Muhammad, Messenger of Allah Ash-Shifa of Qadi 'Iyad

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Muhammad, Messenger of Allah Ash-Shifa of Qadi 'Iyad

The first English translation of Qadi Iyad's definitive text Ash-Shifa.

For a thousand years this beautiful and majestic book has guided the Muslim community to a straight and balanced path in their beliefs and practices concerning the Messenger, blessings of Allah and peace be upon him, in particular and the risalah (the message) in general.

About The Author & Translator

ʿIyāḍ ibn Mūsā (1083–1149) ( Abū al-Faḍl ʿIyāḍ ibn Mūsā ibn ʿIyāḍ ibn ʿAmr ibn Mūsā ibn ʿIyāḍ ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Mūsā ibn ʿIyāḍ al-Yaḥṣubī al-Sabtī أبو الفضل عياض بن موسى بن عياض بن عمرو بن موسى بن عياض بن محمد بن عبد الله بن موسى بن عياض اليحصبي السبتي), was a Maghrebi Sunni polymath and considered the leading scholar in maliki fiqh and hadith in his time.

He was a prominent theologian, historian, poet, and genealogist

Iyaḍ was born in Ceuta, into an established family of Arab origin. As a scion of a notable scholarly family, ʿIyad was able to learn from the best teachers Ceuta had to offer. The judge Abu ʿAbd Allah Muhammad b. ʿIsa (d. 1111) was ʿIyad's first important teacher and is credited with his basic academic formation. Growing up, ʿIyad benefited from the traffic of scholars from al-Andalus, the Maghrib, and the eastern Islamic world. He became a prestigious scholar in his own right and won the support of the highest levels of society.

In his quest for knowledge, Iyad spent part of 1113 and 1114 visiting Cordoba, Murcia, Almeria, and Granada. He received ijāzas from the most important traditionist of his time, Abū ʿAlī al-Ṣadafī (d. 1120) in Murcia, and met with some of the most celebrated scholars of the moment, such as Ibn Rushd (d. 1126), and Ibn Hamdin (d. 1114)

ʿIyad was appointed judge of Ceuta in 1121 and served in the position until 1136. During his tenure as judge of Ceuta he was extremely prolific. Iyad's overall fame as a jurist and as a writer of fiqh (positive law) was based on the work he did in this city. Iyad was also appointed the judge of Grenada where he worked for just over a year He was a teacher of Averroes and Ibn Maḍāʾ.

In doctrine Iyad to known have influenced later scholars like Ibn Taymiyyah and Taqī ad-Dīn as-Subkī (d.1355) in expanding the definition of heresy in apostasy, being the first to call for the death penalty for those Muslims guilty of “disseminating improprieties about Muḥammad or questioning his authority in all questions of faith and profane life” (according to Tilman Nagel

Cadi Ayyad University, also known as the University of Marrakech, was named after him. Qadi Ayyad is also well known as one of the seven saints of Marrakech and is buried near Bab Aïlen

Aisha Bewley

Aisha Bewley is one of today's most prolific translators of classical Arabic works into English. She is not only learned in the Arabic language, but also well versed in the basic meanings and nature of the teachings and history of Islam. Being herself a Muslim, her knowledge is born of experience and direct transmission, not simply academic theory and learning by rote. For more than twenty-five years she has been concerned with making the contents of many classical works in Arabic more accessible to English-speaking readers for the first time, including Al-Muwatta' of Imam Malik (Madinah Press, 1991) and the Tabaqat of Ibn Sa'ad series of books, published by Ta-Ha Publishers Ltd.

About The Publishers

Ta-Ha Publishers Ltd (Taha Publishing)

Ta-Ha Publishers Ltd. was established in 1400 AH/1980 CE, when our first small book was published. Since that time, we have been responsible for over 250 publications, some 150 of which are currently in print and distributed worldwide.

Our titles range from recent translations of early classical works by Muslim scholars to more modern issues tackled by contemporary authors. In fact, there is something for Muslims and non-Muslims of every age.

It has always been and continues to be the aim of Ta-Ha Publishers to assist in making the teachings of Islam more readily available and accessible for everyone.