The Guiding Helper

Notes of Sources for

Explanatory Notes

DRAFT VERSION

Secondary and Primary Text

Proofs for the Points
Mentioned in the Guiding Helper
Explanatory Footnotes
 © The Guiding Helper Foundation 2001

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This document is intended as a supplement

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Helper Bare Main Text. You will find that
many of the points mentioned in the
explanatory footnotes are already sufficiently
backed up in the Notes of Sources for the
Guiding Helper Bare Main Text.
 Foreword
All praise is for Allah, the Lord of the worlds. Peace and blessings be on the Prophet, his family,
his companions, and all those that follow.

The primary reason that we believe the Guiding Helper is an accurate representation of the dīn
that the Prophet Muhammad (May Allah bless him and give him peace) brought is the
confidence we have in the line of teachers back to him (Allah bless him and give him peace)
from whom we have received this knowledge.

However as the contemporary world has begun to place more emphasis on written evidences as
opposed to oral ones, we have prepared these Notes of Sources to appease the worries and
concerns of those individuals that find the material in the Guiding Helper foreign or alien to our
din.

The purpose of these Notes of Sources is to demonstrate that all the material in the Guiding
Helper texts is traceable back to an authentic source recognized by our din. The cognizant reader
will then realize that all we have done in these Guiding Helper texts is to gather together the
work of many ancient Muslim scholars for the benefit of providing the contemporary world with
a coherent and comprehensible picture of the din.

The purpose of these Notes of Sources is not to nullify or prove wrong other valid views held
about our din. Rather, the reason that we do not list all of the possible views on a particular
subject is brevity and that our main purpose here is to increase confidence in the Guiding Helper
texts and not to write a book about the various valid views on each subject of our din.

We understand that the Muslim populous is made up of basically two types of people:

a) Those that are confident in the authentic scholars of our din and will accept statements
from them on face value without demanding further explanations.
b) Those that have less confidence in the authentic traditional scholars of our din but have
confidence in the primary texts. These type of people usually refuse to accept an
authentic scholar's opinion without being given primary text evidence to back it up.

The Guiding Helper texts were written for both types of people although the first group will
probably reap more benefit.

Notes to Those That Trust Scholars

We are confident that the opinions we narrate in the Guiding Helper are authentic and correct.
And we pray to Allah that He gives those who try their best to follow the Guiding Helper texts
much good in this world and Paradise without reckoning in the next.

We encourage those who follow the Guiding Helper to learn and practice tolerance for those that
follow other valid Islamic schools of beliefs, law, and spirituality. It is not possible to convince
every single human being on the earth to follow a specific school of knowledge. Rather, the way
to spread one's school of knowledge is to demonstrate its applicability, its viability, its ease in
learning, and its ease in practice.

Even within a particular Islamic school (e.g., of beliefs, of law, of spirituality, etc.) differences of
opinion exist in certain highly detailed subjects. This is something that comes from the inherent
limitations imposed by human language (since human language cannot always issue a bilaterally
understood statement about highly detailed subjects). In every single subject, related to the din
or otherwise (e.g., medicine, mathematics, biology, chemistry, philosophy, linguistics, etc.), one
will find similar differences of opinion; thus, one should not be shocked by the presence of such
differences but consider them normal and expected. Nevertheless in the Islamic schools of
beliefs, law, and spirituality, the expert scholars have come up with popular or more trusted
opinions for the unified dissemination of knowledge1. In the Guiding Helper texts, we have
stuck closely to the popular or more trusted opinions in 95% or more of the subject matter. If we
narrate an opinion that differs from the popular or more trusted opinion, it is for either of the
following two reasons:

a) The average contemporary man will not be able practice or understand the popular
opinion except with great difficulty.
- or -
b) The popular opinion leads to an inconsistency which makes the subject matter hard to
learn.

Notes to Those That Trust Scholars Less

It is not possible to gather together the knowledge of a highly complex subject of din (e.g.,
Inheritance or Legal System Maintenance) accurately and without mistakes by using only the
Qur'an and isolated sayings of the Prophet2. The early scholars realized this and this is why the
formal study of beliefs, law, and spirituality was founded. This allowed future generations to
build off the knowledge of their predecessors (as is done in the physical sciences, such as
engineering, medicine, and physics) instead of having each generation repeat the lengthy task of
deriving the detailed beliefs and laws from the primary texts themselves. Even if the
contemporary man were able to produce a rudimentary system of din directly from the primary
texts (as some have attempted), his system would not be able to handle the complex intellectual,
social, and legal issues that face modern man3. Thus, his system may be a viable personal
alternative for an individualistic religion but would be unable to serve as a foundation for

1
In plain English: so that people are taught the same thing for the purposes of harmony and avoiding confusion
2
The challenge goes out those that do not accept this statement that they attempt to derive the laws of Inheritance or
the laws of the Islamic Court System from the verses of the Qur'an and the sayings of the Prophet without referring
to any secondary text. Then, they should compare what they produce with what is written in primary-text-backed
law books, such as al-Ma`unah `ala Madh-hab `Alim al-Madinah (MA) and they will see the great mistakes and
shortcomings that they have made.
3
The contemporary rudimentary systems based solely upon primary text evidence that we have examined fail to
inform their adherents about the detailed laws/beliefs that go beyond the understanding of a kindergarten student.
Additionally at best, they produce a person who knows some unorganized scattered information about physical
purification, how to perform prayer, how to give basic Zakat, how to fast, and how to perform pilgrimage - and that
is all. Very few people who learn the din from only primary sources know anything definitive about Marriage laws,
Divorce laws, Inheritance laws, Court system laws, the laws of Trade, etc. - except some glittering generalities
which cannot translate into any concrete action. Such people are left victim to always searching for "Fatwas"
(situation-specific legal rulings given ad hoc) to handle the issues that they face in their daily lives. This shows the
failure of the rudimentary system in producing independent qualified individuals that share the same basic
understanding of din, which is a precondition for the existence of a society that is to be ruled by Islam.
structuring an entire society. Thus, he would be forced to adopt contemporary methods and
procedures foreign to our din to make his system work for an entire society4.

Many unqualified people present today are attacking specific beliefs/laws/practices narrated by
our traditional authentic scholars. They often claim that the belief/law/practice contradicts a
hadith or that the hadith that the belief/law/practice is based upon is weak. Or worse yet, they
claim that the belief/law/practice is in direct conflict with the Qur'an. It is not the purpose of this
Foreword to outline the derivation methods of traditional scholars, but the reader should be
aware of the following points agreed upon by the vast majority of traditional scholars:

a) There are many classifications for hadith5. The classification !a`īf (mistranslated as
weak [the correct translation is less-authenticated]) itself is of various levels. The vast
majority of scholars agree that although tenets of belief and the legal rulings of wajib and
haram cannot be derived solely from a less-authenticated hadith, it is perfectly valid to
derive the legal rulings of mandub and makruh from the great bulk of less-authenticated
hadith (otherwise known as weak hadith)6. Thus, it is not valid to argue that an act
labeled as sunnah, fadilah, raghibah, or nafilah should be abandoned because it is based
upon a less-authenticated hadith; nor is it valid to argue that there is no merit in avoiding
an act labeled as makruh because the recommendation against it is listed in a less-
authenticated hadith.
b) A single body text for a hadith can have several independent chains of transmission. It
is not valid to rule the body text of a hadith as being less-authenticated by examining only
one of its chains. This is because another independent chain for the same hadith text may
exist which is well-authenticated ("asan) or rigorously-authenticated (#a"ī"). Thus, a
person who does not have encyclopedic knowledge about the hadith cannot assign
weights to isolated hadith that he reads/hears7.

4
Many contemporary Muslim reformists are in this situation. They do not possess a deep knowledge and
understanding of the traditional schools of Islamic beliefs, law, and spirituality but claim anyway that these
traditional schools are outdated and cannot be applied to our modern world [perhaps because they do not understand
that the basic fabric of human life and society remains relatively unchanged through the passage of time and
progress of technology as the Qur'an hints in many places, such as: "Nothing is said to you except what was already
said to the messengers before you" [41:43] - hinting at the fact that people's way of thinking and concerns stay
basically the same.] They claim that a new interpretation to the primary texts is necessary for the survival and
application of our din. However after they are done interjecting and mixing the foreign methods and procedures, the
various parts of the resultant din can no longer be all traced back to Qur'an and the practices of the Prophet (May
Allah bless him and give him peace) and early Muslims whom we are told to hold fast to and emulate. Thus to be
accurate, the din that they produce should be called by another name and not the name that the Prophet (May Allah
bless him and give him peace) used for the din he taught.
5
Imam al-Bayquni in his Bayquniyyah notes 34 common classifications that the person studying hadith must have
knowledge of before going any further.
6
Imam al-Nawawi notes this in the introductory chapter (about being sincere and having a good intention in all
external and internal actions; section 2) of his book, al-Adhkar.
7
When one is dealing with the Maliki school, it makes even less sense to abandon a view of Imam Malik (taken
from a hadith (or a transmitted action) he knew) due to some other hadith scholar (who showed up decades later)
labeling the same hadith body text as less authenticated. One of primary reasons for this is Imam Malik (one of the
top hadith scholars (if not the top post-Companion scholar of hadith)) had fewer people in his chain of transmission
than the later scholars of hadith. On many cases, he had as little as two people (e.g., he narrated from Nafi`, to Ibn
`Umar, and then to the Prophet (May Allah bless him and give him peace)) in his chain of transmission. Whereas,
the later hadith scholars (e.g., Muslim and al-Bukhari) could have about six to ten people in their chains of
transmission. Thus, it is very possible that a hadith which Imam Malik considered to be rigorously authenticated (or
well authenticated) be considered less authenticated by the later scholars of hadith (e.g., Muslim and al-Bukhari)
since some of the transmitters in the chain after Imam Malik's time could lack the qualities of trustworthiness. From
this, you see the utter worthlessness of the argument that a hadith should be totally abandoned because a particular
scholar could not authenticate it fully.
 c) Many recorded authentic hadith (due the isolated way they were collected and
organized) only tell part of the story or contain information out of context. One can
easily misinterpret such hadith if one does not have a greater knowledge of the event or
subject matter of the hadith. Thus, it is not safe to derive beliefs or laws from only
reading/listening to isolated hadith except if one is an expert scholar of beliefs or law.
d) The total body of the authentic hadith is much greater in number than the combined
hadith of Sahih Buhkari, Sahih Muslim, al-Nisa'i, Ahmad, Ibn Majah, and Abu Dawud.
Thus, to gain a total picture of the Prophetic message from hadith, one would have to
memorize and understand about half a million hadith narrations (counting duplications/
variations of body text but not counting mere differences in chains of transmission).
e) Apparent contradictions exist between various authentic hadith, between various
verses in the Qur'an, and between authentic hadith and verses in the Qur'an. These
contradictions can be resolved using many techniques, two of which are: (1) restricting/
expanding the scope of the text and (2) dating the texts and giving the newer text
precedence over the older text. Thus, the common man has no right to attack the view of
a traditional scholar (who reached his conclusion by the comparison and weighing of
apparently contradictory evidence) by saying that the view contradicts an isolated hadith
or isolated verse in the Qur'an.
f) There is a difference between common-language vocabulary/constructs and technical-
language vocabulary/constructs. Many unqualified people have misinterpreted verses in
the Qur'an and sayings8 of the Prophet (May Allah bless him and give him peace) by
confusing common-language vocabulary/constructs with technical-language vocabulary/
constructs. One of the greatest examples of such a blunder is with the hadith literally
translated as "Every [kullu] new affair [bid`ah] is a misguidance [!alālah]". Unqualified
people firstly do not understand that the construct kullu in common-language does not
necessarily indicate all; it can also have a meaning of most all or can be used as a way of
emphasizing that a situation is prevalent. Secondly, they do not understand that Prophet
(May Allah bless him and give him peace) was referring to specific types of innovation
(i.e. within a restricted scope) with the word bid`ah (mostly concerned with `aqidah
(tenets of beliefs) and the basics of the acts of worship) and not to all matters in din that
come about after his passing away. Thirdly, they do not understand whether or not the
word dalalah always conforms to the haram legal ruling or in some contexts can
correspond to the makruh legal ruling (in actuality, it can correspond to both). The
general conclusion is that if one is not thoroughly trained in Arabic lexicology, it is very
easy to make serious mistakes in deriving beliefs and laws from the primary texts.
g) Some aspects of our din are not stated in clear terms in the primary texts9. To convey
such aspects of the din, the early Muslims (e.g., those living in Madinah shortly after the
Prophet passed away) simply emulated and practiced what they learned from the Prophet
(May Allah bless him and give him peace) without narrating any specific hadith. Thus,
valid practices exist in our din for which there is no clear direct primary text evidence or
there is even an isolated apparently contradictory piece of evidence. [These practices
were later formally recorded in books and taught with words to help preserve them (e.g.,
those recorded by Sahnun al-Sa`id al-Tanukhi in his Mudawwanah).]

8
Similarly, many unqualified contemporary people (especially in Western Academia) have misinterpreted the
secondary texts of our scholars by making similar mistakes.
9
Please refer to the hadith of Abu Hurayrah in which he states that he absorbed from the Prophet (May Allah bless
him and give him peace) two containers of knowledge and he publicly narrated only one of these containers [al-
Bukhari, book of knowledge, chapter on memorizing knowledge, hadith #117]; and there are other proofs for this
statement also.
With this, we ask Allah for forgiveness and hope that He places His blessing in this work as He
can only do.

Abu Qanit al-Sharif al-Hasani,

(Student of Sheikh `Alī Fīlālī)
 Table of References
Two-letter code Book Info

AF
Title: 'Āsān Fiqh
Author: Mu"ammad Yusuf al-I#lā"ī
Age Written: Within past century
Published by: Maktabah Dhikrah, Rām Pūr, U.P, India
Edition Description: two volumes; first volume has 387 numbered pages
Comments: This is an easy-to-understand basic 'anafiī Fiqh book based upon Marāqī
al-Falā" (see MF below). We narrated opinions from this book that conform to the Maliki
school when it was difficult to find a written excerpt from a Maliki book that covers what
we learned from the live traditional Maliki scholars under whom we studied.
Title: American Heritage College Dictionary [of the English Language]

AH
Author: Main editor was Robert B. Costello
Age Written: Within past century
Published by: Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, 1993 C.E.
Edition Description: one volume; third edition; 1630 numbered pages; words listed
in two columns in alphabetical order
Comments: This is a dictionary of the English language that represents the word and
sentence style of the largest native English-speaking population at the present time (i.e. in
North America). We have used the word spellings and style outlined in this dictionary to
write the Guiding Helper texts.

AM
Title: al-Ma`ūnah `Alā Madh-hab `Ālim al-Madīnah
Author: Abu Mu"ammad `Abd al-Wahhab ibn `Ali ibn Na#r al-Bagh!ādī
Age Written: Over 1000 years ago
Published by: Dar al-Kutub al-`Ilmiyyah in Beirut in 1419 A.H. / 1998 C.E.
Edition Description: printed in 2 volumes; 1st volume has 656 numbered pages
Comments: This author did an excellent job at finding the primary text evidence for
the points mentioned in the Mudawwanah al-Kubrah and Ibn Abu Zayd's Risālah.

AQ
Title: al-Arba`ūn al-Qudsiyyah
Author: al-Daktūr `Izz al-Dīn Ibrāhīm and Denys Johnson-Davies
Age Written: Within past century
Published by: Unknown
Edition Description: one volume; 151 numbered pages
Comments: The authors gathered in this book forty hadith in which Allah speaks in
the first person. The English translation of each hadith is given on the facing page.

BU
Title: al-Burhān fī `Ulūm al-Qur'ān
Author: Badr al-Dīn Mu"ammad ibn `Abdullah al-Zarkashi
Age Written: Over 700 years ago
Published by: al-Maktabah al-`A#riyyah, Beirut
Edition Description: four bound volumes; first volume has 508 numbered pages
Comments: In this book, the author basically summarizes all work done with
analyzing the Qur'an from an Arabic literary aspect by the scholars up to his time.

DR
Title: Dalīl al-Rāghbīn ilā al-Riyā! al-"āli"īn
Author: al-Daktūr Fārūq al 'amādah
Age Written: Within past century
Published by: Dar al-Thaqāfah, Casablanca
Edition Description: one volume; 970 numbered pages
Comments: This is a contemporary commentary on Imam al-Nawawi's famous hadith
collection, al-Riyā! al-"āli"īn. In addition to shedding light on some contemporary
matters, this author has done an excellent job in finding the exact locations of each hadith
narrated by Imam al-Nawawi in the greater books of hadith; thus, assuring the reader that
 the hadith narrated by al-Nawawi in this book are actually authentic.

DT
Title: al-Durr al-Thamīn wa al-Mawrid al-Ma`īn Shar" al-Murshid al-Mu`īn
Author: Mu"ammad ibn A"mad Mayyārah
Age Written: Over 300 years ago
Published by: Maktabah al-Manār; Tunis
Edition Description: one volume; 499 numbered pages (not counting indices); a
second book is printed on the lower-half of the page; the lower book is Kha"a" al-Sadād wa
al-Rushd written by al-`Allāmah al-Tatā'ī and is an explanation to Ibn Rushd's metered
verse text, Muqaddamah Ibn Rushd.
Comments: This is the main trusted explanation of Ibn `Ashir's text, al-Murshid al-
Mu`in; the Guiding Helper is based upon Ibn `Ashir's core text.

FI
Title: al-Futu"āt al-Ilāhiyyah Shar" al-Mabā"ith al-A#liyyah
Author: A"mad ibn Mu"ammad ibn `Ajībah al-'asanī
Age Written: About 200 years ago
Published by: Dar al-Fikr
Edition Description: two volumes bound as one; another book is printed on the top
half of the page by the same author; this other book is an explanation of Ibn `Atā'illah's
Hikam (Book of Wise Sayings about the Path to Allah).
Comments: This is a trusted commentary on the brief compendium of spirituality
written by Ibn al-Bannā al-Sarqus(ī. The core text consists of 454 rhyming metered veres
similar in structure to Ibn `Ashir's al-Murshid al-Mu`in.

FQ
Title: al-Tafsīr al-Fat" al-Qadīr
Author: Mu"ammad ibn `Alī ibn Mu"ammad al-Shawkānī
Age Written: About two hundred years ago
Published by: Dar al-Fikr, Beirut
Edition Description: five volumes plus one slim concordance; first volume has 826
numbered pages
Comments: This is a commentary on the Qur'an that gathers what the scholars of both
inductive understanding have said and what the scholars of hadith have said.

HA
Title: al-Hikam al-`A(ā'iyyah
Author: A"mad ibn Mu"ammad ibn `Abd al-Karīm al-Iskandarī
Age Written: Over 700 years ago
Published by: al-Maktabah al-`Arabiyyah, Damascus, Syria
Edition Description: one slim pocket-size paperback volume; 126 numbered pages
Comments: This is a collection of 264 short Arabic pieces of advice about travelling
the Path to Allah.

HL
Title: 'ilyah al-Lubb al-Ma#ūn Shar" al-Jawhar al-Maknūn li al-Akh!arī
Author: Ahmad al-Damanhūrī
Age Written: Commentary was written about two hundred years ago; the base text
was written over four hundred years ago.
Published by: Sharikah al-Maktabah Ma(ba`ah Mu#(afah al-Bābā al-'albā wa
Awlāduh, Cairo, 1950 C.E. : 1370 A.H.; second printing
Edition Description: one volume; 112 numbered pages
Comments: This is an explanation of Imam al-Akh!arī's Rhetoric Text al-Jawhar al-
Maknūn

HM
Title: al-'abl al-Matīn Shar" al-Murshid al-Mu`īn
Author: Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn `Abdullah ibn al-Mubārak al-Fat"ī
Age Written: Within past century
Published by: Maktabah al-Sha`biyyah, Morocco
Edition Description: one slim paperback volume; 80 numbered pages
Comments: This is very short explanation of Ibn `Ashir's text al-Murshid al-Mu`in
upon which the Guiding Helper is based. This text is a very useful summary of al-Durr al-
Thamin (see DT above).
HU
Title: al-'ajj wa al-`Umrah
Author: `Abd al-Mu((alib Rif`ah Fawran
Age Written: Within past century
Published by: Maktabah al-Khanjī, Cairo, 1990 C.E.
Edition Description: one volume; first edition
Comments: This is general book about the laws of 'ajj and `Umrah.
Title: Hans Wehr [English] Dictionary of Modern Standard Arabic

HW
Author: Hans Wehr and J.M. Cowan
Age Written: Within past century
Published by: Spoken Language Services, Inc., New York
Edition Description: one volume small paperback; 1110 numbered pages
Comments: This is a semi-reliable dictionary of the Arabic language for those whose
academic language is English.

IA
Title: 'I"kām al-'A"kām Sharh Tu"fah al-'ukkām
Author: Mu"ammad ibn Yusuf al-Kāfī
Age Written: About 600 years ago
Published by: Dar al-Kutub al-`Ilmiyyah, Beirut
Edition Description: one slim hardcover volume; 310 numbered pages
Comments: This is a trusted commentary on the Spanish scholar's, Abu Bakr ibn
`Asim, Gift for the Judges metered verse text; this book is taught at Qarawayin University.

ID
Title: I"yā' `Ulūm al-Din
Author: Abu al-Hamid al-Ghazālī
Age Written: Over 800 years ago
Published by: Dār al-Kitāb al-`Arabī
Edition Description: printed in 6 volumes; this edition also gives the universal
references for the hadith that are narrated by al-Ghazāli; 3095 numbered pages excluding
the appendices and indices; the page number we refer to is that which counts from the very
start of the first volume.
Comments: This is a book which contains a synopsis of many aspects of the din the
Prophet (May Allah bless him and give him peace) brought viewed from an illuminated
spiritual aspect

IH
Title: 'Īqā!* al-Himam Shar" al-'ikam al-`A(ā'iyyah
Author: A"mad ibn Mu"ammad ibn `Ajībah al-'asanī
Age Written: About 200 years ago
Published by: Dar al-Fikr
Edition Description: two volumes bound as one; another book is printed on the
lower half of the page by the same author; this other book is an explanation of Ibn Banna
al-Sarqus(i's al-Mabahith al-Alasliyyah `an Jumlah al-Tarīq al-"ūfīyyah.
Comments: This is a trusted commentary on brief compendium of spirituality written
by Ibn `A(ā'illah al-Iskandarī. The core text consists of short phrases that describe some
practical subject matter for those travelling the Path to Allah.

IK
Title: Tafsīr al-Qur'ān al-`A!*īm li Ibn Kathīr
Author: `Imād al-Dīn Abu Fadā' Ismā`īl ibn KathIr
Age Written: Over 700 years ago
Published by: `Ālam al-Kutub in Beirut in 1413 A.H. / 1993 C.E.
Edition Description: printed in 4 volumes; 1st volume has 573 numbered pages
Comments: This is a trusted commentary on the Glorious Qur'ān in which the author
has heavily relied on the verses of the Qur'ān themselves, sayings of the Prophet (May
Allah bless him and give him peace), and narrations from the early Muslims to perform an
exegesis.
IU
Title: `Ilm al-'U#ūl al-Fiqh
Author: `Abd al-Wahhāb al-Khallāf
Age Written: Within past century
Published by: Dar al-Qalam, Cairo
Edition Description: one volume; 236 numbered pages
Comments: In this book the author summarizes the law derivation methods used by the
traditional scholars of our din.

JA
Title: al-Jāmi` li A"kām al-Qur'ān
Author: Imam al-Qur(ubi (Mu"ammad ibn A"mad ibn Abu Bakr ibn Farah)
Age Written: Over 700 years ago
Published by: Unknown
Edition Description: Multiple volumes; some bound volumes contain more than
one volume
Comments: This is a trusted book which shows how the traditional scholars of our din
derived their laws from the Qur'an; this book is taught at Qarawayin University

JI
Title: al-Jāmi` fī A"ādith al-`Ībādāt
Author: `Abd al-"alām ibn Mu"ammad ibn `Umar
Age Written: Within Past Century
Published by: Dar ibn Hazm 1999
Edition Description: three volumes
Comments: This is a book that gathers together Prophetic statements and actions
about the common acts of worship.

KA
Title: Kitāb al-Adhkār al-Nabawiyyah (al-Nawawiyyah)
Author: Abu Zakariyyah Ya"yah ibn Sharaf al-Nawawī
Age Written: Over 600 years ago
Published by: Dar al-Fikr
Edition Description: one volume; 363 numbered pages before indices
Comments: In this book, the author gathered the verbal remembrances that the Prophet
(May Allah bless him and give him peace) used to make at various occasions. Thus, he
contributed to the preservation of this knowledge until the end of the world.

KF
Title: al-Khulā#ah al-Fiqhiyyah
Author: Muhammad al-`Arabi al-Qarawi
Age Written: Within past century
Published by: Dar al-Qalam, Beirut
Edition Description: one volume; new easier edition 213 numbered pages
Comments: The author has basically summarized Mukhtasar Khalil and Aqrab al-
Masalik, two trusted sources of the Maliki school; this book is taught at Qarawayin
University; this book is laid out in a question and answer format

KH
Title: al-Khurashī `Alā Mukhta#ar Sidī Khalīl
Author: Muhammad al-Khurashī al-Maliki
Age Written: Over 300 years ago.
Published by: Dār al-Fikr; reprint of 1317 A.H. / 1900 C.E.
Edition Description: 8 volumes bound as 4 volumes; each bound volume actually
contains 2 volumes; 1st volume contains 356 numbered pages; the volume number we refer
to corresponds to the actual contextual volume number and not the bound volume number.
Comments: This is a trusted commentary on Khalil ibn Is"āq's Concise Text; On the
margins there is a commentary on Khurashi's words given by `Alī al-`Adawī. When we
refer to Khurashi's internal commentary, we prefix an 'I' to the line number and when we
refer to al-`Adawi's marginal commentary, we prefix a 'M' to the line number.
LM
Title: al-Lu'lu' wa al-Marjān Fīmā t-tafaqa `alayhi al-Shaykhān
Author: Mu"ammad Fu'ād `Abd al-Bāqī
Age Written: About two hundred years ago
Published by: Dar al-Fikr
Edition Description: three volumes; first volume has 250 numbered pages
Comments: This a excellent book for beginners interested in studying the primary
texts that gathers together the common hadith of "a"ī" Muslim and "a"ī" Bukhāri.
Additionally, there is much useful information in the footnote commentary A total of 1906
hadith are listed.

MA
Title: Matn Ibn `Āshir
Author: A"mad ibn `Alī ibn `Abd al-Wa"id ibn `Āshir
Age Written: About 700 years ago.
Published by: Maktabah al-Wa"dah al`Arabiyyah in 1989 C.E.
Edition Description: One slim paperback volume; 32 numbered pages
Comments: This pamphlet first gives all 314 lines of Ibn `Ashir' text al-Murshid al-
Mu`īn and then explains briefly how to perform wet ablution and the formal prayer
according to the Maliki school; this pamphlet ends with the famous Jibra'il hadith about the
three parts of din that is narrated in "a"ī" Muslim.

MF
Title: Marāqi al-Falā" bi 'Imdād al-Fatta" Sharh Nūr al-'Ī!ā"
Author: 'asan ibn `Ammār ibn `Alī al-Sharanbalālī
Age Written: A few hundred years ago
Published by: Maktabah Dār al-Bāz, Makkah
Edition Description: one volume; only 278 numbered pages
Comments: This is an explanation of the basic 'anafiī core text, al-Nūr al-'Ī!ā". We
narrated opinions from this book that conform to the Maliki school when it was difficult to
find a written excerpt from a Maliki book that covered what we learned from the live
traditional Maliki scholars under whom we studied.

MK
Title: al-Mudawwanah al-Kubrā (wa ma`ahā Muqaddimāt Ibn Rushd)
Author: Sa"nūn Sa`īd al-Tanūkhī
Age Written: Over 1100 years ago
Published by: Dār al-Fikr in 1411 A.H. / 1991 C.E.
Edition Description: 4 volumes; 1st volume contains 434 numbered pages
excluding index.
Comments: This is the original core text of the Māliki School of Jurisprudence; all
subsequent books about Maliki Fiqh have been based partially or totally on this original
work which contains the written transcript of many question and answer sessions of Imam
Malik's student `Abd al-Ra"mān ibn Qāsim with Sa"nūn Sa`īd al-Tanūkhī; Ibn Rushd's
notes about the points in the Mudawwanah are printed on the lower half of the page
without any direct coordination with the text at the top of the page.

MM
Title: Majmū` Muhimmāt al-Mutūn
Author: There are multiple authors quoted in this book; we have narrated sections
written by Ibrāhīm al-Bayjūrī, Muhammad ibn Yūsuf al-Sunūsī al-'usaynī, Ibrāhīm ibn
Hārūn al-Laqqāni, and `Abd al-Ra"mān al-Akh!arī)
Age Written: Most of the texts quoted range from over 600 years ago to over 100
years ago.
Published by: Dar al-Kutub al`Ilmiyyah in Beirut in 1994 C.E.
Edition Description: one volume; 518 numbered pages
Comments: This is a collection of 66 authentic secondary core texts written by
multiple authors in disparate time periods and about differing subjects. This is a trusted
book which is taught at Qarawayin University
MW
Title: al-Muwa((a' al-Imām Malik
Author: Malik ibn Anas ibn Abu `Āmir al-A#ba"ī
Age Written: Over 1200 years ago
Published by: Idārah al-Nashriyāt al-Islām
Edition Description: one volume; 702 numbered pages
Comments: This is the most famous book that Imam Malik wrote; although to the
undiscerning reader, this may look like a regular hadith book or a rudimentary fiqh manual,
it is much more than that; it is the first book that divided up the study of Jurisprudence into
distinct chapters; it is provable that the formal study of Jurisprudence would not have been
possible (even outside the Maliki school) had not this work or a similar work been written
(as people would be unable to learn and teach the complex laws without any basic
framework that logically divided up the material); all subsequent books about
Jurisprudence up until our time (including the Guiding Helper) are organized in almost
exactly the same manner as the Muwa((ah. This provision of a basic framework to work
with has been and currently is the role of the Muwattah in regards to Jurisprudence.
However, the Muwattah never was and currently is not considered a comprehensive book
of hadith or a practical fiqh manual (such as the Guiding Helper) that one can follow; those
who find in the Muwattah evidence that contradicts the sayings of the later Maliki scholars
should not jump to the conclusion that Imam Malik held an opinion different from his later
followers. Imam Malik never intended the written Muwattah to act as a fiqh manual.
Rather, he verbally taught the knowledge of Jurisprudence to his students who accurately
recorded his positions later. It is from the later narration and recording of his verbal
statements that the Maliki school derives its material and not solely from his written words
in the Muwattah.

NN
Title: al-Nukhbah al-Nubhāniyyah Shar" al-Bayqūniyyah
Author: Mu"ammad ibn Khalīfah ibn 'amd al-Mūsā
Age Written: About one hundred years ago
Published by: Mu#(afah al-Bābā al-'albā wa Awlāduh, Cairo, 1938 C.E. : 1357 A.H.
Edition Description: one slim paperback volume; 54 numbered pages
Comments: This is an explanation of the Hadith Terminology text al-Bayqūniyyah

QF
Title: al-Qawānīn al-Fiqhiyyah
Author: Ibn Juzayy al-Kalbi
Age Written: Over 600 years ago
Published by: Dar al-Fikr, Beirut
Edition Description: one volume; new cleaner edition 387 numbered pages
Comments: This is a trusted book which compares the Maliki school with the other
schools of Jurisprudence; this book is taught at Qarawayin University

QM
Title: al-Qāmūs al-Mu"ī(
Author: Majd al-Din Mu"ammad ibn Ya`qūb al-Fayrūzābādī
Age Written: Over 600 years ago
Published by: Mu'assasah al-Risalah, Beirut
Edition Description: All four volumes of the original dictionary have been bound
as one single think dictionary-type two-column-layout book; 1872 numbered pages
Comments: This is an amazing summary of a ninety plus volume dictionary of the
Arabic Language known as al-Tāj al`Urūs

QU
Title: al-Qur'ān al-Karīm
Author: Allah Most High
Age Revealed: Revealed to Prophet Muhammad (May Allah bless him and give him
peace) about fourteen hundred years ago
Published by: Dar al-`Ulum al-Qur'ān, Damascus, Syria
Edition Description: one volume; 15 lines on a page, 604 pages excluding
introduction and appendices.
Comments: This copy of the Qur'an follows the exact same format and layout as the
millions of Qur'ans produced in the Arabian Peninsula during the last fifty years, which
have found their ways to the ends of the world. This Qur'an is in the popular 'af# reading
and follows the verse number conventions of the Qur'ans issued from the Arabian
 Peninsula.

QW
Title: al-Mu`jam (al-Qāmūs) al-Wajīz
Author: Main Editor was Ibrāhim Madkūr
Age Written: Within past century
Published by: Sharikah al-'I`lānāt al-Sharqiyyah
Edition Description: one volume; 687 numbered pages
Comments: This is a useful brief Arabic-to-Arabic; it contains some illustrative
diagrams also.

SA
Title: Sharh al-Hikam al-`A(a'iyyah li Ibn `Abbād al-Rundī
Author: Ma"ammad ibn Ibrāhīm al-Ma`rūf bi Ibn `Abbād
Age Written: Over 600 years ago.
Published by: Sharikah Maktabah wa Ma(ba`ah Mus(afā al-Bābā al-'albā, Egypt in
1939 C.E.
Edition Description: two volumes bound as one; 112 numbered pages in each
volume; there is another explanation of the Hikam printed on the margins by Sheikh al-
Sharqāwī
Comments: This is a famous commentary on Ibn `Ata'illah al-Iskandari's collection of
264 wise sayings about the Path to Allah; the author was the imam of Qarawayin masjid in
his time; additionally, the author was the star student of Ibn `Ashir.

SM
Title: "a"ī" Muslim by Imam Muslim
Translator: Abul Hamid Siddiqi
Age Written: This past century.
Published by: Nusrat Ali Nasri for Kitab Bhavan, India
Edition Description: 7th Edition in four volumes
Comments: This translation of Sahih Muslim has some useful footnote commentary.

Title: Sharh Sullam al-Munawraqi

SM
Author: al-Shaykh al-Mulawwī Ahmad ibn `Abd al-Fattā"
Age Written: About one hundred years ago
Published by: Sharikah al-Maktabah Ma(ba`ah Muhammad `Alī "abī" wa Awlāduh,
Cairo, Egypt
Edition Description: one volume; second edition; 78 numbered pages
Comments: This is an explanation of `Abd al-Rahman al-Akhdari's famous Logic
text, which he wrote at age twenty-one.

TF
Title: al-Tanbih al-Fikr ilā 'aqīqah al-Dhikr
Author: Mu"ammad Adīb Kalkal
Age Written: Within past century
Published by: Maktabah al-`Arabiyyah, Damascus
Edition Description: one volume; 224 numbered pages
Comments: This is a contemporary book that illustrates that remembering Allah
verbally and in the heart is traceable back to authentic sources in our din.

UF
Title: U#ūl al-Fiqh al-Islāmī
Author: al-Daktūr Wahbah al-Za"īlī, Professor at Damascus University
Age Written: Within past century
Published by: Dar al-Fikr, Damascus
Edition Description: two volumes; first volume has 728 numbered pages
Comments: In this book, this contemporary scholar of our time does a magnificent
job at gathering together the derivation methods for specific laws in our din used by
traditional scholars such as Imam Malik, Imam al-Shāfi`I, and Imam Abu 'anīfah. Most
of the information we narrate in the notes for Song 4: The Legal Rulings is taken from the
narrated views of the Maliki scholars in this excellent book. Sheikh `Ali al-Fīlālī himself
hand-picked this and many other of the books listed in this Table of References.
 Notes of Sources for Explanatory Text
In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Powerful
(Last revised November 29, 2001)
© The Guiding Helper Foundation 2001
General and unrestricted permission for the altered1 or unaltered duplication of this text is granted.
(In plain English: Make as many copies as you want for free.
Additionally, you can improve on this work by publishing a more polished version.)

2
1 Guiding Helper Footnote #1

Excerpt:3

Proof(s):4

5
[P6: QU7:8 volume 19: page 110: line(s) 311: {al -Qur'an, chapter 1, verse 212}]

1
Unlike the Guiding Helper Main Text and Guiding Helper Explanatory Notes which we do not want anybody to alter, we highly
encourage those of the present and future to produce their own version of these notes of sources giving even more secondary and
primary proofs to back up the positions that we narrate and we pray that Allah gives such good-intending people a myriad of pleasant
experiences in this world and the next.
2
This heading informs readers of the line number of the Guiding Helper that is being backed up with secondary and/or primary text
evidence.
3
For purposes of brevity, the actual footnote excerpt text is not shown in this draft version. You may find the actual footnote text by
referring to the Guiding Helper Explanatory Notes book.
4
The second section of each heading holds the source locating notation for the secondary and/or primary text evidence for the subject
matter discussed in the footnote being backed up. No translation is given in this draft version.
5
The source locating notation that we are using in this book has six distinct parts to it.
6
The first part of the source locating notation informs you if whether the source corresponds to a primary text or a secondary text. If
the source locating notation corresponds to a primary text (i.e. Qur'an or Hadith), a 'P' is listed; if it corresponds to a secondary text
(i.e. saying of an authentic scholar), an 'S' is listed.
7
The second part of the source locating notation consists of two capital letters which stand for one of the books listed in the Table of
References shown in the Foreword. (just before this page). These two capital letters indicate from which book the above excerpt was
translated from. [In this case (i.e. QU), the book is the Qur'an.]
8
The six parts of the source locating notation are each separated by a colon and then a space (i.e. ": ").
9
The third part of the source locating notation displays the volume number in which the translated excerpt appears in the specific
published edition listed in the Table of References. If there is only one volume for a particular work, volume 1 is shown.
10
The fourth part of the source locating notation shows the page number in which the translated excerpt appears in the specific
published edition listed in the Table of References. In this case, the page number is 2.
11
The fifth part of the source locating notation shows the exact line number(s) in which the translated excerpt appears in the specific
published edition listed in the Table of References. In this case, the line number is 4.
When counting lines, we have started at the top below the header and have counted all lines which contain letters or words on them
(including titles of chapters and sections).
Additionally, for those weird books which have books nested within them, we have used an 'I' to indicate that the internal book's line
number is being quoted and 'M' to denote that the number corresponds to the marginal notes.
12
The sixth and last part of the source locating notation is enclosed in curly braces and holds the edition-independent locating notation
of the translated excerpt. This needs to be done because many publishing houses in the Arabic world often print the exact same book
1
 The Guiding Helper

in a totally different format. Thus, volume numbers, page numbers, and line numbers are useless to people who hold the same book
published by a different company.
The edition-independent locating notation tries to give contextual hints on finding the excerpt which is being quoted. In this case, the
excerpt is from verse number 2 counting from the start of Ibn `Ashir's text. Thus, people who do not have the specific published
edition that we are referring to can still find the translated excerpt in its original Arabic form.
If readers feel that the primary or secondary textual evidence which we narrate is insufficient or inappropriate, then they still should not
jump to the conclusion that no such primary or secondary textual evidence exists. The most probable cause of such a weak proof is
inadequate resources available to us at the time of writing these Notes of Sources.
Those of the future are requested to search for and find better and more appropriate primary and secondary textual proofs for the points
of the Guiding Helper and produce their own polished versions of these particular Notes of Sources; and we pray to Allah to give such
people tremendous pleasurable things and experiences in this world and in the next for engaging in such work (even if their efforts do
not bear fruit in this world).
Additionally, we kindly ask those of the future to refrain from narrating evidence in their version of these Notes which disproves or
goes against a point mentioned in the Guiding Helper as such will just cause discord and confusion for the masses and is not of much
benefit. The people who find contradictory evidence should trust that the scholars whom we have quoted were aware of such evidence,
but knew better. Such people should also remember that Allah accepts acts that are sincerely done for Him based upon what an expert
scholar (e.g., Imam Malik) has said even if his opinion was in actuality incorrect.
If the source locating notation for a primary text translation does not consist of five parts, it is because we did not have the resources
available (e.g., time) to produce such notation. We hope that those of the future will engage in such polishing of these Notes of
Sources that we have made available and produce their own editions; and again we pray to Allah to give such people tremendous,
enormous, colossal, and huge rewards in this world and in the next for engaging in such work (even if their efforts do not bear fruit in
this world).
For some hadiths acting as primary textual evidence, we have listed the source locating notation for a popular book in which the hadith
appears and then have listed the authentic collection in which the hadith appears. Thus, people who do not have the authentic
collection or a concordance to the authentic collections can still find the hadith in the popular book which we have listed.
You will notice that the original Arabic of the primary or secondary text is not shown in these Notes of Sources. The main reason for
this is that we currently do not have the time to engage in such manual entering of Arabic letters into the computer word processor.
Those of the future may wish to produce editions of these Notes which show the original Arabic along with the translation. However,
people who know Arabic can easily find the original excerpts in the widely available published books that we refer to.
2
Notes of Sources for Explanatory Text

2 Guiding Helper Footnote #2

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[P: QU: volume 1: page x: line(s) x: {al -Qur'an, chapter 22, verse 54}]

3 Guiding Helper Footnote #3

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[P: QU: volume 1: page x: line(s) x: {al -Qur'an, chapter 2, verse 38}]

[P: QU: volume 1: page x: line(s) x: {al -Qur'an, chapter 72, verse 13-15}]

4 Guiding Helper Footnote #4

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[S: DT: volume 1: page 11: line(s) 19-21: { }]

[S: HM: volume 1: page 10: line(s) 14-15: { }]

[P: JA: volume 1: page 141: hadith 511: {al-Tabarani #10439}]

5 Guiding Helper Footnote #8

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[S: QF: volume 1: page 98: line(s) 20: { }]

3
The Guiding Helper

6 Guiding Helper Footnote #15

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[P: QU: volume 1: page x: line(s) x: {al -Qur'an, chapter 25, verse 1}]

7 Guiding Helper Footnote #17

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[S: QF: volume 1: page 6: line(s) 17-18: { }]

8 Guiding Helper Footnote #19

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[S: DT: volume 1: page 16: line(s) 18-20, 25: { }]

9 Guiding Helper Footnote #20

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[S: DT: volume 1: page 17: line(s) 5-6: { }]

10 Guiding Helper Footnote #22

Excerpt:

Proof(s):
4
Notes of Sources for Explanatory Text
[S: DT: volume 1: page 17: line(s) 12, 19-20: { }]

11 Guiding Helper Footnote #23

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[S: DT: volume 1: page 17: line(s) 19-21: { }]

12 Guiding Helper Footnote #24

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[S: MK: volume 1: page 15: line(s) 8-10: { }]

[S: MK: volume 1: page 13: line(s) 24-28: { }]

[S: MK: volume 1: page 14: line(s) 9-10: { }]

[S: DT: volume 1: page 18: line(s) 11-14: { }]

13 Guiding Helper Footnote #26

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[S: DT: volume 1: page 18-19: line(s) a.15u-b.4: { }]

14 Guiding Helper Footnote #27

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[S: SA: volume 1: page 53: line(s) 5-7: { }]

5
The Guiding Helper

15 Guiding Helper Footnote #30

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[S: MM: volume 1: page 70: line(s) 20: { }]

16 Guiding Helper Footnote #31

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[S: MM: volume 1: page 19: line(s) 2: { }]

17 Guiding Helper Footnote #34

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[S: DT: volume 1: page 17: line(s) 14-15: { }]

18 Guiding Helper Footnote #35

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[S: MM: volume 1: page 32: line(s) 12-13: { }]

19 Guiding Helper Footnote #36

Excerpt:
6
Notes of Sources for Explanatory Text
Proof(s):

[S: MM: volume 1: page 32: line(s) 14-16: { }]

20 Guiding Helper Footnote #38

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[S: MM: volume 1: page 32: line(s) 19: { }]

[S: MM: volume 1: page 33: line(s) 1: { }]

21 Guiding Helper Footnote #42

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[S: DT: volume 1: page 20: line(s) 19: { }]

22 Guiding Helper Footnote #43

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[S: DT: volume 1: page 21: line(s) 1: { }]

23 Guiding Helper Footnote #44

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[S: DT: volume 1: page 20: line(s) 17-18: { }]

7
The Guiding Helper
24 Guiding Helper Footnote #45

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[S: DT: volume 1: page 21: line(s) 23-24: { }]

25 Guiding Helper Footnote #46

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[S: DT: volume 1: page 21: line(s) 24: { }]

26 Guiding Helper Footnote #47

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[S: DT: volume 1: page 21: line(s) 24-25: { }]

27 Guiding Helper Footnote #48

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[S: DT: volume 1: page 43: line(s) 1: { }]

28 Guiding Helper Footnote #49

Excerpt:

Proof(s):
Refer to proofs for footnotes 51-52.
8
Notes of Sources for Explanatory Text

29 Guiding Helper Footnote #50

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[S: DT: volume 1: page 22: line(s) 20-25: { }]

30 Guiding Helper Footnote #51

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[S: DT: volume 1: page 22: line(s) 2, 6-7: { }]

31 Guiding Helper Footnote #52

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[S: DT: volume 1: page 22: line(s) 2, 4-5: { }]

32 Guiding Helper Footnote #55

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[S: DT: volume 1: page 23: line(s) 21-22: { }]

[S: DT: volume 1: page 24: line(s) 1-3: { }]

[P: QU: volume 1: page x: line(s) x: {al -Qur'an, chapter 41, verse 40}]

[S: KH: volume 8: page 78: line(s) 9: { }]

[S: DT: volume 1: page 45: line(s) 1-3: { }]

9
The Guiding Helper
33 Guiding Helper Footnote #56

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[S: DT: volume 1: page 24: line(s) 17-19: { }]

34 Guiding Helper Footnote #59

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[S: DT: volume 1: page 24: line(s) 9: { }]

[S: DT: volume 1: page 45: line(s) 18-23: { }]

35 Guiding Helper Footnote #60

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[P: QU: volume 1: page x: line(s) x: {al -Qur'an, chapter 21, verse 69}]

36 Guiding Helper Footnote #61

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[S: QF: volume 1: page 15: line(s) 2-3: { }]

[P: QU: volume 1: page x: line(s) x: {al -Qur'an, chapter 5, verse 110}]

[S: QF: volume 1: page 15: line(s) 3-6: { }]

[S: QF: volume 1: page 15: line(s) 12: { }]

[S: DT: volume 1: page 54: line(s) 11: { }]

10
Notes of Sources for Explanatory Text
[S: DT: volume 1: page 54: line(s) 15: { }]

[S: DT: volume 1: page 54: line(s) 10: { }]

37 Guiding Helper Footnote #66

Excerpt:

Proof(s):

[S: QF: volume 1: page 15: line(s) 3-6: { }]

11
The Guiding Helper

12