Sharh al-Qasida al-Daliyya lil-Kalwadhani
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- Editions
- Mu'assasat Waqf al-Shaykh Abd al-Rahman ibn Nasir al-Barrak
Sharh al-Qasida al-Daliyya lil-Kalwadhani (Commentary on al-Kalwadhani's Ode Rhyming in Dal) is a theological commentary by Abd al-Rahman ibn Nasir al-Barrak on the doctrinal poem composed by the Hanbali scholar Abu al-Khattab al-Kalwadhani (432–510 AH) .
Background and Origin
The core poem, known as al-Manzuma al-Daliyya due to its rhyme ending in the letter dal, is a concise exposition of creed written in the kamil poetic meter, structured in a question-and-answer pedagogical style to trace the theological positions attributed to Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal .
The commentary originated as oral lectures delivered by al-Barrak across two sessions on 15 and 19 Sha'ban 1424 AH during an educational seminar on abridged classical texts held at Princess Noura bint Abd Allah Mosque in Riyadh .
Method and Content
In his commentary, al-Barrak explains the linguistic meaning of the verses and clarifies the intent behind al-Kalwadhani's answers, setting forth the creedal positions of early Sunni scholarship (Ahl al-Sunnah wa-al-Jama'ah) on fundamental theological matters, including the oneness of God, divine attributes, and foundational dogmas . Alongside elucidating the text, he includes critical annotations highlighting places where he considers the poet's formulations to differ from traditional Sunni theological doctrine .
Editorial Preparation and Publication
The oral commentary was transcribed, edited, and prepared for publication by Yasir ibn Sa'd al-Askar . The seminar lectures had initially relied on an abridged recension of the poem published within Muhammad ibn Mani's treatise al-Qawl al-sadid, leaving out several verses . Al-Askar subsequently read the complete poem verse-by-verse to al-Barrak, who provided supplemental oral explanations for the omitted and briefly discussed passages . This editorial expansion enlarged the written text by approximately one-third compared to the original audio recordings . Al-Askar vocalized the text, added a biographical entry on al-Kalwadhani, and finalized the edition in Jumada al-Ula 1429 AH .
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