that the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said, “Allah is in the servant’s aid for as long as the servant is in his brother’s aid.” (1)

He also said, “Whoever points someone to a good deed will receive a reward equal to the reward of the one who performs it.” (2)

He said as well, “Whoever calls people to guidance will have a reward equal to the rewards of all who follow him, without those rewards being reduced in the least.” (3)

And he said to ʿAlī—may Allah be pleased with him—“By Allah, for Allah to guide a single man through you is better for you than red camels.” (4)

Accordingly, I resolved to compile a concise selection of authentic hadiths that will serve as a pathway for its reader to the Hereafter and will perfect both his inner and outer etiquette. It gathers together encouragement and warning, and the various manners required of the spiritual traveller: hadiths on asceticism, the disciplining of the soul, the refinement of character, the purification and treatment of hearts, the safeguarding of the limbs and the correction of their deviations, and other aims sought by those who truly know Allah.

In this work I commit myself to citing only clear, rigorously authentic narrations drawn from the famous canonical collections. I shall open each chapter with noble verses from the Glorious Qur’an and embellish whatever requires precision or the clarification of a subtle meaning with select notes and observations. Whenever I conclude a hadith with the phrase “reported by al-Bukhārī and Muslim,” that is what the expression muttafaq ʿalayhi denotes.

I hope—if this book is completed—that it will lead whoever studies it to all that is good and shield him from every kind of vile and destructive deed. I ask any brother who benefits from it to pray for me, my parents, my teachers, our loved ones, and all the Muslims. Upon the Generous Allah I place my reliance; to Him I entrust and consign my affairs. Allah is sufficient for me, and how excellent is He as a Guardian. There is no power nor might except by Allah, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.