al-Anjum al-Zahirat ala Hall Alfaz al-Waraqat
- Author died
- 871 AH
- Editions
- Maktabat al-Rushd
al-Anjum al-Zahirat ala Hall Alfaz al-Waraqat (The Radiant Stars in Elucidating the Words of al-Waraqat) is a commentary on legal theory (usul al-fiqh) by the Shafi'i jurist Shams al-Din Muhammad ibn Uthman al-Mardini (d. 871 AH / 1467 CE), explaining the introductory primer al-Waraqat by Abu al-Ma'ali al-Juwayni .
Purpose and Method
Al-Mardini composed the work in response to a colleague's request for an intermediate commentary (sharh mutawassit) on al-Juwayni's al-Waraqat . In his introduction, the author stated that his aim was to provide clear explanations supplemented with illustrative examples and proofs, while deliberately avoiding obscure phraseology, convoluted linguistic discussions, and complex dialectical objections . He designed the commentary to serve as an accessible clarification for beginners in legal theory as well as a concise reminder for advanced students .
Content and Structure
The commentary follows the thematic arrangement of al-Juwayni's text across standard chapters of Shafi'i usul al-fiqh, including:
- Definitions of commands and their verbal formulations (sighat al-amr) .
- Parties addressed and excluded from legal commands .
- Linguistic and legal exceptions (al-istithna') .
- The Prophet's tacit approval (iqrar al-Rasul) as a legal source .
- Qualifications and conditions of the mufti (shurut al-mufti) .
- Rulings regarding legal interpretation and whether every mujtahid is correct (taswib al-mujtahidin) .
Manuscripts and Editions
Manuscripts of the commentary survive in international collections, including a copy at the Chester Beatty Library (MS 3469, copied in 954 AH) and another at the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies (MS 0341-F 14874) . The text was edited by Abd al-Karim al-Namlah based on two manuscripts and published in Cairo by Dar al-Haramayn (1415 AH / 1994 CE, 327 pages), with subsequent printings issued by Maktabat al-Rushd in Riyadh .
Answer updated