Irshad al-Salik ila Afal al-Manasik
- Author died
- 799 AH
- Editions
- Maktabat al-Ubaykān
Irshad al-Salik ila Afal al-Manasik (Guide for the Wayfarer to the Actions of the Pilgrimage Rites) is a Maliki manual on the legal rulings, etiquette, and sacred topography of the pilgrimage (Hajj and Umrah) by the Medina-based jurist and judge Burhan al-Din Ibrahim ibn Farhun (d. 799 AH / 1397 CE) .
Purpose and Composition
Ibn Farhun composed the work after observing widespread ignorance regarding the rites of pilgrimage and the prevalence of pilgrims imitating erroneous practices . His aim was to provide a systematic, accessible handbook guiding Muslims through every step of the pilgrimage according to sound legal prescriptions . Unlike commentaries constrained by an existing text, Ibn Farhun designed the work as an independent composition, adopting a framework influenced in its method of derived legal branches (furu') by Ibn Shas’s Aqd al-Jawahir al-Thaminah .
Structure and Contents
The manual is divided into major chapters (abwab), further subdivided into sections (fusūl), discrete legal issues (masa'il), branches (furu'), and cautionary notices (tanbihat) :
- Spiritual preparation and merits: The opening chapter focuses on motivating the believer and detailing the virtues of Hajj and Umrah, divided into two sub-sections concerning the merits of Umrah and performing Hajj on foot versus mounted across ten sections .
- Travel etiquette: The second chapter spans five sections outlining the preparation, conduct, and Islamic ethics of the pilgrimage journey .
- Legal rites of Hajj and Umrah: Running from Chapter 3 through Chapter 19, this core section details the obligations, sunnas, conditions, and timings of every rite . Chapter 3 is the largest in the book, containing twenty-eight sections that begin with the state of ihram and follow the chronological performance of the rites .
- Sacred landmarks and visitation: The final chapters (Chapters 20 and 21, concluding with an unnumbered Medina section) turn to historical and geographical guidance for Mecca and Medina . They cover the etiquette of visiting the Prophet's Mosque, traditions on the merits of Medina and its inhabitants, historical mosques, wells, Mount Uhud, and the graves of the Companions and martyrs in al-Baqi' .
Method and Sources
The legal substance of the book draws primarily on foundational Maliki jurisprudence, including reports from Malik ibn Anas and his companions, comprehensive compendia, and earlier specialized manasik monographs . While predominantly Maliki, Ibn Farhun occasionally cites opinions and works of jurists from other legal schools . For historical and topographic descriptions, he followed the precedent of earlier manuals such as Muhibb al-Din al-Tabari’s al-Qira li-Qasid Umm al-Qura and Izz al-Din Ibn Jama'ah’s Hidayat al-Salik, while relying heavily on local Medinan historical authorities, including his uncle Abu Muhammad Abd Allah ibn Farhun and his teacher Jamal al-Din al-Matari . Ibn Farhun also enriched the work with firsthand eyewitness observations of local sanctuaries and legal responsa (fatwas) on contemporary issues .
Reception and Editions
The book was titled Irshad al-Salik ila al-Manasik by Shams al-Din al-Sakhawi, who described it as a "fine manual" (mansak hasan) . Ahmad Baba al-Timbukti cited it under its full title, remarking that it contains "precious notices" (tanbihat azizah) . Subsequent authors frequently cited it in general jurisprudence compendia, fatwa collections, and works on the history of the Prophet's Sanctuary .
The text was edited by Muhammad ibn al-Hadi Abu al-Ajfan from three manuscripts located in Tunis, Rabat, and Paris, and published in two volumes by Maktabat al-Obeikan in Riyadh in 1423 AH / 2002 CE .
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