Taharah in I'anat at-Talibin

Al-Bakri al-Dimyati's treatment of taharah in I'anat at-Talibin demonstrates the super-commentary's distinctive contribution: where Fath al-Mu'in provides the rulings, I'anat provides the evidential basis, the positions of the major Shafi'i references, the conditions and qualifications that the shorter text could not include, and the contemporary applications that al-Bakri's students needed.

On water classification, I'anat at-Talibin references the major Shafi'i authorities — Tuhfat al-Muhtaj, Nihayat al-Muhtaj, and Mughni al-Muhtaj — to establish the positions and resolve apparent contradictions between them. On questions where ar-Ramli and al-Haytami differ, al-Bakri notes both positions and often indicates which he regards as stronger or more appropriate for a given context. This comparative awareness within the Shafi'i school is one of the most valuable features of the work for advanced students.

The chapter on wudu in I'anat at-Talibin is extensive, covering not only the six obligatory elements but a detailed account of the recommended acts, the technical questions about the boundaries of each body part, and the rulings on unusual circumstances. Al-Bakri addresses questions specific to his students' situations: the ruling for a person wearing a prosthetic limb, the wudu of a person with a skin condition that prevents normal washing, and the application of the purity rules to the use of industrial substances that were unknown in classical times.

The skin-contact nullifier of wudu receives extended treatment in I'anat at-Talibin. Al-Bakri discusses the Shafi'i position carefully — that direct skin contact between a man and a non-mahram woman breaks the wudu of both — and addresses the questions that arise in mixed-gender environments: shaking hands in a business context, medical examination by a physician of the opposite sex, and the ruling when contact is brief and unintentional. He presents the Shafi'i position honestly while noting where other schools provide legitimate alternatives for those facing genuine hardship.

For ghusl, I'anat at-Talibin elaborates on the minimum and complete forms with particular attention to the questions about water reaching all external surfaces. Al-Bakri addresses the question of thick hair — does water need to penetrate to the scalp? — applying the Shafi'i principle that for the minimum ghusl, water need only reach the outer surfaces visible from a distance, but for the complete ghusl, care should be taken to ensure the scalp is reached by parting the hair.

Tayammum in I'anat at-Talibin addresses contemporary questions about what qualifies as 'clean earth': sand, clay, stone, plaster, and various construction materials. Al-Bakri applies the Shafi'i principle that the substance must be of the earth (turab) category and must not have been contaminated, while acknowledging that the exact boundaries of this category were debated by the classical scholars.