al-Aziz Sharh al-Wajiz = al-Sharh al-Kabir lil-Rafi'i
- Author died
- 623 AH
- Editions
- Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyya
al-Aziz Sharh al-Wajiz (Arabic: العزيز شرح الوجيز), widely known as al-Sharh al-Kabir (الشرح الكبير), is an extensive work of Shafi'i jurisprudence by Abu al-Qasim Abd al-Karim ibn Muhammad al-Rafi'i (d. 623 AH / 1226 CE), written as a commentary on al-Wajiz by Abu Hamid al-Ghazali (d. 505 AH / 1111 CE) .
Background and Purpose
Al-Rafi'i noted in his preface that contemporary students of jurisprudence had developed a strong attachment to al-Ghazali's al-Wajiz due to its conciseness and rich content, yet they faced difficulties with its dense expressions and subtle meanings . This compelled students either to consult numerous larger reference works or to rely on an extensive commentary that could resolve its obscurities . Al-Rafi'i therefore authored the work to clarify the legal reasoning of its rulings and elucidate its terminology . Although he entitled it al-Aziz, later scholars—exercising scrupulousness regarding applying the word al-Aziz ("the mighty" or "incomparable") exclusively to the Quran—often referred to it as Fath al-Aziz . Al-Rafi'i also wrote an abridged sister commentary known as al-Sharh al-Saghir .
Scholarly Standing and Reception
Al-Aziz is considered one of the primary pillars of late Shafi'i legal doctrine, synthesizing divergent transmissions, verifying school positions, and establishing authoritative rulings . Ibn al-Salah remarked that no commentary comparable to it had been written on al-Wajiz . Ibn al-Mulaqqin stated that nothing equal to its style, arrangement, and thoroughness had been produced within the Shafi'i school, describing it as the standard reference for teaching, issuing legal verdicts, and composition across the Muslim world . Ibrahim ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Fazari observed that the true stature of the work could only be appreciated if a qualified jurist gathered all the source materials al-Rafi'i utilized and attempted to compose a commentary on al-Wajiz without looking at al-Rafi'i's text . Al-Nawawi similarly praised its comprehensive scope and precise phrasing .
Abridgments, Glosses, and Related Literature
Due to its central importance, al-Aziz served as the source for numerous abridgments, glosses, hadith collections, and linguistic studies:
- Abridgments: Al-Nawawi abridged al-Aziz to produce Rawdat al-Talibin, which became a standard manual of the school . Ibrahim ibn Abd al-Wahhab al-Zanjani (d. 655 AH) produced an abridgment titled Niqawat Fath al-Aziz, completed in Sha'ban 625 AH, which he began during al-Rafi'i's lifetime . Another abridgment was compiled by Ibn Aqil (d. 769 AH) .
- Glosses and Supercommentaries: Muhammad ibn Ahmad, known as Ibn al-Rabwah, wrote al-Durr al-Azim al-Munir fi Sharh Ishkal al-Kabir . Shams al-Din Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Asadi al-Qudsi (d. 808 AH) wrote a four-volume supercommentary titled al-Zahir 'ala Fiqh al-Sharh al-Kabir . Jamal al-Din al-Isnavi composed al-Muhimmat addressing points across both al-Sharh al-Kabir and al-Nawawi's al-Rawdah , and Ahmad ibn Hamdan al-Adhra'i compiled al-Tawassut wa-al-Fath bayn al-Rawdah wa-al-Sharh .
- Hadith Verification (Takhrij): Several major scholars compiled dedicated works verifying and documenting the hadiths cited in al-Aziz, including Ahmad ibn Aybak al-Dimyati (d. 749 AH), Ibn al-Naqqash (d. 763 AH) in Kashif al-Ghummah, Izz al-Din Ibn Jama'ah (d. 767 AH), Badr al-Din al-Zarkashi in al-Dhahab al-Ibriz, Ibn al-Mulaqqin in his extensive work al-Badr al-Munir, Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani in Talkhis al-Habir, and Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti in Nashr al-Abir .
- Lexicography: Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Fayyumi (d. c. 770 AH) compiled the Arabic dictionary al-Misbah al-Munir fi Gharib al-Sharh al-Kabir specifically to define the obscure terms and specialized vocabulary appearing in al-Rafi'i's commentary .
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