that runs counter to your school of jurisprudence—and one of those imams actually adopted it—then in such a case adherence to that Sunnah is incumbent upon you. Your oft-repeated claim carries no weight here, for your opponent can reply: “We have embraced this Sunnah out of confidence in the imam who followed it; following him is preferable to following the imam who opposed it.” This is clear beyond dispute, God willing.

For that reason I can confidently say:
Since this book gathers together all the sound narrations describing the Prophet’s manner of prayer, peace and blessings be upon him, no one has any excuse for neglecting to act upon them. It contains nothing that the scholars have unanimously agreed to abandon—far be it from them; on the contrary, every ruling cited herein has been endorsed by a group of scholars. Those who did not adopt it are nevertheless excused and will receive a single reward, because either the relevant proof never reached them, or it reached them by a route they did not deem authoritative, or for some other excuse recognized by scholars.

But once the proof has been established for someone after their time, he can no longer justify blind imitation; his duty is to follow the infallible text. That is the very purpose of this introduction. Allah, exalted is He, says:
“O you who believe, respond to Allah and the Messenger when he calls you to that which will give you life; and know that Allah intervenes between a man and his heart, and that to Him you shall all be gathered” (Al-Anfal 24).

Allah speaks the truth and guides to the straight path. He is the best Protector and the best Helper. May Allah send blessings upon Muhammad, his family, and his Companions. All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds.

Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani
Damascus, 5/20/1381 AH