Akhlaq al-Ulama lil-Ajri
- Author died
- 360 AH
- Editions
- Ri’āsat Idārāt al-Buḥūth al-‘Ilmiyyah wa-al-Iftā’ wa-al-Da‘wah wa-al-Irshād - al-Sa‘ūdiyyah
Akhlaq al-Ulama (The Ethics of the Scholars) is a classical ethical treatise on the virtues, responsibilities, and proper conduct of Islamic scholars, composed by the Shafi'i traditionist and jurist Abu Bakr al-Ajurri (d. 360 AH / 970 CE) .
Purpose and Contents
The work opens with an exposition of the elevated status of religious scholars, characterizing them as the inheritors of the prophets, lanterns for humanity, and sources of guidance through whom lawful matters are distinguished from the prohibited . It outlines the spiritual and moral obligations expected of learned individuals, emphasizing forbearance, humility, putting knowledge into practice, and avoiding frivolous speech .
A central theme of the treatise is the warning against corrupt intentions in acquiring religious knowledge . Al-Ajurri warns against using learning merely for social prestige, seeking proximity to worldly rulers, or vying for judicial appointments by compromising religious principles and flattering those in power .
The text also details the practical etiquette of study circles (halqat). It instructs teachers to treat students with patience and gentleness—especially those slower to comprehend—and to correct mistakes without publicly humiliating them . In parallel, it outlines the manners required of students, including lowering one's voice, expressing gratitude for instruction, avoiding contentious disputation, and asking questions respectfully .
Reception
The Hanbali scholar Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali praised the work as one of the finest compositions on the character and etiquette of scholars, noting that examining it clarifies the authentic path of the early generations (salaf) in contrast to later deviations .
Transmission and Editions
The book was preserved and transmitted through classical chains of narration, including lines passing through Ibn Bashkuwal and transmissions through Abu al-Hasan al-Hammami and Abu Bakr al-Turaithithi .
Modern published editions include:
- An edition verified by Isma'il ibn Muhammad al-Ansari, published in Riyadh by the General Presidency of Scholarly Research and Ifta (1398 AH / 1978 CE) .
- An edition edited by Amina Umar al-Kharrat, published by Dar al-Qalam in Damascus (1422 AH / 2001 CE) .
- An edition with hadith documentation by Badr al-Badr, issued by Maktabat al-Sahaba in Kuwait .
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