Jami' al-Ulum wal-Hikam

(Compendium of Sciences and Wisdom) Explaining Fifty Hadiths from Jawami' al-Kalim

Author: Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali

Know, my Muslim brother, that Allah the Almighty has blessed us with this religion and appointed for it messengers and prophets whom He chose from among mankind to invite to Him and to act according to it. And among the completeness of His blessing upon us is that He made heirs for the prophets and messengers who inherited from them knowledge, virtue, and character. Allah cast light into their hearts, and with it, they taught people the religion and invited to Allah the Almighty. Among these scholars, whose hearts Allah illuminated with knowledge and faith, is the Hafiz Zain al-Din Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, the Imam, the jurist, the Muhaddith (Hadith scholar), the preacher, the author of unique works in their subject matter, rich in content, whom Allah blessed with His favor and mercy with an abundance of knowledge, soundness of mind, and breadth of vision. Among his works that had a great impact on people is this book, which he named: "Jami' al-Ulum wal-Hikam fi Sharh Khamsin Hadithan min Jawami' al-Kalim" (Compendium of Sciences and Wisdom in Explaining Fifty Hadiths from Jawami' al-Kalim). It is an explanation of al-Nawawi's "Arba'in" (Forty Hadiths), which originally contained forty-two hadiths. He, may Allah have mercy on him, added eight more hadiths and then explained all of them in this book we are discussing. Ibn Rajab's book collected hadiths that scholars described as the pillars of religion. He explained them in a unique style, combining the method of Hadith scholars – by quoting many hadiths and narrations, explaining the various chains of transmission and their routes, critiquing and analyzing their isnads (chains of narrators), authenticating and weakening them, and mentioning supporting evidence and follow-ups – with a pedagogical approach to refining souls, which represents the methodology of educators, distinguished by the transmission of wisdom, admonitions, and delicate spiritual insights, and the like. Despite the treasures contained in this book, as we mentioned earlier, it also includes many jurisprudential benefits and issues that a Muslim would hardly find compiled elsewhere. The author distinguished himself by quoting most of the opinions on a single issue, so much so that the book became a reference for Hadith scholars and jurists.