Al-Muhalla
Al-Muhalla ("The Sweetened" or "The Adorned Treatise" [1]) is a book by Islamic scholar Ibn Hazm, a 11th century Sunni Islamic scholar [2], The only book of his Legal rulings existent to date.
Full name
Al Kitab al-Muhallā bi'l Athār (The Book Ornamented with traditions)
Overview
It is his commentary on his own al-Mujalla ("The Brilliant Treatise"), and it is considered a masterpiece of fiqh literature [1].
A site describes it:
- This book is a wealth of scholarship, in which Ibn Hazm discusses each question separately. On each question, he cites the views of earlier scholars of high achievement, not restricting himself to the views of the four schools of Fiqh, but also citing the rulings of scholars like al-Hassan al-Basri (d. 110), al-Laith ibn Saad (d. 175), Ata' (d. 114), Sufyan al-Thawri (d. 161), al-Awza'ie (d. 157), etc. He also quotes the evidence they cite in support of their views. He then discusses why he considers their views incorrect, and produces the evidence in support of his own view. This makes for a highly scholarly discussion. Many scholars describe Al-Muhalla as the encyclopaedia of Islamic Fiqh. Indeed, it has preserved many of the views of early scholars whose work was either not documented or lost. The only problem with Al-Muhalla is that Ibn Hazm is often scathing in his criticism of his opponents. Yet there is no doubt that he is an honest defender of what he considers to be the truth. Any scholar who wants to exercise ijtihad, in order to arrive at rulings for questions encountered in present day life cannot overlook Al-Muhalla.[3]
Views
Ibn `Abd al-Salam said: "I did not see, in all the books of knowledge in Islam, anything like Ibn Hazm's al-Muhalla nor like Shaykh Muwaffaq al-Din's [Ibn Qudama] al-Mughni." Al-Dhahabi comments: "Shaykh `Izz al-Din is right, and the third is al-Bayhaqi's al-Sunan al-Kubra, and the fourth Ibn `Abd al-Barr's al-Tamhid. Whoever obtains these volumes, if he is one of the intelligent muftis and perseveres in reading them - he is truly a `alim.[1]
Sheikh Muhammad Abu Zuhrah, one of the leading scholars in the twentieth century, describes this book in these words: "It is truly and accurately the pillar of Islamic Fiqh, and it is a highly useful book. Had it not been for the usage of scathing remarks and some phrases that are evidently inappropriate and out of place, it would have been the best book ever on Sunni Fiqh.[3]
Editions
- It is published in several editions, sometimes in 9 volumes and sometimes in 12
- Beirut: The Commercial Office of Printing and Publishing, no date [4].
See also
References