Sahih Muslim (Abridged) – (English/Arabic)

“Preface
The Sahih of Imam Muslim is a pure work of traditions written for the purpose of enabling Muslims to find their way with its aid in all crucial issues and problems of Fiqh. Across the Muslim world the Sahih of Imam Muslim and Imam Bukhari are considered as authentic recording of Hadith. The Hadith sayings are a panorama of dally life in the seventh century.
Hadith is the recording in writing of everything that the prophet is supposed to have said or done. His opinion, his reaction to events, the way in which he justified his decisions, were recorded in writing during the lifetime of the Apostle of Allah. (peace & blessings of Allah be with him) and in the post Prophetic period, so that they could be drawn upon and referred to later, in order to distinguish what is right from what is wrong.
This volume purports to be a translation of the Traditions of the sayings and doings of the holy Prophet Muhammad (peace & blessings of Allah be with him) as narrated by his companions and compiled under the title of Al-Iami as-Sahih by Imam Muslim. The venerable Imam collected about 300,000 Traditions and after a thorough examination aCCepted only 4000 Hadith, that he considered to be genuine.
Translation from one language to another is always a difficult task specially when the time span between the original language and the target language is more than a millennium and the difference in the genius of the two languages is enormous. Arabic is a rich, colorful, vigorous language with the ability to express ideas and concepts in concise manner due to the extraordinary flexibility of its verbs and nouns. English too is a pulsating, vibrating language but is considered to be a language of understatement. More importantly it may not be possible to translate cultural signifiers from one culture to another.A translator needs to have some command not only of the target language culture but also of original language culture. And there is always a risk of sacrificing fidelity of the text in the interest of making translation comprehensible. Above all, the task of translating the divinely inspired words and actions of the Apostle of Allah, who was blessed with an extraordinary chaste mode of expression, may be too daunting a task for an ordinary mortal like the translator.
Under these very obvious limitations the translator has tried his very best to be literally aCCurate and faithful to the original text. Voluminous literature exists on Sahih Muslim in many languages that many would find too intimidating to read. The Abridged Sahih Muslim has been written in simplified language to make lt easy for the readers to comprehend the language and meaning of the text. The text is sometimes shortened without losing the essential message and meaning of the original. An attempt has also been made to avoid repetitions wherever possible and to incorporate the most important Hadith reported by Imam Muslim in one comprehensive single volume. In spite of best efforts the translator aCCepts all responsibility for all acts of omission and commission, if any.
Aftan Shahryar
New Delhi

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