Lata’if al-Ma’arif fima li-Mawasim al-‘Am min al-Waza’if (Dar Ibn Hazm) لطائفُ المعارف فيما لمواسمِ العام من الوظائف

Lata’if al-Ma’arif is one of the most widely read classical treatises on the spiritual rhythm of the Islamic year. Written by the Hanbali scholar and traditionist Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, the book walks the reader chronologically through the Islamic lunar calendar (from Muharram to Dhu al-Hijjah), detailing:

•The spiritual virtues (fada’il) of each sacred month and season.

•Practical acts of worship (waza’if) recommended during these times (fasting, night prayer, remembrance, charity, and repentance).

•Season-specific reflections (such as winter as the “spring of the believer” and summer heat as a reminder of Hellfire).

•Quranic commentaries, prophetic traditions, and heart-softening poetry (raqa’iq).

Features of the Dar Ibn Hazm Edition (Tahqiq: Mahmud al-Arna’ut)

The Dar Ibn Hazm edition prepared by Mahmud Abdul-Qadir al-Arna’ut is a well-crafted, scholarly presentation of Ibn Rajab’s text. Building upon the rigorous Hadith methodology associated with his scholarly family background, Mahmud al-Arna’ut provided a comprehensive critical service to the book:

Key Editorial Contributions (Tahqiq):

1. Hadith Documentation (Takhrij):

•Mahmud al-Arna’ut systematically references and traces the hundreds of prophetic traditions (hadith) and statements of the Sahabah and Salaf (athar) to their primary source collections.

2.Textual Verification:

•Meticulously edited to produce an accurate text free of scribal errors, additions, or omissions that occurred in older uncritical printings.

3.Linguistic & Poetic Annotations:

•Explains obscure Arabic terms and uncommon vocabulary used by Ibn Rajab.

•Identifies the poets and attributes the poetic verses quoted extensively throughout the text.

4.Biographical Identification:

•Provides helpful footnotes introducing the early scholars, ascetics (zuhhad), and narrators cited in the chapters.

5.Comprehensive Indexes:

•Includes detailed analytical indexes for Quranic verses, Hadiths, Arabic poetry, and topical contents for ease of reference.

Summary

This Dar Ibn Hazm edition with the tahqiq of Mahmud Abdul-Qadir al-Arna’ut stands as a reliable, cleanly formatted, and academic edition suitable for researchers, imams, and students of knowledge studying Ibn Rajab’s devotional classic.