Majma al-Anhur fi Sharh Multaqa al-Abhur
- Author died
- 1078 AH
- Editions
- Dar al-Tiba‘ah al-‘Amirah
Majma al-Anhur fi Sharh Multaqa al-Abhur (The Confluence of Rivers: A Commentary on the Meeting of the Seas) is an extensive Arabic commentary on Hanafi jurisprudence by the Ottoman scholar and chief military judge of Rumelia, Abd al-Rahman ibn Muhammad Shaykhi Zada, known as Damad Afandi (d. 1078 AH / 1667–1668 CE) .
Composition and Purpose
The base text, Multaqa al-Abhur, was authored by Ibrahim ibn Muhammad al-Halabi (d. 956 AH / 1549 CE) as a comprehensive compendium of Hanafi substantive law (furu'), synthesizing four authoritative manuals—Mukhtasar al-Quduri, al-Mukhtar, Kanz al-Daqaiq, and Wiqayat al-Riwayah—along with selected issues from Majma al-Bahrayn and al-Hidayah .
Damad Afandi completed writing Majma al-Anhur in 1077 AH (1666–1667 CE), approximately one year before his death . In the introduction, he explains that while Multaqa al-Abhur was widely recognized for its conciseness and breadth, existing commentaries suffered either from unhelpful prolixity or obscuring brevity . He set out to provide a balanced exposition that elucidates both straightforward and intricate legal points, distinguishing sound positions from weaker ones, and adding important supplementary issues and benefits despite facing personal distress and the difficulties of travel during its writing .
Method and Content
The work provides a detailed clause-by-clause commentary (sharh basit) following the traditional arrangement of legal topics across Hanafi jurisprudence . Damad Afandi examines rulings transmitted from the early authorities of the madhhab, clarifies differing positions and preferences among later jurists, and occasionally adduces the views of other legal authorities, such as Imam al-Shafi'i .
Publication and Reception
Majma al-Anhur became one of the standard reference commentaries on Multaqa al-Abhur across Ottoman scholarly circles and legal institutions . It was published in Istanbul, notably at al-Matba'a al-Uthmaniyya in 1305 AH and at al-Matba'a al-Amira in 1328 AH in two volumes, where it was printed alongside Durr al-Muntaqa fi Sharh al-Multaqa by Ala al-Din al-Haskafi (d. 1088 AH) in the margins .
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