his life he spent most of his time in learning Hadith, in Its compilation, in its teaching and transmission. He always remained absorbed in this single pursuit and nothing could distract his attention from this pious task. He died in 261/875, and was buried in the suburbs of Nishapur.

A few words may be said about the translation of this magnificent book, which comprises the sayings and traditions of the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him). Translation is itself a very difficult task, and it becomes still more difficult when difference in the genius of two languages is immeasurably vast. The Arabic language is rich, colourful and vigorous, and is best fitted to express thoughts and concepts with more conciseness than the Aryan languages, because of the extraordinary flexibility of its verbs and nouns. English, on the other hand, is essentially a language of under-statement. Moreover, every language is a framework of symbols expressing its people's particular sense of life-values and the particular way of their perception of Reality. No good translation can, therefore, be successfully attempted unless the translator is able to produce within himself the conceptual symbolism of the language in question. Mere translation of words conveys no more than the outer shell, and thus misses the original beauty of the words translated. The problem becomes insurmountably difficult, when we take into consideration the fact that it is not the matter of translating a book of Arabic into English but translating the words of the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him). He was divinely inspired and was thus gifted with a very chaste mode of expression, the like of which is not to be found in human history. The translation of his words and expressions is, therefore, bound to remain but a distant and faulty echo of the original meaning and spirit.

I do not claim for myself competence in either of the two languages, Arabic or English, the one translated from and the other translated into. The lamentable fact that not even one complete book out of the whole lot of Sihah Sittah has been translated into English tempted me to take this great responsibility on my not-competent shoulders, with the hope that more competent scholars would take the lead and, with their better knowledge and acumen, render into English other Hadith collections, and thus wash the blame of gross negligence on the part of the Muslim society.

While translating Sahih Muslim it has been my constant endeavour to give as literal and as faithful a rendering as is consistent with tolerable English. Accuracy, rather than literary embellishment, has been my aim throughout.

A word may be added about the Notes. I have as far as possible avoided theological discussions and tried to explain the meaning of the Hadith in the light of the expositions made by eminent Muhaddithin. I have taken great care to follow them both in letter and spirit, since, I believe, they are alone competent to speak with authority on this subject.

I have, at every step, cited the authority so that anyone interested in the detailed study of the point at issue can look into it. Wherever it is found that a hadith is capable of interpretation, its interpretation is given, but that too on the authority of an eminent scholar of Hadith literature. Interpretations are there, but at no point have these been made an apology to the Western thought and Western mind; that would have been a distortion of the sayings of the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him), and is a highly dangerous and objectionable trend. It undermines the very basis of