Anis al-Talibin wa-'Uddat al-Salikin fi Manaqib al-Khwaja Baha' al-Din أنيس الطالبين وعدة السالكين في مناقب الخواجه بهاء الدين

Anees al-Talibeen wa 'Uddat al-Salikeen (The Solace of the Seekers and the Provision of the Wayfarers in the Virtues of Khawaja Baha al-Din)

Original Author: Sheikh Salah ibn Mubarak al-Bukhari (d. 8th century AH / 14th century CE)

Historical Translator: Sheikh Ahmad ibn Ibrahim ibn 'Allan al-Siddiqi al-Makki (d. 1033 AH / 1624 CE)

Critical Editor (Muhaqqiq): Sheikh Muhammad Al-Sayyid Al-Barsiji

Language: Arabic (Translated from the original Persian)

Historical Significance & Primary Source Status

Anees al-Talibeen is universally recognized as the oldest and most authentic primary source on the life, virtues, spiritual path (tariqah), and miracles (karamat) of Shah Muhammad Baha al-Din Naqshband al-Bukhari (717–791 AH / 1318–1389 CE), the founder and namesake of the Naqshbandi order.

Because the author, Salah ibn Mubarak al-Bukhari, was an immediate disciple of Shah Baha al-Din, the work offers a direct, first-hand account of the master’s teachings, character, and spiritual methodology. It served as the primary backbone and foundational reference for nearly all subsequent biographies and historical works written about the Naqshbandi path.

Bridging the Gap for the Arabic-Speaking World

Originally composed in Persian, the work remained largely inaccessible to Arabic readers, and even its authoritative Arabic translation by the renowned Makkan scholar and Naqshbandi shaykh Ahmad ibn Ibrahim ibn 'Allan al-Siddiqi al-Makki (d. 1033 AH / 1624 CE) received little scholarly attention. This critical edition seeks to revive that long-neglected translation and introduce it to the wider Arabic-speaking scholarly community. Ibn 'Allan's translation faithfully preserves the meaning and spiritual depth of the Persian original, making this foundational source on the Naqshbandi tradition readily accessible to modern readers.

The Included Treatise and Critical Editorial Rectification

To enhance the benefit of this volume, an original treatise (risala) on the principles and practices of the Naqshbandi path written by the translator, Ibn 'Allan al-Makki, was included as an addendum.

While this treatise had been previously published under the editorship of Dr. Hala Mahjub Khidr, that earlier edition suffered from significant deficiencies—including textual misapprehensions, incorrect identifications of historical figures and biographical names (asma’ al-rijal), and flaws in research methodology.

Recognizing these issues, the editor Sheikh Muhammad Al-Sayyid Al-Barsiji undertook a comprehensive critical re-editing (tahqiq). He corrected those errors, verified the biographical references, rectified the textual readings, and applied rigorous academic standards to set the record straight, offering a reliable and definitive text for scholars and researchers.

The Significance of This Edition

The book presents the essential teachings of the Naqshbandi tradition, including strict adherence to the Qur'an and Sunnah, silent remembrance of Allah (dhikr khafi), and the principle of "solitude in the crowd," which combines inward spiritual devotion with active participation in society. As the earliest surviving account by a direct disciple, Anees al-Talibeen remains an indispensable source for the history of the Naqshbandi order and the study of Islamic spirituality.