Sharh al-Arbaeen al-Nawawiya li Atiyya Salim
- Author died
- 1420 AH
- Editions
- Sharh al-Arbaeen al-Nawawiya li Atiyya Salim
Sharh al-Arbaeen al-Nawawiya (Commentary on the Forty Hadiths of al-Nawawi) is an extensive hadith commentary by the scholar Atiyya Salim (d. 1420 AH / 1999 CE), explaining the forty-two foundational prophetic traditions compiled by al-Nawawi .
Origin and Scope
The work originated as a series of regular teaching sessions delivered by Atiyya Salim in his study circle at the Prophet's Mosque in Medina (al-Masjid al-Nabawi), where he taught from the instructional chair of the Islamic University of Medina . The lectures were originally recorded on more than seventy audio cassette tapes before being transcribed and edited for publication .
In the introductory portions of the commentary, Salim discusses al-Nawawi's scholarly standing, piety, and major writings in jurisprudence and hadith . He also traces the genesis of the Forty Hadith collection, recounting that Ibn al-Salah originally dictated a gathering of twenty-six comprehensive prophetic traditions (jawami' al-kalim), after which al-Nawawi supplemented them to complete the selection of forty-two hadiths . Salim also notes al-Nawawi's intentional omission of chains of transmission (isnad) in the text to facilitate memorization for students, alongside his adherence to authentic traditions .
Content and Method
The commentary follows the sequence of al-Nawawi's text, starting with the first hadith on intention narrated by Umar ibn al-Khattab ( إنما الأعمال بالنيات , "Actions are only by intentions") and concluding with the forty-second hadith from Anas ibn Malik ( يا ابن آدم! إنك ما دعوتني ورجوتني غفرت لك , "O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and hope in Me, I forgive you") .
Salim's method in elucidating each hadith comprises several analytical dimensions:
- Linguistic and grammatical analysis: He details lexical meanings and syntactic constructions, explaining rhetorical structures such as particles of restriction (e.g., إنما ) and word order .
- Doctrinal and legal derivations: He draws legal rulings, principles of jurisprudence, and theological points directly from the texts, highlighting how these maxims govern multiple chapters of Islamic law .
- Spiritual and practical application: He emphasizes the cultivation of sincerity (ikhlas), the inner states required for supplication, and the relevance of each tradition to the day-to-day conduct and worship of Muslims .
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