al-Tatai
- Died
- 942 AH
- Born in
- -
Al-Tatai (d. 942 AH / 1535 CE) was an Egyptian Maliki jurist, legal theorist, and Chief Judge known for his legal commentaries on foundational texts of the school .
Lineage and education
His full name was Shams al-Din Abu Abd Allah Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Khalil al-Tatai al-Misri . His nisba refers to Tata, a village in the Egyptian province of al-Manufiyya . He was trained in Maliki jurisprudence, legal theory, inheritance law, and timekeeping, studying under leading scholars of his generation, including Ahmad ibn Yunus al-Qusantini, Ali ibn Abd Allah al-Sanhouri, and the Andalusian mathematician and jurist al-Qalasadi .
Career and scholarly standing
He was appointed as Chief Judge (qadi al-qudah) of Egypt, though he later stepped down from judicial office to concentrate on teaching and authorship . Among those who transmitted his works was Ali ibn Abi Bakr al-Qarafi . Biographers praised him for his piety, reliability, and precision in establishing the transmitted positions of the Maliki school .
His scholarly contribution is centered on his commentaries on core Maliki legal manuals, particularly his extensive commentary Fath al-Jalil and his shorter commentary Jawahir al-Durar, both elucidating Mukhtasar Khalil . He also authored Tanwir al-Maqala, an expansive commentary on the Risala of Ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani . Later scholars noted that while his works were widely utilized, his larger commentary on the Mukhtasar contained occasional oversights in transmission and analysis .
Death
He died in 942 AH (1535 CE) according to the most widely accepted accounts . Another report records his death in 937 AH, while others state that he died after 940 AH .
Answer updated
List of Works
Jawahir al-Durar fi Hall Alfaz al-Mukhtasar (The Gems of Pearls in Deciphering the Expressions of the Mukhtasar) is an analytical commentary on Mukhtasar Khalil in Maliki jurisprudence. Known in the Maliki tradition as al-Sharh al-Saghir (the minor commentary), it serves to elucidate the concise expressions and legal rulings of Khalil ibn Ishaq al-Jundi's foundational compendium of positive law.