To Dream of the Messenger ﷺ

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To Dream of the Messenger ﷺ,
[A5+] Large Hardback - pages,
Izalat al-Khafaʾ -
by Imam Abd al-Ghani Nablusi [d.1143h],
& Saʿādat al-Dārayn -
by Shaykh Yusuf al-Nabahani [d.1350h],
Foreword by Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahman Sha'ar,
Translated with Annotation
by Usman Ali.

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Description :

Since the earliest days of Islam, Muslims have cherished the hope of beholding the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in their dreams. Bringing together two distinguished classical works, To Dream of the Messenger ﷺ introduces readers to this profound dimension of the Islamic spiritual tradition through the writings of two of its most illustrious scholars: Shaykh ʿAbd al-Ghani al-Nabulusi and Shaykh Yusuf al-Nabhani, may Allah be pleased with them both.

To Dream of the Messenger ﷺ presents a translation of Shaykh ʿAbd al-Ghani al-Nābulusi’s رحمه الله Izalat al-Khafaʾ, a concise account of the life (sirah) and distinctive qualities (shamaʾil) of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, followed by a discussion of the reality of seeing the Messenger ﷺ in dreams and visions, and its interpretation.

As Shaykh ʿAbd al-Ghani explains, in the introduction, the work was composed to help the believer form an image of the Prophet ﷺ in the mind’s eye, with the hope of attaining the honour of seeing him ﷺ.

The edition also includes the Forty Methods for seeing the Prophet ﷺ in a vision, set out in Shaykh Yūsuf al-Nabhani’s renowned Saʿadat al-Darayn. These are accompanied by extensive explanatory and devotional footnotes, together with a foreword by Shaykh ʿAbd al-Rahman Shaʿar and an introduction to the subject.

The original Arabic source material is included in an appendix, prepared from three manuscript witnesses, while the benedictions are presented in both Arabic and transliteration.

The work is enriched by extensive footnotes drawing upon a wide range of classical and later sources, including Sirah Ibn Hisham, al-Qasṭallānī’s al-Mawahib al-Ladunniyyah, al-Sīrah al-Halabiyyah, Wasaʾil al-Wusul, al-Nafahat al-ʿItriyyah and numerous other works of sirah, shamaʾil and Prophetic devotion. Together with the original Arabic material, manuscript-based scholarship and accessible bilingual presentation, this gives the volume both scholarly depth and broad accessibility.

The book is intended for scholars, students and general readers with an interest in Islamic spirituality, Sufism, sirah and Prophetic devotion. Its devotional subject matter and carefully considered presentation also make it particularly suitable for specialist Islamic booksellers and the gift market.

Imam 'Abd al-Ghani al-Nablusi :

He is al-Shaykh al-Imam 'Abd al-Ghani bin Isma'il bin Ahmad Ibrahim bin Isma'il al-Hamawi, al-Maqdasi, al-Nabulusi (Nabulsi, Nabalusi, Nablusi) a descendant of Sayyadina Umar bin al-Khattab, radi Allahu ta'ala anhu. Shaykh al-Nabulusi was a high ranking Hanafi jurist, theologian, and spiritual master in the Ottoman era from Damascus, Syria. He was born on a Sunday 4th of Dhul Hijjah 1050 AH and went onto memorise the Qur'an at the age of 5. He used to frequent his fathers sessions in his youth until he passed away when the Imam was at the age of 12 years.

Al-Nabulusi had transmissions from his father in the following subjects; Hadith, Fiqh and Tafsir and he also used to study and take from the works of Shaykh al-Akbar, Muhiy ad-Din ibn al-'Arabi, rahmatullahi ta'ala 'alayhi. He studied from various scholars and he produced many a great scholar.

He was a gifted and prolific author, and a virtual encyclopedia of Islamic knowledge, who joined the exoteric and esoteric, authoring over 200 books on a variety of sciences. He taught in the renowned Umawi Mosque in Damascus and the Salihiyya Seminary. He passed away in 1143 after Hijri.

Imam Yusuf ibn Ismail an-Nabahani :

He is Al-Shaykh al-Imam al-Qadi Yusuf ibn Isma‘il ibn Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Nabahani, rahmatullahi ta'ala 'alayhi (1265–1350 AH). He was a renowned hadith scholar, Sufi, jurist, judge, and biographer. He was descended from the Banu Nabhan, an Arab desert folk who settled of old in the town of Ijzim, North of the holy sites in the land of Palestine, presently part of the district (qada') of Haifa in 'Akka, a province of Beirut. Shaykh al-Nabahani was born in Ijzim in 1265/1849 approximately.

He studied under his noble father al-Shaykh al-Hafidh Ismail al-Nabahani, rahmatullahi ta'ala 'alayhi, thereafter he spent 6 years studying the sacred sciences at Al-Azhar, Cairo. After graduating he returned to his home town and started teaching. His frequent travels took him from Beirut, Damascus, Constantinople and Iraq where he met many eminent Ulama. He was offered the role of Judge (qadi) which led him to many senior positions as the Chief Qadi in Beirut and also in al-Quds al-Sharif.