A Critical Edition of Kitāb al-Sawād al-aʿẓam by al-Ḥakīm al-Samarqandī

The book comprises an annotated critical edition and a detailed study of Kitāb al-Sawād al-a'ẓam by al-Ḥakīm al-Samarqandī (d. 342/953). Al-Ḥakīm al-Samarqandī attained fame not only as a scholar of religious sciences and law, but, moreover, as an ascetic and a sage, in the sense of possessing a “divine blessing” for calling to the way of God, knowledge of inner rightfulness, and wisdom about high spiritual truths. As one of the earliest formulations of dogmatics and practice among the Ḥanafī faction of Islam, this book is a 'manual of orthopraxy' that aims to regulate social behavior and forge community identity. The book offers a syncretic sense of obligations encompassing beliefs, rituals and practice. This is a work of great importance with a comprehensive critical study that provides a classification and a detailed comparative study of the author's positions. The book is a significant contribution that sheds light on early beliefs and practices that fashioned some Muslim communities in lower Central Asia, Medieval Iran, the Ottoman Empire, and other parts of the Muslim World. It is an accessible and meticulous resource for scholars, students of Islam, and the general public.