al-Lulu wal-Marjan fi Mahasin Din al-Islam
- Author died
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- Editions
- Dar Al-Lu'lu'ah li-l-Nashr wa-l-Tawzi'
Al-Lu'lu' wa-al-marjan fi mahasin din al-Islam (The Pearls and Corals on the Merits of the Religion of Islam) is a contemporary treatise by Abu Abd Allah Khaldun ibn Mahmud ibn Naghawi Al Haqqawi, examining the virtues, wisdoms, and merits of Islamic legislation and belief.
Purpose and Scope
The author composed the work as a concise yet broad introductory overview of the merits (mahasin) present across both the foundational principles (usul) and branch rulings (furu') of Islam. In his conclusion, Naghawi emphasizes that demonstrating the inherent virtues of Islam is essential for calling people to the faith with clear knowledge and insight, particularly in an era marked by widespread misrepresentations and distortion campaigns. He argues that presenting the teachings of Islam as they truly are is often sufficient to win minds and hearts, citing modern instances of individuals accepting Islam after learning about its genuine ethics and principles.
Structure and Themes
The book discusses the merits of Islamic teachings across multiple aspects of human life and society:
- Theological and doctrinal virtues: Highlighted in the second chapter under the major legislation of Islam (sharai' al-Islam al-kibar), focusing on the affirmation of pure monotheism (tawhid), the liberation of humanity from servitude to creation, and the repudiation of polytheism (shirk), soothsaying, and sorcery.
- Spiritual alignment with human nature: Addressed in the third chapter, illustrating how Islamic tenets align fully with the uncorrupted primordial disposition of mankind (al-fitrah al-salimah).
- Balance between material and spiritual life: Treated in the sixth chapter, demonstrating how Islam avoids the ascetic neglect of bodily needs on the one hand and purely materialistic indulgence on the other, balancing the rights of the soul and the physical body.
- Social, legal, and political systems: The work examines Islamic civil and legal frameworks, including the equity of the inheritance system, the deterrence provided by prescribed legal penalties (hudud) for safeguarding society, the role of mutual consultation (shura) in governance, and the judicial principles established for resolving disputes fairly through clear evidence and equitable reconciliation.
Sources and Method
In drafting the work, Naghawi relied on earlier and contemporary literature addressing the merits of Islam, drawing directly upon works such as al-Durrah al-mukhtasarah fi mahasin al-din al-islami by Abd al-Rahman ibn Nasir al-Sa'di and al-Khamsun min mahasin al-din by Misnad al-Qahtani. In his verification of prophetic traditions and narrations (takhrij al-ahadith), the author notes that he primarily utilized the evaluations of Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani.
Reception
The treatise received a written commendation (taqriz) from Professor Dr. Asim ibn Abd Allah al-Qaryuti, who praised the author's coverage of fundamental Islamic principles, from the affirmation of divine oneness and societal unity to the equity of Islamic legal systems.
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