Question Summary:
The Hanafi work الكافي

Question Detail:

When ابن عابدين refers to الكافي in رد المحتار, is he referring to a work of امام نسفي?

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

الكافي  in رد المحتار could refer to one of two books:

هَذَا هُوَ مُرَادُ الْمُصَنِّفِ كَمَا أَفْصَحَ عَنْهُ فِي الْكَافِي فَلَا حَاجَةَ حِينَئِذٍ إلَى مَا ذَكَرَهُ الزَّيْلَعِيُّ كَمَا لَا يَخْفَى.

When ibn Abideen refers to الكافي without any قيد, it most likely meansالكافي شرح الوافي of Imam Nasafi. See the following examples:

On some occasions he explicitly mentions that he is referring to الكافي شرح الوافي, for example:

However, normally he makes an explicit mention when he refers to الكافي للحاكم الشهيد, or there is an indication to this effect:

When ibn Abideen is arguing تصحيح on a mas’alah, or claiming fatwa is on a certain opinion, he is generally quoting from الكافي شرح الوافي:

In conclusion, whenever ibn Abideen refers to الكافي without any قيد, similar to ibn Nujaym, it more than likely refers to الكافي شرح الوافي. If he meansالكافي للحاكم الشهيد, there will normally be an explicit mention, or an indication to this effect.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Faizal Dhada

Student, Darul Iftaa

UK

Checked and Approved by,

Mufti Ebrahim Desai.