Sunan al-Nabī (Arabic: سنن النبی) is a book written by 'Allama Tabatab'i in order to be an introduction to the traditions of the Prophet (s). This book originally is in Arabic and it has 21 chapters and it has been translated into Persian, English and Urdu.
'Allama Tabataba'i by taking this verse "certainly you have in the messenger of Allah an excellent exemplar" (33:21) as a principle, wrote the book to be an introductory to general moralities and manners of the Prophet (s) which is all in all called "tradition of the prophet (s)". He wrote in the book:
This book is a collection of narrations about traditions of the prophet (s) which includes his practical manners and the actions he (s) used to regularly perform and were important to him (s)
The book also contains an appendix about the prophet's appearance. In this regard 'Allama Tabataba'i says at the preface:
We also mentioned some of the narrations about his (s) appearance Even though it was out of the subject because of receiving bless and also because they have indicated some of his (s) manners and moralities.
Content
In this book the minor incidents has not been mentioned and 'Allama Tabataba'i sufficed to mention general points about the moralities of the Prophet (s). In order to have a concise book, 'Allama Tabataba'i omitted the chain of transmitters but differentiated between Musnad (hadith with transmitter chain) and Mursal (hadith without transmitter chain) hadiths and mentioned the source texts for researchers to be able for further studies.
