al-Zuhd wa al-Raqaiq - Ibn al-Mubarak
- Author died
- 181 AH
- Editions
- tahqiq al-Azami
al-Zuhd wa al-Raqaiq (also titled Kitab al-Zuhd) is an early compilation of hadiths and ethical reports by the Khurasani traditionist and jurist Abd Allah ibn al-Mubarak (118–181 AH / 736–797 CE) dedicated to asceticism (zuhd), heart-softening traditions (raqa'iq), and moral discipline .
Scope and Contents
The work gathers chain-supported (isnad) reports containing Prophetic traditions, statements and practices of the Companions, and sayings of early Successors and ascetics . Its material centers on renouncing worldly attachment, fear of God, weeping, humility, self-scrutiny, sincerity, the remembrance of death, and preparation for the afterlife . In classical bibliographical records, such as Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani's al-Mu'jam al-mufahras, the text is cataloged as a single-volume (mujallad) work .
Transmissions and Additions
The text was transmitted down through multiple channels that incorporated layered additions (ziyadat) from its transmitters:
- The Eastern Recension (riwayat al-mashariqah): Transmitted by al-Husayn ibn al-Hasan al-Marwazi (d. 246 AH), who supplemented Ibn al-Mubarak's original collection with his own narrations (Ziyadat al-Marwazi) . The transmitter from al-Marwazi, Yahya ibn Muhammad ibn Sa'id (d. 318 AH), further appended his own additional transmissions (Ziyadat Ibn Sa'id) to the compilation .
- The Western Recension (riwayat al-magharibah): Transmitted by Nu'aym ibn Hammad (d. 228 AH), which preserves unique material from Ibn al-Mubarak (Zawa'id Nu'aym ibn Hammad) not found in al-Husayn al-Marwazi's recension .
Abridgments and Printed Editions
Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi (d. 463 AH) composed an abridged selection from the collection entitled al-Muntakhab min Kitab al-Zuhd wa al-Raqaiq . In modern print, the book was edited by Habib al-Rahman al-A'zami (first published in Beirut in 1386 AH / 1966 CE), presenting the recension of al-Husayn al-Marwazi together with the additions of Nu'aym ibn Hammad printed as a distinct appendix with independent numbering . Another edition was prepared by Ahmad Farid .
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