(download link below English translation↓)

Who is the author?

Imam Juwayni is one of the greatest Islamic writers of all time to the extent that he is known as the imam of the haramayn (The cities of Mecca and Medina!) What a great honor is it to be known as the Imam of the 2 holy cities. When you hear the term the Imam of the haramayn it usually refers to the great Imam Juwayni but not if an additional name is accompanied by imam of the 2 Haramayn “Sheikh so and so”.

What is Sharh waraqat about?

Waraq means paper, waraqat means pages, sharh waraqat is the explanation of the pages by Imam juwayni. Sharh Al waraqat is a Usul al fiqh book that is small in size yet great in knowledge and large in benefit and vast in Blessings! A number of ulema have written commentaries on this book may Allah be pleased with him and them. Some of the commentators have written expansively (basata) while others summarized (mukhtasir) on the Waraqat. One of the best commentaries of the waraqat was written sheikh jilal al deen abu Abdullah muhalli (mohammed bin ahmed al mahali). Sheikh al mahali’s commentary is a widely transmitted commentary that students will dedicate alot of time into this book to gain benefits from it. Sharh al waraqat is a very brief work and can be likened to a puzzle as its a book that needs a additional books to extract benefits from it in example commentaries and explanations from learned teachers

Imam jauwayni is an authority in the shafi’i madhab

Imam Juwayni is also known as the rais of the shafi’I Madhab, he was known as one of the people of the opinions meaning of the early scholars of that particular school who gave the main positions of imam shafi’I and the shafi’I school as well as expanded upon the madhab. He is an authority and a known mujtahids in the Shafi’i whos work is studied by Malikis using a Maliki commentary.

The date of birth and death of the great Imam

The name Juwayni is from juwayn which is a large district in nishapur Iran. Many great sunni scholars were from Persia until it was turned to the fold of the shia. Imam Juwayni was given the nickname “light of the religion”for his great intellect and knowledge of the religion. He was born in muhrram 419H 1028AD, he died in near nishapur in 478H 1085AD (60 years). Although he did not live long he still benefits the Muslims today! He lived in Iran his whole life but he lived in mecca and Medina for 4 years thus he was given the tittle the imam of the haramayn, he was the leader of all the ilm in nishapur.

The Nizamiya of Imam juwayni

There was built a nizamiya (Islamic school) built in his name, It become known as top places of Islamic knowledge in the world from such nizamiyas many great Islamic thinkers studied and distributed Islamic knowledge and wisdom including imam Ghazali who taught in Baghdad (in a nizamiyah) until he gave up his post. In our times we do not have a reliable nizamiyah as most of our large learning religious institutions as controlled by governments or are a showdown of their former selves.

Where are the Nizamiyas of today located?

Cairo, Baghdad, Nishapur, Istanbul were cities in the distant past where Islamic knowledge was spread In today’s time people travel to Mecca and Medina to learn as well as various countries in Africa in an attempt to gain unadulterated Islamic knowledge. Historically fringe locations in the Muslim world were not the leaders of Islamic knowledge but rather the major cities were centers of ilm as they had the capacity to implement the complexities of the religion in a way that the fringe lands could not do there for attracting the great Islamic thinkers who understood Islam in its theoretical and applied realty.

Maliki Commentary of Sharh al Waraqat

This online explanation based on my study notes will be based on a views of the Maliki Madhab so a Maliki commentary is needed to benefit from it as a follower of the Maliki school of thought as the Maliki school has different usul than the Shafi’i Madhab (All other madhabs)! I recommend using Qurrat al Ayn by Imam Hattab al Maliki for those who follow the Maliki madhab.

Sharh al Waraqat ↓