502 REMARKS UPON THE 



great Ima'm (Aboo Huneepah) ; and then to expa- 

 tiate on the proofs adduced by' the latter, in such 

 manner as to refute any opposite reasoning on the part 

 of the disciples. Whenever he deviates from this rule 

 it may be inferred that he* inclines to the opinion of 

 Aboo Yoosuf and Ima'm Mohummud. It is also his 

 practice to illustrate the cases specified in the Jama-i 

 Sugheer, and by Kudooree ; .intending the latter, 

 whenever he uses the expression he has said m the hook. 

 Irs praise of the, Hidayah, it has been declared, hke the 

 Jioran, to have superseded all previous books on the 

 law ; that all persons should remember the rules 

 prescribed in it ; and that it should be followed as a 

 guide through life." This eulogiuni on the Hulayah 

 is confirmed in a paper v^'Htten by Mou'lavee Mo- 

 HUMMUD Ra'shtDj one of tlie Mooffees of the Supreme 

 Court of Judicature and Courts of Siidr Deewdnee and 

 Niz'h}iut Addlut, as well as one of the most learned 

 Mosulmans in India ; who remarks on the text, and 

 some of the principal comments, to the following effect. 

 " No text or commentary, now extant, can be com- 

 pared with the Hhldvah as a digest of approved law 

 cases, ilkistrated by the proofs and arguments v»'hich es- 

 tablisli them. It is therefore, with its comments, fit to 

 be the standard of ^egal decision in the present times. 

 Many commentaries have been written upon it : but 

 four only, the Nshdyah, Indyah, Kifayah and Futh ool 

 huleer, are forthcoming in Bc'na^aL The JSihayah was 

 first composed : and has superior credit as being the 

 original from w'nch the others have borrowed. But 

 the author of the Inayah has merited esteem by his 

 studious analysis ; and interpretation of the letter and 

 meaning of Hidayah. The kifayah also deserves 

 commendation, from its concise statement of the sub- 

 stance of other comiiientarics, as well as from some 

 additions to them. And the Futh ool kudeer is pre- 

 leiable to the whole, as an ample collection of cases. 



