al-Jami li-Ulum al-Imam Ahmad - al-Fiqh
- Author died
- 241 AH
- Editions
- Dar al-Falah lil-Bahth al-'Ilmi wa-Tahqiq al-Turath
al-Jami li-Ulum al-Imam Ahmad - al-Fiqh (The Comprehensive Compendium of Imam Ahmad's Sciences: Jurisprudence) is a multi-volume Hanbali legal reference work that gathers and arranges the juristic opinions, rulings, and responsa (masāʾil) transmitted from Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (164–241 AH / 780–855 CE) .
Background and Compilation
The legal doctrines of Imam Ahmad were historically recorded and transmitted across numerous disparate collections of masāʾil compiled by his direct disciples and early followers, such as the classical effort undertaken by Abu Bakr al-Khallal (234–311 AH) . To consolidate these dispersed transmissions from published sources into an integrated topical work, a modern editorial initiative was undertaken at Dar al-Falah for Scientific Research and Heritage Preservation in Fayoum, Egypt .
The compilation, organization, and classification were led by Khalid al-Ribat and Sayyid 'Izzat 'Id, with contributions from Wael Imam 'Abd al-Fattah, Muhammad Ahmad 'Abd al-Tawwab, Muhammad 'Abd al-Fattah 'Ali, Ahmad Mahmud 'Abd al-Majid, and Ibrahim al-Nahhas . A dedicated research team verified hadith narrations (takhrīj), including Hani Ramadan Hashim, Ahmad Fawzi Ibrahim, Ahmad Rubi 'Abd al-'Azim, Ahmad 'Uways Junaydi, Rabi' Muhammad 'Iwad Allah, and Sha'ban Muhammad Junaydi, while textual collation was carried out by Khalid Mustafa Tawfiq, 'Isam Hamdi, and Rajab Sha'ban Muhammad .
Structure and Scope
The jurisprudence section forms the core and most extensive part of the broader encyclopedic project al-Jami' li-'Ulum al-Imam Ahmad, spanning nine volumes (volumes 5 through 13 of the entire series) . It systematically covers the full breadth of Islamic jurisprudence according to standard legal subject divisions (al-abwāb al-fiqhiyya), including:
- Ritual acts of worship (ʿibādāt), such as prayer (al-ṣalāh), funerals (al-janāʾiz), zakat, fasting (al-ṣawm), spiritual retreat (al-iʿtikāf), and pilgrimage (al-ḥajj) .
- Personal status and family law, including marriage and related provisions .
- Penalties, dietary laws, and legal oaths, including homicides and bodily injuries (al-jināyāt), blood money (al-diyāt), prescribed penalties (al-ḥudūd), foods, drinks, hunting and slaughter, oaths (al-aymān), and vows (al-nudhūr) .
Methodology
The compilers assembled Imam Ahmad's printed masāʾil and rearranged each issue alongside comparable topics to ensure direct access to his textual positions . Every ruling retains its specific source reference, noting the original issue number or page number from primary collections, as well as the name of the transmitting student or authority . The text is annotated with source documentation for referenced prophetic hadiths and non-prophetic reports (āthār) .
Publication
The work was published in its first edition in 1430 AH / 2009 CE by Dar al-Falah li-l-Bahth al-'Ilmi wa-Tahqiq al-Turath in Fayoum, Egypt .
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