Kifayat al-Akhyar fi Hall Ghayat al-Ikhtisar
- Author died
- 829 AH
- Editions
- Dār al-Khayr
Kifayat al-Akhyar fi Hall Ghayat al-Ikhtisar (Sufficiency of the Virtuous in Resolving the Ultimate Abridgment) is a commentary on Shafi'i jurisprudence by Taqi al-Din al-Hisni (752–829 AH / 1351–1426 CE), explaining Abu Shuja' al-Isfahani's foundational legal primer Ghayat al-Ikhtisar (also known as Matn Abi Shuja' or al-Taqrib) .
Background and Purpose
In the introduction to the work, al-Hisni states that students of knowledge vary in their aims and capacities: while some aspire to delve into extensive legal compendia, others are satisfied with the concise coverage provided by Ghayat al-Ikhtisar . He identifies two distinct groups among those who rely on such abridgments: householders burdened with earning a living who cannot consistently accompany teachers, and spiritual seekers engaged day and night in devotion . Al-Hisni composed the book to facilitate comprehension and offer a clear, self-sufficient reference for both types of learners without requiring them to abandon their necessary pursuits .
Content and Method
The book systematically follows the sequence of Abu Shuja's original text, covering the full range of standard legal categories in Shafi'i jurisprudence from the "Book of Purification" (Kitab al-Taharah) through to the "Book of Manumission" (Kitab al-'Itq) .
Al-Hisni's commentary method combines textual analysis with evidential substantiation:
- Linguistic and legal terminology: He unpacks Abu Shuja's concise phrasing by providing lexical derivations and technical legal definitions for each chapter and concept .
- Scriptural evidence: He details the Quranic verses and Prophetic hadiths that serve as the foundational proofs (dalil) for individual legal rulings .
- Legal analysis and doctrine: He examines differing opinions (khilaf) and preferred positions (al-asahh) within the Shafi'i school, regularly citing established references such as al-Nawawi's Rawdat al-Talibin and Sharh al-Muhadhdhab, and al-Rafi'i's al-Muharrar .
Reception and Editions
Kifayat al-Akhyar is widely recognized alongside later commentaries on Ghayat al-Ikhtisar, such as al-Khatib al-Shirbini's al-Iqna' and Ibn Qasim al-Ghazzi's Fath al-Qarib al-Mujib .
The work has been published in multiple modern editions, including:
- An edition edited by 'Ali 'Abd al-Hamid Baltaji and Muhammad Wahbi Sulayman (Damascus: Dar al-Khayr, 1994) .
- An edition edited by Kamil Muhammad 'Uwaydah (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-'Ilmiyya, 1995 / 1415 AH) .
- Editions released by publishers including al-Maktaba al-'Asriyya and Dar al-Ma'rifa in Beirut .
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