Page:Selections from the Sahih of al-Buhari (1906).djvu/12

well as to students of the Hadit literature in general. The importance of these traditions as specimens of classical Arabic is of course obvious. I have avoided using- material likely to be employed in other text books of this Series. It is for this reason, chiefly, that I have passed by altogether the interesting divisions ^Lali ***> and (^1*11. I have tried to illustrate, so far as possible, the important, peculiarities of com position of the works of this class, and of this one in particular. One book, viz. the xSUXJf ^U5" (pp. H,ff.), has been given without abridgment. Examples of cha racteristic defects, such as chapter-heading without accompanying tradition (pp. T, ov); tradition without chapter-heading (i% 6); misplacement of titles (ov, 1), etc., have also been included. Two of the longer tradi tions are given, viz. those relating to the c A D isa scandal (1*6 f.) and to the Treaty of Hudaibiya (fl fl), each one a most interesting and instructive specimen of old Arabic narrative. I have nearly everywhere followed the "standard" text of al-Yunlnl, though I have not hesitated to intro duce a few readings of the Abu Darr recension where these seemed preferable for one reason or another. In one case (see the note to p. w>, 1 f.), where the tradi tional texts are more or less corrupt, I have followed the reading attested by all the native lexicographers 1 ). ) See especially the Lisau al- Arab s. v.Oo^>, vol. 5, p. PT, above.