Safinat un Naja' – A Shafi'i Primer Translated
Newly Released
Matn Safīnat al-najāʾ: Arabic and English.
by: Shaykh Sālim ibn ʿAbdullah ibn Saʿd ibn Samīr al-Haḍramī al-Shāfiʿī.
The Ship of Salvation:
A classic manual of Islāmic Doctrine and Jurisprudence
In Arabic with English text, commentary and appendices,
Edited and translated by:
ʿAbdullah Muḥammad al-Marbūqī al-Shāfiʿī.
Cover designed by: Mawlānā Yusūf ibn Yaʿqūb
Ṣafar 1430 H
I have read through most of the manual now and have come to the conclusion that this is an excellent primer to begin learning Shafi’i fiqh. It begins with Taharah and ends with Hajj & ‘Umrah. Make du’aa for Sayyidi Abdullah Al-Marbuqi for his efforts!
Download the PDF Here
Abul-Hasan Al-Mahamili an Imam of the Shafi'is
Compiled by Abul Layth
The following biography of Imam Abul Hasan Al-Mahamili (المحاملي) is my abridged summation of the introduction of Dr. Abdul Karim Al-’Umari (ghafar Allahu lahu) of Al-Lubab fi Fiqh Ash-Shafi’i. His commentary and notes of the Lubab of Imam Abul Hasan Mahamili is the best published, to my knowledge. For more detail regarding Imam Abul Hasan’s life please refer to his work, or to the Tabaqaat of the Shafi’i scholars such as Ibn As-Subki, Ibn Kathir, Adh-Dhahabi, Ibn Shahbah and others.
His full name:
أحمد بن محمد بن أحمد بن القاسم بن إسماعيل بن محمد بن إسماعيل بن سعيد بن أبان الضبي، المحاملي، البغدادي، الشافعي
Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Al-Qasim ibn Isma’il ibn Muhammad ibn Isma’il ibn Sa’id ibn Aban Ad-Dabbi Al Mahaamili, the Baghdadian, the Shafi’i, his kunya being Abul-Hasan. ((See Tabaqat Ash-Shafi’yyah for Imam Al-Isnawi as well as Tabaqat Ash-Shafi’iyyah for Ibn Kathir ))
What is the Ruling on the Marriage Walimah (Banquet) and Responding to it in the Shafi'i School?
Research done by Abul Layth
There are two parts to this research paper:
1) What is the ruling on the walimah (banquet, pronounced wa-lee-mah) of Marriage?
2) What is the ruling on attending the walimah?
Abi Shuja’ states in his “Matn“:
“And the walimah (banquet for) the marriage ceremony is mustahabb (recommended), and responding [to the invitation] in wajib (obligatory) except with an excuse (‘uthr).”
In discussing the view forwarded by Imam Abi Shuja’, I will be relying heavily upon Imam Taqiyud-din Al-Hisni, who states in his Kifayatul-Akhyaar that there are two views in the Shafi’i school:
Az-Zanji: Muslim Ibn Khalid The Faqih of Mecca & Imam Ash-Shafi'i
Az-Zanji: Muslim Ibn Khalid مسلم بن خالد الزنجي the Faqih of Mecca & Imam Ash-Shafi’i
Compiled by Abul Layth
Muslim ibn Khālid Al-Makhzūmī Al- Makkī is well known amongst the scholars as Imām Az-Zanjī. There are several reasons reported as to why he was called “Az-Zanjī”. Az-Zanjī literally means black and is used in modern Arabic to refer to one who is negro ((See Hans Wehr’s Dictionary )). Abdullah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal asked Suwayd ibn Sa’id, “Why was he called ‘Az-Zanjī’?” He said, “Because he was extremely black!” Al-Hāfith Ibn Hajr also mentions that he was called Az-Zanjī because he intensely loved dates. A slave girl once said to him, ‘You are nothing but a Zanjī because of your love for dates!’ And so the nickname stuck with him.
Imam Ash-Shafi'i on Sufism / Tasawwuf
Sunnis are bombarded with negative pseudo-salafi propoganda all over the internet. It should not surprise anyone then that such propoganda stretches its rejected rhetoric to Imam Ash-Shafi’i. Read any “salafi” site’s article on “Sufism” and you will assuredly find the following quote from Imam Ash-Shafi’i:
“If a person exercised Sufism (Tasawafa) at the beginning of the day, he does not come to Dhuhur except an idiot.” [Talbees Iblees]. – ((as quoted by the satanic site “Allaahuakbar” ))