Fath al-Ali al-Malik fi al-Fatwa ala Madhhab al-Imam Malik
- Author died
- 1299 AH
- Editions
- Dār al-Maʻrifah
Fath al-Ali al-Malik fi al-Fatwa ala Madhhab al-Imam Malik (The Opening of the Exalted Sovereign Concerning Legal Rulings According to the School of Imam Malik) is a two-volume Maliki collection of legal responsa (fatwas) compiled by the Egyptian Maliki scholar and mufti Muhammad ibn Ahmad Ulaysh (1217–1299 AH / 1802–1882 CE) .
Background and Purpose
Ulaysh served as the head and mufti of the Maliki jurists in Egypt . In the introduction to the work, he noted that the issuance of legal opinions is essential across all eras; consequently, he gathered the numerous inquiries submitted to him together with his formal answers, editing and arranging them according to the topical chapters of Islamic jurisprudence (abwab al-fiqh) . The book is also widely known by the abridged title Fatawa Ulaysh or Fatawa al-Shaykh Ulaysh .
Method and Contents
Structured in two volumes, the collection addresses a broad array of practical legal and transactional questions brought before the author during his tenure as mufti . In formulating his answers, Ulaysh grounded his verdicts in authoritative sources of the Maliki school, frequently citing foundational texts such as al-Mudawwana and the transmissions of Ibn Rushd, providing detailed jurisprudential justifications on issues ranging from commercial contracts, promises, and endowments to acts of worship and oaths .
Reception and Editions
The work became one of the standard late reference collections for Maliki fatwas and practical legal application . Early printings appeared in Cairo at al-Matba'a al-Kubra al-Amiriyya (1306 AH) and Matba'at al-Taqaddum, followed by editions issued in Beirut by Dar al-Ma'rifah and Dar al-Fikr .
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