in both the first and the second editions; the publisher of the latter—our brother Zuhayr al-Shāwish—stated this explicitly in the preface to the second printing, and Abu Ghuddah is perfectly aware of it, as his own words acknowledge. His aim in this deception is to divert people’s attention from the charge laid at his door: that he prevailed upon the overseer of the first Beirut edition not to print the addendum referred to above.

Fifthly: His remark, “Far be it from them to conceal what they have done with any interpretation or excuse,” is nothing but the obstinacy of a partisan tyrant and a denial of plain fact. He calls the clarification the publisher placed in the preface to the second edition a “cover-up”! Were we to repay him in his own coin, we could say that the very booklet he composed—“Words in Exposing Falsehoods and Fabrications”—is itself a cover-up for his own falsehoods, fabrications, and deception of the public, and that would be that. Yet we have not begrudged the precious time needed to expose them, one by one, with proof and evidence, in accord with the Qurʾanic method: “Say, ‘Bring your proof if you are truthful.’” Abu Ghuddah, however, simply lets fly his words, pelting his opponent with baseless accusations without attempting to buttress them with any evidence. In truth he excuses himself, for he knows full well that he has no proof whatsoever; hence he contents himself with stinging and hissing.

Clarifying the intent of the footnote to the Mukhtaṣar and the claim made by some Ḥanafis concerning Jesus (peace be upon him)

To confirm this, I now cite for our esteemed readers the very words of the honorable publisher, Professor Zuhayr al-Shāwish—may Allah reward him well—from the preface to the second edition. After referring to my annotation, which the prejudiced tyrant exploited, he said: