Sharh Al Jazariyah, by Ibn Al Jazari - French Translation and Commentary by Farid Ouyalize

Given the importance of tajwīd, scholars have contributed on a large scale to the transmission of this science by writing numerous works in the form of prose or verse.

Among these many writings we note this versified summary called al-muqaddimah (better known under the name of al-jazariyah) of the great scholar, the undisputed master of the science of tajwīd and lectionaries: Mohammad ibn al-Jazariy.

This rather short compendium by the number of its verses brings together the main rules of tajwīd in a simple and pleasant style; which allowed it to be the reference in this field from the time of its author to the present day.

This commentary (the first in French) enriches the Islamic library, of which countless works are unfortunately only accessible in Arabic.

THE AUTHOR OF THE TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY: FARID OUYALIZE

• Born in 1976.
• Degree in theology.
• Graduated in the ten readings of the Quran by scholar Dr. Ayman Sweid.
• Professor of the Koran and its various readings at the IESH of Château Chinon.
• Author of the book: The simplified tajwīd new approach.

Biography of Ibn Al Jazari: an impressive track record of a Muslim scholar

Imam Ibn Al-Jazrî by His name and birth, Nicknamed Shams Ad-Dîn Abû Al-Khayr, Muhammad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Muhammad Ibn `Alî Ibn Yûsuf the Damascene, the Shâfi`ite, was born in Damascus on 25 Ramadan 751 AH

His father was a trader. Having reached the age of forty without having children, he went on pilgrimage and drank Zamzam water, making a wish to have a learned child, a wish which came true nine months later on the 25th of Ramadan after the prayer of the tarâwîh.

He is better known under the name of Ibn Al-Jazrî in reference to the island of Ibn `Umar (jazîrat Ibn `Umar) near Mosul where he is from.

His knowledge and his masters:

He was a leading scholar in the art of Koranic recitation and the science of lectionaries (Al-Qirâ'ât). A Shafi`ite jurist, he was also recognized as a memorizer of the Hadith and produced several works in history and linguistics. He trained with many masters that it is difficult to enumerate in full.

He completed the memorization of the Koran at the age of thirteen in Damascus. He memorized At-Tanbîh and various works specializing in the art of Koranic recitation. He learned the lectionaries individually from `Abd Al-Wahhâb Ibn As-Sullâr, Ahmad Ibn Ibrâhîm At-Tahhân and Ahmad Ibn Rajab, then jointly from Ibrâhîm Al-Hamawî, and Abû Al-Ma`âlî Ibn Al-Labban.


He left for the pilgrimage in 768 AH and took the opportunity to recite the lectionaries to Abû `Abd Allâh Muhammad Ibn Sulh, the preacher and imam of Tîbah.

The following year, he went to Cairo where he recited the lectionaries in accordance with the reference works Al-`Unwân, At-Taysîr and Ash-Shâtibiyyah to Abû `Abd Allâh Ibn As-Sâ'igh.

In Alexandria, he trained with Al-Abarqûhî, Bahâ' Ad-Dîn Ad-Damâmînî and Ibn Mûsâ.

In the region of Damascus, he also learned from `Abd Ar-Rahmân Al-Baghdâdî, and in Baalbek, from Ahmad Ibn `Abd Al-Karîm.

Among his masters, there are also Ibn Umaylah, Ibn Ash-Shîrjî, Ibn Abî `Umar, Ibrâhîm Ibn Ahmad Ibn Falâh, Abû Ath-Thanâ' Mahmûd Al-Minîguî and Kamâl Ad-Dîn Ibn Habîb.

He studied Hadîth with `Imâd Ad-Dîn Ibn Kathîr, Ibn Al-Muhibb and Al-`Irâqî.

He studied Islamic jurisprudence with Al-Isnawî, Al-Bulqînî and Bahâ' Ad-Dîn Abû Al-Baqâ' As-Subkî. He studied the sciences of foundations, rhetoric and linguistics with Diya' Ad-Dîn Al-Qarmî.


Positions and functions:

He was authorized to fatwâ, teaching and Koranic recitation by many scholars, such as Imâm Ibn Kathîr.

He took responsibility for various institutes such as Dâr Al-Hadîth Al-Ashrafiyyah and Turbat Umm As-Salih following his master Ibn As-Sullâr.

He was in charge of missions on behalf of various monarchs, which led him to travel frequently and to disseminate knowledge wherever he went.

Thus he went more than once to Egypt on behalf of Prince Qutlûbak.

Prince Barqûq conferred on him the charge of the Friday sermon in Jâmi` At-Tûtah following Ash-Shihâb Al-Husbânî, with whom he later shared this charge.

He agreed to teach at the As-Salâhiyyah Al-Qudsiyyah school after Al-Muhibb Ibn Al-Burhân Ibn Jamâ`ah between 795 and 797 AH

Having fallen out with Prince Qutlûbak, he set sail from Alexandria in the direction of Anatolia where he received a generous welcome from Sultan Bayezid (Abû Yazîd Ibn `Uthmân). He lavished his teachings on the inhabitants of this region until the Timurid invasion under the command of Tamerlane. The latter took him with him to Samarkand where he lived for a few years spreading the knowledge of the lectionaries. After Tamerlane's death, he occupied against his will for many years the function of Grand Judge in Shiraz - where he taught the Koranic lectionaries and the Hadîth - and in other cities governed by the children of Tamerlane.

In 822 AH he left for the pilgrimage but was robbed of his possessions before reaching his destination. He stopped in Yanbu` then in Medina in the month of Rabî` Al-Awwal of the following year. In the month of Rajab, he settled in Mecca for some time before returning to Asia Minor.

In 827 AH he went to Damascus and there obtained permission to return to Cairo. Sultan Al-Ashraf gave him an honorable welcome. Ibn Al-Jazrî again taught the lectionaries and the Hadîth. Then he went to Yemen on business. He taught Hadith there; his business went so well that he returned home with a lot of goods. In 828 AH, after completing the pilgrimage, he went to Cairo, then set out again for Damascus, then Bassorah in the direction of Shiraz, the terminus of his peregrinations.

His disciples
Throughout his travels, he had thousands of followers. Some of them acquired one or more lectionaries from him.

Among those who mastered the ten lectionaries were:

In Egypt and Syria, his son Ahmad — the commentator of Tayyibat An-Nashr —, Mahmûd Ibn Al-Husayn Ibn Sulaymân Ash-Shîrâzî, Abû Bakr Ibn Misbah Al-Hamawî, Najîb Ad-Dîn `Abd Allâh Ibn Qutb Ibn Al- Hasan Al-Bayhaqî, Ahmad Ibn Mahmûd Ibn Ahmad Al-Hijâzî Ad-Darîr, Al-Muhibb Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Ibn Al-Hâyim, Al-Khatîb Mu'min Ibn `Ali Ibn Muhammad Ar-Rûmî, Yûsuf Ibn Ahmad Ibn Yûsuf Al- Habashî, `Ali Ibn Ibrâhîm Ibn Ahmad As-Salihî, `Ali Ibn Husayn Ibn `Ali Al-Yazdî, Mûsâ Al-Kurdî, `Ali Ibn Muhammad Ibn `Ali Ibn Nafîs, Ahmad Ibn Ibrâhîm Ar-Rummânî.
In Anatolia, Ahmad Ibn Rajab, Sulaymân Ar-Rûmî, `Awad `Abd Allâh, `Ali Pasha, Muhammad and Mahmûd the children of Sheikh Fakhr Ad-Dîn Ilyâs Ibn `Abd Allâh, Abû Sa`îd Ibn Bushalmash Ibn Mintashâ [5] and Imam Safar Shah Al-Hanafi.

In Transoxiana and Persia, `Abd Al-Qâdir Ibn Tallah Ar-Rûmî, Hâfidh Bayazîd Al-Kushî, Hâfidh Mahmûd Ibn Al-Muqrî, and Ibn Iftikhâr Al-Harawî.

In Yemen, `Uthmân Ibn `Umar Ibn Abi Bakr Ibn `Ali An-Nâshirî Az-Zabîdî, the author of the commentary of Ad-Durrah Al-Mudiyyah

Bibliography:

He contributed nearly ninety works to the Islamic library in various disciplines ranging from his undisputed domain, the science of the lectionaries, to the Arabic language, through the science of Hadith, history and jurisprudence.

The Koranic Lectionaries

• An-Nashr fil-Qirâ'ât Al-`Ashr

A masterpiece in two volumes written when Ibn Al-Jazrî was only seventeen years old!, An-Nashr is an essential reference in the field of Koranic lectionaries. After a general introduction to the science of the lectionaries, the author produces there nearly eight hundred chains of transmission of the ten authentic lectionaries which link him to the Prophet — peace and blessings upon him —. Then he reviews, sura by sura, the variants distinguishing the ten lectionaries from each other.

• Tayyibat An-Nashr fil-Qirâ'ât Al-`Ashr, Versified Compendium of An-Nashr.

• Taqrîb An-Nashr fil-Qirâ'ât Al-`Ashr: Versified complement of An-Nashr in response to questions received by Imam Ibn Al-Jazrî.

• Nihâyat Ad-Dirâyât fî Asmâ' Rijâl Al-Qirâ'ât: Vast encyclopedia of proper names dedicated to the master-reciters of the Koran.

• Ghâyat An-Nihâyah fî Tabaqât Al-Qurrâ': Compendium of Nihâyat Ad-Dirâyât including the personalities cited by the Imams Adh-Dhahabî and Abû `Amr Ad-Dânî and adding many other specialists in the lectionaries. This book includes more than 3955 biographies.

• At-Tamhîd fî `Ilm At-Tajwîd: Introduction to the science of tajwîd.

• Fadâ'il Al-Qur'ân: Work devoted to the merit of the Koran, its learning and its recitation.

• Munjid Al-Muqri'în: Work which discusses in detail the concordance of the ten lectionaries.

• At-Tatimmah fil-Qirâ'ât: Tahbîr At-Taysîr fil-Qirâ'ât Al-`Ashr

• Ad-Durrah Al-Mudiyyah: Versified work devoted to the three lectionaries completing the decade, namely the lectionaries of Abû Ja`far, Ya`qûb and Khalaf [8].

• Ithâf Al-Maharah fî Tatimmat Al-`Asharah: Work dedicated to the complement of the ten lectionaries.

• I`ânat Al-Maharah fiz-Ziyâdah `Alâ Al-`Asharah: Work dedicated to the additional lectionaries to the ten.

The science of Hadith

• Silah Al-Mu'min

• Al-Hidâyah fi `Ilm Ar-Riwâyah

• Al-Qasd Al-Ahmad fî Rijâl Musnad Ahmad

• Al-Musnad Al-Ahmad fimâ yata`allaq bi-Musnad Ahmad

• Al-Mas`ad Al-Ahmad fi Khatm Musnad Ahmad

• Al-Awlawiyyah fi Ahâdîth Al-Awwaliyah

• Iqd Al-La'âlî fil-Ahâdîth Al-Musalsalah Al-`Awâlî

• At-Tawdîh fî Sharh Al-Masâbîh

• Muqaddimat `Ulûm Al-Hadîth

Invocations and dhikr

• Al-Hisn Al-Hasin

• Miftah Al-Hisn Al-Hasin

History and Sirah

• Mulakhkhas Tarikh Al-Islâm

• Dhât Ash-Shifâ' fî Sîrat An-Nabiyy wal-Khulfâ'

• Asnâ Al-Matâlib fî Manâqib `Ali Ibn Abi Talib

• At-Ta`rif bil-Mawlid Ash-Sharif

• Urf At-Ta`rif bil-Mawlid Ash-Sharif

• Ar-Risâlah Al-Bayâniyyah fî Haqq Abaway An-Nabî

The pilgrimage

• Al-Ijlâl wat-Ta`dhîm fi Maqâm Ibrâhîm

• Al-Ibânah fil-`Umrah Min Al-Ju`rânah

• At-Takrîm fil-`Umrah Min At-Tan`îm

• Ghâyat Al-Munâ fi Ziyârat Minâ

Arabic language

• Al Jawharah

His death
He died at his home in Shiraz on 15 Rabi` Al-Awwal 833 AH and was buried in the school he had founded there.