A Brief Compendium of Sciences and Wisdom

Author's name: Al-Hafiz Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali

It was summarized and commented on by Muhammad bin Sulaiman Al-Mahna

Introduction by Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Tarifi

In the name of God, the most gracious, the most merciful

Praise be to God, Lord of the Worlds, and may God’s prayers and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon all his family and companions.

This is an abridged version of Jami' al-'Ulum wa'l-Hikam by Imam al-Hafiz Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (may Allah have mercy on him). Jami' al-'Ulum wa'l-Hikam is the most eminent and comprehensive commentary on Imam al-Nawawi's Forty Hadiths. Therefore, scholars have paid utmost attention to it and consider it a respected reference when reviewing the noble hadiths upon which Islam is based—namely, the hadiths contained in the book, Nawawi's Forty Hadiths.

I used to hear from our sheikhs - when I was in the early years of my studies - praise for this noble book, and that it contained a great deal of knowledge and abundant pearls. My soul and the souls of the students longed to read it and extract those sciences, understandings and pearls from its sea of ​​blessings. What prevented me - after beginning at the beginning - from continuing with it was the obscurity of some of its topics - for the beginner - and the ambiguity of some of its meanings, despite what its author - may God have mercy on him - was given of good expression and excellent wit. However, the beginner needs a long time and great effort before he ventures into the depths of the most important books of the people of knowledge.

After years of trying to seek knowledge, I returned and read the book. I was able to understand those difficult topics and difficult issues, which taught me the importance of progressing on the ladder of seeking knowledge and learning.

When I saw that, and knew that many of my brothers who love knowledge cannot sit with sheikhs, attend religious schools, or have the patience to read...

Books, and I feared that those lovers would miss out on the goodness in this book; so I decided to shorten it and limit it to what the general Muslims would understand, and leave out everything else. Everyone will find in it knowledge, goodness, and guidance that will suffice and heal them, and while reading it, they will feel - God willing - from the goodness of the style, which will make them think that they are reading the original book, not its summary.

I have briefly graduated the hadiths of the explanation and mentioned the scholars’ rulings on them, and I commented on a few places in the book, then I gave it to the Sheikh and hadith scholar Abd al-Aziz bin Marzouq al-Tarifi, who kindly provided an introduction to it, commented on it, and reviewed its marginal notes. May God reward him well on my behalf and on behalf of the readers (2).

Our Lord, accept from us, for You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. Repent to us, for You are the Accepter of Repentance, the Most Merciful. Forgive us, our parents, and all our loved ones... Amen.

May God bless and grant peace to our Prophet Muhammad.

Written by

Muhammad bin Suleiman bin Abdullah Al-Mahna

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