Our new translation of the Ahkaam of Imam al-Haadi (as)

as salaamu alaykum wa rahma!

We pray that everyone is in good imaan and health! We appreciate your patience with our absence from the forum for the past couple of years!

Alhamdulillah, we have completed our translation of the Ahkaam of Imam al-Haadi (as)! It was a great effort on the part of our translators and editors, but we managed to produce a product that we are proud of and pray for Allah's acceptance of it. Ameen!

Below is a series of questions and answers related to our completed book project. 

What prompted you to translate this book?
Ever since we completed  our first book on theology , we endeavoured to produce a work of similar caliber. After polling several people on our email list, they all unanimously said that our next project should be a book of jurisprudence. Although we continued with other translation projects, we prioritised the translation of the Ahkaam.    

How long did it take you to translate it and what was all involved in this project?
Because we are a volunteer organisation and our members are working adults with their own families, this translation effort took a total of more than fifteen years. It is not that the translation process was difficult, it's just that we weren't able to work on the book exclusively. Some of us may have had 20 minutes to an hour a day to work on it, while others were able to dedicate more time to it. 

As for what this translation entailed, in addition to the actual translation itself, we had to consult dictionaries and lexicons of classical Arabic. We also had to check our translations and terminology against pre-existing translations of jurisprudential texts in order to render the words in an understandable way. We wanted the text to appear as a legal primer but without too many technical and difficult jargon that may be unknown to the average reader. We also consulted some scholars in Yemen and Najraan in the case of complex concepts.   

Who is this translation catered towards?
We wanted this book to be of benefit to those who are interested in a different take on jurisprudence as well as those students of fiqh who are unfamiliar with 'Hadawi' jurisprudence. 

Can the reader apply the content of this book in a modern-day context?
It has always been the challenge of books of Islamic jurisprudence and legal primers to present a work that is mindful of its context but also equally relevant to later times and places. Admittedly, the book contains information suited to agrarian and pastoral life, as this was the context of the author. However, much of the underlying principles of this jurisprudence can easily apply to a postmodern urban context as well. 

Can you give us an example?
Yes. In the prescribed punishment section, the imam discusses the preconditions of a consummative marriage for which the prescribed punishment can be applied. In it, he says that the age for which a wife can have intercourse is when she is physically able to without harm or when she is fifteen. He does not follow the example of other jurists and declares the age to be nine. His setting physical ability as a precondition establishes a very clear principle that even in the face of purported traditions, the health and well-being of the person takes precedence. It is rather ironic that in Yemen, the heartland of the Hadawi jurisprudence, there are reports of unfortunate girls who suffer from pelvic damage and death because of attempted intercourse by their adult husbands! By simply applying this Hadawi principle, such abuse would be non-existent.       
 
Did this translation challenge any previously held ideas or beliefs regarding the historical development of Islamic jurisprudence?
Not really. The principles of Hadawi jurisprudence were well-known to us before starting on this project. However, one interesting recurring theme repeated throughout the text is the points of divergence between the judgements of Imam al-Haadi (as) and the content of the Majmu' Imam Zayd.

Please elaborate.
People tend to characterise Zaydi fiqh as only that which appears in the Majmu' Imam Zayd. The Majmu' is a book said to be compiled by a student of Imam Zayd b. 'Ali (as) known as Abu Khaalid al-Waasiti. It is a one volume book that includes narrated traditions from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, as well as the judgements of Imams 'Ali and his great grandson, Zayd b. 'Ali, upon them be peace. It predates the Muwatta of Imam Maalik and can be said to be the first compilation of its kind. Those who hold to the absolute authenticity of this work say that it faithfully represents the doctrine of Imam Zayd as well as the other imams of Ahl al-Bayt, upon them be peace. However, it is interesting to note that there are instances in the Ahkaam in which Imam al-Haadi (as) contradicts some of that which appears in the Majmu'. We dedicate a large portion of our preface of the book discussing this issue as well as the traditional approaches to these contradictions and an alternative approach.

Why didn't you self-publish this book as you did your first book? Why did you go with  Dar al-Nadhiri  as a publisher?       
After much prayer, contemplation and consultation, we decided to go with a publisher. This was for various reasons. Principal of these reasons was that sales of our first book were disappointing. The book did not have a wide distribution and was primarily through word-of-mouth. An established book publisher offers wider distribution as well as better marketing than what we could do alone.       

We were introduced to Dar al-Nadhiri by a friend. After seeing their quality work, we wanted to give them a try. They have never published English books, so it is a first for them as well. We hope to have a long and fruitful relationship with them. We were also intrigued by their book cost being reasonable; affordability was the primary factor in us choosing Dar al-Nadhiri as publisher. Book distributors, such as  Hatchards ,  Amazon ,  Blackwell's  and  AbeBooks , may charge a certain price for their overhead, but we do not see any proceeds or royalties. It was simply a labour of love. We would recommend that you purchase it directly from DaralNadhiri's Telegram (@Daralnadhiri) for the best price. 

What are some of your current projects?
We are working on translating the Majmu' al-Kutub wa Rasaa´il Imam al-Qaasim ar-Rassi, which is a collection of treatises and addresses by Imam al-Qaasim b. Ibrahim Rassi (as). 

Any last words?
Yes. Of course, we pray that those who read our translation will benefit greatly. We also open ourselves to constructive criticism and correction, as we plan to produce another edition in the future. We also would like you to spread the word about our translation. Please make dua for us! 

wa alaykum as salaam wa rahma!

Thanks for the information! I'm glad you were able to find the correct link! I would also like to use this opportunity to announce that soon, the e-book will be available from Dar alNadhiri soon inshaAllah.

And Allah knows best!

IRS