Sharh al-Shifa
- Author died
- 1014 AH
- Editions
- Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah
Sharh al-Shifa is a commentary by the Hanafi scholar al-Mulla Ali al-Qari (d. 1014 AH / 1605–1606 CE) on al-Qadi 'Iyad's (d. 544 AH) renowned work on the biography, rights, and veneration of the Prophet Muhammad, Al-Shifa bi-Ta'rif Huquq al-Mustafa (The Healing by the Recognition of the Rights of the Chosen One) .
Composition and Purpose
In manuscript catalogs, the work is also recorded under the title Raf' al-Khafa' 'an Dhat al-Shifa . In the introduction, Ali al-Qari states that he undertook the commentary because he regarded al-Shifa as the most comprehensive book compiled on the traits and qualities of the Prophet . He aimed to serve the text by elucidating its grammatical constructions (i'rab), clarifying difficult wording, and resolving linguistic and textual points . In contrast to extensive commentaries such as Shihab al-Din al-Khafaji's Nasim al-Riyad and concise glosses like Hasan al-Adawi al-Hamzawi's al-Madad al-Fayyad, Ali al-Qari's work is characterized as a medium-length commentary .
Structure and Scope
The commentary follows the thematic framework established by al-Qadi 'Iyad, which is organized into four main parts:
- Part One: God's honoring and exalting the Prophet in word and deed, spanning four chapters on divine praise, his physical and moral perfections, transmitted reports of his rank with God, and his miracles .
- Part Two: The rights owed to the Prophet by mankind, spanning four chapters on the obligation of faith and obedience, the requirement of loving and advising him, honoring and venerating him, and the rulings on invoking blessings upon him .
- Part Three: What is impossible, permissible, and impermissible regarding the Prophet, addressing his religious and worldly states .
- Part Four: Legal rulings concerning anyone who reviles or disparages the Prophet, concluding with the rulings on blaspheming God, other prophets, angels, revealed scriptures, and the Prophet's family .
Reception and Critiques
While Sharh al-Shifa gained wide attention alongside al-Qari's other writings for its scholarly utility, several specific passages attracted controversy and refutations from contemporaries and later scholars . Al-Qari argued that the requirement of reciting blessings upon the Prophet during the ritual prayer was an opinion held solely by al-Shafi'i and asserted that al-Qadi 'Iyad should not have included such legal debates within al-Shifa, prompting Abd al-Qadir al-Tabari to write a dedicated treatise refuting him . Additionally, critics such as Muhammad al-Barzanji objected to al-Qari referring within Sharh al-Shifa to his independent treatise arguing against the salvation of the Prophet's parents .
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