The middle of the Sunnah, consensus, and disagreement 15/1 (Pure)

Book title: Al-Awsat from the Sunan, Ijma, and Differences Author: Abu Bakr Muhammad bin Ibrahim bin Al-Mundhir Al-Nisaburi (d. 318 AH) Reviewed and annotated by: Ahmad bin Sulaiman bin Ayyub Edition: First 1444 AH 2023 Number of volumes: 15 Material: Shamawih Publisher: Dar Ibn Huzam The author: Abu Bakr Muhammad bin Ibrahim bin Al-Mundhir Al-Nisaburi The book: Al-Awsat in the Sunan, Ijma, and Differences Authored by Muhammad bin Ibrahim bin Al-Mundhir Abu Bakr, and it is one of the most prominent and important jurisprudential books. The book (Al-Awsat) is distinguished by features, including that it is a jurisprudential and hadith encyclopedia, especially concerning the schools of scholars and the places of their agreement and disagreement. The book is organized into jurisprudential chapters, starting with mentioning the consensus issues and the differing issues that fall under each chapter, citing the schools of the Companions, the Followers, and others, including the four Imams, with references to the hadiths and آثار (sayings and reports) used as evidence by each group. What also distinguishes Al-Awsat is that it documents what he transmits from scholars either by chain of narration to them, or by quoting from their books, or through their students, among other methods. Al-Mundhir in his book Al-Awsat is characterized by his impartiality; he does not favor one scholar over another nor does he blindly follow a school of thought. Instead, he prefers what he sees as supported by authentic evidence, and he adopts it and follows it. He is also distinguished by his extensive narration, often presenting آثار that may not be found elsewhere. Not only that, but he discusses the authenticity and weakness of hadiths and آثار, and the criticism and praise of men (narrators). He has also included in his book works that have not reached us, among other merits of this book.