For I have—by the Truth of the Truth—entrusted it to the cores of the intellects (Albab al-Albab); and He is the Granter of success to what is right, and He is the Guardian of him who seeks His aid; and [we ask] that He does not make us among those whose deeds are most lost, whose effort has been wasted in this world while they thought they were doing good; and that He makes us and all the believers among those of whom He said
And the saying of the Almighty: {Their Lord gives them good tidings of mercy from Him and approval and gardens for them wherein is enduring pleasure} 1 ; and the Monotheism I have included within it is my religion which I believe in and the essence of the Truth upon which I rely. I ask Allah by His generosity to make it a treasure for His servant, the son of His servant, and for all the believers; indeed, He is Most High, Magnificent, Kind, and Merciful. I have arranged it into five chapters and relied upon the Lord of lords, the Most High, the All-Bestower. I have included in each chapter what the Gnostic (Arif) requires from that chapter regarding its art and path, without being enigmatic or deficient; rather, each chapter of it is healing and sufficient. It contains, by the praise and grace of Allah, brilliant expressions, meanings whose lights are radiant, and decisive proofs.