Sharh As-Sunnah (Vol.1)
Imam al-Barbahaaree
The name of the book is Sharh as-Sunnah. The intended meaning of Sunnah here is the way of the Messenger of Allah. It does not mean the technical term according to the scholars of hadith that it is, “Whatever is confirmed from the Prophet from his saying, action or tacit approval.” The intended meaning is rather more general than that: it is the way of the Messenger of Allah , his Companions and the righteous predecessors.
It refers to the established Sunnah, regardless of whether it has to do with creed, worship, Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence), etiquettes or conducts. All of these are called Sunnah in the general sense.
In summary, the book is a highly beneficial one. Its importance can be seen by virtue of its being compiled in the early times; as it is one of the books of the earliest Salaf- those who lived in the same period with the great Imams, acquired knowledge from them and reported their pure ‘A qidah (creed). May Allah have mercy on this great Imam !