Murtada al-Zabidi

Al-Murtaḍá al-Husaynī al-Zabīdī (), or Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad Murtaḍá al-Zabīdī (1732–1790 / 1145–1205 AH), also known as Murtada al-Zabidi, was an Indian Sunni polymath based in Cairo. He was a Hanafi scholar, hadith specialist, philologist, linguist, lexicographer, genealogist, biographer, historian, mystic and theologian. He was considered one of the leading intellectuals of the 18th century. He was also regarded as the greatest Hadith scholar of his time and one of the foremost philologists of the Arab post-classical era.

Biography

Murtaḍá was born in 1732 (1145AH) in Bilgram, Hardoi, Uttar Pradesh, India. His family originated from Wasit in Iraq, from where his parents had emigrated to the Hadramawt region in the east of Yemenwhere the Husaynī tribe is situated. Murtaḍá earned his nisba 'al-Zabīdī' from Zabīd in the south western coastal plains of Yemen, which was a centre of academic learning where he had spent time studying. He began studying Hadith in Delhi under the most prominent scholar of his time, Shah Waliullah Dehlawi. He travelled to Hejaz (Jeddah, Mecca and Madinah) and then settled in Egypt. He was renowned in the Islamic world. Rulers from Hejaz, India, Yemen, Levant, Iraq, Morocco, Turkey, Sudan and Algiers corresponded with him; people sent him presents and gifts from everywhere. He was revered and admired so much that some people in Western Africa believed that their Hajj was incomplete if they did not plan to see Murtađa Zabīdī. He died in Cairo during an epidemic plague in the year 1205 AH/1790 CE.

Reception

Al-Kattānī states in his book Fahris al-Fahāris: “Zabīdī was peerless in his time and age. None after Ibn al-Ĥajar al-Ásqalāni and his students can match Az-Zabīdī in terms of his encyclopaedic knowledge of (Prophetic) traditions and its associated sciences; nor in fame or list of students.”

Zabidi's immense proficiency of diverse sciences and his thriving trade with books as well as with his own writings was described with commendation by one of his Maghribi visitors, Ibn 'Abdal al-Salam al-Nasiri:

Works

As a polymath and prolific writer, his works cover a range of topics:

• Tāj al-ʻĀrÅ«s min Jawāhir al-QāmÅ«s ["The Bride's Crown from the Pearls of the Dictionary)"]; an expansion of Fairuzabadi's Al-Qamoos, the most frequently cited dictionary of Classical Arabic after Lisān al-Ê¿Arab by Ibn Manẓūr.
• Itḥāf al-Sadāh al-MuttaqÄ«n ["Presents from Pious Chieftains"], the most comprehensive commentary on al-Ghazali's famous Ihya 'Ulum al-Din. It was published in 14 volumes recently and is the second of ZabÄ«dī’s two masterpieces.
• AsānÄ«d al-Kutub as-Sittah ["The Authentication Chains of the Six Books"]: Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Nasayi, AbÅ« Dawud, Ibn Majah are the six motherbooks of ĤadÄ«th and termed as Kutub al-Sittah. Zabidi collected the narrators and their chains in this book as is apparent from the title.
• ÚqÅ«d al-Jawāhir al-MunÄ«fah fÄ« Adillati Madh’hab al-Imām AbÅ« ĤanÄ«fah ["Stringing the Blessed Pearls on the Evidences used in the Madh’hab of AbÅ« ĤanÄ«fah"]
• Kashf al-Lithām an Ādāb al-Īmān wa’l Islām ["Raising the Curtain on Etiquette in Faith and Islām"]
• Raf’á ash-Shakwā wa TarwÄ«Ä¥ al-QulÅ«b fÄ« Dhikr MulÅ«ki BanÄ« AyyÅ«b ["Removing the Grievance and Comforting the Hearts in the mention of the Kings of Bani Ayyub"]
• Mújam ash-ShuyÅ«kh ["A Dictionary of ZabÄ«dī’s Teachers"]
• Alfiyyah as-Sanad ["A Thousand Liner on Chains of Authentication"] in ĤadÄ«th; which is a poem of more than 1500 lines and its explanation.
• Mukhtaşar al-Áyn ["An abridgement of Al-Áyn"], the book al-Ayn is attributed to Khalil Ibn AÄ¥med, the grammarian [d.175AH].
• At-Takmalah wa’s Şilah wa’dh Dhayl li’l QāmÅ«s ["Completion, Supplement and Appendix to the dictionary Al-QāmÅ«s"] in two hefty volumes.
• Īđāh al-Madārik bi’l IfşaÄ¥ áni’l Áwātik ["Shedding Light on the Senses about Noble Women"]; a monograph.
• Íqd al-Jumān fÄ« Bayāni Shuáb al-Īmān ["String of Pearls: A Description of the book ‘Branches of Faith’"]
• TuÄ¥fatu’l Qamāýīl fÄ« Mad’ĥi Shaykh al-Árab Ismāýīl ["Present of Chieftains in Praise of the Grandfather of Arabs Sayyidunā Ismāýīl álayhi’s salām"]
• TaÄ¥qÄ«q al-Wasāyil li Márifati’l Makātabāt wa’r Rasāyil ["An Analysis of the Means for Knowledge of Letters and Epistles"]
• Jadhwatu’l Iqtibās fÄ« Nasabi BanÄ« al-Ábbās ["An Extracted Ember on the Genealogy of Bani Abbas"]
• Ĥikmatu’l Ishrāq ilā Kuttāb al-Āfāq ["Sparkling Wisdom for Writers of the World] : A book on calligraphy.
• Ar-Rawđ al-Miýţār fÄ« Nasabi’s Sādati Āli Jáfar at-Å¢ayyār ["A Fragrant Garden: On the Genealogy of the Descendants of Jáfar at-Å¢ayyār"]
• MuzÄ«l an-Niqāb al-Khafā’a án Kunā Sādātinā BanÄ« Al-Wafā’a ["Removing the Concealing Veil on the Apellation of our Lords from Bani Wafa"] which was probably also named as: Rafá an-Niqāb al-Khafā’a ámman Intamā ilā Wafā wa Abi’l Wafā ["Raising the Hiding Veil from those who are related to Abi’l Wafā"]
• Bulghātu’l GharÄ«b fÄ« MuştalaÄ¥i Āthār al-ĤabÄ«b: ["The Necessary Provision for the Stranger: in Understanding the Terminology of the Beloved’s Tradition şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam"]
• TanbÄ«h al-Áārif al-Başīr álā Asrāri’l Ĥizb al-KabÄ«r ["A Warning to the Discerning Knower on the Secrets of ‘The Great Collection’"] on the Hizb of Imām ShādhilÄ«.
• SafÄ«natu’n Najāh Al-MuÄ¥tawiyah álā Biđāátin Muzjāh mina’l Fawāyidi’l Muntaqāh ["The Rescue Ship Carrying Rare Provisions from the ‘Distinguished Benefits’"] probably a commentary on the book Al-Fawāyid al-Muntaqāh by Shaykh AbÅ« Ábdullāh Al-Qāsim Ibn Fađl ath-ThaqafÄ« al-Aşbahāni [d.489AH/1095CE] – a book on ĤadÄ«th.
• Ghāyatu’l Ibtihāj li MuqtafÄ« AsānÄ«di Muslim ibn Al-Ĥajjāj ["Intense Joy for the Follower of the Chains of Muslim ibn Al-Hajjaj"]
• Íqd al-La’ālÄ« al-Mutanāthirah fi’l AĥādÄ«th al-Mutawātirah ["A Necklace of Scattered Pearls: A Collection of Massively Transmitted ĤadÄ«th"]
• Nishwatu’l Irtiyāĥ fÄ« Bayāni ĤaqÄ«qati’l Maysiri wa’l Aqdāĥ ["Exulting in Gratification: An Exposition on the Reality of Gambling and Drinking"]
• Al-Árāyis al-Majluwwah fi Dhikri Awliyā’yi Fuwwah [Presenting the Resplendent Grooms – Chronicles of the Awliya of Fuwwah]: Fuwwah is a well-known place in Yemen.
• It’ĥāf al-Ikhwān fÄ« Ĥukmi’d Dukhān ["Presents to Bretheren on the Ruling of Smoking"]
• Irshādu’l Ikhwān ila’l Akhlāq al-Ĥisān ["Guide to Bretheren towards Lofty Character and Morals"]
• Al-Ishghāf bi’l ĤadÄ«th al-Musalsal bi’l Ashrāf ["Fondness : about those ĤadÄ«th transmitted only through the Noble Progeny"]
• IklÄ«l al-Jawāhir al-Ghāliyah fÄ« Riwāyati’l AĥādÄ«th al-Áāliyah ["A Crown of Precious Gems concerning the Transmission of Lofty Traditions"]
• TuÄ¥fatu’l MawdÅ«d fÄ« Khatmi Sunan AbÅ« DāwÅ«d ["Present of the Beloved in the Conclusion of Sunan AbÅ« DāwÅ«d"]
• Ĥusn al-Muĥāđarah fÄ« Ādābi’l BaÄ¥thi wa’l Muĥāđarah ["A Beautiful Sermon on the Etiquette of Debate and Discussion"]
• Badhl al-Maj’hÅ«d fÄ« TakhrÄ«ji ĤadÄ«th ‘ShayyabatnÄ« HÅ«d ["Expending Efforts in the Analysis of the ĤadÄ«th: ‘The SÅ«rah HÅ«d has Greyed Me’"]
• It’ĥāf al-Aşfiyā bi Silāki’l Awliyā’a [Presents of the Pure on the Chains of Awliya]
• It’ĥāf Ahl al-Islām bimā Yatállaqu bi’l Muşţafā wa Āli Baytihi’l Kirām ["Presents of Muslims Concerning Muşţafā and His Noble Household"]
• It’ĥāf Sayyidu’l Ĥayy bi Salāsili BanÄ« Å¢ayy ["Presents of the Living Masters on the Chains of Banu Tayy"]
• Al-IÄ¥tifāl bi Şawmi’s Sitti min Shawwāl ["The Rejoicing in the Additional Six Fasts of Shawwal"]
• Al-Arbaúūn al-Mutakhallafah fÄ«mā Warada fi’l AĥādÄ«th fÄ« Dhikri Árafah ["The Forty Inherited ĤadÄ«th that have been reported mentioning Arafah"]
• Isáāf al-Ashrāf ["The Aid of The Progeny"]
• Isáāf ar-RāghibÄ«n fÄ« SÄ«rati’l Muşţafā wa Āli Baytihi’t TāhirÄ«n ["Salvation of the Aspirants on the Path of Muşţafā and his Pure Household"]
• Iýlām al-Aálām bi Manāsiki Bayti’llāhi’l Ĥarām ["Declaration of the Knowledgeable on the Rituals of the Sacred House of Allāh"]
• Manāqib Aş’ĥāb al-ĤadÄ«th ["Merits and Praise of the Scholars of ĤadÄ«th"]
• Al-Intişār Li Wālidi’n Nabiyyi’l Mukhtār ["In Advocacy the Father of the Chosen Prophet şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam"]
• At-TálÄ«qah álā Musalsalāti Ibn ÁlÄ«qah ["A Commentary on the Chains of Ibn Aliqah"]
• At-TaftÄ«sh fÄ« Mánā Lafž ‘DurwÄ«sh’ ["An Investigation in the meaning of the word ‘Durwish’ or the ‘Mendicant’"]
• TansÄ«q Qalāyid al-Matan fÄ« TaÄ¥qÄ«qi Kalāmi’sh ShādhilÄ« Abi’l Ĥasan ["Organizing the Sturdy Necklaces in the Study of the Sayings of Abū’l Ĥasan Shadhili"]
• ĤadÄ«qatu’s Şafā fÄ« Wāliday al-Muşţafā şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam ["The Immaculate Gardens : Concerning the Parents of Muşţafā şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam"]
• Rashfu Zulāl ar-Raĥīq fi Nasabi Hađrati’s ŞiddÄ«q rađiyAllāhu ánhu ["Imbibing the Pure Nectar : concerning the Ancestry of AbÅ« Bakr as-Siddiq rađiyAllāhu ánhu"]
• Rashqatu’l Mudām al-MakhtÅ«m al-Bikri min Şafwati Zulāli Şibghi’l QuÅ£ub al-BakrÄ« ["Sealed Wine from the Cleanliness of a Pure Flavored Drink of the Spiritual Pole Al-Bakri"]
• Rafú’sh Shakwā Li Áālimi’s Sirri wa’n Najwā ["Raising a Complaint towards the Knower of the Open and Hidden"]
• Rafú’l Kalal áni’l Ílal ["Removing the Exhaustion in the matter of Justification"] assuming that ílal is not ‘disease.’
• Zahr al-Akmām al-Munshaq án JuyÅ«bi’l Ilhām bi SharÄ¥i Şayghati Ábd as-Salām ["A Lone Flower from the Pockets of Inspiration in the Explanation of Ábd as-Salām’s Formula"]
• SharÄ¥ as-Şadr fÄ« SharÄ¥ Asmāyi Ahli Badr ["Expanding of the Chest concerning the names of those who participated in the expedition of Badr"]
• Al-Arūş al-Mujliyyah fÄ« Å¢uruqi ĤadÄ«th al-Awwaliyyah ["Shining Brides concerning the Chains of the ‘First ĤadÄ«th’"]
• Al-Íqd ath-ThamÄ«n fÄ« Å¢uruqi’l Ilbāsi wa’t TalqÄ«n ["A Precious String concerning the Paths of Wearing Cloaks and Instruction"]
• ÁqÄ«latu’l Atrāb fÄ« Sanadi’t Å¢arÄ«qati wa’l AÄ¥zāb ["Lords of the Same Age: Concerning the ‘Path’ and the ‘Groups’"]
• Qalansuwatu’t Tāj ["A Diadem"]
• Al-Qawl al-MathbÅ«t fÄ« TaÄ¥qÄ«qi Lafži’t TābÅ«t ["Veritable Statement researching the etymology of the word ‘Ark’"]
• Kashf al-Ghiţā án Şalāti’l Wustā ["Lifting the Curtain to reveal the ‘Middle Prayer’"]
• Luqat al-La’ālÄ« mina’l Jawhar al-Ghāli [Gleaning of Pearls from a Treasure of Priceless Gems]
• Al-MurabbÄ« al-Kābili fÄ«man Rawā án Shams al-BābilÄ« ["The Short Master concerning that which has been narrated from Shams al-Babeli"]
• Al-Mirqāt al-Áliyyah bi SharÄ¥i’l ĤadÄ«th al-Musalsal bi’l Awwaliyyah ["The Lofty Steps in Explanation of the Continuously Narrated First ĤadÄ«th"]
• Al-Maqām al-Índiyyah fi’l Mashāhid an-Naqshbandiyyah ["The Station of ‘Nearness’ near the Stations of the Naqshbandis"]
• Al-MinaÄ¥ al-Áliyyah fi’t Å¢arÄ«qati’n Naqshbandiyyah ["Lofty Presents Concerning the Naqshbandi Path"]
• MinaÄ¥ al-Fuyūđāt al-Wafiyyah fÄ«mā min SÅ«rati’r RaÄ¥mān min Asrāri’ş Şifati’l Ilāhiyyah ["Exuberant and Lavish Gifts : concerning the Secrets of the Attributes of the Lord Almighty in the Chapter Ar-RaÄ¥mān"]
• Al-Mawāhib al-JalÄ«lÄ«yyah fÄ«mā Yatállaqu bi ĤadÄ«th al-Awwaliyyah ["Prominent Presents: concerning the First Hadith"]
• Mawāhibu Rabb al-Bariyyah Bi’l Imlāyi’sh ShaykhÅ«niyyah ["Presents of the Lord of the Universe concerning the Dictation of Shaykhuniyyah"]
• An-NafÄ¥atu’l Qudsiyyah fÄ« Wāsitati’l Biđáti’l īýd ar-RÅ«siyyah ["Ethereal Breeze: concerning the Innovation of the Russian Festival"]
• An-NawāfiÄ¥ al-Miskiyyah ála’l FawāyiÄ¥ al-Kishkiyyah ["Fragrance of Musk on the Perfume of Kishk"]
• Hadiyyatu’l Ikhwān fÄ« Shajarati’d Dukhān ["A Gift to the Bretheren: Concerning the Tobacco Weed"]

References

External links

• A short biography and list of works: Imam Sayyid Murtada al-Zabidi
• The entire work of Taj al-Arus in pdf format: تاج العروس - الزبيدي