'Umdat al-Murid fi Sharh Jawharat al-Tawhid lil-Imam Ibrahim al-Laqani (6 Volume Set) 'an 'Ashr Nusakh Khattiyya عمدة المريد في شرح جوهرة التوحيد للإمام إبراهيم اللقاني 1/6 عن عشر نسخ خطية

Among the greatest works of Sunni theology, ʿUmdat al-Murīd fī Sharḥ Jawharat al-Tawḥīd is Imām al-Laqānī's own comprehensive commentary on his celebrated didactic poem Jawharat al-Tawḥīd, one of the most widely studied texts of Ashʿarī creed in the Islamic world. Serving as his grand commentary (al-Sharḥ al-Kabīr), it represents the fullest exposition of the theological principles summarized in the original 144-verse poem and stands as one of the most important references in post-classical Sunni kalām.

Imām al-Laqānī, the distinguished Mālikī jurist and theologian of al-Azhar, composed several commentaries on Jawharat al-Tawḥīd for students of varying levels. While Ithāf al-Murīd and Hidāyat al-Murīd provide concise and intermediate explanations, ʿUmdat al-Murīd is his definitive and most extensive treatment of the subject.

Throughout the work, al-Laqānī combines scriptural evidence with rigorous rational argumentation, discussing the Divine Attributes, prophethood, revelation, miracles, the impeccability of the prophets, and the unseen realities of the Hereafter. He also examines linguistic subtleties and engages the writings of the leading authorities of Ashʿarī and Māturīdī theology, including Imām al-Ashʿarī, al-Bāqillānī, al-Juwaynī, al-Ghazālī, Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī, and al-Taftāzānī.

This monumental six-volume critical edition has been meticulously established through the comparison of ten rare manuscript copies preserved in major manuscript collections. The editors have carefully reconstructed the author's text, documented significant manuscript variants, referenced the cited hadiths and classical sources, and supplemented the work with extensive scholarly annotations, making this the finest edition available for advanced study and research.

More than a commentary, ʿUmdat al-Murīd is an encyclopedic presentation of classical Sunni theology. It occupies a unique position among the commentaries on Jawharat al-Tawḥīd, serving as the principal reference for advanced students, researchers, and teachers seeking a comprehensive understanding of Ashʿarī creed and the discipline of ʿIlm al-Kalām.

Features

• The most extensive commentary on Jawharat al-Tawḥīd
• Written by the poem's author, Imām Ibrāhīm al-Laqānī
• Six-volume critical edition based on ten manuscript sources
• Comprehensive treatment of Ashʿarī theology and classical kalām
• Covers Divine Attributes, prophethood, eschatology, and transmitted beliefs
• Extensive scholarly annotations and source documentation
• Full hadith references and citations to classical theological works
• Essential reference for advanced students and researchers of Sunni creed