Introduction

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

He said: The trustworthy Sheikh Abu al-Husayn

Muhammad ibn Ali al-Jali, may Allah sanctify his soul and honor his station, narrated to me: He met our Sheikh Abu Abd Allah al-Husayn ibn Hamdan al-Khasibi, may Allah exalt his degree, and he recited poetry regarding that, which is this, and with Allah is the success.

The etiquettes of Abd al-Muttalib

Have gathered the noble luminaries

O seeker of knowledge, ignite your light

From its radiance, you shall see wonders

And if you act upon that which

He has said, you shall attain the ultimate aim

It was narrated from Muhammad ibn Abd Allah al-Farisi from Ishaq ibn Muhammad al-Basri, tracing the chain of transmission back to Muhammad ibn al-Mufaddal, Ja’far al-Basri said: I entered one day upon Ishaq ibn Muhammad al-Basri and saw him sitting with Muhammad ibn alMufaddal, peace be upon him, and I saw with him a group of the believers, among them Muhammad ibn Abd Allah ibn Mehran al-Kufi, al-Hasan ibn Hammad, Mudrik ibn Yazid al-Armani, and a group of his companions who had reached maturity. They had asked him about the landmarks of their religion and about what a man needs to practice once he has attained Gnosis (Ma'rifa).