Ashal al-Masalik fi Madhhab al-Imam Malik - ضمن Majmu al-Rifaa
- Author died
- 1161 AH
- Editions
- Dār ‘Ammār lil-Nashr wa-al-Tawzī‘
Ashal al-Masalik fi Madhhab al-Imam Malik (The Easiest of Paths in the School of Imam Malik) is a didactic versification of Maliki jurisprudence composed by the Egyptian scholar Muhammad al-Bashshar (alive in 1161 AH / 1748 CE).
Composition and Purpose
The work was composed as a poetic rendition of Targhib al-Murid al-Salik ila Madhhab al-Imam Malik, a prose legal primer by Ibrahim al-Suhai al-Azhari (d. 1080 AH / 1670 CE). Al-Bashshar stated in his introduction that his purpose in versifying the text was to facilitate memorization and study for beginners. In organizing the material, he rearranged certain sections, added supplementary rulings to complete legal topics, and adhered throughout the poem to the prevalent (al-mashhur) positions of the Maliki school.
Structure and Content
The poem opens with an introductory prologue explaining the obligation incumbent upon every legally responsible person (mukallaf) to learn the divine rulings of Islamic law. It then presents theological and creedal foundations in a chapter titled Bab Usul al-Din wa-ma yajib 'ala al-mukallaf, outlining:
- The fundamental knowledge of God, His existence, oneness, and divine attributes.
- Issues of divine decree (qadar), repentance (tawbah), eschatological signs, the afterlife, and intercession.
- The status of prophets, the righteous companions, and the leading scholars, recognizing the four Sunni imams—Malik ibn Anas, Abu Hanifa, al-Shafi'i, and Ahmad ibn Hanbal—alongside Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari in theology and al-Junayd in spiritual conduct.
Following the theological preamble, the work transitions into positive law (fiqh), commencing with chapters on ritual purity, such as categories of water (Bab Aqsam al-Miyah wa-ma yarfa' al-hadath) and pure and impure substances (Bab al-A'yan al-tahirah wal-najisah), before continuing across subsequent legal chapters.
Commentary and Publication
The poem received a notable commentary written by Uthman ibn Hasanayn Barri al-Ju'ali, titled Siraj al-Salik Sharh Ashal al-Masalik. The text has also been published as part of the compendium Majmu' al-Rif'ah fi ba'd mutun fiqh al-madhahib al-arba'ah, which brings together authoritative didactic poems across the four Sunni legal schools.
Answer updated