Shaykh ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Kattānī the Legend of Morocco “I am from the partisans of Ḥadīth, and they are the best of parties. I have passed the age of ninety, and I hope to pass a hundred.”[1] -Abū Ṭāhir al-Silafī (d. 576 AH) [Note: This article is being reposted after receiving news of the tragic passing of our dear Shaykh ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Kattānī on December 5, 2022. May Allah elevate his...
The Preservation of the Ḥadīth Literature
The Preservation of the Ḥadīth Literature By Muntasir Zaman “Marks of ink on one’s mouth and clothes are emblems of honor.”[1] – Ibrāhīm al-Nakha‘ī Introduction How has the Islamic civilization maintained the rich literary heritage of Ḥadīth developed by early Muslim scholars? What guarantee is there that the collections of ḥadīths in our possession have reached us accurately or that they...
A Day in The Life of Hāfiż Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalānī
A Day in The Life of Hāfiż Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalānī By Shams al-Dīn al-Sakhāwī[1] [Translator’s Preface: “The beauty of the skies lies in the stars; the beauty of the earth lies in the pious.” The following is a description of a day in the life of the great Hadīth scholar Hāfiż Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalānī (d. 852 AH). This was documented by his close companion and student Shams al-Dīn al-Sakhāwī (d. 902...
The Contribution of the Scholars of Deoband in the Field of Hadīth: Reviving a Forgotten Legacy
Preface In accordance with His promise to preserve the true teachings of Islām, Allāh has selected certain individuals or groups throughout Islām’s history to carry out the task of preserving the noble Islāmic legacy. At times of creedal turmoil, the likes of Ahmad ibn Hanbal stood against the Mu’tazilī heresy; at times of political instability, personalities such as Salāh al-Dīn al-Ayyūbī...
An Analysis of the Hadīth “Whoever Assists a Mu’min in Distress, Allāh Will Grant Him Seventy-Three Rewards…”
An Analysis of the Hadīth “Whoever assists a Mu’min in distress, Allāh will grant him seventy-three rewards, one of which will suffice him in this world and the remaining will be saved for the Hereafter…” In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful Abstract: The Hadīth in reference has been reported on the authority of two Sahābah with slight variations in the wording: Thawbān and...
An Analysis of the Hadith: “Whoever Begins His Meals with Salt Will Be Saved From Seventy Diseases”
An Analysis of the Hadīth: “Whoever Begins His Meals with Salt Will Be Saved From Seventy Diseases” By Muntasir Zaman In the Name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. [Summary: This Hadīth has been reported Marfū‘an – from the Messenger of Allāh (peace and blessings be upon him) – on the authority of four Sahābah: ‘Alī, Anas, Sa‘d ibn Mu‘ādh and ‘Ā’ishah (Allāh be pleased with...