Al-Dalalah 'ala Fawa'id al-Risalah Sharh al-Risalah al-Qushayriyyah (5 Volume Set) الدلالة على فوائد الرسالة شرح الرسالة القشيرية

Al-Dalalah ala Fawaid al-Risalah (الدلالة على فوائد الرسالة) is one of the earliest and most important classical commentaries on Al-Risalah al-Qushayriyyah. Written by the renowned Maliki jurist and spiritual master Abu Muhammad Abd al-Mu'ti al-Lakhmi al-Iskandari (d. 638 AH), it offers a profound explanation of Imam al-Qushayri's celebrated work on Sunni spirituality (tasawwuf). It also includes comments from Imam Mahdavi, from his "Jawabat al-Imam Mahdavi 'an Masail fi al_Risala al-Quesheria." Imam Mahdavi was a contemporary of Abu Muhammad ‘Abd al-Mu’ti al-Lakhmi (d. 638 AH) but his exact year of death is not known. 

Drawing upon his expertise in Maliki fiqh, Arabic language, and Islamic spirituality, the author elucidates the linguistic, theological, and practical dimensions of Al-Risalah, explaining the stations (maqamat), spiritual states (ahwal), and teachings of the early Sufis while remaining faithful to the original spirit of Imam al-Qushayri's text. As an early seventh-century work, it preserves valuable historical insights and interpretations much closer to the lifetime of Imam al-Qushayri than later commentaries.

The commentary is organized into five comprehensive volumes that systematically explore the principles and practice of authentic Sunni tasawwuf.

The first volume presents the biographies, teachings, and sayings of eighty-three eminent Sufi masters, demonstrating that genuine tasawwuf is firmly rooted in the Quran, the Sunnah, and the Shariah. Their statements consistently affirm that any spiritual claim or practice that contradicts the Shariah has no place in the authentic path of Islamic spirituality.

The second through fifth volumes contain thirty-eight foundational spiritual qualities and disciplines—including mujahadah (spiritual striving), khalwah (spiritual retreat), ikhlas (sincerity), and others—explaining their meanings, virtues, and practical methods of cultivation. They also include valuable appendices that supplement and expand upon the discussions found throughout the preceding volumes, further enhancing the work's scholarly and practical value.

This five-volume critical edition from Dar al-Taqwa marks among the first scholarly publication of a work that remained in manuscript form for six centuries.The other publication that appeared soon after wards was the four volume edition published by Dar al-Deyaa, Kuwait. seen here.Carefully edited from multiple rare manuscripts, it includes extensive indexes of Quranic verses, hadiths, technical terminology, and biographies, making it an indispensable reference for students and researchers of Islamic spirituality, Maliki scholarship, and classical Islamic thought.

Comparison with Dar al-Deyaa edition

A distinguishing feature of the Dar al-Taqwa edition is its inclusion of approximately 458 pages devoted to the subject of karamat (miracles of the awliya), material not found in the Dar al-Deyaa edition. Apart from this substantial addition, both editions contain the same primary text and commentary. They differ mainly in their editorial annotations and footnotes, each reflecting the methodology of its respective editors. Both editions represent meticulous and highly commendable examples of contemporary manuscript scholarship.