Al-Dalalah ala Fawaid al-Risalah Sharh al-Risalah al-Qushayriyyah (Dar al-Deya, 4 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).

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 four 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 volume examines twenty-five 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.

The third volume continues with fifteen additional spiritual stations and virtues before discussing the relationship between the spiritual guide (shaykh) and the disciple (murid). It outlines the etiquette (adab), responsibilities, and principles that govern this relationship according to the classical Sunni tradition.

The fourth volume consists of valuable appendices that supplement and expand upon the discussions found throughout the preceding volumes, further enhancing the work's scholarly and practical value.

This four-volume critical edition from Dar al-Deya is among the first scholarly publications of a work that remained in manuscript form for nearly six centuries. The only other modern editions is the five-volume publication by Dar al-Taqwa, which appeared just a few months earlier. It can be seen here. Carefully edited from multiple rare manuscripts, the Dar al-Deya edition features extensive indexes of Quranic verses, hadiths, technical terminology, and biographical entries, making it an indispensable resource for students and researchers of Islamic spirituality, Maliki scholarship, and classical Islamic thought.