Hashiyat Ibn Abidin Radd al-Muhtar ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar (Farfur) 24 volume set حاشية ابن عابدين رد المحتار على الدر المختار

The Farfur Edition of Hashiyat Ibn Abidin: A Monumental Triumph of Contemporary Hanafi Scholarship

The 24-volume Damascus edition of Hashiyat Ibn Abidin (Radd al-Muhtar ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar), published under the supervision of Dr. Muhammad Salih Farfur and edited by the elite scholars of Ma’had al-Fath al-Islami, is widely regarded as one of the greatest achievements in contemporary Islamic publishing. It represents nearly three decades of meticulous manuscript collation, academic rigor, and unwavering perseverance through war and displacement.

The History and Vision of Shaykh Salih Farfur

Hashiyat Ibn Abidin (authored by Imam Muhammad Amin ibn Umar ibn Abidin, d. 1252 AH / 1836 CE) is the undisputed pinnacle and final authority for legal verdicts (fatwa) in the late Hanafi school of law. It is a super-commentary (hashiyah) on Imam al-Haskafi’s (d. 1088 AH) Al-Durr al-Mukhtar, which is itself a commentary on Imam al-Timirtashi’s (d. 1004 AH) Tanwir al-Absar.

For over a century, scholars and jurists relied on older Egyptian (Bulaq) and Indian prints. While historically valuable, these older editions suffered from critical flaws, including missing passages, typographical errors, and a lack of cross-referencing. The “Farfur Edition” was conceived to rectify these issues by utilizing multiple rare, primary manuscripts—including portions in the author’s original hand—to produce a highly accurate, definitive text. This critical edition was established through a meticulous comparison of three manuscripts faithfully copied from the author's original autograph, supplemented by early printed editions to ensure the highest level of textual accuracy and authenticity.

The Visionary Origins (The 1930s–1995)

The genesis of this project lies in the spiritual and intellectual legacy of the great Damascene polymath, Shaykh Salih al-Farfur (1901–1986). In the 1930s, he founded Nahdat al-Fath al-Islami (which later became the prestigious Ma’had al-Fath al-Islami), an institution dedicated to preserving classical Sunni and Hanafi scholarship in Syria.

Recognizing the dire need for a verified, critically edited version of Ibn Abidin’s masterpiece, Shaykh Salih strongly urged his students and family to undertake this task. Although he passed away in 1986, his vision was brought to life in 1995 by his son, Dr. Muhammad Salih Farfur, who mobilized a dedicated research team of scholars to begin the monumental project.

The Publication Chronology: Triumph Over Adversity (1995–2022)

The publication history of this 24-volume set is a dramatic and inspiring timeline of academic dedication spanning 27 years, surviving one of the most devastating civil conflicts of the 21st century:

1995 (The Inception): The rigorous scholarly work of locating, transcribing, and collating manuscripts of Radd al-Muhtar officially begins.

2000 (The First Fruits): The project yields its first major milestone with the release of Volumes 1 to 7, covering the extensive legal rulings on Ibadat (Acts of Worship: Purification, Prayer, Zakat, Fasting, and Hajj).

2003 (The Biographies): Volumes 8 to 10 are released, containing highly detailed biographical entries (tarajim) of Hanafi jurists and historical context.

The Middle Years (Transactions): Following 2003, six subsequent volumes covering Muamalat (Financial Transactions, Family Law, etc.) are published.

2010 (The Brink of Interruption): Volume 17 is released, bringing the project more than halfway to completion.

2011–2018 (The Nine-Year Hiatus): The outbreak of the Syrian Civil War in 2011 severely disrupts academic life in Damascus. The scholars face displacement, immense hardship, and the freezing of institutional funding. For nine years, the project is put on hold, leaving its completion uncertain.

2018 (The Resumption): Against all odds, the research team reunites and resumes work. In 2018, the highly anticipated Volume 18 is published, signaling to the Islamic world that the project is alive.

2019–2020 (The Steady Advance): The team maintains momentum, releasing Volume 19 in 2019 and Volume 20 in 2020.

2022 (The Grand Culmination): Twenty-seven years after its start, the project is triumphantly completed with the release of Volumes 21 to 24, providing the global Muslim community with the most complete and verified Hanafi reference work in existence.

Why the Farfur Edition is the Gold Standard of Hanafi Fiqh?

The Farfur edition of Hashiyat Ibn Abidin is more than just a masterclass in Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh); it is a physical monument to the resilience of Syrian scholarship. It proves that despite war, exile, and geopolitical turmoil, the legacy of Damascus (Sham) as a historical sanctuary of sacred knowledge remains unbroken. For researchers, muftis, and students of the Hanafi school worldwide, this 24-volume set stands as the gold standard of Islamic legal publishing.