Al-Hidayah, written by the renowned Islamic scholar Burhan al-Din Marghinani, is a seminal work in the field of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh). The book is considered one of the most authoritative and widely studied texts in the Hanafi school of thought, one of the four major schools of Islamic jurisprudence. In this article, we will provide an in-depth analysis of Al-Hidayah, its author, and the significance of this work in the Islamic world.
Look for the edition verified by Muhammad Muhyi al-Din Abd al-Hamid , widely considered the standard print.
Al-Hidayah was not al-Marghinani's first work. He initially wrote a concise manual of Hanafi law titled (The Beginner's Guide). Sensing this work was too brief to be a comprehensive reference, he then wrote a massive, 80-volume commentary on it called Kifayah al-Muntaha (The Sufficiency for the Ultimate). However, this work was too voluminous for practical teaching. al hidayah marghinani pdf
In the vast ocean of Islamic jurisprudence ( Fiqh ), few texts have achieved the status of a timeless anchor. Within the Hanafi school of thought—one of the oldest and most widely followed schools of Islamic law— Al-Hidayah (The Guidance) stands as a monumental achievement. Authored by the 12th-century jurist Burhan al-Din al-Marghinani, this work is not merely a book of law; it is the architectural blueprint of Hanafi legal thought that shaped the social and legal fabric of Central and South Asia for centuries.
Detailed rulings on purification (Wudu/Ghusl), prayer (Salah), charity (Zakat), fasting (Sawm), and pilgrimage (Hajj). Al-Hidayah, written by the renowned Islamic scholar Burhan
Al-Hidayah is an immense work, covering virtually all aspects of Islamic law. Its chapters address everything from ritual purification (tahara) and prayer (salah) to economic matters like Zakat, social laws concerning marriage, divorce, and inheritance, and even criminal law and judicial procedure. The first volume of the widely cited Charles Hamilton translation includes sections on Zakat, marriage, fosterage, divorce, and slavery.
: The text is known for its systematic presentation of legal opinions and its use of qiyas (analogy) and istihsan (juristic preference). Look for the edition verified by Muhammad Muhyi
Despite being penned centuries ago, Al-Hidayah remains profoundly relevant today. Modern Islamic financial institutions heavily rely on the Muamalat (transactions) section of Al-Hidayah to draft contemporary, Shariah-compliant financial instruments, such as Murabaha (cost-plus financing) and Musharakah (partnerships).
A detailed commentary on his own work, Bidayat al-Mubtadi [10, 19].
🧵 Reminder: Digital copies help research, but a verified print copy with a teacher is gold. #HanafiFiqh #IslamicStudies
Complete volumes are hosted on Internet Archive [15].