I. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I am greatly indebted to whoever participated in the accomplishment of this translation, especially my doctor colleagues who checked and rechecked the manuscript with great perseverance.

I am pleased to thank particularly Drs. Hasan Nasir, Ata-l-lah Mirza, Akbar Wali, Ramadan Ali Korani, Shamil Atiyya, Abdul-Qaiyum and Nizam Addin.

I am grateful to Dr. Mahmud Nasr As-Sudani who devoted every hour of his leisure time to check the English manuscript comparing it with the Arabic text word for word.

My gratitude and acknowledgements are due to Dr. Muhammad Taqiy-ad-Din Al-Hilali Ph.D. Berlin University and Mr. Shakir Nasif Al-`Ubaydi, M.A. in English; both took the responsibility of giving the finishing touches to this colossal work by checking and rechecking the English manuscript comparing it with the Arabic version word for word. The latter chose a suitable system of symbolizing the Arabic sounds, and transliterated the Arabic proper names and other technical terms accordingly. He did his best to improve the structure of the English sentences keeping the style simple and comprehensible. The glossary attached to the book has been compiled by him.

I also wish to thank Mr. Muhammad 'Abdul `Aleem an Australian Muslim who has very kindly read the English Text thoroughly to improve its coherence where ever possible.

I am grateful to Dr. M. Amin Al-Misri, Ph.D. in Hadith Literature, for his advice concerning the translation of certain Hadiths and for his encouragement and sincere wish for the success of this enterprise.

To the Muslim World League at Mecca Al-Mukarrama I wish to express my deep gratitude and great appreciation for encouraging the project.

I am greatly indebted to the Muslim erudite scholars at Medina who, when consulted, gave willingly their opinions concerning the interpretation of certain Hadiths.

My thanks are also due to Mr. Hasan Subhi and to the typists Mr. Amin Ash-Shamim and Mrs. Sharrifa Adam Makda who typed and retyped the manuscript patiently.

DR. MUHAMMAD MUHSIN KHAN
Islamic University, Medina AI-Munawwara
Saudi Arabia