Nur al-Idah wa Najat al-Arwah fi al-Fiqh al-Hanafi
- Author died
- 1069 AH
- Editions
- al-Maktabah al-‘Aṣrīyah
Nur al-Idah wa Najat al-Arwah (The Light of Clarification and Salvation of Souls) is a concise foundational manual (matn) of Hanafi jurisprudence dedicated to acts of worship, authored by the Egyptian scholar Hasan ibn Ammar al-Shurunbulali (d. 1069 AH / 1659 CE) .
Composition and Scope
Al-Shurunbulali completed the composition of the original text on Friday, 14 Jumada al-Ula 1032 AH (1623 CE) ; another account records the completion date as 24 Jumada al-Ula 1032 AH . The work was initially composed up to the section on spiritual retreat (i'tikaf), covering purification (taharah), prayer (salah), and fasting (sawm) . The author subsequently appended sections on obligatory alms (zakat) and pilgrimage (hajj) to encompass all five acts of worship .
Al-Shurunbulali described the manual as a compact text of abundant legal instruction and sound rulings, drafted in clear language to facilitate the correct performance of religious duties for students, drawing upon proofs from the Quran, the Sunnah, and scholarly consensus (ijma') .
Commentaries and Derivatives
Al-Shurunbulali authored two commentaries on his text:
- Imdad al-Fattah Sharh Nur al-Idah wa Najat al-Arwah: The extensive commentary (al-sharh al-kabir). The author began drafting it in mid-Rabi' al-Awwal 1045 AH, concluded its rough draft at the end of Rajab 1045 AH, and finished copying the final draft in mid-Rabi' al-Awwal 1046 AH, comprising 360 folios .
- Maraqi al-Falah bi-Imdad al-Fattah: The abridged commentary, condensed from Imdad al-Fattah . Its composition began in late Jumada al-Akhirah and was completed in early Rajab 1054 AH, totaling 145 folios .
Later scholars composed extensive commentaries, glosses, and adaptations based on the work:
- Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Tahtawi (d. 1231 AH) wrote a prominent supercommentary (hashiyah) on Maraqi al-Falah, incorporating material from Imdad al-Fattah as well as notes from Abd al-Rahman Khalawat and Muhammad Abu al-Su'ud .
- Uthman ibn Ya'qub al-Kamakhi (d. 1171 AH) authored a commentary titled Sullam al-Falah Sharh Nur al-Idah wa Najat al-Arwah .
- Ali ibn Ahmad al-Sa'idi al-Adawi wrote an independent commentary explaining the preface of Imdad al-Fattah .
- The manual was also rendered into didactic verse (nazm) by Abd al-Karim ibn Abd Allah Hamzah .
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