Note on the Text

Note on the Text

Honorifics

Throughout this book, whenever the names of prophets and messengers are mentioned, it is customary for Muslims to invoke the prayer "peace be upon him" (PBUH). In the case of the Messenger of God, Muhammad, the customary invocation is "peace be upon him and his family" (PBUHAF). For other revered figures, such as the Imams, the customary invocation is "peace be upon them" (PBUT).

Whenever the name of God is mentioned, it is customary to accompany it with expressions of glorification, such as "Exalted be He" or, on occasion, "the Mighty and Majestic." For the sake of readability and the natural flow of the English text, these expressions have been omitted in some instances and retained in others where deemed appropriate.

Whenever Satan is mentioned, it is customary to say, "May God curse him." This expression has likewise been omitted in some instances and retained in others where deemed appropriate.

The honorifics associated with prophets, messengers, the Prophet Muhammad and his family, the Imams, God, and Satan have been treated in accordance with these editorial conventions throughout the book. Readers should nevertheless understand that these expressions are always intended and are traditionally recited whenever these names are read, spoken, or heard.

Where direct narrations or quotations are reproduced, the honorifics appearing in the original have generally been retained in order to preserve the wording and fidelity of the source text.

Chains of Narration

The narrations of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUHAF), the Imams (PBUT), and other transmitted religious reports are accompanied in their original sources by chains of narration (isnāds) identifying the individuals through whom each report was transmitted. To improve readability, these chains have generally been omitted from the main text. The complete cited chains of narration are provided in Appendix 3.

References

Most references, other than Quranic citations, are to Arabic works. Where possible, English translations of the cited works’ titles have been provided in Appendix 4.