Makarim al-Akhlaq lil-Tabarani
- Author died
- 360 AH
- Editions
- دار الكتب العلمية
Makarim al-Akhlaq (Noble Character Traits) is a specialized hadith treatise on Islamic ethics and virtuous conduct compiled by the hadith master Abu al-Qasim al-Tabarani (260–360 AH / 873–971 CE).
Purpose and Method
In his prologue, al-Tabarani stated that he organized the book into thematic chapters devoted to the noble qualities through which a believer attains honor during life and hopes for deliverance after death. He compiled the collection concisely, prioritizing the primary texts of the narrations over exhaustive citations of parallel transmission paths, intending for listeners to benefit from its practical guidance.
Structure and Content
The work compiles prophetic traditions and narrated reports arranged into focused chapters addressing specific virtues and manners, including:
- Piety, Worship, and Devotion: Chapters such as The Virtue of Reciting the Quran, Abundant Remembrance of God Almighty, Silence Except in Good, Loving the Poor, and Sitting with Them (باب فضل تلاوة القرآن وكثرة ذكر الله تعالى والصمت إلا من خير وحب المساكين ومجالستهم).
- Interpersonal Conduct and Demeanor: Sections covering The Virtue of Gentleness, Softness of Disposition, Approachability, and Humility (باب فضل لين الجانب وسهول الأخلاق وقرب المأخذ والتواضع); The Virtue of Being Sociable with People and Meeting Them Cheerfully (باب فضل الانبساط إلى الناس ولقائهم بطلاقة الوجه); and The Virtue of Smiling in the Face of One's Muslim Brother (باب فضل تبسم الرجل في وجه أخيه المسلم).
- Patience and Deliberation: Chapters dedicated to The Virtue of Kindness, Forbearance, and Deliberation (باب فضل الرفق والحلم والأناة).
- Social Obligations: Chapters addressing communal duties, including The Comprehensive Chapter on the Rights of the Neighbor (باب جامع حق الجار).
Transmission and Publication
The preserved text has been transmitted through an isnad that includes the traditionist Abu Sa'id Muhammad ibn Ali ibn 'Amr ibn Mahdi al-Naqqash (read to him in Jumada al-Ula 414 AH), Abu al-Nasr al-Fadl ibn Ali al-Hanafi al-Muqri' in Isfahan (490 AH), and the hadith scholar Abu Tahir al-Silafi.
The treatise has been published in Beirut by Dar al-Kutub al-'Ilmiyyah (1409 AH / 1989 CE), edited by Muhammad 'Abd al-Qadir Ahmad 'Ata and published alongside the similarly titled work by Ibn Abi al-Dunya.
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