The Hierarchy of Imam An-Nawawi’s Works
Imam An-Nawawi (rahmatullah ‘alayh) wrote many works in his short [631-676], but immensely blessed life. Some of his works, such as his commentary on Sahih Muslim is referenced and utilized by all scholars of Islam no matter what legal school they are from. His works on Shafi’i fiqh, are cornerstones of the building sculpted by the hands and brilliant minds of hundreds of mujtahidin Imams that worked for the preservation of the Shafi’i madh-hab. On brief occassion, Imam An-Nawawi’s works seemingly contradict themselves in verdict and jurisprudence. For this reason, the scholars have established a hierarchy of his works. Imam Al-Kurdi in his Al-Maslak Al-Adl and Fawa’id Al-Madaniyyah states [note: Originally I had written this with the و being understood as within the title, however, Shaykh Taha Karan (jazahullah Khayran) emailed me clarifying that these are actually two works.1 ,
"ِIf the works of Imam An-Nawawi contradict one another, then generally the Mu'tamad (relied upon) opinion is his work "At-Taḥqiq", then "Al-Majmu' [Sharḥ Al-Muhadhdhab]“, then Ar-Rawḍah, then the Minhaj and equivalent to that is his Fatawa, then the Sharḥ of Saḥiḥ Muslim, then Saḥiḥ At-Tanbih.”2
So, again, the works of Imam An-Nawawi in authoritative order are [generally]:
1) At-Taḥqiq – a work dealing with issues of Taharah to Salah of the traveller.
2) Al-Majmu’
3) Ar-Rawḍah
4) Minhaj, the treatise memorized and studied by Shafi’i students and scholars. Its equivalent is his Fatawa.
5) Sharḥ of Saḥiḥ Muslim
6) Saḥiḥ At-Tanbih
Lastly, Shaykh Taha Karan, may Allah 
always bless him, said the following:
“Reference should perhaps be made to the fact that this hierarchical approach is not a hard and fast rule, but rather an approximate one. The real canon of preference in cases of internal conflict between Imam Nawawi’s works is, according to Ibn Hajar, the manner in which the later scholars of the madhhab assigned tarjih. I cite Ibn Hajar’s words as quoted by Ibn al-Jammal in Fath al-Majid p. 4:
ثم إن اختلف ترجيح الإمام النووي في كتبه فالراجح غالبا ما هو متتبع فيه كالتحقيق فالمجموع فالتنقيح، ثم ما هو مختصر كالروضة فالمنهاج. أما نحو فتاواه فشرح مسلم فتصحيح التنبيه ونكته مما هو من أوائل تآليفه فهو مؤخر عما ذكر. قال في التحفة بعد ذكر نحو ذلك: هذا تقريب، وإلا فالواجب في الحقيقة عند تعارض هذه الكتب مراجعة كلام معتمِدي المتأخرين واتباع ما رجحوه منها.
[End quote from Shaykh Taha Karan]
The translation of the above quote provided by Shaykh Taha Karan is as follows,
“If there are differences in the preference of Imam al-Nawawi rahimahuLlahu ta’ala in his books, generally the preference are given firstly to scrutinized works according to the following order: (1) al-Tahqīq, (2) al-Majmūʿ, (3) al-Tanqīḥ, then an abridged work like (4) al-Rauḍah, (5) al-Minhāj. Others will be according to this order; (6) his fatāwā (legal verdicts), (7) Sharh Sahih Muslim, and finally (8) Taṣḥīḥ al-Tanbīh and its nukāt (marginal note) that were considered among his earlier works.
After mentioning statements similar to this (Imam Ibn Hajar) stated in Al-Tuhfah, “This is in general, otherwise, when there are contradictory opinions in these books, it is necessary in reality to study the opinions of the reliable later scholars (muta’khkhirin) and to follow what they preferred.”
[Edited on Dec. 17, 2009]
And Allah Knows Best!
- He said: Al-Fawa'id al-Madaniyyah and al-Maslak al-'Adl by Muhammad ibn Sulayman al-Kurdi are not one, but two separate works. The latter is his lesser hashiyah (the smallest of 3) on Ibn Hajar's commentary on BaFadl, while the former is a treatise on the methodology of fatwa in the madhhab. Al-Fawa'id has been printed now, but al-Maslak al-'Adl remains in manuscript form. A copy of it can be seen at http://makhtota.ksu.edu.sa/makhtota/1650 . [↩]
- Quoted within the Introduction of Kitab At-Tahqiq page 16 pub. by Dar Al Jil Beirut [↩]
Dear Sir
Could u please send me acopy of this e-book by my e-mail
Sincere THANKS IN ADVANCE
Dr Hussein Rababah
Sohar university
Sohar-Oman
Which book?
As-Salamu ‘alaykum. I keep encountering a book attributed to Imam al-Nawawi, may Allah
have Mercy on him and fill his grave with light, called: الإيضاح في المناسك
Could you please let me know where thios falls in the hierarchy?