. J i ? . .r--J i ? (cont.)

Another work, al-Raudha, is twelve volumes. His classic work, al­ Majmoo, which he did not complete, is published in nine large sized volumes.4 These are just some of his works that he completed in that short time. It was said that he wrote a notebook full every day of his writing career. This is proof, once again, that his time was truly blessed and he spent all of his waking momentsand almost all of his momentswriting, researching and spreading his knowledge. In fact, it is said about him that he would continue writing until his hand would hurt him so much that he could not write any more.5 Concerning his style of writing, Saleem al-Hilaali has stated, Al-Nawawi wrote about various topics. His writings were distinguished by their clarity, easy expressions and pleasureful 1 See al-Asnawi's comments about the two of them as quoted in Salmaan, al-Rudood, p. 12. 2 Salmaan, al-Rudood, pp. 7-8. 3 Al-Diqr, p. 73. 4 The published work is actually twenty volumes. However, al-Nawawi only finished the first nine. Al-Subki attempted to complete his work but finished only three more volumes. The last eight volumes are from a later scholar. 5 Al-Diqr, p. 73. The Life of Imam al-Nawawi wordings. When he gave a topic a thorough treatment, he would not leave detail, narration or important point out. If he dealt with something in an abridged matter, he would bring out what was interesting and wonderful. 1 With respect to his writings on flqh, al-Nawawi introduced a very important innovation that set his work apart from the earlier works on fiqh. According to Zain al-lraaqi, before al-Nawawi, the jurists would mention hadith in their books while rarely discussing whether the hadith was authentic or not. This was true, he says, even if the author was a scholar of hadith. They would be silent about the hadith in imitation of those who preceded them. However, al-Nawawi took a different approach. In his works on fiqh, he discussed the hadith, mentioned who recorded it and declared whether it was authentic or not.2 Al-Iraaqi ends his statement by saying, "This was something important and beneficial. May Allah reward him with a good reward."3 It is said that al-Nawawi wrote at least fifty books.4 The following is a partial list of the works of al-Nawawi (besides those discussed in detail below): al-Usool wa al-Dhawaabit (a small book on some principles of fiqh); al­ Idhaah fl al-Manaasik (a book on the rites of Hajj); al-Tahqeeq (a work on fiqh); al-Adhkaar (a book on words of dhikr and the remembrance of Allah); al-Tibyaan fl Adaab Hamlat al-Quran (a book on the etiquette of reading the Quran); Bustaan al-Arifeen (an inspirational work); Tahdheeb al-Asma wa al­ Laughaat (a very important biographical and lexical reference work); Irshad Tullaab al-Haqa'iq (a work on the sciences of hadith, which was an abridgement and more of ibn al-Salaah's classic introduction to the sciences of hadith); and al-Taqreeb wa al-Taiseer (this is al-Nawawi's abridgment of his own Irshaad'). Below is a discussion of some of his more important works. Al-Majmoo ' Sharh al-Muhadhdhab Al-Nawawi 's al-Majmoo is an outstanding work of fiqh and one of the most comprehensive of all such works. Along with the Hanbali ibn Qudaama's al-Mughni, al-Majmoo could be considered one of the best fiqh works ever compiled. Both of these works are actually commentaries on standard works of their respective schools of fiqh. However, both of the commentators did not 1 Saleem al-Hilaali, Bahjat al-Naadhireen Sharh Riyaadh al-Saaliheen (al-Damam, Saudi Arabia: Daar ibn al-Jauzi, 1994), vol. 1, p. 1 1. 2 Al-Nawawi's comments on hadith in his voluminous Majmoo have recently been collected and published in a separate volume: Muhammad al-Ramli, Al-Lulu al-Masnoo fl al-Ahadeeth wa al­ Athaar alati hakama alaiha al-Imaam al-Nawawi fl al-Majmoo (al-Damaam, Saudi Arabia: Ramaadi li-1-Nashr, 1996). 3 For the quote from al-Iraaqi, see al-Haddaad, pp. 20-21. 4 Al-Haddaad listed 39 ofal-Nawawi's books that are still in manuscript form today and which he did not have the opportunity to view. See al-Haddaad, pp. 232-236. Commentary on the Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi restrict themselves to their particular school of fiqh. Indeed, their goal was to present what was correct according to the Quran and sunnah. In doing so, while discussing any particular issue, they would present the views of different scholars and schools and then weigh them to see which are the strongest. Hence, they give a complete picture of the opinions and evidence for almost each fiqh issue conceivable at their times. When ibn Qudaama and al-Nawawi make their conclusions in their respective works, their conclusions are usually quite convincing. Al-Diqr describes this book as the greatest work of the Shafi'ee school of fiqh.