ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I am greatly indebted to whoever participated in the accomplishment of this translation, especially my doctor colleagues who checked and rechecked the manuscript with great perseverance.
I am pleased to thank particularly Drs. Hasan Nâsir, Atâ Ullâh, Mirzâ Akbar Walî, Ramadân Alî Korânî, Shamîl Atfyya, Abdul Qaiyûm and Nizâm Uddîn.
I am grateful to Dr. Mahmûd Nasr As-Sûdânî who devoted every hour of his leisure time to check the English manuscript comparing it word for word with the Arabic text.
My gratitude and acknowledgements are due to Dr. Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilâli, Ph. D., Berlin University and Mr. Shâkir Nasîf Al-'Ubaydi, M.A. in English; both took the responsibility of giving the finishing touches to this colossal work by checking and rechecking the English manuscript comparing it with the Arabic version word for word. They chose a suitable system of symbolizing the Arabic sounds, and transliterated the Arabic proper names and other technical terms accordingly. They did their best to improve the structure of the English sentences keeping the style simple and comprehensible. The glossary attached to the book has been compiled by them.
I am grateful to Dr. M. Amîn Al-Misrî, Ph.D. in Hadîth Literature, for his advice concerning the translation of certain Ahâdîth and for his encouragement and sincere wish for the success of this enterprise.
To the Muslim World League at Makkah Al-Mukkarrama, I wish to express my deep gratitude and great appreciation for encouraging the project.
I am greatly indebted to the Islamic Religious scholars at Al-Madîna who, when consulted, gave willingly their opinions concerning the interpretation of certain Ahâdîth, etc.
My thanks are also due to Mr. Hasan Subhî and to the typists Mr. Amîn Ash-Shamîm and Mrs. Sharîfa Adam Makda who typed and retyped the manuscript patiently.
Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan Islâmîc University, Al-Madîna Al-Munawwara Saudi Arabia.
REMARKS
1. Due to the non-existence of appropriate and equivalent English words for many Arabic words, such words have been transliterated and an explanation has been given immediately after each word when it occurs for the first time and a glossary of such words has been compiled at the end of this book. Certain religious formulas and invocations are also transliterated.
2. The Arabic script is kept as it is for such expressions as تعالى (The Most High), صلى الله عليه وسلم (peace be upon him), and رضى الله عنه (Allâh be pleased with him) etc.
3. Some materials concerned with Arabic grammar and etymology have been excluded from the English text.
4. Most of the subnarrators are often omitted when possible and sometimes only the first narrator in each string is kept.
5. Imâm Bukhârî in his Sahîh has classified and arranged the Ahâdîth according to the subject matter which they deal with. He gave to each chapter a title indicating a certain point and under that title he stated down all the Ahâdîth that are relevant. This procedure has resulted in the occurrence of the same Hadîth under various headings, because one Hadîth might deal with a great number of aspects of Islâmic Jurisprudence. Imâm Bukhârî used each Hadîth so that every point that can be inferred from it is referred to.
The chapters and the Ahâdîth are numbered.
In this translation I have tried my best to convey the meanings of the Ahâdîth of our Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم (peace be upon him) in such a way as to enable the average reader to understand them easily. At the same time I tried to translate the work accurately, taking into consideration the statement of the prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم (peace be upon him): "Whoever intentionally falsely ascribes anything to me, shall seek his place in the Heil."
Suggestions and comments for the improvement of this translation shall be most welcomed.
Biography of Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan
Dr. Muhammad Muhsin s/o Muhi-ud-Din bin Ahmed Al-Essa Al-Khoashki Al-Jamandi Al-Afghani, was born in the year 1345 Al-Hijri, in Qasur, a city of the Punjab Province, in Pakistan.
His grandfathers emigrated from Afghanistan escaping from the wars and tribal strifes. Dr. Muhammad Muhsin belongs to the famous Afghaneese tribe Al-Khoashki Al-Jamandi. The residence place of his tribe was the valley of Arghastan south east of the city of Kandhar (Afghanistan).
He had most of his education in that city, then he continued his education till he gained Degree in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Punjab, Lahore. Then he worked in the University Hospital in Lahore, after that he travelled to England and stayed there for about four years, where he got the Diploma of Chest Diseases from the University of Wales. Then he worked in the Ministry of Health, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He came during the period of late King Abdul Aziz Âl-i-Saud. He stayed in the Ministry of Health for about 15 years, most of that period was in At-Taif, where he worked as the Director of El-Sadad Hospital for the Chest Diseases, then he moved to Al-Madina, where he worked as a Chief of the Department of Chest Diseases in the King's Hospital. Then lastly, he worked as the Director of the Islamic University Hospital, Al-Madina Al-Munawwara.
Allah (glory be to Him) helped him to translate the meanings of the Ahadith of the book Sahih Al-Bukhari and the book Al-Lu-Lu-wal Marjân and the meanings of the interpretation of the Noble Qur'ân into the English language.
In the Name of Allâh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful