Imam Burhan al-Din al-Zarnuji برهان الإسلام الزرنوجي

Imam Burhan al-Din al-Zarnuji rahimahullah (7th c. AH / 13th c. CE) was a Hanafi scholar from the region of Transoxiana (Central Asia). His precise dates of birth and death are not known from the historical sources, though he is placed with confidence in the early thirteenth century CE. Of his scholarly output, only a single work survives: Talim al-Mutaallim Tariq al-Taallum, the foundational manual on the etiquette of the student of knowledge. Composed in a concise pedagogical style, the work addresses sincere intention in seeking knowledge, the selection of one's teacher and subject matter, proper methods of study, techniques for strengthening memorization, what corrupts or diminishes knowledge, and the reliance upon Allah and gratitude that befit the earnest student. From the time of its composition, it became the first text presented to a student in Hanafi-Maturidi madrasas and remains in use to this day.