Explanation of the Hadrami Introduction

(The Generous One's Good News: An Explanation of Educational Issues)

Author's name: Saeed Al-Hadrami Al-Shafi'i

“Al-Muqaddimah al-Hadramiyyah” by the eminent jurist Abdullah Bafadl al-Hadrami is among the most valuable and beneficial abridgments, and among the finest and most concise works. Had its author been able to complete it, it would have surpassed all others, unique in its originality. Even the leading scholar of later jurisprudence, the accomplished Ahmad ibn Hajar al-Haytami al-Makki al-Shafi'i, prayed to God Almighty at the end of his commentary on the Introduction to facilitate its completion as a text, thus perfecting what he had already written and providing a comprehensive explanation. This is due to the distinctive characteristics of this Introduction, which elevated it to the heights of mastery and excellence, and its unique selection of the authoritative opinions within the school of thought. Furthermore, among the most valuable commentaries written on it, and the finest embellishments adorning this Introduction, is the commentary by the versatile scholar Ba'ashan, which he titled “Bushra al-Karim.” It is of paramount importance. Because of its distinctive approach in revealing the hidden meanings of this "Abridged Text," and highlighting its benefits in a clear and eloquent manner, adorned with the elegance of clarity and mastery, this serves as one of the greatest proofs of the scholars' saying: "How much the predecessors left for the successors!" and their saying: "No book can replace another." Whoever delves deeply and skillfully into this beneficial commentary (the commentary on the Hadrami Introduction) will find Yemeni wisdom and authentic jurisprudence embodied within its folds with clarity and explicitness. This is because the commentator—may God reward him abundantly and shower his grave with mercy—took care to make legal issues accessible to the mind, using expressions far removed from complexity, devoid of omission and length, and free from the taint of redundancy. He frequently refers to evidence or clarifies the reasoning so that students of knowledge may understand the sources of the jurists, the proofs of the scholars, and the methods of the mujtahids (those qualified to exercise independent legal reasoning).