Hadith Nomenclature Primers: Nukhbatul Fikr and Al-Tadhkirah

These primers were written to facilitate speedy mastery of the discipline’s core material. Although the primers focus on definitions, they also include methods for addressing problems specific to the topic. Students would often commit a primer to memory while studying it with a living master who would explain its content in detail and demonstrate its application. It is through this interaction between students and instructors that Islamic education transmits both knowledge and skills across generations. In translation, these primers are ideal for English-speaking instructors looking for a primary text covering the subject’s core concepts. The translations will also benefit students looking to review their lessons or to prepare themselves for more advanced studies.

Translator Steven (Musa) Furber has studied traditional Islamic sciences with sheikhs in Syria and Egypt since 1994. He received a license to deliver legal edicts (fatwas) from the Grand Mufti of Egypt. He resides and works in Abu Dhabi.