Taysir Al-Alam Sharh 'Umda Al-Ahkam

Authored by Abdullah Abdul Rahman Saleh Al Bassam Introduction of the Explainer Praise be to Allah, we praise Him, seek His help, and ask for His forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil of ourselves and the wickedness of our deeds. Whomever Allah guides, there is no misleader for him, and whomever He misguides, there is no guide for him. I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah alone, with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. May Allah send peace and blessings upon him, his family, his companions, and those who follow them with goodness. Afterward, this is a fundamental summary, a selected excerpt from the most authentic sayings of the Prophet, peace be upon him, which are the two noble books: Sahih Al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. The author chose them, by Allah's favor, and arranged them according to the classification of jurists in books of jurisprudence, to serve as an aid for those who memorize and contemplate them, to derive issues from their authentic evidences. They are foundational principles and rules to which the end-user refers, and a ladder by which the beginner ascends to the preserved collections of Islam from the best of creation. These works have been honored with explanations and services by scholars, but until now, no explanation of these has been published for the people, nor do we know whether they are still preserved or have been affected by the events of time. The eminent scholar, the jurist Ibn Daqiq Al-Id, who is well-known among people. This explanation—despite the greatness of its author and its great benefit in its approach—is a derivation of issues based on principles and foundational rules. His concern with these investigations has occupied him from many of the subtleties of the jurisprudence of Hadith and the necessary rulings, clarifying what has conflicting opinions. The nature of the investigations that the author undertook is complex and solid, beyond the understanding of many students of knowledge and seekers of understanding. Therefore, I sought Allah's help to produce an easy-to-understand explanation, close in approach, detailed in topics, so that his issues do not become intertwined and his research does not lead to confusion and hesitation. I first spoke about the general meaning, striving to match the apparent wording, clarifying what is hidden under the words of wisdom and legislation, or preamble and preparation, and other things suggested by sentences and expressions. If the situation required clarification from some methods of Hadith not mentioned by the author, I summarized them, indicating that for the benefit, and the research will be correct. Then I extract from the Hadith what indicates the rulings and etiquettes, then I mention what is strengthened from the disagreement of scholars, with their evidence and sources, avoiding weak disagreements that are not based on strong evidence, so that the reader does not fall into unnecessary confusion. I was keen to clarify the wisdom of legislation, the beauty of Islam, its lofty goals, and the great purposes behind these texts, so that the reader recognizes the virtues of his religion and its noble aims, and knows that it is a religion and a state. So that false claims against Islam and its noble principles do not influence him. Unfortunately, many claim to be Muslims, deceived and seduced by this false Western civilization, and they do not respect these Islamic rulings and Muhammadan manners, seeing them as obstacles to progress. If you asked them for their evidence, you would find it no more than the argument of those who said: "Indeed, we found our fathers upon a religion, and we are guided by their footsteps" [Az-Zukhruf: 23]. They have no support for their false claims except the squawking of the enemies of religion from the Westerners. I pray to Allah to benefit from this, to serve as a reminder for the end-user, and an eye-opener for the beginner, and to make it purely for His Face, close to Him in the Gardens of Bliss. Amen. And may Allah send peace and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and all his companions.