Gardens of the Righteous (Hadith)

Sundays 11:45 am – 12:45 pm

30 April – 25 June 2023

In-person: Ruskin College, Room G.03, Dunstan Road, Old Headington, OX3 9BZ

Online: Delivered via Zoom

On explaining his purpose for compiling Riyad al-salihin (The Garden of the Righteous), Imam Nawawi said, ‘I saw it fitting to collate a concise work on authentic Prophetic traditions comprising traditions that will serve its reader as a path to the Hereafter; that will procure a treatment of his inward and outward manners; and that gather [traditions] both of encouragement and of caution, and of all other types of manners for those treading the spiritual path: on renunciation, training the lower self, refining character, purifications and cures for the heart, protecting and rectifying the limbs, and all other topics of interest to those who desire knowledge of their Lord.’

Over the duration of this course, we will proceed with a thorough reading and explanation of these Prophetic traditions (hadith) compiled by Imam Nawawi, based upon the summary of Riyad al-salihin prepared by Sheikh Dr Nur al-Din al-‘Itr and Dr Mahmud Al-Misri.

We start the Spring term resuming Riyad al-Salihin from Chapter 160: On admonition at the grave.

In the previous term, we learned about Prophetic manners and prayers observed when dealing with a loss; preparing the deceased for burial, and taking them to their grave.

For this term, we will look to cover chapters 160 to 168. These chapters conclude Prophetic practices concerned with matters referring to the deceased, such as staying back at the deceased's grave to supplicate for them after the burial and giving charity on their behalf. This is followed by chapters on the manners of being a traveller.