However, it later became clear that, although this warning is both necessary and inescapable, it is not sufficient by itself. Authentic hadiths must be presented alongside the weak ones, for knowing that a narration is weak does not by itself tell us which narrations are sound—unless every single weak report could be exhaustively catalogued, and that is far beyond reach. (So far their number has already exceeded 6,500, and the tally is still rising.) For this reason we have determined that the authentic hadiths must be set out together with the weak, so that, by Allah’s permission, our treatment will combine diagnosis of the illness with provision of the cure.

In these articles I have not bound myself to any specific headings or fixed order; I proceed in whatever sequence proves convenient, just as I did in the earlier essays mentioned above.

Beyond the general aim of cultivating sound knowledge, our principal purpose in these articles is to ascertain the authenticity of each hadith and to discuss its chains of transmission, its various routes, and its narrators according to the methodology and terminology of the hadith specialists. I intend to be concise and to avoid undue length whenever possible, except where fuller discussion is indispensable. At times we may touch on the juristic questions, linguistic benefits, and other points contained in some of the narrations, and we may occasionally link several separate reports with connective commentary so that they form a distinct, self-contained topic suitable as the basis for a sermon or lecture. Even so, I have not made that a fixed requirement, in order to ease the task for myself and in consideration of my limited time.

I ask Allah to make these essays even more beneficial than the ones already mentioned, to grant me correctness throughout, to make them sincerely for His sake, and to store up their reward for me with Him—for He is the best One to be asked.

Damascus, 14/12/1378 AH
Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani