Detailed Description
The Supreme Daily Remembrance and the Noble Litany (Al-Hizb al-A'zam wa ‘l-Wird al-Afkham) is a beautifully organized and comprehensive collection of invocations drawn from the Qur'an and Prophetic Sunna. Its wide range leaves uncovered hardly any area of worldly and otherworldly concern, and a complete reading might well put before Allah just about everything one would need in both this life and the next.
This work's acceptance is plainly visible in the multitudes of devotees who recite it regularly around the world. A lot of attention has been paid to it, from commentaries and translations to abridgements and rearrangements.
Though a number of illuminated copies exist in manuscript, no illuminated edition had become available in print. White Thread Press published an illuminated Arabic edition in 2015. For an important book of prayers such as this, illumination provides an aesthetic touch that pleases the eye and enhances the reader's spiritual engagement with the text.
The English Translation
Since the publication of the original Arabic edition, public recitals (maqra'as) of the entire collection in a single sitting have been held in various cities around the world. These are usually followed by an authorisation ceremony for the attendees. It has inspired many people to become regular readers of the book.
As readers have discovered the merits of this comprehensive litany, the demand had grown for an English translation to fully appreciate and understand the prayers. Therefore, White Thread Press now presents the collection in a bilingual edition, with the Arabic text and facing English translation in an easy to read and visually appealing format.
No effort has been spared in preparing this edition to bring about immense joy and pleasure for its readers.
- The Arabic typeface used (with minor modifications) was prepared from the original naskh script of the internationally acclaimed Syrian calligrapher ‘Uthman Taha, who is renowned for his beautiful, clear, and easy-to-read hand and who prepared the Madina Mushaf that is printed and read around the world today.
- Each page is set in twelve lines of Arabic text, with corresponding English translation, enclosed within a decorative gold and red frame.
- The English translation attempts to match the eloquence of the Arabic by remaining concise, lucid and to the point, and avoids unnecessary words and expressions.
- The inner pages have been printed using five colours and varnished on coated stock.
- The pages have been sewn for strength and durability and bound so that the book, when opened, lies flat without help of the hands, to facilitate easier reading.
- The openings of the introduction and first section are adorned by illuminated headpieces in gold and other colours, while the remaining section titles are enclosed in embellished borders.
- The ninety-nine name of Allah are elegantly featured across two double-page spreads.
- While the basic design emulates the classical Arabic manuscript style, a few modern typographical touches have been added to this edition. In addition to page numbers at the bottom, marginal heads are included to guide the reader. These heads include the number of the section (using numerals) to facilitate easy navigation for non-Arabic speakers. Since the author advises to complete the litany over several days if doing so is not possible each day, each of the seven sections also include halfway markers to break it down further.
- To facilitate pauses during recitation, punctuation marks have been added within the text. Ornaments are used for verse endings in Qur'anic invocations and for where larger entries can be divided into separate invocations. Commas suggest pauses that fit with the length, rhyme, rhythm, and meaning of each invocation.
- The text of this edition is primarily based on that of the Indian editions, and has been compared (and emended where deemed necessary) with several manuscripts from around the world
- To achieve a more balanced division of the seven sections of the book, the Saturday to Tuesday sections follow those found in the majority of manuscripts, while the remaining sections follow the Indian editions.
- The invocations are fully referenced in an appendix along with a bibliography of the print and manuscript copies used.
- A updated traditional license of transmission (ijaza) to the author is included in this bilingual edition.
- The end sheets carry a printed design in pantone gold and varnish.
- The front and back covers include the book title in gold foil along with a centre-medallion and author's name. A debossed frame encloses this, while a debossed arabesque pattern sets of the gold title on the spine.
- A ribbon marker matching the colour of each cover is added.
This deluxe edition of The Supereme Daily Remembrance (Al-Hizb al-A'zam) comes in three different faux leather covers:
- Rustic Red
- Rustic Blue
- Smooth Brown
All editions include gold gilding on page edges.
Editorial Reviews
The Al-Hizb al-A‘zam wa ’l-Wird al-Afkham of Mulla ‘Ali al-Qari is, as the name rightly suggests, a supremely beautiful and beneficial litany of supplications from the Qur’an and hadith. It encompasses most, if not all, of the best known and loved prayers of Muslims, divided into convenient 15 to 30 minute sessions for each day of the week. It would be impossible to overstate how important these prayers can be to a person’s devotion life. White Thread Press has now published it in a design and book form that is worthy of its content. I know of no more beautiful book published in the twenty-first century—it is the equal of Nuh Keller’s edition of Dalail al-Khayrat, and TJ Winter’s edition of the Burda.
Chief Advisor to HM King Abdullah for Religious and Cultural Affairs
This is a book of immense benefit. Every Muslim would greatly benefit from reading and studying it. I have myself started to read it, and all praise is for Allah.
Imam of Masjid al-Aqsa, Jerusalem