Al-Munawi

Muhammad 'Abd al-Ra'uf al-Munāwi (also Al-Manāwi) (محمد عبد الرؤوف المناوي), was a renowned Egyptian Islamic scholar of the Ottoman period. He was a prominent Shafi'i jurist, hadith specialist, historian, and mystic. He is considered one of the most greatest Sunni scholars and prolific writers of his time. He authored a celebrated and classical work titled Fayd al-Qadir. He was the paternal great grandson of Shaykh al-Islam Sharaf al-Din al-Munawi and was a famous disciple of Al-Sha'rani.

Name and Origin
The title "Al-Munawi" originated from the village of Munayt or Munāw, an area of Egypt where his ancestors settled around the 7th or 12th century after their departure from Tunisia.”

Biography
Al-Munawī was born in the city of Cairo in the year of 952 AH/1545 CE and was a member of was a member of prestigious family well-known for their knowledge and piety. His family members were all scholars, and he was raised in a home full of information. He first started learning under his father Tajul 'Arifin. Before entering puberty, he memorised the Qur'an as well as other valuable texts in Shafi'i Fiqh, Hadith, Arabic syntax, and Seerah. He was made a very young hafiz and Al-Sha'rani inducted him into Tasawwuf. Following his passing, he made contact with several groups, including the brotherhood of Halwatiyya. After a few religious services, he withdrew from society to compose. Then he went back to the outside world to teach at the University of Aliyya, where his extremely high calibre of instruction attracted the most illustrious academics of the day and caused some to make him so envious that he was certainly poisoned. He managed to get away, but he soon gave up teaching and began dictating his works to one of his sons, Taj al-Din Muhammad, who was now too frail to write them down. He died in the year 1031 AH/1621 CE.

Teachers
He studied some of the greatest scholars of his day:
 * Al-Sha'rani
 * Shams al-Din al-Ramli
 * Nurud Din ‘Ali ibn Ghanim Al Maqdisi
 * Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn ‘Ali, Najm Al Ghayti
 * Abul Hasan, Muhammad Al Bakri As Siddiqi who was an expert Mufassir (exegete)

Students
Among his students were the following:


 * ‘Ali Al Ajhuri
 * Ahmad ibn ‘Isa Shihabud Din Al Kalbi
 * His son, Zaynul ‘Abidin who also memorised the Quran at the age of 7.

Works
Al-Munawi was a prolific writer who wrote over 100 works including:


 * Fayd al-Qadir Sharh al-Jami` al-Saghir, a commentary of Al-Jami' al-Saghir by Imam al-Suyuti.
 * Sharh Nukhbah al-Fikar, a commentary of Nukhbah al-Fikar by Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani.
 * Sharh al-Tirmidhi, a commentary of Sunan al-Tirmidhi by Al-Tirmidhi
 * Futuhat Subhaniyyah fi Sharh al-Alfiyyah al-Iraqi, a commentary of Alfiyyah al-Hadith by Zain al-Din al-'Iraqi.
 * Al-Kawakib al-Durriyya fi Tarajim al-Sufiyya ("The Glittering Stars in the Biographies of the Sufis"), a biographical dictionary.
 *  Ithâf al-mubra bi-l-'ulûm al-'ashra ("The Poluiche offered to the Ten Sciences")
 * Kunuz al-Haqayiq fi al-Hadith ("Treasures of Facts in the Hadith")
 * Al-Nukhbat fi Fadayil Ahl Al-Bayt ("The Elite in the Virtues of Aal al-Bayt")
 * Al-Lali al-Jawhariat fi Sharh Hikam al-'Ata'iyah, an explanation of Hikam al-'Ata'iyah by Ibn Ata Allah al-Iskandari