ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Light On the Muhammadan Sunnah Or Defence of the Hadith The Author’s Response This was the precious foreword which Dr. Taha Husayn published about the book “Adwa’ ‘ala al-Sunnah al-Muhammadiyyah” after reading it.

Had I be obliged to present to him the most sincere and deepest gratitude, for the extreme care he exerted for my book, making him to read it more than once, but which delights me – for which I praise God – being that his lordship, though being the honourable scholar and renowned critic, has never put his hand on anything liable to be censured, from among the book’s topics – that all being critical – which no book had ever contained, except some points that seemed for him “mere slips for which he is not to blame” as he expressed himself in his foreword.

1 On the margin of these slips I give the following brief comment, hoping it win his pleasure and approval. The first of these slips being his raising doubt about the plot to assassinate Umar, and the collaboration of Ka‘b al-Ahbar in it. On reading his words in this respect, I smiled and asked myself, how would the truth of such a thing be unrealized by him while he being the investigating and penetrating scholar.

I eagerly awaited the publication of his book al-Shaykhan, so as to see his opinion in regard of murder of Umar. As soon as I read what he stated in this book on this issue, I became rest assured regarding what I referred to in my book, thanking Allah for finding the doubt raised in the mind of Dr. Taha Husayn concerning the intrigue to kill Umar, be vanished, praise be to God.

2 The second slip, claiming that I have gone too far in interpretation when saying that Abu Hurayrah has embraced Islam only for filling his abdomen (satiating his hunger). Whereas the fact being that the only reason behind my reference to this matter lies in Abu Hurayrah’s confession to this fact throughout many hadith books. For instance, al-Bukhari has reported from him his saying: I have kept the Prophet’s company only for filling my belly.

And again according to Muslim’s narration, he said: I have been at the service of the Prophet in recompense for filling my belly. And confession, as held by men of law and legislation, is the head of evidences. Thus I have never interpreted or gone to the extreme in this regard, beside the fact that Abu Hurayrah’s biography confirms his confession.