[3] There is a difference of opinion between the Ḥanafῑ Fuqahā over the number of books that compose the ẓāhir Al Riwāyah (ظاهر الرواية):
1) ‘Allāmah ‘Abdul Ḥayy Lucknawῑ has recorded a view in his introduction to Al Hidāyah that the books of ẓāhir Al Riwāyah (ظاهر الرواية) are 3; Al Aṣl (الأصل), Al Ziyādāt (الزيادات) and Al Muḥῑt (المحيط) Na’ῑm Ashraf has stated that this was the view of Mῑr Jān Al Hyderabādῑ.
)This view is extremely weak)
2) The books of ẓāhir Al Riwāyah (ظاهر الرواية) are 4
The Fuqahā who have adopted this view now differ over the names of these 4 books:
- According to ‘Allāmah Itqānῑ, ‘Allāmah Bābartῑ and Qādhῑ Zādah, they are: Al Jāmi’ Al Saghῑr (الجامع الصغير), Al Jāmi’ Al Kābῑr (الجامع الكبير), Al Aṣl (الأصل), Al Ziyādāt (الزيادات)
- According to ‘Allāmah Jurjānῑ and Muḥammad ‘Alῑ Al Thānwῑ, they are: Al Aṣl (الأصل), Al Jāmi’ Al Kābῑr (الجامع الكبير), Al Jāmi’ Al Saghῑr (الجامع الصغير), Al Siyar Al Kabῑr (السير الكبير)
(This view is weak as Al Ziyādāt (الزيادات)is an established book of the ẓāhir Al Riwāyah (ظاهر الرواية))
3) According to ‘Allāmah Ibn Kamāl Bāshā, ‘Allāmah Ṭashkūprῑ Zādah, ‘Allāmah Ibn Al Hanā’ῑ’ (in one view), ‘Allāmah Taqῑ Al Dῑn Al Tamῑmῑ, ‘Allāmah Bῑrῑ Zādah, ‘Allāmah Hamawῑ, ‘Abdul Walῑ ibn ‘Abdillah Al Maghribῑ Al Dimyāṭῑ, Imām Al Kafawῑ and the author of Al Muḍmarāt, the books of ẓāhir Al Riwāyah (ظاهر الرواية) are 5; Al Aṣl (الأصل), Al Jāmi’ Al Kābῑr (الجامع الكبير), Al Jāmi’ Al Saghῑr (الجامع الصغير), Al Ziyādāt (الزيادات), Al Siyar Al Kabῑr (السير الكبير)
The researchers of Nāẓūratul Ḥaq have stated that the statements of Burhān Al Dῑn Al Bukhārῑ (d.616 AH) indicate that he was also of this view.
Note: Muftῑ Ḥusain Kadodia Ṣāḥib, ‘Allāmah Luayy Al Khalῑlῑ, and Muḥammad Bwenūkālin have also given preference to the view that the books of ẓāhir Al Riwāyah (ظاهر الرواية) are 5, considering that Al Siyar Al Saghῑr (السير الصغير) is actually a part of Al Aṣl (الأصل). The researchers of Nāẓūratul Ḥaq have preferred this view stating that Al Siyar Al Saghir (السير الصغير) is actually the chapter Al Siyar found in Al Aṣl (الأصل). It was only considered a separate book once Imam Muhammad wrote Al Siyar Al Kabῑr (السير الكبير) and thus a differentiation was needed between it and the chapter Al Siyar, found in Al Aṣl (الأصل).
The researchers of Nāẓūratul Ḥaq have presented two evidences that indicate Al Siyar Al Saghir as being a part of Al Asl:
- Imām Qudūrῑ has quoted Al Siyar Al Saghῑr (السير الصغير) in his commentary upon Mukhtasar Al Karkhῑ (مختصر الكرخي). When this quotation is compared to what Imam Muhammad has written in the chapter of Al Siyar (السير) in Al Aṣl (الأصل), the quotation matches exactly with what is written in the chapter of Al Siyar in Al Asl (الأصل).
- Ḥākim Al Shahῑd has written an abridgement of Al Aṣl (الأصل) titled Al Kāfῑ. In Al Kāfῑ (الكافي), he has labelled the (abridged) chapter of Al Siyar (السير) with the name Kitāb Al Siyar Al Saghῑr (السير الصغير)
In his commentary upon Sharḥ ‘Uqūd Rasmil Muftῑ, titled Is’ādul Muftῑ, Dr. Ṣalāḥ Abul Ḥāj has provided three more evidences that indicate Al Siyar Al Saghῑr (السير الصغير) as being a part of Al Aṣl (الأصل):
- The author of Kashf Al Ẓunūn has related from the books Al Manthūrah who states:
الْكُتُبُ الَّتِيْ هِيَ ظَاهِرُ الرِّوَايَةِ لِمُحَمَّدٍ خَمْسَةٌ الْجَامِعُ الصَّغِيْرُ وَالْمَبْسُوْطُ وَالْجَامِعُ الْكَبِيْرُ وَالزِّيَادَاتُ وَالسِّيَرُ الْكَبِيْرُ
“The books of ẓāhir Al Riwāyah (ظاهر الرواية) of Imām Muḥammad are five; Al Jāmi’ Al Saghῑr (الجامع الصغير), Al Mabsut (المبسوط), Al Jāmi’ Al Kābῑr (الجامع الكبير), Al Ziyādāt (الزيادات) and Al Siyar Al Kabῑr (السير الكبير)”
- When ‘Allāmah Burhān Al Dῑn Al Bukhārῑ discusses his method in his book, Al Muḥῑṭ Al Burhānῑ, he states:
جَمَعْتُ مَسَائِلَ الْمَبْسُوْطِ وَالْجَامِعَيْنِ وَالسِّيَرٍ وَالزِّيَادَاتِ وَأَلْحَقْتُ بِهِ مَسَائِلَ النَّوَادِرَ
“I have gathered the Masail of Al Mabsut (المبسوط), the two Al Jāmi’ (Al Jāmi’ Al Saghῑr (الجامع الصغير) and Al Jāmi’ Al Kābῑr (الجامع الكبير)), Al Siyar (السير) and Al Ziyādāt (الزيادات). I have then added to this the Masāil of Al Nawādir (النوادر)”
Hence, ‘Allāmah Burhān Al Dῑn Al Bukhārῑ did not mention Al Siyar Al Saghῑr (السير الصغير) as a separate book.
- ‘Allāmah Tashkūpri Zādah has not mentioned Al Siyar Al Saghῑr (السير الصغير) as from amongst the ẓāhir Al Riwāyah (ظاهر الرواية)
4) According to ‘Allāmah Ibn Nujaym, ‘Allāmah Ibnul Hanā’ῑ’ (in one view), ‘Allāmah Ṭaḥṭāwῑ, ‘Allāmah Ibn ‘Abidῑn, ‘Allāmah Lucknawῑ, Muḥammad Bakhῑt Al Muti’ῑ’, Abū Zuhrā, Muftῑ ‘Amῑmul Ihsān, Al Qasmῑ, Muftῑ Taqῑ Uthmānῑ, Muḥammad Mahrūs Al Mudarris and Aḥmād Al Naqῑb, the books of ẓāhir Al Riwāyah (ظاهر الرواية) are 6; Al Aṣl (الأصل), Al Jāmi’ Al Kabῑr (الجامع الكبير), Al Jāmi’ Al Saghῑr (الجامع الصغير), Al Ziyādāt (الزيادات), Al Siyar Al Kabῑr (السير الكبير), Al Siyar Al Saghῑr (السير الصغير).
(Summarised from ‘Asbābu ‘Udūl Al Ḥanafiyyah ‘Anil Futyā Bi Ẓahir Al Riwāyah’ p.49 - p.55 Dārul Fatḥ)