the people of ḥadīth are the people of the Prophet even if they did not accompany his person, they accompanied his breaths. Therefore, this book, if Allāh wills, will gather what is scattered in the volumes of ḥadīth and fiqh books—across different schools of thought related to its subject—while no book or school gathers the truth it contains. And whoever acts upon it, if Allāh wills, will be among those whom Allāh has guided to the truth in which they differed, by His permission, and Allāh guides whom He wills to a straight path. Then, when I set this methodology for myself—adhering to the authentic sunnah—and followed it in this book and others—which will spread among people, if Allāh wills—I was aware that it would not please all groups and schools of thought. Rather, some or many of them will direct tongues of criticism and pens of blame at me, and that does not harm me. For I also know that pleasing people is an unattainable goal and that: "Whoever seeks to please people by displeasing Allāh, Allāh will leave him to the people" (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Ṣaḥīḥah 2311) as the Messenger of Allāh (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) said, and well said by the one who stated: