In the name of Allāh, the Beneficent, the Merciful.Blessings with salutations upon our master,Muhammad, and his family and Companions.

Praise be to Allāh who made the hearts of gnostics(ārifīn) the placeof liturgical remembrance (adhkār).Verily Muhammad is the leader ofall those given proximity (muqarrabīn) and of the pious ones(abrār), and of Adam– and besides him – all those from among the peopleof secrets are under his banner. The secrets concealHim in the hearts of His sincere servants,especially the noble people, since the hearts of thenoble people are the chests of secrets as stated.May blessings and peace be upon our master Muhammad– the master of insight and comprehension – and uponhis companions from among the Muhājirūn and Anṣār.

The wretched, weak, ascetic (faqīr) servant who acknowledges [his]sins and shortcomings, hoping for forgiveness fromhis Lord [for his] major sins, nicknamed Abu’lMaḥāsin, stated – on behalf of his well-knownmaster, Shaykh al-Ḥāj Yūsuf al-Tāj (may Allāh, theExalted, honour him with the crown of the head ofsecrets from the people of verification and give himadvice from the possessors of perfection andsuccess, āmīn, o Lord of the worlds) – that one ofthe devoted ones from among the seekers andspiritual brotherhood (ikhwān) from among the beloved ones(aḥbāb) requested me(may Allāh the Exalted, make him accomplish his goaland make him, if Allāh wills, one of the best of Hisservants. Āmīn.)to write for him a treatiseregarding the verification of knowledge and theaccuracy of understanding from al-Futuḥāt al-Rabbānī(Divine Revelations)and al-Asrār al-Ilāhiyyah(Divine Secrets).

I sought Allāh's forgiveness, stating that I am neitherqualified for this aspiration nor have I becomefamiliar with the method of this higher rank becauseI am neither from among the people of this grade,nor from those endowed with the ability to write;because of my lack of knowledge and lack ofunderstanding.

But when the disparity between the goal of the seekerand the intention of the one who desires (the truth)out of his sincere quest and establishing the means(of attaining it), dawned on me, I sought theguidance of Allāh, the Exalted, over and overagain.