Imam al-Nawawi and the combination of criticism of science and its ethics

In my articles for the past two weeks, I have discussed two issues:

The two issues are closely related to scientific criticism for two aspects:

• Distinguish between the personal and the scientific according to sound criteria.

• The necessary overlap between science and its ethics.

These two sides help us understand the intellectual and personal dimensions of disputes, and we avoid entering into them as a party, imitation or partisanship. The decline in educational attainment Some of those affiliated with science became tired of criticism or confused between the personal and the scientific, because they centered around the personal dimension and preoccupied themselves with individual status, which affected the “purposiveness” of educational attainment and its practice, and prompted them to focus on the personalization of any criticism and neglect of the content, due to personal rivalries or conflict status or power, whether material or symbolic.

I saw that the book “Al-Tankeeh fi Sharh al-Waseet” written by Imam Muhyi al-Din al-Nawawi (676 AH) as a comment on the book “Al-Wasiti fi al-Madhhab” Shafi’i by Imam Abi Hamid al-Ghazali (505 AH) is suitable as a model for this meaning that we are discussing.

Al-Nawawi presented the book "The Revision" with a rich introduction that deserves consideration and analysis, on the one hand that it is exemplary in the scientific, methodological and moral sense, and on the one hand it completes our discussion in the previous two articles, as it relates to my previous critical articles on the pages of Al-Jazeera Net, and on the one hand it may help to restore consideration For critical discussion in the field of science and in accordance with its traditions in which the scientific is intertwined with the moral, and is centered around the idea and the search for the right, the most likely, or the best, far from personalization.

I will make this article on two axes:

• In the first of them, I tell a part of the biography of Al-Ghazali's book "The Mediator", because it is the mainstay of speech here and so that the reader is aware of the background and context of the discussion, because this is a condition for a complete understanding of the critical discussion presented by Al-Nawawi.

• As for the second axis, I will analyze the introduction of al-Nawawi to the book "The Revision", to show the central idea around which this article revolves, as previously stated.

As for Al-Ghazali's book "The Mediator", it has great importance, and this importance is due to several aspects as follows:

• The first aspect: Al-Ghazali’s personality, his scientific standing, and his distinction from his beginnings until his sheikh, the Imam of the Two Holy Mosques Al-Juwayni (478 AH), described him as a “water-filled sea.” Some books of biographers described him as “one of the smartest people in the world.” An-Nawawi, on his authority - as will come later - that he is "the owner of demonstrative sciences."

• The second aspect: the influence of al-Ghazali in jurisprudence in general and in the Shafi’i school of thought in particular, as he was able, with his encyclopedia, to leave a great impact in the field of jurisprudence in general, through his four books in the Shafi’i school of thought, namely: Al-Basit, Al-Waseet, Al-Wajeez, and Al-Khalasah. Al-Waseet is an abbreviation for the simple, and Al-Wajeez is an abbreviation for the mediator. He wrote “The Mediator” after the book “Revival of Religious Sciences,” and he is referred to in the book “The Mediator” in about 6 places. A substitute for jurisprudence and not degrading its value as some of them imagined.

  
  

  Al-Nawawi explained the impact of the book "The Mediator" in at least two of his books, and he said in the revision, "And God, the Generous, the Wise, inspired our later companions from the time of Al-Ghazali to our day to work with this book in all their countries, near and far."

These four books made Al-Ghazali one of the pillars of the school of thought, and the owner of a brick from the building blocks of its liberation, if we look at the developments of the school of thought, which begins with the books of Imam Muhammad bin Idris Al-Shafi’i (204 AH) and his companions such as Abu Ibrahim Al-Muzani (264 AH) and Abu Yaqoub Al-Buwaiti (231 AH), then wrote an imam Al-Haramayn and Abi Ishaq Al-Shirazi (476 AH) and Al-Ghazali's jurisprudence books that were built on "Nihaayat Al-Muttalib" by Al-Juwayni.

Ibn Khalkan said about “Nihaayat al-Muttalib” “what was written in Islam like it,” and it is printed and circulated, and it is an abbreviation from the books of Al-Shafi’i and his companions, then comes the contribution of the two sheikhs of the school of thought, namely Abd Al-Karim Al-Rafi’i (623 AH) and Al-Nawawi, both of whom worked with the books of Al-Ghazali, so Al-Rafi’i He explained "Al-Wajeez" by Al-Ghazali in a book he called "Fath Al-Aziz" and left an important impact on the doctrine.

Al-Nawawi also summarized the book "Fath Al-Aziz" by Al-Rafi'i in a book he called "Rawdat Al-Talibeen", and it is a pillar in the doctrine, in which Al-Nawawi himself said, "Whoever obtains it surrounds the doctrine and obtains the most complete trust in him."

Al-Rafi'i had abbreviated Al-Wajeez by Al-Ghazali in a book he called Al-Muharrir, then Al-Nawawi came and abbreviated it in a book he called Al-Minhaj.

Al-Nawawi clarified the impact of the book “Al-Wasit” in at least two of his books, and he said in the revision, “And God, the Generous, the Wise, inspired our later companions from the time of Al-Ghazali to our day to preoccupy themselves with this book in all their countries, near and far. And the distinguished, for what he collected of virtues and valuables.

He also said in the introduction to the book “Al-Majmoo’ Sharh Al-Muhadhdhab” about the two books “Al-Mohadhdhab” by Al-Shirazi and “Al-Wasit” by Al-Ghazali, “In these two books are the lessons of teachers and the research of the investigators, and the preservation of the students who cared in the past and in these times in all aspects and regions.”

Because of Al-Ghazali, the Shafi’is distinguished themselves in classifying and categorizing jurisprudence, to the extent that the Maliki jurist Abu Muhammad ibn Shas described the work of Al-Ghazali in the book “Al-Wajeez”, which is abbreviated from “Al-Waseet”, as having reached “the ultimate goal of liberation.”

A number of scholars explained the “mediator” and others summarized it, and a number of them wrote comments on it, as did Ibn Abi al-Dam (642 AH), Abu Amr ibn al-Salah (643 AH), al-Nawawi (676 AH) and others.

The Hanafi jurist Ibn Abdeen (1252 AH) was aware of this, and he said, "The Shafi'i school of thought - now - revolves around the books of Al-Ghazali, as he revised the school and summarized it with the simple, the mediator, the brief, and the summary, and the books of the two sheikhs (meaning Al-Rafi'i and Al-Nawawi) are taken from his books."

It has been said that Imam Saif al-Din al-Amidi (631 AH), who is also numbered in the “Smart Ones of the World,” memorized the “Wasit,” and Imam Taj al-Din al-Subki (771 AH) narrates on the authority of his father, Imam Taqi al-Din al-Subki (756 AH) “And as for al-Muhadhdhab (by Shirazi ) and the mediator (by Al-Ghazali), so (Sheikh Taqi Al-Din) often conveyed their phrases with the F and the Waw, as if he had studied them!

The third - and it is the most important - is that Al-Ghazali’s mentality and his skill in classification, arrangement, branching, reasoning, and linking the partial to the whole appeared in his books of jurisprudence, as it appeared in his fundamentalist books as well. So he entered into it marriage and its followers). There is more elegance in improving the arrangement, and more subtlety in revision and refinement.

Because of Al-Ghazali, the Shafi’is distinguished themselves in the classification and classification of jurisprudence, so that the Maliki jurist Abu Muhammad ibn Shas (616 AH) described Sana’a Al-Ghazali in the book “Al-Wajeez”, which is abbreviated from “Al-Waseet”, as having reached “the ultimate end of liberation.” Therefore, Ibn Shas followed suit in arranging Branches of Malik's doctrine in a book called "The Contract of Precious Jewels", then Abu Amr ibn al-Hajib (646 AH) came, so he followed Ibn Shas and shortened his book, and Ibn Shas' book remained a teaching course in Egypt, Andalusia and Morocco for a long period of time.

It is noteworthy here that Ibn Qadi Shahba mentioned that Al-Ghazali added in “Al-Waseet” matters from the book “Al-Ibanah” by Abi Al-Qasim Al-Furani (461 AH) and that “from them he took this good arrangement that is in his books,” and Ibn Al-Imad (1089 AH) followed him on this.

Al-Furani was the presenter of the Shafi’i jurists in Maro, and he is a Pharaonic fundamentalist who took jurisprudence from Abu Bakr Al-Qaffal Al-Shashi (465 AH), and the Shafi’i presidency ended with him, “and he has good faces in the doctrine,” but I did not see any of the jurists indicating that, but rather excluded him also, because Al-Furani - As Taj al-Din al-Subki said - he was an imam who memorized the school of thought, and Imam al-Juwayni was very critical of him and his understanding of some issues, despite the criticism of the sheikhs of the school of al-Juwayni's sharpness in criticizing al-Furani, although he did not name him.

Because of this importance and status of the book "The Mediator", it called for critical discussion, which represented an episode in the development of the Shafi'i school of thought and the liberation of its issues. In the following:

• The first: An-Nawawi’s vision and purpose that governs his preoccupation with writing and authorship in general, which is worship, drawing closer to God Almighty, and doing good. In it are the owners of pure souls.” Al-Nawawi defines - with these words - the purpose of his preoccupation with knowledge, and corrects the intention for God Almighty, and combines the scientific and moral dimensions, as learning leads to more creation, and mastery in knowledge is reached by the pure souls who have obtained the introductions of that, and despite the nuclear’s mastery in A number of sciences, he considers that the “jurisprudential branches” are the most important types of sciences “because all people lack them in all cases.”

• The second: explaining the reasons for choosing the book “Al-Wasit” without others to comment on it despite the large number of works in Shafi’i jurisprudence, which did not detract from their value to justify his choice of this book, but rather made it clear - in general - that it contains “rulings, rules, and noble values”, but he chose “ Al-Waseet” for several considerations based on the fact that it is “the best of them in collection and arrangement, brevity and summarization, restraint and categorization, rooting and preparatory”, in addition to His Majesty Al-Ghazali himself, who acquired “the demonstrative sciences” as previously, in addition to what was previously explained - on the tongue of Al-Nawawi in his introduction to the revision - From the good reception of the Shafi’i jurists of the book “Al-Wasit” throughout the ages.

• The third: the legitimacy of the “revision” of the book “Al-Waseet”, whose value was clear in the foregoing from two sides: its structure and arrangement, and the good reception of the school’s jurists and their influence on it. The late sheikhs of the sect are those whose sayings, discipline and weightings are trusted because of what is the doctrine of the definition. He saw in the “mediator” types that must be known for those who want to rely on the book and collect it, and then he saw that it is his duty to explain what is denied to the “mediator”, so that he can be trusted and relied upon. To him (do not demolish it, as some contemporaries do with the actions of others!), and to make it clear who obtained the “mediator” the face of the fatwa from him “with what he approved or appreciated of the rulings” in the expression of al-Nawawi.

• Fourth: An explanation of his approach in the book. Al-Nawawi counted 12 types of comments on Al-Ghazali in the book “Al-Wasit”, and in these types we can distinguish between two groups in which science and its ethics overlap:

As for the first group, it revolves around “editing” the branches of the Shafi’i school of thought, and the correct and weak sayings in it, and types fall under it, including: what Al-Ghazali made a mistake about in terms of rulings (i.e., in view of what is the school of thought by definition), including his assertion of the possibility of his Sheikh Al-Juwayni and his neglect of the text of Al-Shafi’i, and the companions Contrary to it, including: its weighting contrary to the most likely of Al-Shafi ' i and the companions, to other types.

As for the second group, it revolves around Al-Ghazali’s fairness and support in the face of some of his critics, and highlighting some of his valuables in this book, and types fall under it, including: What Al-Ghazali made a mistake about, and it is not a mistake, but rather it has a hidden face for those who made a mistake, and this is a lot in jurisprudential rulings and issues Linguistic, including: devising important issues that benefit from the controls of Al-Ghazali, and there are hardly any explicit ones for others. Al-Nawawi said, “It is sound and precious.” For example: benefiting from the purity of worms generated from impurity, from the fact that the animal is pure except for the dog and the pig and the branches of one of them and the like.

Al-Nawawi added to these types an important intention, which is that what Al-Ghazali mentioned and had to deny it from one aspect and does not fall into the previous 12 types. What is in the mediator, which I did not mention anything about.”

Al-Nawawi committed himself to two methodological matters that contemporary researchers should follow:

Investigation, deliberation, and accuracy, which is that he does not say anything of these 12 types except after “complete inspection and mastery that I can and spare no effort.” Consistency, which is that al-Nawawi committed himself not to prejudice anything of what he mentioned of the 12 types, “except what a person is exposed to from stupor, forgetfulness, and so on.” of the shortcomings”, that is, he kept on the margins of human error that no one is exposed to.

• Fifth: Al-Nawawi returned at the end of his introduction to what he began with, which is to focus on the teleological dimension that frames all of his work in this book and elsewhere. This work is included in acts of worship, acts of worship, and doing good deeds, and He - Glory be to Him - also asked Him for help in all kinds of obedience to Him, His lovers, and His sheikhs, "and to purify our hearts and our limbs from all transgressions."

This is how Al-Nawawi gave us a systematic critical contribution on the one hand, and a moral contribution on the other hand. His works - may God Almighty be pleased with him - have always been characterized by this calm, meticulous and critical tone, and they were motivated by the duty of science and his morals together, and Imam Al-Asnawi has the right to say about the "revision" that it is "a great book." From the last of what was written”, and this explains why he was not able to complete it, as he reached the topic of “The Conditions of Prayer” as Ibn Qadi Shahba said.

The discussion centers here on "liberating" the branches of the Shafi'i school of thought, strength and control, meaning that the school here is the hero of the story and not the book of "the mediator" nor the person of Al-Ghazali, and even mistakes and corrections here focus on determining what is the "school" or its approved, which means that the authority of the school is stronger From the authority of the person and contributed to the formation of what is similar to the "open text" that the great jurists contribute to editing, refining, abbreviating, explaining and annotating it. Based on this observation, it is possible to emphasize matters that are useful, whether in critical practice or in receiving criticism:

• The first: The status of the person - even if it is high - does not prevent critical review, just as the critical review does not degrade the value of the person, as the discussion remains centered around the ideas, methods and intentions of the authors, and here it can be said that if al-Nawawi was one of the weighting sheikhs in the Shafi’i school of thought concerned in a way Chief editor of what is the doctrine, Al-Ghazali’s work can be read from another perspective, which is the choices of Al-Ghazali himself in jurisprudence in which he disagreed with the doctrine despite the fact that he called his book “the mediator in the doctrine”, especially since we know Al-Ghazali’s critical and free mentality according to his sheikh Al-Juwayni as well, i.e. What was considered a mistake is a mistake with regard to determining what the doctrine is, not with regard to the perspective of choosing Al-Ghazali himself, especially since the method of work of Al-Juwayni and then Al-Ghazali is different from the way Al-Rafi’i and Al-Nawawi and after them worked, who were concerned with the authority of imitation within the doctrine.

• The second: Criticism is evidence of importance and influence, and not the opposite, as is common among those who are fed up with critical discussion of their work, or those who seek comfort in addressing everything that is said without the existence of scientific reasons, because they are deluded that criticism means demolition and always dismissing suspicions.

• The third: The critical discussion did not obscure the importance of the book “Al-Wasit” and was not a demolition of it, but rather a strengthening of it and a consolidation of its authority.

• Fourth: The existence of a mistake that no human being is aware of does not prevent the benefit from the moneyed work, and it does not preclude its impact as long as there is an open critical mentality and as long as the discussion revolves around ideas and away from people, because if it centered on people, it closed the door of advice and nullified the value of criticism and removed it from the field Science and its ethics to the field of rivalries and partisanship, and that is why al-Nawawi was keen to emphasize the existence of the margin of astonishment and human error along with an emphasis on the request for confidence in its control and documentation, may God be pleased with the two imams al-Ghazali and al-Nawawi and benefit us with their knowledge.