Abu al-Layth al-Samarqandi

The Encyclopaedia of Islam (2nd ed.), signed by J. Schacht, gives Abu l-Layth al-Samarqandi as Nasr b. Ahmad b. Ibrahim, known as al-Faqih, a Hanafi theologian and jurisconsult of the fourth/tenth century. The date of his death is given variously between 373/983-4 and 393/1002-3. The article warns that he must not be confused with his slightly older contemporary al-Hafiz al-Samarqandi, whose name was also Abu l-Layth Nasr, and to whom Abd al-Qadir (d. 775/1373) wrongly attributes some of the works usually ascribed to the Imam. ¹

He was a successful author in several fields, and his books became popular from Morocco to Indonesia. The main works are a Tafsir (printed Cairo, 1310/1892-3), which Ibn 'Arabshah translated into old Ottoman Turkish, a Khizanat al-Fiqh, a handbook of Hanafi law, the Mukhtalif al-Riwaya on the divergent doctrines of the early Hanafi authorities, al-Muqaddima fi l-Salat on ritual prayer, and two works on ethics and piety, the Tanbih al-Ghafilin and the Bustan al-'Arifin. ¹

His 'Aqida, in question and answer form, has a commentary by Muhammad b. 'Umar al-Nawawi, Katr al-Ghayth, and has been printed often, with Malay and Javanese interlinear translations. The article holds that the 'Aqida is authentic, against Juynboll and Kern, and that it represents a popular Hanafi current of theological thought. ¹