Hashiyat al-Sawi ala al-Sharh al-Saghir, Tab al-Halabi
- Author died
- 1241 AH
- Editions
- ط الحلبي
Hashiyat al-Sawi ala al-Sharh al-Saghir (also titled Bulghat al-Salik li-Aqrab al-Masalik) is a major supercommentary on Maliki jurisprudence authored by the Egyptian scholar Ahmad al-Sawi (1175–1241 AH / 1761–1825 CE) . It serves as an extensive gloss on al-Sharh al-Saghir, the commentary composed by Abu al-Barakat Ahmad al-Dardir (d. 1201 AH) upon his own legal primer Aqrab al-Masalik ila Madhhab al-Imam Malik .
Background and Composition
Al-Sawi authored the gloss after being asked by Shaykh Salih al-Siba'i—whom al-Sawi describes as al-Dardir's successor and the inheritor of his spiritual state—to write a commentary matching the accessible and lucid style of al-Dardir's original work . Al-Sawi acceded to the request, entitling the supercommentary Bulghat al-Salik li-Aqrab al-Masalik (The Traveler's Sufficiency for the Nearest of Paths) .
Method and Referencing System
In his preface, al-Sawi established a consistent referencing system and a set of shorthand abbreviations to cite earlier Maliki authorities and standard commentaries :
- Hashiyat al-Asl: refers to the supercommentary of Muhammad al-Dasuqi on al-Dardir's commentary on Mukhtasar Khalil .
- Al-Asl: denotes al-Dardir's commentary on Mukhtasar Khalil .
- Shaykhuna fi Majmu'ihi: indicates the Majmu' of Muhammad al-Amir .
- Al-Hashiyah: designates the supercommentary of Ali ibn Ahmad al-Sa'idi al-Adawi on al-Kharashi's commentary .
- Abbreviated symbols for earlier jurists: (B-N) for Muhammad al-Bannani, (R) for Mustafa al-Rammasi, (H) for Muhammad al-Hattab, (‘Ab) for Abd al-Baqi al-Zurqani, and (Shab) for Ibrahim al-Shabrakhiti .
Citations from authorities outside this list are given by explicit name .
Annotations and Print History
The supercommentary was glossed by the Maliki jurist Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Mubarak al-Ahsa'i in a work titled al-Ta'liq al-Hawi li-Ba'd al-Buhuth 'ala Sharh al-Sawi, which was published alongside al-Sharh al-Saghir and al-Sawi's supercommentary in six volumes by the Egyptian publisher Isa al-Babi al-Halabi .
The work appeared in numerous historical editions, including early printings at Bulaq (1289 AH), Cairo (1299 AH, in two volumes), and al-Matba'ah al-Khayriyyah (1310 AH and 1323 AH) . The well-known al-Halabi edition was issued by Mustafa al-Babi al-Halabi (and Isa al-Babi al-Halabi) in 1372 AH / 1952 CE in two volumes, reviewed and corrected by an editorial committee led by Shaykh Ahmad Sa'd Ali . Subsequent editions and reprints were issued by Dar al-Ma'arif in Egypt and Dar al-Ma'rifah in Beirut .
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