SKETCHING THE EARLY 20th CENTURY HIJAZ-JAWI ISLAMIC SCHOLARSHIP THROUGH THE COMMENTARY LITERATURE: A Preliminary Study on Muḥammad 'Ali al-MÄlikī’s InÄrat al-DujÄ

Abstract

This article seeks to highlight some important accounts on the intellectual history of ḤijÄz-JÄwÄ« Islamic scholarship by examining the syarh (gloss or commentary) literature. The work under investigation is InÄrat al-DujÄ Syarḥ TanwÄ«r al-ḤijÄ Naẓm SafÄ«nat al-NajÄ written by Muhammad ‘Ali al-MÄlikÄ« al-MakkÄ« (1870-1945 AD/1287-1364 AH). This book is a commentary (syarḥ) on TanwÄ«r al-ḤijÄ Naẓm SafÄ«nat al-NajÄ, a notable work by Ahmad Qusyairi bin Ahmad al-Siddiq al-FÄsuruwÄni al-LÄsimÄ« (1892-1972 AD/1311-1392 AH), a prominent Jawi scholar of the early 20^th century who had established a correspondence with Muhammad ‘Ali al-Maliki. Beginning with the initial exploration on what might be called “the trans-regional scholarship of Safinat al-Najaâ€, this paper highlights the collaboration between ‘Ali al-MalikÄ« and Ahmad Qusyairi al-FÄsuruwanÄ« through InÄrat al-DujÄ, including the historical sketch behind the publication of the work, some important aspects it contains, and its significance for the larger picture of the early 20^th Century HijÄz-JÄwÄ« Islamic intellectual history.