Muthir al-Azm al-Sakin ila Ashraf al-Amakin
- Author died
- 597 AH
- Editions
- T al-Raya
Muthir al-Azm al-Sakin ila Ashraf al-Amakin (Stirring the Dormant Resolve toward the Noblest Places) is a treatise by the Hanbali scholar and preacher Ibn al-Jawzi (d. 597 AH / 1201 CE) on the history, merits, rites, and pilgrimage routes of the two holy sanctuaries of Mecca and Medina .
Composition and Purpose
In his introduction, Ibn al-Jawzi explains that he had long yearned for Mecca prior to performing the pilgrimage, hoping that making the journey would quell his longing; however, his yearning only intensified after his return . When circumstances prevented him from repeating the pilgrimage, he sought solace in recalling the sacred sites and composed the work to describe the stations of the pilgrimage route, the history and virtues of the two sanctuaries, and the prescribed rites of Hajj and Umrah .
Structure and Contents
The book is organized into 160 chapters (bab) arranged largely according to the progression of the pilgrimage itinerary and stations (tartib al-manazil) :
- The Obligation and Journey of Hajj: Begins with the legal obligation, virtues, and prerequisites of Hajj; preparations and departure; conduct on the road; desert stations and waymarks; and accounts of righteous travelers .
- Rites and Sacred Stations: Details the boundaries of the Haram; the miqat locations; forms of pilgrimage (ifrad, qiran, tamattu'); rules of ihram and talbiya; the days of Mina and Arafat; supplications; and animal sacrifice (udhiya and hady) .
- Mecca and the Kaaba: Covers the names and virtues of Mecca; the conquest of Mecca; the building and structure of the Kaaba; the Black Stone, the Yemeni Corner, and the station of Ibrahim; circumambulation (tawaf) and its spiritual etiquette; the well of Zamzam; the running between Safa and Marwah; pre-Islamic fairs such as Ukaz; and prominent figures buried in the Haram .
- Notable Pilgrims: Collects reports of the pilgrimages of angels, prophets, the Companions, the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphs, and early ascetics .
- Medina and the Prophet's Mosque: Details the virtues, names, and sanctuary limits of Medina; the Prophet's Mosque, pulpit, and Rawdah; the Quba Mosque; visiting the tomb of the Prophet ﷺ; and the cemetery of al-Baqi' .
- Admonition and Wisdom: Concludes with reflections on mortality and graves (al-itti'az bi-al-ajdath), notable epitaphs recorded on tombstones, and exhortations of wisdom and homiletics .
Methodology and Reception
Ibn al-Jawzi combines legal rulings of the Hanbali school with historical accounts, biographical notices, devotional exhortation, and extensive poetic quotations . To maintain conciseness, he states that he omitted many chains of transmission (isnad) while selecting the most compelling reports and verses .
The book is cited in classical bio-bibliographical works such as Ibn Rajab's al-Dhayl 'ala Tabaqat al-Hanabila (which notes it as a single volume), al-Dhahabi's Siyar A'lam al-Nubala', Katip Celebi's Kashf al-Zunun, and Isma'il Pasha al-Baghdadi's Hadiyyat al-Arifin (where it is listed as Muthir al-Gharam) . Later scholars such as Muhibb al-Din al-Tabari (in al-Qira li-Qasid Umm al-Qura), al-Nawawi (in Tahdhib al-Asma'), and Taqi al-Din al-Fasi (in Shifa' al-Gharam) drew on its historical narrations . Hanbali jurists also referenced its legal preferences, such as Ibn al-Jawzi's view in the work favoring performing Hajj on foot over riding .
Manuscripts and Publication
Manuscript copies of the work are preserved across several libraries, including:
- The Bodleian Library at Oxford (MS 2/571, 129)
- The Berlin State Library (MSS 4542 and 1452)
- The Zahiriyya Library in Damascus (MS 53117)
- The Fatih Mosque Library in Istanbul (MS 4470)
- Dar al-Kutub al-Misriyya in Cairo (MS 1432 - Tarikh)
- Princeton University Library (MS 171, selections)
- The Center for the Revival of Islamic Heritage (MS 421 - Tarikh)
The work has been published under slightly varied titles:
- In Beirut by the Orient-Institut Beirut under the title Muthir al-Azm al-Sakin fi Fada'il al-Biqa' wa-al-Amakin .
- In Riyadh by Dar al-Rayah (1415 AH / 1995 CE, in two volumes), edited by Marzuq Ali Ibrahim with an introduction by Hammad ibn Muhammad al-Ansari .
- In Cairo and Jeddah by Maktabat al-Tabi'in and Maktabat al-Sahaba (1415 AH) under the title Muthir al-Gharam al-Sakin ila Ashraf al-Amakin .
- In Beirut by Dar al-Kutub al-'Ilmiyya (1416 AH / 1996 CE) .
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