The Shaykh and Imam the Proof of Islam Abû Hâmid Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Ghazâlî may God
have mercy upon and be pleased with him stated: ¿Thank God for all His bounties for even
enabling us to thank Him and prayers and peace be upon the Master of Messengers Muhammad His
Prophet Messenger and Servant upon his family and Companions and upon his successors after
him his Ministers in his time. I missed in some of my travels a facility for extracting
from the ¿Ihyâ' ¿ulûm ad-dîn' its essences due to the difficulty of carrying it around with me
on account of its bulk. Hence I tackled this matter seeking success and guidance from God and
praising His Prophet. It consists of forty chapters. And God guides to the truth.'
