Researcher Manaf Jama Ali Mohammed was awarded a PhD degree in Hadith and Its Sciences for his dissertation titled: Sharh Shamail al-Nabi salla Allahu alayhi wa-alihi wa-sallam by Imam Mohammed ibn Salah ibn Jalal Al-Lari (d. 979 AH), from the Chapter on What Has Been Reported Concerning the Description of the Messenger of Allah’s Sleep to the End of the Manuscript: A Study and Critical Investigation, which was submitted to the Department of Islamic Studies, Faculty of Arts and Humanities–Sana’a University. The dissertation defense was held on Thursday, October 29, 2026.
The PhD Viva-Voce Committee, which was formed based on a resolution issued by the Graduate Studies and Scientific Research Council, consisted of the following:
• Prof. Mohammed Ahmed Murshid Al-Matari – Albaydha University – External Examiner and Chair.
• Prof. Ali Hassan Muthanna – Sana’a University – Supervisor and Committee Member.
• Dr. Sumayyah Abdullah Omar Al-Jarou – Sana’a University – Internal Examiner and Committee Member.
The study aimed to introduce Imam Abu Isa Al-Tirmidhi and Imam Mohammed ibn Salah ibn Jalal Al-Lari and highlight their scholarly standing. It also sought to examine Al-Lari’s methodology and the scholarly significance of the manuscript, as well as to produce a critical edition of its text in accordance with the university’s approved editorial methodology.
The study reached several findings, most notably highlighting Imam Al-Tirmidhi’s standing among scholars and the recognition and authority he enjoys in Hadith scholarship. It also demonstrated the considerable scholarly interest in Imam Al-Tirmidhi’s book Al-Shamail, which has been the subject of more than 95 commentaries, including published, manuscript, and lost works. Furthermore, the study highlighted the scholarly stature of Al-Lari as a scholar of the tenth century AH, his contributions to authorship, and his engagement in various fields of scholarship, as well as his use of his scholarly and linguistic expertise in commenting on Al-Shama’il.
The study recommended further examination of Al-Lari’s methodology in his commentary on Al-Shamail, including a dedicated, detailed study of this methodology. It also recommended greater attention to his other works, particularly those on Hadith, and efforts to critically edit, publish, and print his manuscripts. In addition, it called for a comparative scholarly study of his commentary and other commentaries on Al-Tirmidhi’s Shamail.
The dissertation defense was attended by a number of academics, postgraduate students, researchers, as well as the researcher's colleagues and family members.
