Ghayat al-Sul fi Khasais al-Rasul
- Author died
- 804 AH
- Editions
- Dar al-Basha'ir al-Islamiyyah
Ghayat al-Sul fi Khasais al-Rasul (The Ultimate Quest Regarding the Distinctive Attributes of the Messenger) is a treatise on the exclusive legal rulings and virtues (khaṣāʾiṣ) of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, authored by the Shafi'i jurist and hadith scholar Ibn al-Mulaqqin (723–804 AH / 1323–1401 CE) .
Background and Purpose
In his introduction, Ibn al-Mulaqqin notes that al-Muzani originally opened the chapter on marriage (Kitāb al-Nikāḥ) with the Prophet's specific legal rulings, a practice subsequently adopted by Shafi'i scholars due to the abundance of special exemptions and obligations governing the Prophet's marriages . Jurists then added other non-marital prerogatives by association . Ibn al-Mulaqqin composed Ghayat al-Sul as a concise summary compiling what earlier scholars documented on prophetic prerogatives, alongside important additional points (zawāʾid) .
Structure and Contents
The author arranged the material into four fundamental categories around which the book's discussions revolve :
- Obligations (wājibāt): Rulings made uniquely compulsory for the Prophet ﷺ and not required of his community .
- Prohibitions (muḥarramāt): Acts strictly forbidden to the Prophet ﷺ while being permissible for others .
- Exemptions and Permissions (mubāḥāt): Special dispensations and allowances granted exclusively to him .
- Virtues (faḍāʾil): Unique merits, honors, and specific distinctions bestowed upon him .
Reception and Publication
Ibn al-Mulaqqin referenced Ghayat al-Sul in his extensive legal hadith commentary al-Badr al-Munir . Later bibliographers, including Muhammad ibn Ja'far al-Kattani in al-Risalah al-Mustatrafah, cited it among the notable specialized works dedicated to prophetic khaṣāʾiṣ . The work was published in Beirut by Dar al-Basha'ir al-Islamiyyah in 1414 AH / 1993 CE, edited by 'Abd Allah Bahr al-Din 'Abd Allah .
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