A defense of the Sunnah built for both eras of its attackers
The Sunnah and its Role in Islamic Legislation is a groundbreaking effort by Dr. Mustafa as-Siba'ee, complete in two regards: first, the author covers all topics related to the Sunnah — its status, its legislative force, the stages that led to its recording — in a comprehensive and organized manner. Second, he presents the views of those who have attacked the Sunnah throughout history, detailing their arguments and then refuting them.
Who the book responds to
Among those who rejected the Sunnah's authority in the past were the Shi'a and the Mu'tazilah; today, the challenge comes mainly from Orientalists and those influenced by them. Sheikh as-Siba'ee takes readers through the historical development of the Sunnah, from the early stages of revelation to its recording during the era of the great Imams of Hadith, highlighting the contributions of scholars in preserving it and cleansing it of fabrications and lies.
The method that emerged from that defense
Shaykh as-Siba'ee gives a clear account of the revolutionary methods and scholarly principles established to authenticate historical reports and narrations. The fruits of that endeavor, as he shows, were the preservation of the authentic Sunnah and the birth of the hadith sciences themselves.
Why it endures
This book has been a perennial source of knowledge for Arabic-speaking students of Islam, valued for its clarity, readability, and insightful research. English-speaking students now have available to them this authoritative treatise on the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
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