Miraj al-Diraya fi Sharh al-Hidaya
- Author died
- 749 AH
- Editions
- Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah
Miraj al-Diraya fi Sharh al-Hidaya (Arabic: معراج الدراية في شرح الهداية, "The Ascent of Comprehension in Explaining al-Hidaya") is a multi-volume legal commentary on al-Hidaya by Burhan al-Din al-Marghinani (d. 593 AH / 1197 CE), authored by the Hanafi jurist and legal theorist Qawam al-Din al-Kaki (d. 749 AH / 1348 CE).
Composition and Structure
Al-Kaki stated in his opening remarks that he undertook the composition after losing his books, seeking to gather distinct benefits and insights from previous scholars and commentators into a single comprehensive work. He completed the commentary on 21 Muharram 745 AH (1344 CE), and it begins with the praise: «الحمد لله خالق الظلام والضياء» ("Praise be to Allah, Creator of darkness and light"). In bibliographic and biographical traditions, the work is described as spanning four substantial volumes.
Method and Content
The work serves as an extensive commentary on the substantive rulings and juristic discussions in al-Hidaya. In treating legal questions, al-Kaki expounds on the views of the four principal Sunni legal schools, addressing the differences among jurists and analyzing the underlying legal reasoning and textual evidence (wajh tamassukihim) for their respective positions. He systematically highlights the internal gradations of Hanafi legal transmissions and comparative doctrines, distinguishing what is classified as sound (al-sahih), sounder (al-asahh), preferred (al-mukhtar), as well as new (al-jadid) and old (al-qadim) opinions.
Reception
Miraj al-Diraya became a widely cited reference among subsequent Hanafi scholars commenting on al-Hidaya. Badr al-Din al-Ayni (d. 855 AH / 1451 CE) drew directly upon it in his commentary al-Binaya, explicitly citing al-Kaki's colophon and completion date. The jurist Taqi al-Din al-Shuhni authored a supercommentary (hashiya) on the work.
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