In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

Introduction

All praise belongs to Allah. We praise Him, seek His help, and ask His guidance. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil within ourselves and from our sinful deeds. Whomever Allah guides, none can mislead, and whomever He allows to stray, none can guide. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.

To proceed: In the “First Introduction” to this commentary I explained the importance of Bulugh al-Maram, its lofty status, its immense benefit, and the fine qualities that set it apart from other works in its field. Because of these qualities scholars have accorded it great attention, gravitated toward it, made use of it, and preferred it over other texts in study circles and in the lecture halls of institutes and universities, so that it has become the primary reference for memorization, deduction, and benefit. Consequently, it has been printed repeatedly and circulated widely; as the saying goes, “A fresh spring draws a large crowd.”

In that same Introduction I also spoke of my relationship with this book and my long companionship with it—an old familiarity, a firm bond, a deep-rooted connection that obliges me to repay its past, serve its readers, and honor the right of its author by producing a commentary that brings its meanings closer, uncovers its subtleties, extracts its pearls, polishes its shells, and highlights its beauties. Now that sources are plentiful, references abundant, and circumstances favorable, I feel able to present students of knowledge with a commentary that suits their tastes, accords with their curricula, and complements the hadith lessons set before them. Two matters in particular emboldened me to undertake this task:

First: the reception I witnessed for my commentary on al-ʿUmdah, entitled Taysir al-ʿAllam—its selection for teaching hadith in many educational centers and study circles in mosques, and the admiration many have expressed for its compilation, arrangement, organization, and classification.

Second: the fact that the commentaries currently in circulation on Bulugh al-Maram are neither orderly nor well-organized,