Critical notes of Sh. Marjani regarding Ali al-Qari’s comment on the book “al-Fiqh al-’akbar” by Imam Abu Hanifah
https://doi.org/10.31162/2618-9569-2025-18-1-77-100
Abstract
This article analyzes how Shihab al-Din al-Marjani, a Tatar historian and theologian, criticized the statements and opinions of the major Meccan Hanafi scholar ‘Ali al-Qari. He relied on the information from the book of Imam al-Muhibbi, who criticized al-Qari for madhhab fanaticism and for the statements which some theologians consider to be offensive to Prophet Muhammad and his parents. Marjani discussed the authorship of the book "al-Fiqh al-akbar", attributed to Imam Abu Hanifa, and expressed doubts about the authenticity of this book, arguing that it could have been written later on the basis of the views of Abu Hanifa and that it can be partially distorted. Marjani also criticized al-Qari's version that the Prophet's parents died in disbelief. He claimed that this opinion is erroneous and is not supported by reliable hadiths. The article also mentions that disagreements on this issue are associated with the ideological confrontation between Sunnis and Shiites, as well as with different approaches of the two Sunni persuasions on the need to adopt Islam through reason or appeal.
About the Author
D. A. Shagaviev
Russian Islamic Institute ; Bolgar Islamic Academy
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Damir A. Shagaviev, Docent, Сand. Sci (History), Associate Professor at the Department of Religious Disciplines; Associate Professor at the Department of Systematic Theology; Associate Professor
Kazan; Bolgar
References
1. Khayr al-Din al-Zirikli. Al-’A‘lam [The famous people]. Vol. 5. Beirut: Dar al-‘Ilm li-l-Malayin; 2002. 336 p. (In Arabic)
2. ‘Ali al-Qari al-Hanafi. Sharh kitab al-Fiqh al-’akbar [Comments on “al-Fiqh al-akbar”]. Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-‘ilmiyyah; 1984. 310 p. (In Arabic)
3. ‘Ali ibn Sultan Muhammad al-Qari. Sharh al-Fiqh al-’akbar li-’Abi Hanifah al-Nu‘man [Comments on “al-Fiqh al-akbar” of Abu Hanifah]. Marwan Muhammad al-Sha‘‘ar (ed.). Damascus: Dar al-Nafa’is; 2009. 271 p. (In Arabic)
4. Muhammad ibn ‘Ali al-Shawkani. Al-Badr al-tali‘ bi-mahasin man ba‘da-l-qarn al-sabi‘ [The rising moon in the virtues of those who lived after the 7th century AH]. Vol. 1. Beirut: Dar al-Ma‘rifah; n.d. 528 p. (In Arabic)
5. ‘Ali ibn Sultan Muhammad al-Qari. Minah al-rawd al-’azhar fi sharh al-Fiqh al-’akbar [Gifts of a blooming garden in comments on “al-Fiqh al-’akbar”]. Wahbi Sulayman Ghawji (ed.). Beirut: Dar al-Basha’ir al-’islamiyyah; 1997. 560 p. (In Arabic)
6. Muhammad Amin al-Muhibbi al-Dimashqi. Khulasat al-’athar fi a‘yan al-qarn al-hadi ‘ashar [Summary of the impact on the famous persons of the 11th century]. Vol. 3. Beirut: Dar Sadir; n.d. 495 p. (In Arabic)
7. Abu al-Hasanat Muhammad ‘Abd al-Hayy al-Laknawi al-Hindi. Al-Fawa’id al-bahiyyah fi tarajim al-hanafiyyah [Brilliant benefits in Hanafi biographies]. Muhammad Badr al-Din Abu Firas al-Na‘sani (ed.). Cairo: Matba‘at al-Sa‘adah; 1324 H. 263 p. (In Arabic)
8. Khalil Ibrahim Qutlay. Al-’Imam ‘Ali al-Qari wa atharu-hu fi ‘ilm al-hadith [Imam ‘Ali al-Qari and his contribution to the Hadith studies]. Beirut: Dar al-Basha’ir al-’islamiyyah; 1987. 496 p. (In Arabic)
9. Shihabutdin Mardzani. Vernost’ predshestvennikam i privetstvie potomkam [Loyalty to Predecessors and Greetings to Descendants]. Translation from Arabic of selected biographies, research, comments, facsimiles of the sections on the Volga-Ural region. Kazan: Magarif-Vakyt Press; 2022. 856 p. (In Russian)
10. Shihab al-Din al-Marjani. Muqaddimat kitab Wafiyyat al-’aslaf wa tahiyyat al-’akhlaf [Introduction to Devotion to Ancestors and Greetings to Descendants]. Kazan: Matba‘at Vecheslav Publ.; 1883. 411 p. (In Arabic)
11. Shihab al-Din ibn Baha’ al-Din al-Qazani. Muntakhab kitab al-Wafiyyah [Favorites from the book “al-Wafiyyah”]. Kazan: Matba‘at al-Khizanah Publ.; 1880. 22 p. (In Arabic)
12. Marjani kitaphanase: fanni-bibliografik jyentyk [Marjani Library: scientific and bibliographic collection]. Mardanov R. (comp.). Kazan: Milli kitap Press; 2004. 122 p. (In Tatar)
13. Muhammad ibn Rasul al-Barzanji. Sadad al-din wa sidad al-dayn fi ithbat al-najat wa-l-darajat li-l-walidayn [The Correctness of religion and covering of duty in affirmation of otherworldly salvation and heavenly degrees for parents of the Prophet]. ‘Abbas Ahmad Saqr al-Husayni and Husayn Muhammad ‘Ali Shukri (eds). Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-‘ilmiyyah; 2006. 336 p. (In Arabic)
14. ‘Ali al-Qari. Risalat raqm (66): Adillat mu‘taqad Abi Hanifah fi abawayy al-Nabi ﷺ [Abu Hanifa's reasoning for the Prophet's parents]. Majmu‘ rasa’il al-‘allamah al-mulla ‘Ali al-Qari [Collection of treatises of the major scholar Mullah Ali al-Qari]. Muhammad Khalluf al-‘Abd Allah and others (eds). Vol. 5. Istanbul: Dar al-Lubab; 2016, pp. 451–502. (In Arabic)
15. ‘Ali al-Qari. Sharh al-Shifa’ li-l-qadi ‘Iyad [Comments on “al-Shifa’” of Qadi Iyadh]. Vol. 2. Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-‘ilmiyyah; n.d. 563 p. (In Arabic)
16. Nidal Alah Rashshi. Al-Badr al-’anwar sharh al-Fiqh al-’akbar li-l-’imam al-’a‘zam Abi Hanifah al-Nu‘man [Comments on “al-Fiqh al-akbar” of Imam Abu Hanifah]. Amman: Dar al-Nur al-mubin; 2017. 487 p. (In Arabic)
17. ‘Ali al-Qari. Sharh al-Shifa’ li-l-qadi ‘Iyad [Comments on “al-Shifa’” of Qadi Iyadh]. Vol. 1. Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-‘ilmiyyah; n.d. 764 p. (In Arabic)
18. Ibn Abi al-Wafa’ al-Qurashi al-Hanafi. Al-Jawahir al-mudiyyah fi tabaqat al-hanafiyyah [Luminous jewels in the ranks of the Hanafites]. ‘Abd al-Fattah Muhammad al-Halw (ed.). Vol. 4. Riyadh: Dar al-‘Ulum; 1979. 671 p. (In Arabic)
19. Ibn Abi al-Wafa’ al-Qurashi al-Hanafi. Al-Jawahir al-mudiyyah fi tabaqat al-hanafiyyah [Luminous jewels in the ranks of the Hanafites]. ‘Abd al-Fattah Muhammad al-Halw (ed.). Vol. 3. Riyadh: Dar al-‘Ulum; 1979. 691 p. (In Arabic)
20. Kamal al-Din al-Bayadi. Isharat al-maram min ‘ibarat al-’Imam [Signs of willing in Imam’s expressions]. Yusuf ‘Abd al-Razzaq (ed.). Cairo: al-Maktabah al-’azhariyyah li-l-turath; 2008. 355 p. (In Arabic)
21. Smirnov A. Stanovlenije musul’manskoj doktrinalnoj mysli i rannyaja islamskaja filosofija (k voprosu o vzaimnom vlijanii na primere al-Fikh al-’akbar Abu Khanify). Introduction, trans. from Arabic and comments [The formation of Muslim doctrinal thought and early Islamic philosophy (to the question of mutual influence on the example of al-Fiqh al-’akbar by Abu Hanifah). Introduction, translation from Arabic and comments]. Vestnik RGGU. Vostok: Issledovanija. Perevody [Bulletin of the Russian State Humanitarian University. East: Research. Translations]. 2000;4:52–86. (In Russian)
22. Bogolyubov A.C. Abu Khanifa [Abu Hanifah]. Islam: enciklopedicheskii slovar’ [Islam: Encyclopedic Dictionary]. Moscow: Nauka Press; 1990, рр. 11–12. (In Russian)
23. Ibn al-Nadim. Al-Fihrist [The Catalogue]. Ibrahim Ramadan (ed.). Beirut: Dar al-Ma‘rifah; 1997. 441 p. (In Arabic)
24. Kamal al-Din al-Bayadi. Al-’Usul al-munifah li-l-’imam Abi Hanifah [Imam Abu Hanifa's sublime dogmas]. Muhammad ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Shaghul (ed.). Cairo: al-Maktabah al-’azhariyyah li-l-turath; 2008. 64 p. (In Arabic)
25. Shagaviev D.A. Imam Abu Ja‘far al-Tahawi and his creed in the writings of Tatar theologian Sh. Marjani. Minbar. Islamic Studies. 2024;17(1):61–81. DOI: 10.31162/2618-9569-2024-17-1-61-81 (In Russian)
26. Majd al-Din Abu al-Sa‘adat Ibn al-’Athir. Tatimmat Jami‘ al-’usul fi ahadith al-Rasul [Completion of the Collection of foundations in the Hadith of the Messenger]. Bashir Muhammad ‘Uyun (ed.). Damascus: Dar al-Fikr; n.d. 1073 p. (In Arabic)
27. Abu al-Muntaha. Al-Fiqh al-’akbar ma‘a sharhi-hi [Comments on “al-Fiqh al-’akbar”]. Kazan: Matba‘at Karimiyyah Publ.; 1914. 40 p. (In Arabic)
28. Abu al-Mu‘in Maymun ibn Muhammad al-Nasafi. Tabsirat al-’adillah fi usul al-din [Explanation of arguments in Theology]. Husayn Atay (ed.). Vol. 1. Ankara: Riyasat al-shu’un al-diniyyah li al-Jumhuriyyah al-Turkiyyah; 2004. 626 p. (In Arabic)
29. Al-‘Alim wa-l-muta‘allim riwayat Abi Muqatil ‘an Abi Hanifah radi Allah ‘an-huma wa yali-hi Risalat Abi Hanifah ’ila ‘Uthman al-Batti thumma al-Fiqh al-’absat riwayat Abi Muti‘ ‘an Abi Hanifah rahima-hum Allah ["Teacher and Student" in the transfer of Abu Muqatil from Abu Hanifah (may Allah be pleased with them), "Message of Abu Hanifah to ‘Uthman al-Batti" and "Extended Knowledge" in the transfer of Abu Muti‘ from Abu Hanifah (may Allah have mercy on them)]. Muhammad Zahid al-Kawthari (ed.). Cairo: Maktabat al-Khanji; n.d. 61 p. (In Arabic)
30. Kitab al-Fiqh al-’akbar li-l-’imam al-’a‘zam Abi Hanifah… wa sharhu-hu li-l-’imam… mulla ‘Ali al-Qari… [The Greatest Knowledge book by the great Imam Abu Hanifah… and comments by Imam… Mulla ‘Ali al-Qari…]. Muhammad al-Zuhri al-Ghamrawi (gen. ed.). Cairo: Dar al-Kutub al-‘arabiyyah al-kubra; 1327 H. 192 p. (In Arabic)
31. Abu Hanifah Nu‘man ibn Thabit al-Kufi. Kitab al-Fiqh al-’akbar [The Greatest Knowledge book]. Hyderabad: Majlis da’irat al-ma‘arif al-nizamiyyah; 1342 H. 16 p. (In Arabic)
32. Abu al-Muntaha Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Maghnisawi. Sharh al-Fiqh al-’akbar [Comments on “al-Fiqh al-akbar”]. Al-Rasa’il al-sab‘a fi-l-‘aqa’id [Seven treatises on dogma]. Cairo: Dar al-Basa’ir; 2009, рр. 43–95. (In Arabic)
33. ‘Ali Jum‘ah. Al-Mutashaddidun: manhaju-hum… wa munaqashat ahamm qadaya-hum [Rigorist fanatics: their method and consideration of their most important judgments]. Cairo: Dar al-Muqattam; 2012. 158 p. (In Arabic)
34. Kalyam sharif. Perevod smyslov [Kalam Sharif (Qur’an). Translation of meanings]. Kazan: Huzur Press; 2019. 651 p. (In Arabic)
35. Abu al-Fadl al-Maqdisi al-Shaybani Ibn-Qaysarani. Atraf al-ghara’ib wa-l-’afrad min hadith Rasul Allah ﷺ li-l-’imam al-Daraqutni [Dictionary of rare and single hadiths of the Messenger of Allah from the collection of al-Daraqutni]. Mahmud Muhammad Mahmud Hasan Nassar and al-Sayyid Yusuf (ed.). Vol. 1. Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-‘ilmiyyah; 1998. 405 p. (In Arabic)
36. Abu al-Fida’ Ibn-Kathir al-Dimashqi. Musnad al-Faruq [Collection of hadiths transmitted by al-Faruq]. Imam ibn ‘Ali ibn Imam (ed.). Vol. 1. Al-Fayum: Dar al-Falah; 2009. 556 p. (In Arabic)
37. Abu al-Muntaha al-Maghnisawi. Sharh al-Fiqh al-’akbar [Comments on “al-Fiqh al-akbar”]. Istanbul: Dar al-Siraj; 2023. 144 p. (In Arabic)
38. Abu-al-Hasan ‘Ata’-Allah al-Qursawi. Kitab mukhtasar al-maqal ‘ala Sharh al-Fiqh al-’akbar [Book of a summary of words for the interpretation of “al-Fiqh al-’akbar”]. Kazan, 1889. 184 p. (In Arabic)
39. Shagaviev D.A., Idrisov R.I. ‘Ata Allah al-Qursawi and his sub-comment “Mukhtasar al-maqal”. Minbar. Islamic Studies. 2020;13(3):676–689. DOI: 10.31162/2618-9569-2020-13-3-676-689 (In Russian)
40. Shigabutdin Mardzani. Vvedenije k biobibliograficheskomu slovaryu “Vernost’ predshestvennikam i privetstvie potomkam” (Mukaddimat kitab Vafiyyat al-aslyaf va tahiyyat al-akhlyaf) [Introduction to Devotion to Ancestors and Greetings to Descendants (Muqaddimat kitab Wafiyyat al-’aslaf wa tahiyyat al-’akhlaf)]. Gizzatullin R.A. and Salahov A.M. (tr. from Arabic and notes). Kazan: Magarif-Vakyt Press; 2022. 360 p. (In Russian)
41. ‘Ali al-Qari. Sharh kitab al-Fiqh al-’akbar [Comments on “al-Fiqh al-akbar”]. Kazan: al-Matba‘ah al-Karimiyyah Publ.; 1904. 191 p. (In Arabic)
Review
For citations:
Shagaviev D.A. Critical notes of Sh. Marjani regarding Ali al-Qari’s comment on the book “al-Fiqh al-’akbar” by Imam Abu Hanifah. Minbar. Islamic Studies. 2025;18(1):77-100. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.31162/2618-9569-2025-18-1-77-100
Views:
235
Email this article 