Distinguished Academic Achievement: Lecturer Atab Mahfouz Faraj Earns PhD for Editing a Rare Hadith Manuscript

Lecturer Atab Mahfouz Faraj, a faculty member at the College of Islamic Sciences, University of Samarra, has been awarded a PhD in the field of Hadith studies following the successful defense of her dissertation, which focused on the critical edition of an important heritage manuscript.

Her dissertation addressed the work of Sheikh Muhammad ibn Mustafa al-Madrani, a scholar from the 12th century AH who has not previously been the subject of dedicated academic study. The researcher exerted significant scholarly effort in editing his manuscript titled: “Hashiyat Muhammad ibn Mustafa al-Madrani on ‘Nuzhat al-Nazar’ by Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (d. 852 AH),” covering the text from its beginning up to the passage: (“and the addition of their narrator”).

The study is distinguished by shedding light on an overlooked scholar in Hadith studies and contributing to the revival of an important intellectual heritage through rigorous academic editing of manuscript texts, including proper verification and documentation وفق established scholarly methodologies.

This dissertation represents a valuable addition to the field of Hadith studies, as it highlights a previously under-researched scholarly figure and contributes to preserving and reviving Islamic heritage through critical text editing.

This achievement comes as part of the university’s ongoing academic mission to support rigorous research and encourage the preservation and revival of Islamic intellectual heritage.