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. ''