criticized passages are mostly found in Muslim. One group defended the two compilers concerning them, while another upheld the position of the critics (1).

The correct position, however, is that distinctions must be made: some of these passages are undoubtedly open to criticism, such as the hadith of Umm Habība, the hadith stating that Allah created creation on Saturday, and the hadith concerning the eclipse prayer with three or more bowings.

In other instances, however, criticism of passages in al-Bukhārī is unwarranted, for of the two books it is less susceptible to criticism. He scarcely ever transmits a wording open to criticism without also transmitting the alternative wording that reveals the problem with it. Thus, whenever a criticized wording occurs in his book, the book itself also contains something demonstrating that it is open to criticism.

Generally speaking, whoever assays seven thousand dirhams and allows only a few of them to pass his scrutiny (2)—and even those are merely altered rather than wholly counterfeit—is a master of his craft. The two books contain seven thousand and some (3) hadiths.

The point is that the hadiths in both books were critically scrutinized (4) by the foremost expert authorities before and after the two compilers’ time, and were transmitted by multitudes whose number only Allah can count. Thus, neither compiler stood alone either in transmitting them or in declaring them authentic. Allah—glorified and exalted is He—is the One who guarantees the preservation of (5) this religion, as He, the Exalted, says:

“Indeed, it is We who sent down the Reminder, and indeed, We will surely preserve it.”

[Surah al-Hijr: 9]

The same is true of most issues found in works composed on the legal schools (6) of the imams, such as al-Qudūrī, al-Tanbīh, al-Khiraqī (7), and al-Jallāb. Most of what they contain, when