Provisions for the Seekers (Zad al-Talibin)

Shaykh ‘Ashiq Ilahi al-Bulandshehri

Mufti Abdur-Rahman ibn Yusuf Mangera

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Whitethread Press

2020

190

Mufti Abdur-Rahman ibn Yusuf has rendered a valuable service to English speaking Muslims. The depth of his scholarship and the accessibility of his language combine to present the reader with a text that elucidates critical aspects of the orthodox Muslim creed, and sheds light on contentious historical and theological issues.

Imam Zaid Shakir, New Islamic Directions, USA

 

A substantial addition to the dismayingly small number of English translations of works of Islamic theology… It is well suited to provide a solid introduction to later Islamic theology, both Maturidi and Ash’ari, as it has been studied in traditional Sunni circles for centuries.

Aron Zysow, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, USA

 

A dire need of the hour fulfilled. This is true regarding the sterling compilation of the explanation of “Al Fiqhul Akbar” by Mufti Abdur Rahman ibn Yusuf.

Mufti Ebrahim Desai, Askimam.org, South Africa

 

This is an excellent and highly-recommendable work. Shaykh Abdur-Rahman ibn Yusuf not only translated one of the great commentaries on Imam Abu Hanifa’s Fiqh al-Akbar, but he also added extensive additional commentary from Mulla Ali al-Qari’s lengthier work, as well as valuable and much-needed footnotes where needed. The language is clear and lucid. This is a work every Muslim should strongly consider reading.

Shaykh Faraz Rabbani, Seekers Guidance, Canada

 

This book fills a real need, for there has been no rich and yet compressed text on the Islamic Creed (‘Aqidah) in English language that serves that academic goals of education in the west. The translation is a careful work of Mufti Abdr-Rahman Ibn Yusuf whose knowledge, academic qualification, and practice in the legal school of Abu Hanifa made this authentic text readily accessible to scholars, students, and general readers.

Mashhad Al-Allaf, Ph.D.Endowed Chair of Islamic Studies & Prof. of Philosophy, Department of Philosophy, University of Toledo, USA

 

[Abdur-Rahman] Ibn Yusuf’s work stands out as an outstanding example of scholarly reference and citation. A work suitable for both the general reader interested in Islamic doctrine and theology and as a critical and important addition to university libraries and classrooms.

Ralph H. Salmi, Ph.D. Center for Islamic and Middle East Studies, California State University, San Bernardino

 

This represents one of the most comprehensive works written in the English language representing the traditional, true, and authentic teachings of the early predecessors (salaf) in matters of doctrine and tawhid (Islamic monotheism).

Shaykh Abdullah Ali, Lamppost Productions, USA

Imam Nawawi wrote:
“The science of hadith is the noblest means of attaining closeness to the Lord of the Worlds”

The Messenger of Allah (upon him be peace) was given exceptional oratorical skills. His words were eloquent, comprehensive, and simple, conveying libraries of wisdoms and truths. The Messenger (upon him be peace) himself said, “I have been sent with the jawami al-kalim” (Bukhari)—that is, pithy language that expresses a multitude of meanings in few words.

Bookstores and libraries today are full of books of proverbs, coined by historical personages and political and religious leaders. But each of these pales in comparison to the eloquence of the Messenger of Allah (upon him be peace) and philosophers and sages seem nothing more than struggling students in the light of his divinely inspired wisdom.

This book is a collection of 327 hadiths which the author, Shaykh ‘Ashiq Ilahi al-Bulandshehri, compiled from ‘Allama Tabrizi’s renowned hadith compilation, Mishkat al-Masabih. The book contains many jawami’ al-kalim, as well as prophecies and other accounts and narratives.

The book is ultimately a compilation of hadiths meant to inspire the souls of today’s Muslims and give them a glimpse at the charisma of the Prophet Muhammad (upon him be peace) and a roadmap with which they can achieve closeness to their Lord.

This work is taught in many of the madrasas around the world as a first hadith work. Now it is available in this beautifully bound English edition with a commentary from the classical sources.