Nuzhat al-Majalis wa Muntakhab al-Nafais
- Author died
- 894 AH
- Editions
- al-Maṭba‘ah al-Kāstiliyyah
Nuzhat al-Majalis wa Muntakhab al-Nafais (The Promenade of Assemblies and the Selection of Precious Gems) is an Arabic compendium of sermons, spiritual exhortations, anecdotes of the righteous, and moral guidance composed by the Shafi'i scholar and historian al-Safuri (d. 894 AH / 1489 CE) .
Composition and Purpose
The author, 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Abd al-Salam al-Safuri, stated in his preface that he compiled the book drawing inspiration from the report that divine mercy descends when the righteous are mentioned . He also cited the statement of al-Junayd that stories of the pious serve as "soldiers of God" to fortify the resolve of seekers, revive spiritual truths, and stir the hearts of lovers, supporting this with the Quranic verse: وَكُلًّا نَقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ أَنْبَاءِ الرُّسُلِ مَا نُثَبِّتُ بِهِ فُؤَادَكَ ("And each [story] We relate to you from the news of the messengers is that by which We make firm your heart") . Al-Safuri gathered reports of their devotions by day and night to offer powerful admonitions, curb sinful inclinations, and edify the reader .
Contents and Structure
The work is organized into thematic chapters (abwab) and sections (fusul) . Its material encompasses:
- Accounts of the virtues and devotions of the righteous and early figures .
- Exhortations, warnings, and moral reflections .
- Practical legal issues (masa'il fiqhiyyah) and medical benefits (manafi' tibbiyyah) .
- Virtues of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, his wives, his Companions, and the Muslim community .
- Literary subtleties, notable stories, and devotional formulas, including popular narratives of deliverance through prayers upon the Prophet ﷺ .
Al-Safuri concluded the book with a description of Paradise, expressing the hope of entering it through divine grace .
Publication History
The work was printed in Egypt in two volumes during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries AH, including editions from the Kastiliyyah press (1281 and 1283 AH), Matba'at Sharaf, and Matba'at Muhammad Mustafa (1300 and 1303 AH) . Later nineteenth-century Cairo impressions (1304 and 1307 AH) carried Taharat al-Qulub wa-al-Khudu' li-'Allam al-Ghuyub by 'Abd al-'Aziz al-Dirini in the margins . Modern editions include a publication by Maktabat al-'Ilm wa-al-Iman (1412 AH) and an edition edited by 'Abd al-Rahim Mardini (2001) .
Answer updated