al-Zuhd al-Kabir lil-Bayhaqi

al-Zuhd al-Kabir (The Major Book of Asceticism) is a collection of hadith and pious traditions compiled by the Shafi'i traditionist and jurist Abu Bakr al-Bayhaqi (384–458 AH / 994–1066 CE) Mujam al-Muallifin. The work gathers prophetic traditions and sayings of early and later Muslims on the virtue of renouncing worldly attachment, curtailing worldly expectations, and hastening toward righteous action Majallat al-Jami'a al-Isl…+1.

Purpose and Composition

Al-Bayhaqi stated in his introduction that he had previously incorporated reports on asceticism and the curtailment of worldly hopes (qasr al-amal) into his work Kitab al-Jami', and had documented the simple lifestyle and livelihood of the Prophet ﷺ in Dala'il al-Nubuwwa (Proofs of Prophethood) and other writings al-Bayhaqi wa Mawqifuhu m…+1. In light of the vast body of transmitted statements from early generations (al-salaf) and later authorities (al-khalaf) concerning the excellence and practical realization of asceticism, he decided to dedicate a separate, multi-part compilation to gathering the traditions and reports available to him on the subject al-Bayhaqi wa Mawqifuhu m…+1.

Structure and Methodology

The work is organized around themes of asceticism, contentment, moral discipline, and pious reflection. Al-Bayhaqi cites narrations with their full chains of transmission (asanid) tracing back through his principal teachers—most notably al-Hakim al-Nisaburi (Abu 'Abd Allah al-Hafiz)—to the Prophet ﷺ, the Companions, the Successors, and prominent early ascetics Ithaf al-Murtaqi bi-Taraj…+1. The text includes both elevated prophetic hadiths (marfu') and non-prophetic maxims (mawquf and maqtu'), accompanied at times by the author's critical remarks on the status and transmission of individual reports al-Hafiz al-Iraqi wa Atha…+1.

Bibliographers such as al-Suyuti and Hajji Khalifa recorded both a major (al-Kabir) and a minor (al-Saghir) book of asceticism under al-Bayhaqi's name, though later scholars noted that the attribution of a separate al-Zuhd al-Saghir rests solely on those later listings Kashf al-Zunun an Asami a…+1.

Manuscripts and Editions

al-Zuhd al-Kabir was transmitted in five small fascicles (ajza'), comprising 119 folios al-Bayhaqi wa Mawqifuhu m…. A manuscript is preserved in the 'Arif Hikmat Library in Medina (MS 142 Hadith), which concludes with a scribal note stating that copying was completed in Damascus on Monday, 15 Rabi' al-Awwal 626 AH, and carries several historical audition certificates (sama'at) al-Bayhaqi wa Mawqifuhu m…+1.

The work has been edited and published in modern times in multiple scholarly editions, including:

• An edition edited by Taqi al-Din al-Nadwi (published in Abu Dhabi, 1401 AH / 1981 CE, and later by Dar al-Qalam) Ithaf al-Murtaqi bi-Taraj…+1.
• An edition edited by 'Amir Ahmad Haydar (published by Mu'assasat al-Kutub al-Thaqafiyya and Dar al-Jinan in Beirut, 1408 AH / 1987–1988 CE) Ifrad Ahadith Asma Allah …+1.