“Explanation of the Meanings of Athars” by Imam Abu Jaafar al-Tahawi received great attention. As the attention of the eminent people turned to him, and a group of great imams paid attention to him, and the most honorable of them, and the highest among them is Imam Badr al-Din al-Aini, may God Almighty have mercy on him, who wrote his wonderful encyclopedia and his wonderful scientific masterpiece, “Nakhb al-Afkar.”

It is - truly - a wondrous and useful encyclopedia, and an astronomy loaded with various kinds of sciences. It reveals the biographies of men, explains the rank of the hadith, uncovers the linguistic subtleties, points out the jurisprudential benefits, and brings out the hadiths whose extraction was not mentioned by Imam al-Tahawi, all of this accompanied by narrations of the doctrines of the imams, and sayings.

Al-Badr Al-Aini told us about his book, saying: “Since the secrets of this book - that is, ‘Explanation of the Meanings of Athar’ - are hidden under the veil, and hidden behind the veil... I wanted to write down an explanation of it that would overcome its difficulties, extract its door from the husks, and explain what it contains.” The problems, and reveals the dilemmas in it, including, firstly: the grading of its narrators, and distinguishing the weak from the trustworthy ones, and secondly: exposing the problems of what is in it from the texts, which relate to conditions of pronunciation and meaning from all the arts... It has been decorated with many books, the number of which is almost impossible to count.

Thus, you know - my dear reader - that you are facing an encyclopedia that includes several arts, in addition to the summary of the understandings of the ancient imams that he wrote.

The great scholar, professor at the Islamic University of Deoband, and President of the Association of Indian Scholars, Mr. Arshad Al-Madani, may God protect him, compiled this encyclopedia with great precision and great determination. May God thank the virtuous researcher for this deed, and reward us and him abundantly in this world and the hereafter.

Although Dar Al-Minhaj’s aim is to publish books of the Shafi’i school of thought, it is also honored and proud to publish a book of the doctrine of the Imam of the Imams, Mawlana Abu Hanifa Al-Nu’man, may God be pleased with him.

All of them asked the Messenger of God for a scoop of the sea or a sip of blood

Dar Al-Minhaj is keen - as usual - to present to the nation of Islam the treasures of the first scholars of this nation, in the service of knowledge and its people, and today it is taking it upon itself to distribute this venerable book, hoping from the Almighty God that its benefit will be widespread and its blessing will last.

 God is the Guide to the way of righteousness