Idah al-Marib min Taliq Alam al-Arib bi Huduth Bidat al-Maharib
- Author died
- 1380 AH
- Editions
- Dār al-Rashād al-Ḥadīthīyah
Idah al-Marib min Taliq Alam al-Arib bi Huduth Bidat al-Maharib (Clarification for the Doubter Concerning the Marginalia on Informing the Astute on the Emergence of the Innovation of Mosque Niches) is a critical hadith treatise by the Moroccan scholar Ahmad ibn al-Siddiq al-Ghumari (d. 1380 AH / 1960 CE) . It was composed to review, critique, and correct the marginal notes written by his full brother, ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Siddiq al-Ghumari, on Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti’s work I‘lam al-Arib bi Huduth Bid‘at al-Maharib regarding the historical introduction and legal status of concave prayer niches (maharib) in mosques .
Origin and Composition
The work originated as written correspondence sent by Ahmad ibn al-Siddiq to his brother ‘Abd Allah after reviewing the latter's commentary on al-Suyuti's treatise . Ahmad explained in his introduction that he composed these remarks because he found instances where ‘Abd Allah had displayed leniency in expression or a lack of thorough scrutiny regarding certain research points . Seeing that the correspondence contained valuable hadith discussions and beneficial investigations, he compiled it into an independent tract . The author noted that he dictated these critical observations during troubled and distressed hours, relying on memory without access to calm study conditions or standard reference books .
Content and Arguments
The tract consists of structured sections (fusul) in which Ahmad quotes excerpts from ‘Abd Allah's marginalia and systematically analyzes their hadith criticism, transmission chains, and historical claims :
- The Hadith of Wa'il ibn Hujr: In commenting on al-Suyuti’s assertion that no mihrab existed during the Prophet's time ﷺ, ‘Abd Allah cited a report from al-Bayhaqi’s al-Sunan al-Kubra via Wa'il ibn Hujr mentioning that the Prophet entered the mihrab, suggesting it challenged al-Suyuti's absolute claim unless interpreted as an open prayer area (musalla) . Ahmad rejected this, arguing that the specific phrasing mentioning the mihrab is an uncorroborated, anomalous addition (ziyadah munkara batila) peculiar to Muhammad ibn Hujr, because none of the other reliable transmitters who reported from ‘Abd al-Jabbar included it . He also disputed interpreting the term as an open prayer spot, arguing that the verb "entered" (dakhala) necessitates an enclosed or delimited space .
- Historical Chronology: Ahmad corrected ‘Abd Allah's claim that Nur al-Din al-Samhudi preceded al-Suyuti, pointing out that both scholars were exact contemporaries who died in the same year (911 AH) .
- The Hadith of the Altars/Niches: Discussing the prophetic narration اتقوا هذه المذابح ("Beware of these altars/slaughterhouses"), glossed by early authorities as referring to maharib, Ahmad contested ‘Abd Allah’s assertion that the explanatory phrase was a non-binding later interpolation (idraj) . He also refuted ‘Abd Allah’s reliance on al-Munawi’s commentary, examining the transmission of the narration in the works of al-Tabarani and al-Bayhaqi and demonstrating chronological inconsistencies in al-Munawi's attribution to al-Daylami .
Publication
The text was published in an edition prepared and annotated by ‘Adnan ibn ‘Abd Allah Zahar, based on manuscript copies provided by the Algerian researcher Muhammad Sufyan Taghlisiyyah .
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