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KHOJA MUHAMMAD PARSA’S METHOD OF UTILIZING THE WORKS OF IMAM
ABU ‘ISA AL-TIRMIDHI
Masudkhon Ismoilov
Associate Professor, International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan
Annotation
. The article is dedicated to the scientific and sufi legacy of Khoja Muhammad Porso
(1349–1420) at the end of the 14th century, as well as his significant contribution to the
development of the Naqshbandi tariqa. The author analyzes Khoja Muhammad Porso’s main work
–
Fasl al-Khitab
, examining the sources of the hadiths and their role in Islamic scholarship. The
article compares it with Imam Abu Isa al-Tirmidhi’s
Sunan al-Tirmidhi
, highlighting Khoja
Muhammad Porso’s methodology in hadith studies and his scholarly approach. It is also
emphasized that Khoja Muhammad Porso’s scientific heritage holds great importance not only in
Sufism but also in Islamic sciences, including hadith studies and theology (kalam). The article
aims to deepen the understanding of the theoretical foundations of the Naqshbandi tariqa and its
place in contemporary scholarship.
Keywords:
Khoja Muhammad Porso, Naqshbandi tariqa,
Fasl al-Khitab
, hadith studies, Imam
Abu Isa al-Tirmidhi, Islamic sciences, sufism, murshid rank.
INTRODUCTION
One of the most prominent scholars who played a significant role in the development of Sufism
and Islamic sciences in Central Asia at the end of the 14th century was Khoja Muhammad Parsa
(1349-1420). He was not only a leading representative of the Naqshbandi Sufi order but was also
renowned as a learned scholar possessing profound knowledge in matters of both Shari‘a and
Tariqa. His works, such as Fasl al-Khitab, serve as important sources in the history of Islamic
sciences of that era, enriched with rare studies and commentaries on the science of Hadith. This
article thoroughly analyzes the scholarly legacy of Khoja Muhammad Parsa and his contributions
to the discipline of Hadith.
MAIN PART
Among the theorists of Sufi teachings in the late 14th century, Khoja Muhammad Parsa whose
full name was Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Mahmud al-Hafizi al-Bukhari (1349-1420) was
one of the great figures of the Khwajagan-Naqshbandiyya order. Born in Bukhara, Khoja
Muhammad Parsa received his education in madrasas where he deeply studied various Islamic
sciences such as the Qur’an, Hadith, and Kalam (Islamic theology). He became one of the leading
intellectuals of his time. After Baha’ al-Din Naqshband, he emerged as the most prominent
representative and theorist of the Naqshbandiyya order in Central Asia. Having attained the rank
of Murshid (spiritual guide), Khoja Muhammad Parsa was not only a Sufi but also a skillful
scholar in various fields such as Tafsir (Qur’anic exegesis), Hadith, Sufism, history, and Fiqh
(Islamic jurisprudence). He authored more than twenty scholarly works
.
One of Parsa’s most renowned and widely acclaimed works, devoted to issues concerning Sharīʿa
and Ṭarīqa, is his book entitled Fasl al-Khiṭāb bi-Wuṣūl al-Aḥbāb (The Decisive Discourse on
Attaining Union with the Beloved). The work addresses 494 individual issues, all of which are
considered controversial or debatable within Islamic scholarship. In this treatise, Parsa
1
Fakhr al-Dīn ʿAlī Ṣafī. Rashaḥāt ʿAyn al-Ḥayāt. – Tashkent, 2003, p. 85.
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systematically resolves these matters by referring to a broad range of classical Islamic texts. In his
analysis, the author cites passages from the works of numerous eminent scholars, including Imām
al-Bukhārī, Imām Muslim, Imām al-Tirmidhī, al-Ḥākim al-Tirmidhī, Imām al-Ghazālī, Yūsuf al-
Hamadānī, and Abū Ṭālib al-Makkī, among others.
Fasl al-Khiṭāb is considered one of the author’s principal works. Owing to its substantial volume
and scholarly depth, the book served as a comprehensive manual for Islamic scholars. Thirteen
manuscript copies of the work are currently preserved in the Manuscript Collection of the Al-
Biruni Institute of Oriental Studies in Tashkent
. The work was published several times in the
early 20th century. Notably, one of its editions was printed at the “Ghulom Hasan Orifjonov”
printing house in Tashkent
.
In composing Fasl al-Khiṭāb, Khwaja Muhammad Parsa made effective use of various hadiths
narrated in Imam Abu ʿĪsā al-Tirmidhī’s Sunan al-Tirmidhī, employing them at different points to
substantiate his own reflections and arguments. In this article, we aim to present several such
examples. For instance, in the chapter of Fasl al-Khiṭāb that discusses tawḥīd (divine unity),
Khwaja Muhammad Parsa articulates his views and then states: “The evidence for these words
lies in the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). He has clearly stated this in an
authentic ḥadīth”
. In Sunan Termizi hadith 2849:
لك لا ديبل ةملك برعلا اهب تملكت ةملك رعشا لاق ملسو هيلع ا ىلص ىبنلا نع هنع ا ىضر ةريره ىبا نع )٢٨٤٩(
لطاب ا لا ام ءيش
It is narrated from Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah
(peace and blessings be upon him) said
The best verse recited by the Arabs in
poetry is the line of Labīd:
Behold! Everything besides Allah is false
The Prophet Muḥammad (peace be upon him) analyzed the poetry of Labīda poet who lived
during the pre-Islamic (Jāhiliyyah) era and declared that this particular verse of his was the best
among the poetry composed by other poet
Likewise, in the section of Fasl al-Khiṭāb that describes the qualities of Paradise, a ḥadīth narrated
:by Imām al-Tirmidhī is also quoted as follows
ا يضر رمع نبا تعمس لاق ريوث نع ليئارسإ نع ةبابش ح لاق ديمح نب ا دبع نع هدانساب بابلا اذه يف اضيا يور و
هررسو همدخو هميعنو هجاوزأو هنانج ىلإ رظني نمل ةلزنم ةنجلا لهأ ىندأ نإ ملسو هيلع ا ىلص ا لوسر لاق لوقي امهنع
هوجو { ملسو هيلع ا ىلص ا لوسر أرق مث ةيشعو ةودغ ههجو ىلإ رظني نم لجو زع ا ىلع مهمركأو ةنس فلأ ةريسم
لثم اعوفرم ليئارسإ نع نع دحاو ريغ هاور و بيرغ ثيدح اذه ا همحر ىسيع وبأ لاق } ةرظان اهبر ىلإ ةرضان ذئموي
ناذه
Moreover, in this chapter, Imām al-Tirmidhī also narrates from his teacher ʿAbdullāh ibn Ḥumayd,
who said: “Shabābah narrated to us from Isrā’īl, who narrated from Suwayr. Suwayr said: ‘I heard
ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them both) say: “The Messenger of Allah (peace
and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Indeed, the person of the lowest rank among the people of
Paradise will gaze upon his gardens, spouses, blessings, servants, and couches, and the distance of
his view will stretch as far as a thousand years. As for the most honorable of the people of
2
Khwaja Muhammad Parsa. Fasl al-Khiṭāb. – Manuscript Collection of the Institute of Oriental Studies named after
Abu Rayhan al-Biruni, Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan (Hereafter: UzR AS IOS Manuscript),
Codices: 3133; 11605; 4335; 1450; 5766; 584; 2238; 1449; 11682; 3188; 5547; 5546; 522/VI.
3
Khwaja Muhammad Parsa. Fasl al-Khiṭāb. – Tashkent: Ghulam Hasan Orifjonov Publishing
House, [n.d.].
4
Khwaja Muhammad Parsa. Fasl al-Khiṭāb. – Ibid., p. 134.
5
Imam al-Ḥāfiẓ Abū ʿĪsā Muḥammad ibn ʿĪsā al-Tirmidhī. Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī. – Riyadh: Dār al-Salām, 2009, p. 841.
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Paradise in the sight of Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, they will continuously behold the
Countenance of their Lord morning and evening.”
Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) recited the following verses:
“Some faces on that Day will be radiant, gazing at their Lord”
After citing the ḥadīth, Khwāja Muḥammad Pārsā also transmits Imām al-Tirmidhī’s evaluation,
quoting him as saying: “Abū ʿĪsā (may Allah have mercy on him) said: This is a gharīb
(uncommon) ḥadīth, though others have also transmitted it marfūʿ from Isrāʾīl.” This
demonstrates that Khwāja Muḥammad Pārsā not only transmitted the ḥadīth but also conveyed the
critical commentary of the hadith master.
When we compare the version of this ḥadīth found in Fasl al-Khiṭāb with that of the modern
editions of Sunan al-Tirmidhī, it becomes evident that Khwāja Muḥammad Pārsā adhered strictly
to the accepted methodologies and etiquette of hadith scholarship. Consequently, the version
recorded in Fasl al-Khiṭāb appears to be more complete and precise. For example, in the tafsīr
chapter of Sunan al-Tirmidhī, Imām al-Tirmidhī narrates many hadiths from his teacher ʿAbd
Allāh ibn Ḥumayd, originally from Kash (modern-day Shahrisabz). However, in modern printed
editions, this narrator’s name often appears in an abbreviated form as “ʿAbd ibn Ḥumayd.” In
contrast, Khwāja Muḥammad Pārsā consistently refers to him with his full name, “ʿAbd Allāh ibn
Ḥumayd,” in Fasl al-Khiṭāb. Given that the use of “Abd” alone as a personal name is highly
uncommon in our region, it is likely that the correct full name is indeed “ʿAbd Allāh ibn
Ḥumayd.” This enhances the scholarly significance of Fasl al-Khiṭāb as a reliable and precise
source.
This observation also leads to the conclusion that a local edition of Sunan al-Tirmidhī, based on
manuscript sources, should be prepared and published to ensure greater textual accuracy.
In addition to citing hadiths narrated by Abū ʿĪsā Imām al-Tirmidhī, Fasl al-Khiṭāb also includes
narrations from another prominent scholar of Tirmidh al-Ḥākim al-Tirmidhī (may Allah have
mercy on him). For instance, in the section discussing the merits of Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq (may
Allah be pleased with him), Khwāja Muḥammad Pārsā transmits relevant material from al-Ḥākim
al-Tirmidhī:
يردأ ل ينإ ملسو هيلع ا یلص هلوق یف ا همحر یذمرتلا ميکحلا یلع نبا دمحم ا دبع وبا یلولا فراعلا ماملا خيشلا لاق
ا همحر یذمرتلا یسيع وبا ماملا هجرخا امهنع ا ىضر رمعو ركب يبأ (یلا راشا و) يدعب نم نيذللاب اودتقاف مكيف يئاقب ام
و ةضبقلا یف تراص و لج و زع ا یلا تلصو دق مهبولق نل قلخلا مهتعاط تمزل دق امهلاح لثمب نم و امهنع ا ىضر امهف
نومکحي لدعلابف قحلا کلاذب اومکح اذا و نوقطني قحلابف اوقطن اذاف ةضبقلا نم تابثلا مهل
Shaykh, Imām, Gnostic (ʿĀrif), and Saint (Walī) Abū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī al-Ḥākim
al-Tirmidhī (may Allah have mercy on him) expressed his reflections on the ḥadīth narrated from
the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): “I do not know how long I will remain
among you, so follow those who come after me.” In this narration, he indicated Abū Bakr and
ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them both). He added:
“It is incumbent upon people to obey them (may Allah be pleased with them) and those leaders
who are in the same state as them. This is because their hearts are connected to Allah, the Exalted
and Majestic, and are under His divine control. They remain firmly established in that state.
Hence, whenever they speak, they speak the truth; and whenever they judge, they judge justly.”
6
Shaykh Abdulaziz Mansur. The Translation and Tafsir of the Meanings of the Noble Qur’an. Tashkent: 2007. (Sūrat
al-Qiyāmah, Verses 22–23).
7
Khwāja Muḥammad Pārsā. Fasl al-Khiṭāb. ─ B. 437.
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In composing Fasl al-Khiṭāb, Khwāja Muḥammad Pārsā consulted the intellectual legacies of
numerous earlier scholars and referred to several of them with great reverence. In particular, when
mentioning al-Ḥākim al-Tirmidhī, he extols him with honorifics such as Shaykh, Imām, ʿĀrif, and
Walī, reflecting the high esteem in which he held him.
What is especially noteworthy is that Khwāja Muḥammad Pārsā, after quoting this ḥadīth from al-
Ḥākim al-Tirmidhī, adds: “This ḥadīth was narrated by Imām Abū ʿĪsā al-Tirmidhī (may Allah
have mercy on him),” thus acknowledging the authoritative position of Imām al-Tirmidhī in the
science of ḥadīth. This form of scholarly recognition is not limited to Fasl al-Khiṭāb alone but is
consistently observed across Khwāja Muḥammad Pārsā’s other works as well.
Although Khwāja Muḥammad Pārsā’s method of citing ḥadīths from Imām Abū ʿĪsā al-Tirmidhī
does not significantly differ from the general approach of other scholars, as previously mentioned,
certain variances appearsuch as the names of transmitters and, in some instances, the textual
content of the ḥadīthswhich diverge from those found in contemporary printed editions of Sunan
al-Tirmidhī. These differences underscore the scholarly and source-critical value of Pārsā’s
writings from the perspectives of both ḥadīth studies and textual heritage.
Studying the intellectual heritage and views of Khwāja Muḥammad Pārsā not only deepens our
understanding of the foundational doctrines of the Naqshbandī tradition but also enriches our
grasp of the authentic essence of ḥadīth scholarship. In particular, the analysis and investigation of
his works such as Fasl al-Khiṭāb, al-Ḥadīth al-Arbaʿūn, and his Sharḥ of Fuṣūṣ al-Ḥikam from the
perspective of ḥadīth sciences deserve special scholarly attention. Such endeavors will allow us to
better assess Khwāja Muḥammad Pārsā’s standing as a muhaddith and to illuminate the scholarly
relationship and continuity between him and Imām Abū ʿĪsā al-Tirmidhī. This opens the door for
further research topics and future articles.
CONCLUSION
Khwāja Muḥammad Pārsā was a distinguished scholar who held a prominent position in both the
Naqshbandī Sufi order and the field of ḥadīth studies in Central Asia. In his worksparticularly
Fasl al-Khiṭābhe offered profound analyses of issues related to Sharīʿah and Ṭarīqah, drawing
extensively on the writings of various earlier scholars and enriching them with his own insights.
His intellectual legacy constitutes a significant source not only for the development of Sufi
thought but also for the science of ḥadīth. His writings provide valuable information on ḥadīth
texts and transmission methods, making them an important resource for academic researchers.
Moreover, Pārsā’s scholarly activity contributed greatly to the flourishing of the Islamic
intellectual tradition in Central Asia, and his works continue to be esteemed as part of the
scholarly heritage. Thus, Khwāja Muḥammad Pārsā’s scholarly contributions and literary output
remain a subject of interest for contemporary researchers, and the study of his legacy continues to
support the advancement of Islamic sciences.
