Training 5 or more people?
Get your team access to 3,500+ top courses anytime, anywhere. Contact our sale
Course Description
The 40 Hadith Collection
Imam al-Nawawi’s collection of 40 Hadiths is one of the most important collections of hadiths we have today. Imam al Nawawi actually compiled a total of 42 hadiths for this collection, not 40. He was one of the greatest scholars of Islam and lived from 631 A.H. to 676 A.H, passing away at the age of 45. Allah (swt) granted him blessing and success in his work so that he could make great contributions to Islam before passing away at a relatively young age.
Imam al-Nawawi was a scholar in many different disciplines of Islamic studies. The vastness of his works in these different areas is so great that if an individual decides to study fiqh, hadith, spirituality, or Quran; one would need to pass through Imam al- Nawawi. Along with the 40 Hadiths, he authored Riyad al-Saliheen, Al-Adhkar, and commentary of Sahih Muslim and Sahih Bukhari.
Imam al-Nawawi was one of the foremost figures of the Shafi’ madhab and the largest and most substantial book he wrote in this regard is called Al Majmua’ which is about 30 volumes. It is a work of comparative fiqh because he brings all of the opinions of different madhab’s on different issues together.
Who was Imam an-Nawawi?
Abu Zakariyya Muḥyi al-Dīn Yaḥya Ibn Sharaf al-Nawawi was born at Nawā, a place near Damascus, in the suburb of the city of Howran, in 631 AH (1234 CE), and died forty-four years later in 676 AH (1278 CE). From a young age he showed signs of great intelligence, so his father resolved to arrange for his education. He studied in Damascus from the age of 18 and after making the pilgrimage in 1253 he settled there as a private scholar.
His Studies
At a young age, Imam Nawawi learnt to read the Noble Qur’an and by that time he nearly had attained puberty. Nawā, at the time, had no academic or scholarly atmosphere and there were religious academies or institutions where one could earn excellence in religious learning, so his father took him to Damascus, which was considered the center of learning and scholarship, and the students from across the Ummah gathered there for Islamic learning. During that period, there were more than three hundred institutes, colleges, and universities in Damascus.
During his stay in Damascus, he studied from more than twenty renowned teachers. These teachers were regarded as masters of authority in their fields of specialty and disciplines they taught. Imam Nawawi studied Hadith, Islamic Jurisprudence, its principles, syntax and etymology from some of the greatest scholars of his time.
His Academic Interests
Imam Nawawi had an endless thirst for knowledge, which can be deduced from his daily practice of studies. He used to read twelve lessons daily and write explanations and commentaries of every lesson, all the while making important additions. Whatever book he read, he put down the marginal notes and explanations on that book. His intelligence, hard work, love, devotion, and absorption in his studies amazed his teachers and they became fond of him and began to praise and admire him.
Other than his reading and writing, he spent his time contemplating upon the complex issues of his time and in finding their solutions. Allah had conferred upon him the gift of a quick and strong memory along with depth of thought. Imam Nawawi made full benefit of his God-given qualities and earned the highest degree of honor among his peers and future generations.
His Character
The scholars, elite of his society, and the public greatly respected Imam Nawawi on account of his piety, learning, and excellent character. He dressed and ate simply and humbly. Devout scholars do not care about attaining worldly possessions, they give preference to religious and academic pursuits, and the dissemination and propagation of faith. They experience more heavenly delight and joy in such activities than those who seek satisfaction in luxurious life styles. He was God-fearing who had high ambitions and aims in the dissemination and propagation of faith.
His Works and Death
Imam Nawawi had a very short life (44 years) but even during this short period, he wrote a large number of books on various subjects. Nearly every work is a masterpiece and a treasure of knowledge. Hundreds of thousands of people have benefited from these works.
Some of the prestigious works of Imam Nawawi, apart from the compilation of the “40 Hadith” (al-Arbaʿīn) include:
After spending 28 years in scholarly pursuits away from home, Imam Nawawi returned to his hometown. Soon after his arrival in Nawā, he fell ill and died. His works are of everlasting value. May Allah bless him.
About Madinah Islamic University (MIU)
Madinah Islamic University (MIU) is an Independent Online educational establishment delivering quality and authentic Islamic knowledge to the world. MIU has emerged from the desire of every Muslim to study the sciences underpinning the religion of Islam, but not having the opportunity and means to travel to study for prolonged periods of time to achieve this. MIU is an online University that caters for the needs of all those who are not able to travel to study in Islamic institutions.
The objective of MIU is to bring together the professionalism and quality assurance of the western Universities with the teaching curricula of the ‘Islamic University of Madinah’. MIU offers a unique curriculum which is an abridged version of the curriculum from ‘The Islamic University of Madinah’, and is accessible to everyone that desires to improve their knowledge of Islam.
At MIU, we aim to be an outstanding provider of a wide range of Islamic courses that meet the needs of everyone, combining tradition with innovation and outstanding teaching and learning.