Ibn Hajar’s Introduction to Bulugh al-Maram

October 15, 2026 Salafi Knowledge Adillat al-Ahkam, al-Dirayah, allah, Bulugh al-Maram, English Translation of Bulugh al-Maram, Fiqh, Fiqh al-Hadith, Hadith, Ibn Hajar, islam, Islamic Law, Muqaddimah, Qur'an, religion, Scriptural proofs, Shari'ah, Sunnah

In the Name of Allāh, the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful

All praise is due to Allāh for His apparent and hidden blessings, both past and present, praise and protection be upon His Prophet and His Messenger Muḥammad, his family and Companions who strove earnestly in support of His religion, and upon their followers who inherited their knowledge; for the scholars are the heirs of the Prophets, and how noble they are – both the inheritor and the one from whom he inherits.

To proceed: this is a concise work comprising the fundamental ḥadīth proofs for legal rulings. I have compiled it meticulously so that whoever memorises it becomes distinguished amongst his peers, and so the novice student may use it as an aid, whilst the advanced scholar cannot dispense with it.

I have indicated, following each ḥadīth, which of the imāms narrated it, with the intent of sincere counsel to the Ummah. Thus, the intent of ‘the Seven’ is: Aḥmad, al-Bukhārī, Muslim, Abū Dāwūd, al-Tirmidhī, al-Nasāʾī, and Ibn Mājah; ‘the Six’ means: all except Aḥmad; ‘the Five’ means: all except al-Bukhārī and Muslim, and I may say ‘the Four and Aḥmad; ‘the Four’ excludes the first three; ‘the Three’ excludes them and the last one; and ‘agreed-upon’ means: al-Bukhārī and Muslim – and I may not mention others along with them both. Everything besides that is stated clearly (by name).

I have titled it Bulūgh al-Marām min Adillat al-Aḥkām (Attainment of the Objective from the Proofs of Legal Rulings).

I ask Allāh not to make what we have learnt a punishment for us, and to grant us deeds which please Him, Glorified and Exalted be He.

[Salal]: for further clarity:

The Seven: Aḥmad, al-Bukhārī, Muslim, Abū Dāwūd, al-Tirmidhī, al-Nasāʾī, and Ibn Mājah.

The Six: al-Bukhārī, Muslim, Abū Dāwūd, al-Tirmidhī, al-Nasāʾī, and Ibn Mājah.

The Five: Aḥmad, Abū Dāwūd, al-Tirmidhī, al-Nasāʾī, and Ibn Mājah.

The Four: Abū Dāwūd, al-Tirmidhī, al-Nasāʾī, and Ibn Mājah.

The Three: Abū Dāwūd, al-Tirmidhī, and al-Nasāʾī.

Agreed-upon: al-Bukhārī and Muslim.

Does Fasting the Day of ‘Arafah or the Day of ‘Ashura’ Expiate Major Sins?

July 2, 2025 Salafi Knowledge 10 Muharram, 9 Dhul-HIjjah, allah, Arafah, Ashoora, Ashura, Bulugh al-Maram, Expiation of Sins, Fasting, Hadith, Ibn Hajar, islam, Jumu'ah, Major Sins, Minor Sins, Muqayyad, Mutlaq, Qur'an, Ramadan, religion, Repentance, Sahih Muslim, Sharh Bulugh al-Maram, Tawbah, The Five Daily Prayers, Uthaymin

The Prophet ﷺ said fasting the Day of ʿArafah results in the expiation of sins of the year that has passed, and the year that is to come. He ﷺ also said that fasting the Day of ʿĀshūrāʾ results in the expiation of the sins of the year that has passed [Muslim (1162 (197))].

Does this expiation of sins include major and minor sins, or just minor sins?

Sh. Muḥammad b. Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUthaymīn رَحِمَهُ اللهُ explains that the apparent meaning of the ḥadīth indicates the expiation of both major and minor sins. This is because the Prophet ﷺ mentioned it in an unqualified manner and did not elaborate further, and whatever the Prophet ﷺ left unrestricted, it is taken to be unrestricted. This is why some scholars took the view, that the expiation of sins, refers to both minor and major because the Prophet ﷺ left it unrestricted, and did not elaborate further.

Most of the scholars take the view the expiation is only of minor sins. As for major sins then they must be accompanied with repentance. They support their view by arguing that fasting the Day of ʿArafah is not superior to the five daily prayers or Jumuʿah or Ramaḍān, and the Prophet ﷺ said, “The five daily prayers, Jumuʿah to Jumuʿah, and Ramaḍān to Ramaḍān, expiate what is between them as long as the major sins are avoided.” [Muslim (233)]. They say if these great and noble acts of worship, which are from the pillars of Islām, are not strong enough to expiate major sins, then this even more the case with this optional day of fasting. This is the weightier view – that it is qualified, just as the five daily prayers and Ramaḍān to Ramaḍān are qualified.

Source: Sharḥ Bulūgh al-Marām (7: 356).

What Matn to Memorise – Fiqh or Hadith?

May 30, 2022March 17, 2024 Salafi Knowledge Abdul-Ghani al-Maqdisi, Agreed Upon, Ahadith al-Ahkam, al-Bukhari, Bulugh-ul-Maram, Fatawa, Hadith, Hifz, Ibn Hajar, Matn, Memorisation, Muslim, Mutun, Umdat-ul-Ahkam, Uthaymin

Sh. Ibn ʿUthaymīn (d. 1421), may Allāh have mercy upon him, was asked whether it was better to memorise a study-text (matn) of jurisprudence (fiqh) or a concise study-text of ḥadīth. The Shaykh responded:

“It is better to memorise a concise study-text of ḥadīth such as ʿUmdat al-Aḥkām and Bulūgh al-Marām, but he should not leave off consulting the speech of the people of knowledge and jurisprudence.”
Majmūʿ Fatāwá wa Rasāʾil al-Shaykh Muḥammad b. Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUthaymīn, vol. 26, p. 185.

Note: Both of the books mentioned by the Shaykh are books dedicated to including aḥādīth of the Prophet ﷺ pertaining to juridical matters such as purification, prayer, zakāh, fasting, ḥajj, buying and selling, marriage, jihād, capital punishments etc.

ʿUmdat-ul-Aḥkām by al-Ḥāfiẓ ʿAbd al-Ghanī al-Maqdisī (d. 600) contains aḥādīth reported by both al-Bukhārī and Muslim only (“agreed upon”). According to the al-Arnāʾūṭ edition there are 430 such aḥādīth. The best commentary is that of Ibn Daqīq al-ʿĪd (d. 702) entitled Iḥkām al-Aḥkām which a beginner may find difficult to grasp. Bulūgh al-Marām of Ibn Ḥajar (d. 852) is at least three times as large and contains 1582 aḥādīth according to al-Zuhayrī’s edition. The Shaykh has his own explanation of Bulūgh al-Marām in 15 volumes entitled Fatḥ Dhī al-Jalāl wa al-Ikrām bi Sharḥ Bulūgh al-Marām.