Al-Arbaun al-Nawawiya ma Ziyadat Ibn Rajab

Al-Arbaun al-Nawawiya ma Ziyadat Ibn Rajab (The Forty Hadiths of al-Nawawi with the Additions of Ibn Rajab) is a foundational collection of fifty comprehensive prophetic traditions ( جوامع الكلم ) originally compiled by Abu Zakariyya Yahya ibn Sharaf al-Nawawi (d. 676 AH / 1277 CE) and expanded by Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (d. 795 AH / 1393 CE) Mutun Talib al-Ilm - al-M…+1.

Background and Compilation

The genesis of the text traces back to the traditionist Ibn al-Salah (d. 643 AH / 1245 CE), who dictated a gathering entitled al-Ahadith al-Kulliyya, compiling twenty-six concise, comprehensive traditions around which the core principles of Islam were said to revolve Majmu Rasail Ibn Rajab+1. Al-Nawawi adopted Ibn al-Salah's collection and supplemented it to reach forty-two traditions, naming his compilation al-Arbaun (The Forty) by rounding down the number Fath al-Qawi al-Matin fi …+1. Al-Nawawi stipulated that his chosen traditions be authentic, drawing predominantly from the collections of al-Bukhari and Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj, and omitted their chains of transmission (isnads) to facilitate memorization and broad benefit Kashf al-Zunun an Asami a…+1.

Later commentators noted that al-Nawawi had omitted certain vital traditions that serve as foundational legal axioms—specifically the tradition governing inheritance shares, despite including the tradition on judicial evidence and burden of proof Jami al-Ulum wal-Hikam+1. In response to requests from students of Islamic learning, Ibn Rajab appended eight additional comprehensive traditions, bringing the total count to exactly fifty Majmu Rasail Ibn Rajab+1.

The Eight Additions

The eight traditions appended by Ibn Rajab are:

1. Inheritance: ألحقوا الفرائض بأهلها، فما أبقت الفرائض فلأولى رجل ذكر ("Give the designated shares of inheritance to those entitled to them; whatever remains goes to the nearest male relative") Jami al-Ulum wal-Hikam.
2. Fosterage: يحرم من الرضاع ما يحرم من النسب ("What is unlawful through lineage is unlawful through fosterage") Jami al-Ulum wal-Hikam.
3. Prohibited sales: إن الله إذا حرم شيئا، حرم ثمنه ("When God forbids something, He forbids its price") Jami al-Ulum wal-Hikam.
4. Intoxicants: كل مسكر حرام ("Every intoxicant is forbidden") Jami al-Ulum wal-Hikam.
5. Dietary moderation: ما ملأ آدمي وعاء شرا من بطن ("No human fills a vessel worse than the stomach") Jami al-Ulum wal-Hikam.
6. Hypocrisy: أربع من كن فيه كان منافقا ("Four traits, whoever possesses them is a hypocrite...") Jami al-Ulum wal-Hikam.
7. Reliance on God: لو أنكم توكلون على الله حق توكله، لرزقكم كما يرزق الطير ("If you were to rely upon God with true reliance, He would provide for you just as He provides for birds...") Jami al-Ulum wal-Hikam.
8. Remembrance of God: لا يزال لسانك رطبا من ذكر الله عز وجل ("Keep your tongue always moist with the remembrance of God, Mighty and Exalted") Jami al-Ulum wal-Hikam.

Commentary and Legacy

Ibn Rajab composed an extensive commentary on the fifty traditions entitled Jami al-Ulum wal-Hikam fi Sharh Khamsin Hadithan min Jawami al-Kalim (The Compendium of Knowledge and Wisdom in Explaining Fifty Hadiths of Comprehensive Words) Jami al-Ulum wal-Hikam+1. His commentary is distinguished by its deep engagement with early reports (athar) from the early Muslim generations (al-salaf), detailed discussions of legal derivation, theological maxims, and spiritual ethics Sharh Sunan Abi Dawud lil…+1. The combined text of al-Nawawi's original forty-two traditions alongside Ibn Rajab's eight additions remains widely studied, memorized, and commented upon in traditional curricula Al-Arbaun al-Nawawiya ma …+1.