The Sermon with Which the Author Used to Preface His Books All praise belongs to Allah. We seek His help, His guidance, and His forgiveness, and we seek refuge in Allah from the wickedness of our own souls and from our misdeeds. Whomever Allah guides, none can mislead, and whomever He allows to stray, none can guide. We testify that there is no god but Allah, alone and without partner, and we testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. He sent him with guidance and the religion of truth so that it might prevail over every other way; Allah suffices as Witness. He sent him ahead of the Hour as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner, calling to Allah by His permission and as a radiant lamp. Through him Allah guided those who were lost, gave sight to the blind, directed the errant, opened eyes that were blind, ears that were deaf, and hearts that were sealed. By means of him He distinguished truth from falsehood, guidance from misguidance, rectitude from deviation, believers from disbelievers, the blissful people of Paradise from the wretched people of the Fire, and the allies of Allah from His enemies. Accordingly, anyone to whom Muhammad—peace and blessings be upon him—bears witness that he is one of Allah’s allies is indeed among the allies of the All-Merciful, and anyone to whom he testifies that he is an enemy of Allah is truly an enemy of Allah and an ally of the devils.