Virtues of the Prophet | Ash-Shamail al-muhammadiyya

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Shamail and khasais: two distinct genres

The shamail describe the person: the height, the face, the hair, the way of walking, sitting, eating, the dress, the laughter, the silence, the character. The khasais deal with what is particular to him, that is, the points where his situation differs from that of others. Both genres are here because they answer the same question, but they are not the same works.

The reference works

Ash-Shamail al-muhammadiyya by At-Tirmidhi: the book of the genre, arranged in short thematic chapters. Short, and available as bare text or with commentary.
The commentaries on the Shamail, explaining the vocabulary of the descriptions, which is often technical.
Al-Khasais al-kubra by As-Suyuti: the broadest compilation on the khasais, in volumes.
The treatises on prophetic character, moving from the descriptions to conduct.
The collections of his sayings arranged by theme, on the border with the hadith section.

Why takhrij matters here

Because the genre attracts embellished accounts. A description circulates, is transmitted, gets filled out, and the gap between an established report and a weak one becomes invisible in an edition without notes. On this shelf more than elsewhere, a verified edition is worth the price difference. We state the takhrij and the editor on every product page.

What to check

The takhrij and the editor, then. Whether there is a commentary on the Shamail, since the bare text assumes an uncommon descriptive vocabulary. The volume count on Al-Khasais al-kubra. And the vowelling, useful on a text read aloud in a circle.

Related shelves

For the events of his life, Sira: the classical sources and Sira: modern studies. For the collections these descriptions come from, Hadith. For the conduct to follow day to day, Character and manners. Overview: History.

Order and shipping

Real stock displayed, dispatch within 24 to 48 working hours, delivery to France, Europe and the rest of the world. For the Shamail, say whether you want the bare text or a commented edition.

What is the difference between shamail and khasais?

The shamail describe the person: appearance, the way of speaking, sitting, eating, dress, character. The khasais deal with what is particular to him, the points where his situation differs from that of others. Both genres are on this shelf because they answer the same question, but they are not the same works.

Is a commentary needed for At-Tirmidhi's Shamail?

If you work alone, yes. The text is short but the descriptive vocabulary is technical and uncommon: terms about hair, complexion, build appear almost nowhere else. We state on the product page whether it is the bare text or a commented edition, and whose.

Why insist on takhrij on this shelf?

Because the genre attracts embellished accounts. A description circulates, is transmitted, gets filled out, and in an edition without notes the gap between an established report and a weak one becomes invisible. Here more than elsewhere, a verified edition is worth the price difference.

Does this shelf recount his life?

No, and that is the distinction to keep. Here, the description of his person and his character. For the events, their order and their dates, see Sira: the classical sources and Sira: modern studies. Many readers look for one while ordering the other, hence this separate shelf.

Virtues of the Prophet ﷺ