesting Incident
I added that culturally musicians have been looked down in muslim society and that it goes against the practice of noble people and he agreed citing the case of one of his relatives playing a duff at a wedding which shocked some people resulting in his father getting rid of the instruments from the wedding party (as far as I understood from the story)
[From what I understood one of the elder women from his relatives had taken an vow (nadhr) that if the marriage took place she would beat a daff, they asked Sh. Yahya's father about fulfilling the vow when the marriage took place, and he replied that it was permissible for her to do so. The point being even something halal can at times be inappropriate for people of nobility]
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Evidences for Prohibition
He added by saying that from what he understood there are evidences prohibiting music, but that they are not totally direct and clear, he also cited a hadith where Sayiddina Umar (Allah be pleased with him) heard some music and placed his hands in his ears so as to not listen to it, but did not order others to do the same.
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Conclusion
To conclude what i understood from him was NOT a green light to music, there is a difference regarding it, most hanafis say it is haram, some said it was permissible, other madhabs have opinions permitting it. We cannot criticise those who listen to nasheeds with music, and he advised practising people to avoid it. He also mentioned an interesting story he heard directly from one of the old hanafi scholars from al-Ahsa about a duff. ws
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[Sh. Yahya mentioned that he heard from one of the elderly scholars of the al-Mulla family that in the time of the Ottomans in al-Ahsa a hadra took place near the fort. Daffs were being used and when the hadra reached the peak of its intensity, they witnessed the duffs flying into the air, suspended and beating themselves! I believe the scholar who informed Sh. Yahya of the incident actually witnessed it.]
Posted by al-Kakazai at 3:45 PM 4 comments
Labels: Fiqh, Other
Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Bida Hasanah (A Brief Note)
Salam, I wrote the following brief reply on another site, obviously much more can be written on this issue, but I was a disappointed to see once again some clouding of the matter of 'bidah hasanah'. More specifically in relation to Imam al-Sirhindi's views.
**********************************************************I am baffled as to why some ulema say that there is no such thing as 'bida hasanah' when they are part of tariqah's, have people take bayah with them, hand out awrad, none of which were practised in this exact same form at the time of the Prophet (Allah bless Him and give Him peace).
The argument in reply to this that: 'No these acts have a basis in the shariah and are jaiz' is exactly what the proponents of the concept of 'bida hasanah' are arguing anyway. They just define it as bidah hasanah, whilst you may refer to it as sunnah.
It should be noted that Imam al-Sirhindi (Allah be pleased with him) instructed students with the dhikr known as the 'lataif', and 'nafi wa ithbat' (as far as I am aware). None of which is related in hadith to have been practised by the Prophet (Allah bless Him and give Him peace) in this specific manner. Then there is the mention of fana and baqa and other detailed spiritual states, none of which have been mentioned in the sunnah in the exact same way as in the Maktubat.
The point is, when people say there is no bida hasanah, and use as a standard argument: 'Did the Prophet (Allah bless Him and give Him peace) or the Sahabah practise this? When at the same time they quote scholars like Imam al-Sirhindi, and maybe are members of tariqah themselves raises more questions than it answers. Not least the incongruity of their reasoning and proof.
Wassalam