Imam al-Qastallani شهاب الدين أحمد بن محمد القسطلاني

Imam Shihab al-Din Ahmad b. Muhammad al-Qastallani (851-923 AH / 1448-1517 CE), rahimahullah, was the preeminent Egyptian Shafi'i scholar in the fields of hadith and sira in the late Mamluk period. Born in Cairo, he rose to become among the most authoritative hadith transmitters and commentators of his generation. His Irshad al-Sari fi Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari is a comprehensive multi-volume commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari and stands as one of the indispensable standard references for the text. His Mawahib al-Laduniyya bi al-Minan al-Muhammadiyya, a major biography of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, is counted among the four principal classical sira works. His commentary on the Burda of al-Busiri - Mashariq al-Anwar al-Mudiyya - draws on this depth in hadith and sira to illuminate the celebrated poem from within a rich textual tradition.