The importance of the book; its title and authenticating its attribution to the author
Biography of Abu al Khayr al Talqani
April 15, 2019Sources of The Treatise
April 15, 2019BACK⇒ Return to Table of contents
The importance of the book; its title and authenticating its attribution to the author
Hagiographies dedicated to the Companions are known and famous amongst the students of religious disciplines. The extensive list includes works such as; Kitab Fada’il al Sahabah of Imam Ahmed, al Daraqutni’s work, Fada’il al Khulafa’ al Arba’ah of Abu Nuaim, Minhaj al Qasidin of Ibn Qudamah al Maqdisi among others. It is clear from the titles of these works that it is dedicated to the Companions as a whole and not to a specific Companion. Nevertheless, they are comprehensive, mentioning almost all that was narrated with regards to ‘Uthman’s virtues.
A hagiographical work dedicated to ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu has not reached us except for the work under study.[1] The Comprehensive nature of the work; collecting the authentic narrations that mention ‘Uthman’s virtues, avails the reader from visiting long laborious compendiums and poorly structured works. The author collected these narrations from famous primary sources. Such as the Sahih of Imam Muslim, Sunan of Ibn Majah, Fada’il al Sahabah of Imam Ahmed, and works that are either completely lost or partially preserved; such as Hakim’s Tarikh Nishapur and the Musnad of Ishaq ibn Rahuyah. In narrating from these works—which have been lost—the author preserved chains of narrations for famous traditions that are not found in surviving collections of Hadith.
As for establishing the veracity of authorship for Abu Al Khayr and the title of the treatise as mentioned, Siraj al Din al Qazvini called the treatise : Kitab al Arba’in al Mukhamasat fi Fada’il al Imam Dhu al Nurayn ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan, as mentioned above. Narrating the treatise from a number of scholars such as Dawood ibn Abi Nasr, Muhammad ibn ‘Abdul Muhsin ibn Abi al Hassan al Wa’iz, Aisha bint ‘Abdul Rahim; they all narrate from ‘Ali ibn ‘Abdul Latif ibn Yahya al Dinawari, who narrates the treatise from the author.
The treatise was also mentioned by Muhibb al Tabari, listing his references in the preface of his book al Riyad al Nadirah, which he named as Arba’un fi Fada’il ‘Uthman. [2]
The name attributed to the treatise is different from the one found on the manuscript. The name being Qurbat al Darayn fi Manaqib Dhi al Nurayn. This particular manuscript reached us via his student Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Mahmud ibn al Hassan al Hadiri. On the last page of the manuscript he states:
This manuscript was recorded from the original document that was handwritten by the author rahimahu Llah on the seventieth of Muharram the year 599 A.H.
I depended on this copy in verifying the title of the treatise.
[1] Some might object saying that ‘Abdullah ibn Ahmed compiled a collection containing the virtues of ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu, and the book is published and in circulation; but what is clear after reading the book is that it is a piece of his father’s collection on the virtues of the Companions.
[2] Mashyakhah Siraj al Din al Qazwini, pg. 451.
BACK⇒ Return to Table of contents
The importance of the book; its title and authenticating its attribution to the author
Hagiographies dedicated to the Companions are known and famous amongst the students of religious disciplines. The extensive list includes works such as; Kitab Fada’il al Sahabah of Imam Ahmed, al Daraqutni’s work, Fada’il al Khulafa’ al Arba’ah of Abu Nuaim, Minhaj al Qasidin of Ibn Qudamah al Maqdisi among others. It is clear from the titles of these works that it is dedicated to the Companions as a whole and not to a specific Companion. Nevertheless, they are comprehensive, mentioning almost all that was narrated with regards to ‘Uthman’s virtues.
A hagiographical work dedicated to ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu has not reached us except for the work under study.[1] The Comprehensive nature of the work; collecting the authentic narrations that mention ‘Uthman’s virtues, avails the reader from visiting long laborious compendiums and poorly structured works. The author collected these narrations from famous primary sources. Such as the Sahih of Imam Muslim, Sunan of Ibn Majah, Fada’il al Sahabah of Imam Ahmed, and works that are either completely lost or partially preserved; such as Hakim’s Tarikh Nishapur and the Musnad of Ishaq ibn Rahuyah. In narrating from these works—which have been lost—the author preserved chains of narrations for famous traditions that are not found in surviving collections of Hadith.
As for establishing the veracity of authorship for Abu Al Khayr and the title of the treatise as mentioned, Siraj al Din al Qazvini called the treatise : Kitab al Arba’in al Mukhamasat fi Fada’il al Imam Dhu al Nurayn ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan, as mentioned above. Narrating the treatise from a number of scholars such as Dawood ibn Abi Nasr, Muhammad ibn ‘Abdul Muhsin ibn Abi al Hassan al Wa’iz, Aisha bint ‘Abdul Rahim; they all narrate from ‘Ali ibn ‘Abdul Latif ibn Yahya al Dinawari, who narrates the treatise from the author.
The treatise was also mentioned by Muhibb al Tabari, listing his references in the preface of his book al Riyad al Nadirah, which he named as Arba’un fi Fada’il ‘Uthman. [2]
The name attributed to the treatise is different from the one found on the manuscript. The name being Qurbat al Darayn fi Manaqib Dhi al Nurayn. This particular manuscript reached us via his student Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Mahmud ibn al Hassan al Hadiri. On the last page of the manuscript he states:
This manuscript was recorded from the original document that was handwritten by the author rahimahu Llah on the seventieth of Muharram the year 599 A.H.
I depended on this copy in verifying the title of the treatise.
[1] Some might object saying that ‘Abdullah ibn Ahmed compiled a collection containing the virtues of ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu, and the book is published and in circulation; but what is clear after reading the book is that it is a piece of his father’s collection on the virtues of the Companions.
[2] Mashyakhah Siraj al Din al Qazwini, pg. 451.