Selected Readings by Topic from
The Authentic Portion of al-Imaam as-Suyootee’s
Short Encyclopedia of Hadeeth Extracts and the Supplement He Added to it
English translation along with brief explanatory notes
Embedded Files
Introductory Remarks
See also
manaratalharamain.gov.sa/sp/167313408
🔊 In these lessons, we will be covering “Selected Readings by Topic from The Authentic Portion of al-Imaam as-Suyootee’s Short Encyclopedia of Hadeeth Extracts and the Supplement He Added to it.” Before beginning, we would like to provide a bit of background about the book we will be reading with Allaah’s assistance, and also say a few words about how we plan to go about reading it.
We implore Allaah to grant His mercy to the renowned scholar of Islaam, al-Imaam ‘Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Abee Bakr as-Suyootee, who lived from 849h until 911h (1445-1505 in Gregorian years). Among the vast number of writings on which al-Imaam as-Suyootee worked was an expansive one called Jam‘ al-Jawaami‘ in which he had aimed to compile all of the ahaadeeth narrated from the Prophet Muhammad (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection). Jam‘ al-Jawaami‘ is sometimes also referred to by the name al-Jaami‘ al-Kabeer (The Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Hadeeth Extracts).
As-Suyootee later drew on some of the content from the aforementioned book to prepare a second smaller one. He said about the smaller work, “I have put in this book thousands of statements made by the Prophet Muhammad (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection), and many types of wisdom imparted by that Messenger chosen by Allaah. I have confined myself to ahaadeeth that are brief and I concisely selected them as pure extracts from the original source texts of hadeeth.” As-Suyootee continued, “I arranged this book in alphabetical order according to the way each hadeeth begins, to make it easy for people to find what they are looking for. I have named this book al-Jaami‘ as-Sagheer min Hadeeth al-Basheer an-Natheer (The Short Encyclopedia of Hadeeth Extracts containing statements from the Prophet who was sent to convey glad tidings and to warn). I gave it that name because it is drawn from the comprehensive encyclopedia that I entitled Jam‘ al-Jawaami‘ in which I intended to gather all of the ahaadeeth narrated from the Prophet [may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection].” (See al-Fath al-Kabeer 1/2-3; Saheeh al-Jaami‘ 1/34-35; as-Siraaj al-Muneer, p. 37).
After those two books, as-Suyootee prepared a third book as a supplement to the second one, and he said in his introduction to it, “This is an appendix to my book entitled al-Jaami‘ as-Sagheer min Hadeeth al-Basheer an-Natheer. I have entitled this appendix Ziyaadatul-Jaami‘ (Supplement to the Encyclopedia).” This is the meaning of what can be found at the beginning of two Arabic manuscript copies that we had access to when preparing these lessons. (See also al-Fath al-Kabeer 1/3).
A bit more than three centuries after as-Suyootee, another scholar came along: ash-Shaykh Yoosuf ibn Ismaa‘eel an-Nabhaanee, who lived from 1265h until 1350h (1849-1932), may Allaah have mercy upon him. He combined al-Jaami‘ as-Sagheer (The Short Encyclopedia of Hadeeth Extracts) and Ziyaadatul-Jaami‘ (Supplement to the Encyclopedia) into one single book which he entitled al-Fath al-Kabeer fee Damm az-Ziyaadah ilaa al-Jaami‘ as-Sagheer (The Major Victory of Incorporating as-Suyootee’s Supplement into His Short Encyclopedia of Hadeeth Extracts). (See al-Fath al-Kabeer 1/3).
Later on in the same century came another scholar: ash-Shaykh Muhammad Naasir ad-Deen al-Albaanee, who lived from 1332h until 1420h (1914-1999), and his name is likely one that we are very familiar with due to his nearness to our time, as well as the amount and precision of the work that Allaah enabled him to contribute to Islaam in general, and to the field of hadeeth in particular. Among the acknowledgements of his invaluable contributions in service of the Sunnah, he was awarded the King Faysal Prize for Islaamic Studies in 1419h (1999). (See kingfaisalprize.org/ar/sheikh-mohammad-nasir-ad-din-al-albani). May Allaah have mercy upon him and allow his works to be a continuous source of benefit and guidance.
Al-Imaam al-Albaanee divided the book al-Fath al-Kabeer into two sections after careful study. He put all the authentic ahaadeeth (i.e. saheeh or hasan) into one section entitled Saheeh al-Jaami‘ as-Sagheer wa Ziyaadatihi (the Authentic Portion of as-Suyootee’s Short Encyclopedia of Hadeeth Extracts and the Supplement He Added to it), and the inauthentic ahaadeeth into another section called Da‘eef al-Jaami‘ as-Sagheer wa Ziyaadatihi (the inauthentic portion of the same book).
Just like as-Suyootee’s original book, the aforementioned works by ash-Shaykh an-Nabhaanee and ash-Shaykh al-Albaanee (may Allaah have mercy upon them) are also arranged alphabetically according to the first word of the Arabic text of each hadeeth. In fact, their works are arranged even more carefully and precisely than the arrangement of as-Suyootee himself. May Allaah have mercy upon all of them.
However, ash-Shaykh al-Albaanee had mentioned in a work of his entitled Saheeh Mawaarid ath-Tham’aan (1/6-7) that arranging ahaadeeth by topic is what yields optimal benefit and makes a book easier for people to use and learn from, and this is in line with the instruction given by the Prophet (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection) when he told his Companions, “Make things easy for people, and do not make them difficult…” (See as-Saheehah, no. 1151.).
In fact, ash-Shaykh al-Albaanee himself had planned to re-arrange this book content’s according to topic. He mentioned in the introduction to Saheeh al-Jaami‘ as-Sagheer wa Ziyaadatihi (p. 20), “Once the printing of this book is completed by the permission of Allaah, the Most Exalted, I will make a comprehensive index for it that encompasses all of its ahaadeeth arranged under section headings according to topic, and with the individual sections arranged according to the first Arabic letter of the hadeeth…and Allaah alone – the Most Exalted – is the One whom I ask to facilitate all of that by His favour and guidance.”
It did not end up being feasible for ash-Shaykh al-Albaanee to complete what he intended, due to the plethora of the research and writings in which he was involved. However, Allaah did make the task feasible for others, and there are three such works that we know about and which we made use of in preparing these lessons:
[1] Tabweeb wa Tarteeb Ahaadeeth Saheeh al-Jaami‘ as-Sagheer wa Ziyaadatihi ‘alaa Abwaab al-Fiqh, by Zuhayr ash-Shaaweesh, published in 1406h by al-Maktab al-Islaamee.
[2] Tarteeb Ahaadeeth Saheeh al-Jaami‘ as-Sagheer wa Ziyaadatihi ‘alal-Abwaab al-Fiqhiyyah, by ‘Awnee Na‘eem ash-Shareef, published in 1406h by Maktabah al-Ma‘aarif.
[3] as-Siraaj al-Muneer fee Tarteeb Ahaadeeth Saheeh al-Jaami‘ as-Sagheer, by ‘Isaam Moosaa Haadee, and the most recent edition of this book we are aware of was published in 1436h by Daar as-Siddeeq. This book made it a point to use the final gradings that ash-Shaykh al-Albaanee assigned to the ahaadeeth since there were instances where he changed the grading of authenticity that he assigned to certain ahaadeeth due to more detailed study later on and also based on additional resources that became available to him over the course of time.
Based on the aforementioned works, we have made our own chapter arrangement and numbering scheme, without confining ourselves to any one of those sources in particular. We have chosen to organize the ahaadeeth by grouping together ones that are similar in meaning rather than giving consideration to the first Arabic letter of the hadeeth. We have chosen to focus on the meanings rather than the wordings when arranging the ahaadeeth because these lessons have been prepared for an English speaking audience and our primary concern is grasping the meanings of what we read. Thus, we felt that grouping together the texts that are similar in meaning would be most conducive to achieving that objective with Allaah’s assistance. We will also repeat some of the ahaadeeth in instances where they are related to more than one chapter or section.
In our lessons, the approach we plan to follow is to read through the text of each hadeeth in Arabic then English, and also add a few short remarks about some of the ahaadeeth. Our remarks will not cover all the details about the ahaadeeth that we will read, and the remarks are not intended to be an exhaustive commentary for any of the ahaadeeth. Rather, they are merely some very brief explanatory notes that we will present with Allaah’s assistance. They are intended to be nothing more than a tool for ourselves as beginners in building a basic understanding of these extracts from the texts of the authentic Sunnah, by drawing upon the explanations given by scholars of Islaam. Many of the remarks we plan to add as we read will be based on the book at-Tanweer Sharh al-Jaami‘ as-Sagheer by al-Imaam Muhammad ibn Ismaa‘eel as-San‘aanee (1099-1182h), but other scholarly works will be referred to as well, and the main references consulted for any given hadeeth can be found at the end of the notes for that hadeeth in the transcripts for these lessons. As we read, we will only focus on the text of each hadeeth cited, meaning that we will not mention which Companion narrated the hadeeth, or the original source works in which the hadeeth was collected. Anyone who would like to have that information can find it in two of the Arabic references cited at the end of the notes for each hadeeth in the lesson transcripts. In the references cited for each hadeeth, we will list the number under which it can be found in the book Saheeh al-Jaami‘ as-Sagheer wa Ziyaadatihi (abbreviated as Saheeh al-Jaami‘) as well as in the book as-Siraaj al-Muneer fee Tarteeb Ahaadeeth Saheeh al-Jaami‘ as-Sagheer (abbreviated as Siraaj).
Before beginning our journey through the chapters and sections under which we have arranged the ahaadeeth of this book, we will read a very important hadeeth which comes at the end of al-Imaam as-Suyootee’s introduction in some copies of al-Jaami‘ as-Sagheer:
إِنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ، وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى، فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ، وَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى دُنْيَا يُصِيبُهَا، أَوِ امْرَأَةٍ يَنْكِحُهَا فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِ
إِنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ، وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى، فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ، وَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى دُنْيَا يُصِيبُهَا، أَوِ امْرَأَةٍ يَنْكِحُهَا فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِ
🔊 [0.00-(01)] “Indeed, all actions{1} are given consideration only according to the intentions behind them{2}; and indeed, each person{3} will be recompensed only according to what he intended. Therefore, if a person’s intention is migrating{4} to Allaah and His Messenger{5}, that person would be recompensed for migrating to Allaah and His Messenger{6}; and if a person’s intention is migrating to worldly gains he anticipates, or to a woman for marriage, that person would be recompensed for migrating to whatever he migrated to.{7}”
Notes:
{1} The expression “all actions” applies to the actions performed by the limbs, and it includes words as well since the tongue is considered a limb in this context.
{2} The intention behind any action comprises the resolve a person has in his heart to carry it out, and the motive that prompts him to perform it.
{3} The Arabic expression rendered into English here as “each person” literally says “each man”, but it includes each woman as well. An important detail to note in this regard is that the default for texts of Islaam which address males is that they also address females. The rulings of Islaam which apply to women are the same as those applicable to men except when there are specific texts that make a distinction between the two. This is understood from an authentic hadeeth that says, “Women are indeed nothing besides the counterparts of men.” (See [17.08-(12)]). It should also be kept in mind that although many statements of the Prophet (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection) may have addressed males, that was because he was addressing an audience of men in the majority of cases; not because he excluded females or because the virtues and teachings of Islaam do not apply to them.
{4} Migrating essentially means departing from one thing and moving to something else.
{5} Migrating to Allaah and His Messenger (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection) can basically be understood to mean departing from what the directives of Allaah and His Messenger tell us to avoid, and moving to what those directives instruct us to do. That migration is to be carried out sincerely for Allaah alone, and while hoping to attain His reward.
{6} Among the ideas conveyed by the repetition in this phrase are: (1) migrating to Allaah and His Messenger is one single clear motive that essentially consists of complying with the directives of Allaah and His Messenger (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection); (2) when a person migrates in the aforementioned way, that is when he has migrated in a complete sense; and (3) the reward attained for migrating to Allaah and His Messenger is the greatest reward there is.
{7} Among the ideas conveyed by the expression “migrating to whatever he migrated to” are: (1) migrating to Allaah and His Messenger is one motive, but there are innumerable other motives a person can have besides that; and (2) a person would only be rewarded in the hereafter when his migration in this world is to Allaah and His Messenger (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection). The person mentioned in this second example did not perform that migration and he would, therefore, not receive any reward in the hereafter for that action which he performed in this world.
References: at-Tanweer 1/180, 4/173; al-Minhaaj, no. 1907; Fath al-Baaree no. 153, 3586; Jaami‘ al-‘Uloom wal-Hikam 1/73; ‘Awn al-Ma‘bood, no. 236, 2201; Saheeh al-Jaami‘ 1/10.
3- Eemaan and Related Topics
4- Adhering to the Sunnah, and Upholding Allaah's Religion
5- Characteristics of the Qur'aan, and Explanation for Some of its Passages
6- Narratives About People of Prior Times
8- Allaah's Creatures and Creation
9- Purification
10- Prayer
11- Charity and Financial Support
12- Fasting
13- Hajj and Umrah
14- Hunting, Sacrificing, and Treating Animals Gently
15- Foods and Drinks
16- Apparel and Adornments
17- Marriage, Kind Treatment Between Spouses, and Caring for Children
18- Divorce
19- Commerce
20- Gifts and Endowments
21- Medical Treatments
22- Illnesses and Funerals
23- Wills and Inheritance
24- Oaths and Vows
25- Judgments
26- Crimes and Punishments
27- Governance and Rulership
28- Struggling in Allaah's Path
29- Emancipating Slaves
30- Virtues of Prophets in General
31- Virtues of the Final Prophet, and Incidents from His Life
32- Virtues of Particular Companions
33- Virtues of Various Individuals, Groups of People, Times, and Places
34- Dreams
35- Sound Conduct
36- Admonitions and Keeping One's Heart Soft
37- Shifting One's Focus to the Hereafter
38- Major Sins
39- Seeking Allaah's Forgiveness, Repenting to Him, and Returning to Him in All Matters
40- Mentioning Allaah and Calling Upon Him
41- Strife and Turmoil
42- Signs of the Hour
43- The Hereafter, Jannah, and the Hellfire
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