An Analytical Study of Taqī al-Dīn al-Nadwī's Research on “Lamʻāt-al-Tanqīḥ fī Sharḥ Mishkāt al-Maṣābīḥ”

"لمعات التنقیح فی شرح مشکوٰۃ المصابیح" پر تقی الدین الندوی کی تحقیق و تعلیق کا تجزیاتی مطالعہ

Abstract

Dr. Taqī al-Dīn al-Nadwī, a prominent scholar and researcher from ʻAzamgarh, India, has established himself as an authority in the field of Islamic sciences, particularly in the discipline of Ḥadīth. His academic contributions include numerous books and research papers focused on the critical study of Ḥadīth. Among his significant projects is the research and commentary on Lamʻāt-al-Tanqīḥ fī Sharḥ Mishkāt al-Maṣābīḥ, authored by the renowned scholar Sheikh ʻAbdul Ḥaq Muhaddith Dehlvī. This classical work, central to Ḥadīth studies, had existed only in fragmented and error-prone manuscripts in various libraries before Dr. Nadwī’s intervention. Through a detailed and scholarly approach, Dr. Nadwī analyzed, collated, and restored the text, addressing many inaccuracies and missing portions. His version of Lamʻāt-al-Tanqīḥ was first published in 2014 in a ten-volume set by Dār al-Nawādir, Beirut, which represents a monumental achievement in Ḥadīth scholarship. Dr. Nadwī’s research methodology is centered around ten primary principles, through which he systematically evaluated and corrected the text. However, his work extends beyond these principles, offering additional insights and clarifications that enhance the original text’s readability and academic rigor. This paper aims to analyze Dr. Nadwī's research contributions to the preservation and enhancement of Lamʻāt-al-Tanqīḥ and to underscore the significance of his commentary in modern Ḥadīth studies. The impact of this work is not only limited to textual accuracy but also to the broader understanding of classical Ḥadīth literature. Dr. Nadwī’s efforts have restored a key scholarly resource, making it accessible to contemporary scholars and students, and solidifying its place in the study of Islamic heritage.