FIQH
Mukhtaṣar al-Akhḍarī of
Imam ʿAbd al-Rahmān
al-Akhdarī
Mukhtaṣar al-Akhḍarī by ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Akhḍarī (d. 953 AH / 1546 CE) is a widely studied introductory manual in Mālikī jurisprudence, authored by the Algerian scholar ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Akhḍarī. Written in accessible prose and often memorized by students in traditional North and West African maḥāḍir (Islamic seminaries), the text serves as a foundational guide to ritual practice (ʿibādāt) according to the Mālikī school of Islamic law.
The treatise focuses primarily on acts of worship, including purification (ṭahārah), prayer (ṣalāh), and the rules pertaining to menstruation and major ritual impurity. Notably, al-Akhḍarī also includes a section on the inner dimensions of prayer and the importance of intention, presence of heart, and humility—an aspect that distinguishes the work and reflects its integration of outward legal form with inward spiritual awareness.
The Mukhtaṣar is structured for ease of memorization and practical application, making it ideal for beginners in fiqh. It provides concise legal rulings without delving into detailed evidence or juristic disagreement, aiming to ground the student in correct practice and Mālikī norms before progressing to more advanced works.
Over the centuries, Mukhtaṣar al-Akhḍarī has remained a cornerstone text in the Mālikī curriculum, especially across North and West Africa. It is often the first legal text encountered by students and is frequently taught with oral commentary, forming the basis for lifelong engagement with Islamic law and practice.
Consists of 31 classes.
The course was held in year 2022 by Shaykh Zuhayr Qazzān.
