or unravelling anything he had firmly established. By His grace, Allah enabled him to disseminate and expound it, expand and organize it, making what seemed remote accessible, clarifying what was difficult, and bringing scattered matters together. Thus Allah enabled him to achieve his aim and fully assisted him in accomplishing his purpose. May Allah have mercy on them all, and make us follow in their footsteps, adhere to the way they established, act upon what they built, inferred, and guided others towards, and gain clear insight into it. Indeed, He alone can grant this.”

He then said:

“Chapter One: An account of what our shaykh Abū al-Hasan—may Allah be pleased with him—related in al-Maqālāt concerning the general doctrines and foundational principles of the scholars of hadith, and his declaration at its conclusion that he affirms all of this; and that Shaykh Abū Muhammad ‘Abd Allāh ibn Sa‘īd and his companions affirm this and more besides. This will show that their foundation in matters of creed is one and the same, confirming what we have said, supporting what we have indicated, and bearing witness to what we have mentioned through his own explicit words and clear explanation. Our shaykh Abū al-Hasan said in al-Maqālāt, after mentioning the doctrines of the Imāmiyyah