Women in Islam

Q: Which should I choose between Al-Mufassal and Jami' ahkam an-nisa'?

Al-Mufassal by Zaydan is the fuller one: eleven volumes, each question set out with the positions of the schools. Jami' ahkam an-nisa' by Al-Adawi runs to five volumes, starts from the texts and their degree of authenticity, and reads more easily. The first to compare, the second to consult.

Q: Are there books specifically on dress?

Yes. Jilbab al-mar'a al-muslima by Al-Albani is a volume devoted to that single question, with an examination of the evidence. The general treatises here also give it a chapter, shorter, set within the body of rulings.

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What fiqh al-mar'a covers

Fiqh al-mar'a is not a separate chapter in the classical manuals: it is scattered through the books of purification, prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, marriage and inheritance. The works on this shelf do the opposite: they gather everything concerning women in one place, which makes them books for quick consultation. You will find tahara in its specific cases, the rules of prayer and the mosque, fasting and its exemptions, the conditions of pilgrimage, dress and the jilbab, mahram and travel, the share of inheritance, testimony, and the running of the household.

The reference works

Al-Mufassal fi ahkam al-mar'a wa al-bayt al-muslim by Abdelkarim Zaydan: eleven volumes, the most complete work of its kind, arranged by question with the positions of the schools. A library in itself.
Jami' ahkam an-nisa' by Mustafa al-Adawi: five volumes, built on the texts and their degree of authenticity, with a discussion of the opinions. Easier going than the above in terms of language.
Jilbab al-mar'a al-muslima by Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani: one volume on the single subject of dress, with a study of the evidence.
The fatwa collections for the Muslim woman, which arrange the answers of contemporary scholars by theme. A practical format, useful for everyday questions.
The biographies of the women companions and of women of learning, including the large biographical dictionaries such as A'lam an-nisa'.

What to check before ordering

First the kind of book: a comparative treatise, a fatwa collection and a biography do not serve the same search. Then the volume count, since the two major titles here also exist as abridgements. Finally the takhrij, as these works cite many hadiths bearing on specific cases. Every product page states all three.

Related shelves

For the contract and its consequences, Marriage. For what follows in the household, Raising children. For the manuals these questions are drawn from, Fiqh. For the work of the heart, Purification of the soul. Overview: Family.

Order and shipping

Real stock displayed, dispatch within 24 to 48 working hours, delivery to France, Europe and the rest of the world. If you are torn between Al-Mufassal and Jami' ahkam an-nisa', write to us: we will tell you the language level of each.

Which should I choose between Al-Mufassal and Jami' ahkam an-nisa'?

Al-Mufassal by Zaydan is the fuller one: eleven volumes, each question set out with the positions of the schools. Jami' ahkam an-nisa' by Al-Adawi runs to five volumes, starts from the texts and their degree of authenticity, and reads more easily. The first to compare, the second to consult.

Do these books cover the purification questions specific to women?

Yes, it is one of the most developed chapters of the genre: hayd, nifas and istihada, with their effects on prayer, fasting and pilgrimage. Both major titles here treat them in detail, and the fatwa collections answer case by case.

Are there books specifically on dress?

Yes. Jilbab al-mar'a al-muslima by Al-Albani is a volume devoted to that single question, with an examination of the evidence. The general treatises here also give it a chapter, shorter, set within the body of rulings.

Do fatwa collections replace a fiqh treatise?

No, they answer a different need. A treatise sets out the rule and its reasoning; a fatwa collection deals with a specific case put to a contemporary scholar. The two complement each other: the treatise to understand, the collection for situations the older works did not envisage.

Does the shelf include biographies?

Yes, part of it gathers the tarajim: women companions, hadith transmitters and women of learning, up to the large biographical dictionaries such as A'lam an-nisa'. It is a genre distinct from the books of rulings, and the product page says which of the two you are looking at.

Do these books need a good level of Arabic?

It depends on the title. The fatwa collections are written in plain language and can be read at an intermediate level. Al-Mufassal assumes familiarity with legal vocabulary and the formulas of juristic debate. The level is stated on each product page, and we will answer if you are unsure.