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 [Originally published by Kitab Bhavan, New Delhi, 1991. Reprinted in IQRA.]

Foreword

In October 1989, I was invited to present a paper on the “Authority of Sunnah” in an international conference held in Chicago by an international Islamic organization.

Since long, I had felt the need of a brief English booklet containing basic information on “The Sunnah of the Holy Prophet ( ),” its general features, the nature of its authority and the standard of its authenticity.

I took the opportunity to fulfil this need and wrote on the subject a little more detail than was required in a conference of this type.

The present work is the result of the above endeavor. This book is meant for the general reader who wants to know what the “Sunnah of the Holy Prophet ( )” is, how does it have a binding authority over all the Muslims for all times to come, what status has the Holy Qur’ân given to it and what measures has the Ummah adopted to preserve it for the coming generations.

I hope that this humble effort will provide brief, yet clear, answers to questions of similar nature and will help understanding the true status of the “Sunnah” as a source of Islamic Law and as a source of guidance for all Muslims in their practical lives. It will also assist, I hope, in removing certain doubts inculcated by a few contemporary writers in respect of the authority of the Sunnah.

May Almighty Allâh approve of this humble effort, adorn it with His pleasure and make it beneficial to the readers.

Muhammad Taqi Usmani

Contents