Overview

This is a work of fiqh, kalām, and tawḥīd mainly discussing the sources of religious doctrine according to the opinion of the Ahl al-Sunnah wa-al-Jama‘ah. It also discusses the precepts of jurisprudence in general on issues such as fasting, hajj, jinaya (criminal offenses), jihad, marriage, purifications before prayer, slavery, wasiyya (wills), zakat, and other issues. This text also garnered a later commentary by Muḥammad Nūr bin Muhammad al-Fatani, titled Kifayat al-Muhtadi and the two were commonly published together in the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

Authorship

Completed 13 Rajab 1252 AH [October 24, 1836] by Shaykh Daud b. ‘Abd Allah al-Fatani.

Manuscripts

This was the second only to Idah al-Bab as the most popular work distributed by the Patani knowledge network. It gained consistent circulation by the late 1830s and continued until the turn of the twentieth century. This text occasionally appeared in compilations with other texts by Shaykh Daud al-Fatani such as Ghayat al-Taqrib and Tuhfat al-Raghibin fi Suluk, but also appeared with works by other authors in the network.

74 known manuscript copies

Manuscripts with dated colophons (19):

1. 1837, Mar 27. Copied 19 Dhu’l-Hijja 1252 AH. IAM 475: 74 pp., incomplete.
2. 1838, Aug/Sep. Copied “waktu subuh, hari Ahad, bulan Jumada al-akhir 1254 AH.” PNM 2340: 56 ff., incomplete. Double red frame.
3. 1842, Sep 22. Copied by Tuan Lebai ‘Abd al-Qadir, 16 Sha’ban 1258 AH. PNM 717: 48 ff.
4. 1842, Oct 13. Copied “hari Selasa, 8 Ramadan 1258 AH.” IAM: 84 pp.
5. 1843, Jan 7. Copied “hari Juma, 5 Dhu’l-Hijja 1258 AH.” PNM 236: 43 ff.
6. 1851, Apr 28. Copied 26 Jumada al-akhir 1267 AH. MNT 84.244: 53 ff.
7. 1851, Jul 19. Copied by Muhammad b. Encihbi Putih, “hari Juma, 20 Ramadan 1267 AH, di Patani.” PNM 456: 48 ff., incomplete. Double red frame.
8. 1861, Nov 9. Copied “hari Sabtu, 6 Jumada al-awwal 1278 AH.” PNM 2369: 54 ff. Double red frame, leather cover with geometric design.
9. 1863, Dec 12. Copied by Haji Muhammad Saman Fatani, “hari Sabtu, 1 Rajab 1280 AH di Mecca.” PNM 1205: 49 ff., incomplete.
10. 1874, Mar/Apr. Copied by Haji Ahmad b. Haji Muhammad, “hari Isnin, bulan Safar 1291 AH di Kampung Serkam, Melaka.” PNM 27: 64 ff.
11. 1876, Jun 16. Copied “hari Juma, 23 Jumada al-awwal 1293 AH.” PNM 14: 46 ff., incomplete.
12. 1877/8. Copied by Muhammad Hussayn b. ‘Abd al-Latif b. al-Mu’min b. al-Samad Kelaba, bulan Jumada al-awwal 1294 AH, in Patani. IAM 675: 110 pp. Contains alternative author date of 13 Rajab 1250 AH. Contains Sabil al-Muhtadin by Tok Nahu Bira Wan Muhammad Fatani in the margins and additional notes. Owned by the copyist.
13. 1877, Oct 19. Copied by Tuan Lebai Din b. Haji ‘Abd al-Qadir (begun in Ramadan), waktu duha, hari Juma, 11 Shawwal 1294 AH. PNM 2359: 70 ff. Double red frame on ff. 3-4, otherwise frameless.
14. 1878, Sep 30. Copied by Haji ‘Abd al-Rauf b. Haji Wan Husayn, 3 Shawwal 1295 AH, in Mecca. PNM 207A: 30 ff., incomplete. In compilation including PNM 207B: Ghayat al-Taqrib. Contains alternative author date of “pagi Selasa, 30 Muharam 1252 AH.”
15. 1878, Dec 29. Copied 4 Muharam 1296 AH. PNM 2354: 25 ff. Double red frame. Contains alternative author date of 30 Muharam 1252 AH.
16. 1878/9. Copied by ‘Abd al-Qadir b. Haji Mustafa al-Fatani, 1296 AH. PNM 181: 32 ff.
17. 1880, Jan 15. Copied by Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rauf b. Haji Wan Husayn Yaring, “hari Khamis, 2 Safar 1297 AH,” in Mecca. PNM 229: 21 ff. Double purple/lavender frame.
18. 1881, May 14. Copied by Haji Abu Bakr b. Haji Muhammad Amin, “hari Rabu, 14 Jumada al-akhir 1298 AH.” PNM 768: 56 ff. Double red frame.
19. 1885, Sep 16. Copied by ‘Abu Bakr b. ‘Uthman, 6 Dhu’l-Hijja 1302 AH. PNM 647: 45 ff. Single red frame.
20. 1902, Sep 9. Copied by Wan ‘Abd al-Rahman b. Tuan Haji Iman Isma’il dari Kampung Pusing, “hari Rabu, 5 Jumada al-akhir 1320 AH.” PNM 2733A: 53 ff. Single olive-brown frame. In compilation with PNM 2733B: Ghayat al-Taqrib.

Manuscripts with Undated or Partially-dated Colophons (7):

1. IAM 241: 30 pp., Copied “pada waktu duha, hari Ahad.”
2. PNM 257: 47 ff. Copied by Muhammad Lah b. ‘Abd al-Samad, “hari Selasa, bulan Dhu’l-Qaddah” in Mecca. Single red frame (ff. 1-42v, thereafter frameless).
3. PNM 521: 39 ff. Copied “hari Isnin, bulan Jumada al-akhir.” Black and lavender, ruddy orange, or rose ink.
4. PNM 534: 45 ff. Copied by Muhammad Hassan b. ‘Abd al-Rahman Handang. Black and orange-red or bright rose ink. Single red frame just on ff. 44v.
5. PNM 1345: 50 ff. Copied by Shams al-Din.
6. PNM 1478: 44 ff. Copied “hari Juma, 1 Shawwal.” Black and red-violet ink. Double red-violet frame.
7. PNM 2453: 46 ff., incomplete. Copied “waktu duha, hari Sabtu, 1 Sha’ban.” Double red frame.

Manuscripts without colophons (47):

1. IAM 62: 12 pp., incomplete.
2. IAM 114: 21 pp., incomplete.
3. IAM 133: 72 pp., good condition.
4. IAM 173: 67 pp., incomplete. Contains alternative author date of 1250 AH.
5. IAM 176: 60 pp., incomplete. Contains alternative author date of 13 Rajab 1250 AH.
6. IAM 183: 97 pp., incomplete.
7. IAM 224: 129 pp., good condition.
8. IAM 287: 12 pp., incomplete.
9. IAM 373: 31 pp., incomplete.
10. IAM 420: 94 pp., incomplete.
11. IAM 594: 71 pp., incomplete.
12. IAM 629B: 31 pp., incomplete. In compilation with IAM 629A: Tuhfat al-Raghibin fi Suluk.
13. IAM 688: 21 pp., incomplete. Contains alternative author date of 13 Rajab 1250 AH.
14. MNT D89: 5 ff.
15. PNM 35: 4 ff., incomplete.
16. PNM 108: 23 ff., incomplete.
17. PNM116: 12 ff., incomplete.
18. PNM 129: 145 ff., incomplete.
19. PNM 174: 4 ff., incomplete.
20. PNM 195: 27 ff., incomplete.
21. PNM 203: 11 ff., incomplete.
22. PNM 275: 40 ff.
23. PNM 298: 79 ff.
24. PNM 299: 67 ff., incomplete.
25. PNM 310: 35 ff., incomplete.
26. PNM 577(2): 8 ff., incomplete.
27. PNM 712: 34 ff., incomplete.
28. PNM 730(2): 48 ff., incomplete.
29. PNM 837(3): 24 ff., incomplete.
30. PNM 904: 11 ff., incomplete.
31. PNM 1089: 13 ff., incomplete.
32. PNM 1159: 74 ff., incomplete.
33. PNM 1197: 34 ff., incomplete.
34. PNM 1258: 11 ff., incomplete.
35. PNM 1271: 28 ff., incomplete.
36. PNM 1547: 116 pp., incomplete.
37. PNM 2004: 12 pp., incomplete.
38. PNM 2037: 100 pp.
39. PNM 2299: 56 ff.
40. PNM 2300: 35 ff., incomplete.
41. PNM 2398: 45 ff.
42. PNM 2427A: 29 ff. Compiled with PNM 2427B: [kitab pada menyatakan ahkam al-asqat]
43. PNM 2608: 51 ff., incomplete.
44. PNM 3040: 23 ff., incomplete.
45. PNM 3118: 44 ff. Contains alternative author date of 13 Rajab 1250 AH.
46. PNM 3364: 93 ff.
47. UKM 32: 82 pp.

Published Editions

1. 1890. Place and publisher unknown, but presumably Mecca or Bombay. Holding: UL.
2. 1895, Jul 13. Singapore: Haji Muhammad Taib, Kampung Bali Lane, rumah nombor 31. [20 Muharam 1313 AH] Holding: British Library, Oriental and India Office Collections; National Library of Singapore, Central Library, Reference Services Division.
3. Undated. Cairo: Dar Ihya al-Kutub al-Arabiyya.
4. 1935?. Cairo: Mustafa al-Ba’bi al-Halabi.
5. Undated. Cairo: Issa El-Baby El-Hallaby & Co., P.O.B. Ghorieh no. 26, Cairo, Egypt. Holding: PNM.
6. 1980. Pulau Pinang: Dar al-Mu’arif (based on Cairo ed.). Holding: KITLV, UKM.
7. Undated. Bangkok: Muhammad al-Nahdi.
8. Undated. Surabaya: Maktabah Saqafiyya.