A Critical Edition of the Manuscript Treatise on the Splitting of the Prophet’s Chest (Peace Be Upon Him) and Related Issues, by Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Umar Shihab al-Din al-Khafaji

Abstract

or disputed passages, and tracing the cited ḥadīths to their original sources to verify their authenticity. It also examines the author’s methodology in composing and structuring the manuscript, as well as his approach to citing references and sources. Among the most notable findings is an inconsistency at the beginning of the manuscript, manifested in an introduction unrelated to the main topic and a repetition of the opening praise, which suggests that it may be a continuation of another treatise or the result of a textual misordering. The author adopts a methodology based on thematic division, collecting and arranging reports, followed by commentary and explanation, with the addition of a third chapter devoted to justification and clarification. The treatise combines narration (presenting the transmission routes and wording of the incident) with critical analysis (seeking to reconcile variations and explain the wisdom behind multiple occurrences), with a marked expansion in the third chapter in terms of interpretation, guidance, and elucidation of specific expressions and details. In some places, a conflation appears between variations in report wording and the multiplicity of the incident itself, along with the use of certain arguments that require further refinement in attribution and comparative assessment of the transmission routes, which necessitated scholarly annotation. The researcher recommended conducting a thorough investigation to locate the remainder of the manuscript.