Introduction

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may blessings and peace be upon our master Muhammad, his family, his companions, and all who follow them.

To proceed:

This is a concise handbook of jurisprudence upon the path of the exemplary imam, Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal—one for which beginners have great need. It was requested of me by some who acknowledge their own shortcomings and weakness. May Allah make it purely for His Noble Face, a means of drawing near to Him in the Gardens of Bliss, and a source of benefit; for He is the Most Kind, the Most Merciful.