[مُقَدِّمَةٌ]

[Introduction]

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ الْحَمْدُ للهِ الَّذِي غَمَرَ الْعِبَادَ بِلَطَائِفِهِ وَعَمَّرَ قُلُوبَهُمْ بِأَنْوَارِ الدِّينِ وَوَظَائِفِهِ

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to God who overwhelms His servants with His subtleties and fills their hearts with the lights and duties of religion.

الَّذِي تَنَزَّلَ عَنْ عَرْشِ الْجَلَالِ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا مِنْ دَرَجَاتِ الرَّحْمَةِ إِحْدَى عَوَاطِفِهِ وَفَارَقَ

He who descended from the Throne of Majesty to the nearest heaven, as one of the manifestations of His mercy, and parted ways with

الْمُلُوكَ مَعَ التَّفَرُّدِ بِالْجَلَالِ وَالْكِبْرِيَاءِ بِتَرْغِيبِ الْخَلْقِ فِي السُّؤَالِ وَالدُّعَاءِ فَقَالَ هَلْ مِنْ دَاعٍ فَأَسْتَجِيبَ

kings, while being unique in Majesty and Pride, by encouraging creation to ask and pray, so He said: Is there any caller so that I may answer

لَهُ وَهَلْ مِنْ مُسْتَغْفِرٍ فَأَغْفِرَ لَهُ وَبَايَنَ السَّلَاطِينَ بِفَتْحِ الْبَابِ وَرَفْعِ الْحِجَابِ

him? And is there any seeker of forgiveness so that I may forgive him? And He differed from sultans by opening the door and lifting the veil,

فَرَخَّصَ لِلْعِبَادِ فِي الْمُنَاجَاةِ بِالصَّلَوَاتِ كَيْفَمَا تَقَلَّبَتْ بِهِمُ الْحَالَاتُ فِي الْجَمَاعَاتِ وَالْخَلَوَاتِ وَلَمْ يَقْتَصِرْ

so He permitted the servants to commune through prayers, regardless of the states they might be in, whether in groups or in seclusion. And He did not limit Himself

عَلَى الرُّخْصَةِ بَلْ تَلَطَّفَ بِالتَّرْغِيبِ وَالدَّعْوَةِ وَغَيْرُهُ مِنْ ضُعَفَاءِ الْمُلُوكِ لَا يَسْمَحُ بِالْخَلْوَةِ إِلَّا بَعْدَ تَقْدِيمِ الْهَدِيَّةِ

to permission, but rather showed kindness through encouragement and invitation. While other weak kings do not permit seclusion except after offering a gift

وَالرِّشْوَةِ فَسُبْحَانَهُ مَا أَعْظَمَ شَأْنَهُ وَأَقْوَى سُلْطَانَهُ وَأَتَمَّ لُطْفَهُ وَأَعَمَّ

or a bribe. So glory be to Him, how great is His stature, how powerful His authority, how complete His kindness, and how encompassing

إِحْسَانَهُ وَالصَّلَاةُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ نَبِيِّهِ الْمُصْطَفَى وَوَلِيِّهِ الْمُجْتَبَى وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَأَصْحَابِهِ

His favor. And blessings upon Muhammad, His chosen Prophet and elected friend, and upon his family and companions,

مَفَاتِيحِ الْهُدَى وَمَصَابِيحِ الدُّجَى وَسَلَّمَ تَسْلِيمًا أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ عِمَادُ

the keys to guidance and the lamps in the darkness, and may He grant them abundant peace. To proceed: prayer is the pillar of