Ramadan events and lessons | Episode (23) | The death of Imam Al-Mazni

0:00 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

0:05 Summary of the Book:

0:07 *Ramadan: Events and Lessons*

0:11 The Death of Imam al-Muzani

0:18 Time: Six days remaining in the month of Ramadan,

0:23 In the year 264 AH.

0:27 Beneficial knowledge is among the righteous deeds that continue to benefit its possessor after their death.

0:36 This is achieved by leaving behind an authored or endowed book,

0:41 Or students who teach that knowledge to the people,

0:45 Or legal verdicts (fatawa) from which creation benefits through the clarification of rulings and the resolution of complex issues.

0:51 This falls under the statement of Allah Almighty:

0:54 “Lo! We it is Who bring the dead to life. We record that which they send before (them, and their footprints. And all things We have kept in a clear Register.” (36:12)

1:00 On the authority of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him),

1:04 The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

1:08 "When a human being dies, his deeds come to an end except for three:

1:14 A continuous charity, knowledge from which benefit is derived,

1:19 Or a righteous child who prays for him."

1:22 Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

1:25 "The scholars said the meaning of the hadith is

1:28 That the deceased's own actions cease upon his death,

1:31 And the renewal of reward for him stops, except in these three things,

1:36 Because he was the cause behind them.

1:39 For a child is from his own earning,

1:41 And likewise the knowledge he leaves behind through teaching or authoring,

1:46 As well as continuous charity, which is the endowment (waqf).

1:50 In this hadith lies the virtue of marriage in the hope of having a righteous child—

1:54 And the explanation of the varying circumstances of people regarding marriage has been mentioned previously,

1:58 Which we clarified in the Book of Marriage—

2:02 And in it is proof for the validity of the principle of religious endowment and its immense reward,

2:07 Along with a clarification of the virtue of knowledge, encouragement to acquire it abundantly,

2:11 And incentive to pass it on through teaching, authoring, and elucidation;

2:16 And that one should select from the sciences those that are most beneficial, then the next most beneficial."

2:21 Indeed, it is a great blessing for a scholar

2:24 To have an outstanding, righteous student

2:27 Who carries his knowledge after his death,

2:30 Thereby benefiting the people with it,

2:32 Immortalizing his knowledge, his memory, and supplications for him after he is gone,

2:37 So that he remains alive through that, even while in his grave.

2:41 This is among the reasons that prompt scholars to pay great attention to choosing their students

2:46 And to bestow immense care upon the most virtuous among them,

2:49 In hopes of attaining that desired benefit.

2:53 Among those fortunate scholars blessed with brilliant students

2:58 Was Imam al-Shafi'i,

3:01 Who left behind from his students an outstanding scholar:

3:05 Imam al-Muzani,

3:07 Who transmitted the knowledge and fiqh of his master to the Ummah,

3:11 To the extent that al-Shafi'i said of him during his lifetime:

3:15 "Al-Muzani is the champion of my school of thought."

3:18 Thus al-Shafi'i's statement about him was fulfilled

3:22 After his death.

3:25 Abu al-Hasan ibn 'Abd al-Salam said:

3:28 "The jurist Abu Ishaq narrated to us,

3:30 Saying: 'As for al-Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him),

3:34 His jurisprudence was passed down to his companions,

3:37 Among whom was Abu Ibrahim

3:40 Isma'il ibn Yahya ibn Isma'il

3:43 Ibn 'Umar ibn Ishaq al-Muzani.'"

3:46 Al-Dhahabi said: "A vast number of scholars acquired knowledge from him,

3:50 And through him, the school of Imam al-Shafi'i spread across the horizons."

3:55 Al-Muzani's Name, Lineage, and Birth (may Allah have mercy on him):

4:00 He is the eminent Imam, the jurist of the Muslim nation,

4:05 The paragon of ascetics, Abu Ibrahim

4:08 Isma'il ibn Yahya ibn Isma'il

4:11 Ibn 'Umar ibn Muslim

4:13 Al-Muzani al-Nasri, the student of al-Shafi'i.

4:18 As for 'al-Muzani',

4:20 This attribution is to Muzaynah bint Kalb,

4:23 Which is a large, well-known tribe.

4:26 He was born in Egypt

4:28 In the year of the death of al-Layth ibn Sa'd,

4:31 In the year 175 AH.

4:35 His Knowledge and the Scholars' Praise for Him (may Allah have mercy on him):

4:40 Imam al-Muzani possessed abundant knowledge, comprehensive fiqh,

4:45 And a powerful command

4:47 Of understanding.

4:48 His primary devotion was to fiqh over other branches of knowledge;

4:53 Thus, he narrated few hadiths,

4:55 But he was a leading authority in fiqh.

4:58 He did not have many teachers;

5:01 Rather, his steadfast companionship with al-Shafi'i was his defining state.

5:06 He narrated hadith from al-Shafi'i,

5:08 'Ali ibn Ma'bad ibn Shaddad,

5:11 And Nu'aym ibn Hammad.

5:13 However, he had many students who studied under him,

5:18 Among whom were the Imam of Imams,

5:20 Abu Bakr ibn Khuzaymah,

5:22 Abu al-Hasan ibn Jawsa,

5:24 Abu Bakr ibn Ziyad al-Naysaburi,

5:28 Abu Ja'far al-Tahawi

5:30 (His nephew),

5:32 Abu Nu'aym ibn 'Adi,

5:34 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Hatim,

5:37 And Abu al-Fawaris ibn al-Sabuni,

5:40 Alongside a vast multitude from the East and the West.

5:44 May Allah have mercy on him, he possessed exceptional skill in argumentation and debate,

5:50 To the extent that al-Shafi'i was reported to have said of him:

5:54 "If he were to debate Satan, he would defeat him."

5:57 Ibn Khallikan said of him:

5:59 "He was an ascetic, a scholar, a mujtahid, a master of argument,

6:04 And a deep diver into subtle meanings.

6:07 He is the leader of the Shafi'is,

6:09 The most knowledgeable of them regarding his methodology, his legal verdicts, and what is transmitted from him."

6:14 He (may Allah have mercy on him) was a scholar deeply grateful to Allah for His grace in granting him knowledge and understanding;

6:22 Whenever he finished a legal issue and recorded it in his concise summary,

6:27 He would step up to the prayer niche and perform two rak'ahs

6:31 Out of gratitude to Allah Almighty.

6:33 Perhaps this was among the reasons blessing was placed in his *Mukhtasar*, as will come.

6:39 Al-Bukhari followed a similar practice,

6:42 But before placing any hadith into his *Sahih*.

6:46 Muhammad ibn Yusuf al-Firabri said:

6:50 "Muhammad ibn Isma'il al-Bukhari said to me:

6:53 'I never included a hadith in the book *Al-Sahih*

6:57 Except that I performed a ritual bath before it and prayed two rak'ahs.'"

7:01 He also said:

7:03 "I did not enter any hadith into the *Sahih*

7:06 Except after seeking Allah Almighty's guidance through prayer (istikharah) and becoming certain of its authenticity."

7:11 Through this and other reasons, blessing was placed in *Sahih al-Bukhari* (may Allah have mercy on him).

7:18 His Worship and Devotion (may Allah have mercy on him):

7:22 Beneficial knowledge, when it touches the inner recesses of a person's heart,

7:27 Engenders a deep devotion to acting upon it

7:30 And applying it toward doing good and avoiding evil.

7:35 Such was Imam Abu Ibrahim;

7:38 His knowledge clothed him in detachment from worldly affairs and devotion to the Hereafter,

7:44 So he became renowned among the people for his asceticism, scrupulous piety, and God-fearing nature.

7:49 'Umar ibn 'Uthman al-Makki said:

7:53 "I have not seen anyone among the devoted worshippers—despite the vast number I have met—

7:58 More intense in striving than al-Muzani,

8:01 Nor more constant in worship than him.

8:04 And I have never seen anyone who held knowledge and its people in greater honor than he did."

8:09 He was among the strictest of people with himself regarding scrupulous piety,

8:14 Yet the most lenient and accommodating with others in that regard.

8:17 He used to say:

8:19 "I am merely a single trait from the character of al-Shafi'i."

8:23 His Writings (may Allah have mercy on him):

8:26 Imam al-Muzani (may Allah have mercy on him) authored numerous works,

8:31 Most of which were in fiqh and the issues of the school of thought.

8:35 Among those works are:

8:37 *Al-Jami' al-Kabir*, *Al-Jami' al-Saghir*, *Al-Manthur*,

8:43 *Al-Masa'il al-Mu'tabarah*, *Al-Targhib fi al-'Ilm*,

8:47 And *Kitab al-Watha'iq*.

8:49 However, his most famous and far-reaching book,

8:53 And the one most extensively commented upon by the scholars of the school,

8:57 Is his abridgment,

8:59 Known as *Mukhtasar al-Muzani*.

9:02 The people of knowledge praised it

9:05 And spoke of its widespread dissemination among the people.

9:08 Abu al-'Abbas Ahmad ibn Surayj said:

9:12 "*Mukhtasar al-Muzani* leaves this world as an untouched virgin;

9:17 It is the foundation of all authored books in the school of al-Shafi'i (may Allah be pleased with him).

9:23 According to its layout they arranged their works,

9:25 And its text they explained and commented upon."

9:28 Al-Dhahabi said:

9:30 "The lands were filled with his *Mukhtasar* in fiqh,

9:34 And several prominent scholars wrote commentaries on it,

9:37 To the extent that it was said:

9:39 A virgin bride would have a copy of *Mukhtasar al-Muzani* as part of her bridal trousseau."

9:45 His Death (may Allah have mercy on him):

9:49 Al-Muzani's life was prolonged,

9:52 And people benefited greatly from his knowledge and writings.

9:55 After that long life spent in acquiring knowledge and acting upon it,

10:00 Death came to him in Egypt in Ramadan,

10:04 With six days remaining in the month,

10:06 In the year 264 AH,

10:10 At the age of eighty-nine.

10:13 He was buried near the tomb of Imam al-Shafi'i (may Allah be pleased with him)

10:19 In the Lesser Qarafah cemetery,

10:21 At the foot of Mount Muqattam.

10:23 May Allah Almighty have mercy upon him.

10:26 *Ramadan: Events and Lessons*

Ramadan events and lessons | Episode (23) | The death of Imam Al-Mazni

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