The ‘Aqd of Al-‘Ajlūnī
Book Author: Imām Isma'īl Ibn Muhammad Jarrāh Ibn 'Abdil Hādī Ibn 'Abdil Ghaniyy Ibn Jirāh Al-Jirāhī
The Dimashqī Muhaddith Imām Isma’īl Ibn Muhammad Jarrāh Ibn ‘Abdil Hādī Ibn ‘Abdil Ghaniyy Ibn Jirāh Al-Jirāhī, known as Al-‘Ajlūnī was a Shāfi’ī Jurisconsult and a Master of Fiqh and Tafsīr, a Polymath by consensus.
He was born 1087 years after the Hijrah and committed the Qur’ān to photographic memory right from his childhood. At age 17, he began his unrelenting journey through the Muslim world to seek for Ilm and understanding. He perfected the Qirā’āt of Ash-Shātibī from the most learned Qārī of Damascus Abū Al-Mawāhib Al-Hanbalī.
He mastered the Sciences of Hadīth, Hadīth itself and got the unbroken chains of Isnād from the Muhaddithīn that mattered in his time after studying years from the Ulamā of Dimashq, Ramla, Qudus, Makkah, Madīnah and Istanbul.
Al-‘Ajlūnī was a Pious Imām to whose Zuhd the Ulamā of his time testified. He was scrupulous in his doings, a true Servant of Allāh, thoroughbred, Allāh-Fearing, always observing Qiyāmu Al-Layl, Patient and Steadfast upon the Truth. He passed away on the 3rd Day of Muharram 1162 after the Hijra at the age of 79 fulfilled. His Janāzah was attended by all the Pious men and women of Shām.
Ref: Al-Anwāru Al-Jaliyyah
Among his many writings is the book ‘Aqdu Al-Jawhari Ath-Thamīn (The Chain/Necklace of Precious Pearls) which was a masterpiece of Hadīth Literature.
In the ‘Aqd, Al-‘Ajlūnī chose a Hadīth representing 40 different Books of the compilations of Hadīth and made each Hadīth Chapter. He mentioned in his Muqaddimah to the Book that it was trite in his time to use the Book as a Summary to seek Asānīd from the Ulamā of Hadīth since the Book contained Isnād from all the compilers of the Ahādith Compilations to Al-‘Ajlūnī rahimahullāh. This would mean that anyone that hears the 40 Ahādith with Ijāzah from Al-‘Ajlūnī would have had all the Asānīd for all the Ahādith in the 40 Books.
The later Ulamā would vie to get Isnād to Al-‘Ajlūnī on this book and make journeys and travels in its pursuit. In Mauritania, students of Knowledge would celebrate a successful completion of the book once they have been granted the Ijāzah by their Teachers.
For starters, Al-‘Ajlūnī’s chains will expose you to Hadīth literature and make you appreciate the works of the Ulamā of Hadīth.
Bārakallāhu Fīkum
Jazākumullāhu Khayran
