The Gift of the Seeker
on the Jewel of Divine Unification : New,
*[A5+] Hardback - 384 pages,
by Ibrahim ibn Ahmad al-Bajuri [d.1277h],
English Translation by Rami Touqan,
Published by Dar al-Kotob al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut.
Description :
'The Gift of the Seeker on the Jewel of Divine Unification' : Tuhfat al-Murid ala Jawhara al-Tawhid is an English translation of Imam Laqqani’s [d.1078h] Jawhara al-Tawhid "Jewel of Divine Unification". This translation is based upon Imam al-Bajuri's [d.1277h] commentary of the Jawharah.
The author wrote this book in order to reveal the symbols and secrets contained in the 'Jewel of Divine Unification' and to unveil the 'curtains' and 'covers' from it.
'The Jewel of Divine Unification' is a renowned text of Ahl al-Sunnah belief. It was written as a poem to aid the students memory during one's studies.
Shaykh al Islam Imam al-Bajuri :
He is Imam Burhan 'ud-Din Ibrahim ibn Muhammad al-Bajuri, may Allah have mercy upon him, and was the Imam and Shaykh of Al-Azhar, Egypt (d.1198-1277 H). His education began with the study of the Qur'an and its recitation [tajwid] under his father's tutelage in his hometown of Bajur a village in the province of Manufiyya in Lower Egypt.
Imam al-Bajuri studied with some of the most prominent scholars of his time, these included :
*** Muhammad al-Amir al-Kabir al-Maliki, (d.1817),
*** 'Abdullah al-Sharqawi al-Shafi'i, Shaykh al-Azhar 1793-1812 (d.1812),
*** Dawud al-Qalawi (d. uncertain),
*** Muhammad al-Fadali, (d.1821),
*** Hasan al-Quwaysni Shaykh al-Azhar 1834-1838 (d.1838),
*** Abu Hurayba al-Shintinawi al-Naqshbandi [sufi shaykh] (d.1852),
Scholars of diverse disciplines and madhhab affiliations studied with Al-Bajuri, coming from within and outside of Egypt. Interestingly al-Bajuri also had students who were the grandson and great grandson of Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab [al-Najdi]. They studied for over 8 years at Al-Azhar including with the most prominent jurist-theologian sufi scholars of their time. Their studying with top Azhari [sufi] scholars indicates that the political animosity between Ash'aris and Wahhabis / Atharis may not have been as clear cut or far reaching as some modern proponents of each school might assume. Indeed Gilbert Delanoue mentions that refutations of and reaction to Wahhabi ideology did not surface in Egypt until the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, indicating the continuing strength and influence of Imam al-Bajuri and his predecessors views.
Over 20 completed works are listed to have been attributed to al-Bajuri not to mention a further 6 unfinished works. Sufism [tasawwuf] is treated in al-Bajuri's theological and legal works, especially in his Tuhfat al-murid. This list of his works includes his commentary on the Burda - a poem covering the biography [sira] of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, from a decidedly sufi perspective and commentaries on Ibn Hajr al-Haytami's [d.974/ 1566-67] and Ahmed al-Dardir's [d. 1201/1786] works on the Birthday [Mawlid] of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. The latter is really a subject of jurisprudence, but is also tied to tasawwuf, as Sufis are often the most active proponets of Mawlid Celebrations.
Imam al-Bajuri was the shaykh of the shafi'is in his day and has written the best explanation of one of the most studied books in the Shafi'i school of thought, namely the Matn Abi Shuja'. He named it al-Iqna' Sharh Matn Abi Shuja'. Al-Bajuris literary output further illuminates the contours and textures of the archetypal scholar. He wrote on the core sciences, fiqh, usul al-din, and tasawwuf as well as their ancillary and supporting sciences.
His theological writings were deeply entrenched in Al-Sanusi's throught, along with other later Ash'aris like al-Taftazani (c.792/1390) and al-Razi. His Sufism is imbued with Ghazalian, Naqshbandi and a great of Shadhili thought, as mentioned by many references to Shadhili scholars, such as al-Busiri, al-Shadhili's forefather Abu Madyan [d.594/1198] and others. There was no science he didn't excel in and this can be seen through his wide range of work in various fields.
He passed away in 1858 after leaving his post as the Chief Shaykh of Al-Azhar, Cairo. The chronicles relate him as a deeply pious man devoted to seeking knowledge and seeking its benefits, as well as to educating others and benefiting them thereby. He is described as one whose tongue was always ''wet with praise'' of Allah and with the recitation of the Qur'an, which he would complete in a day and a night,or nearly so. His love for the Prophet and his Family is also noted, and it is said he would visit their tombs often.
Rest of the Dars e Nizami book range.
*Dimensions : 22 x 15.2cm.
