The best of blessings and peace be upon them...

The best of blessings and peace be upon them, so long as lightening flashes, clouds pour down their rain and gardens adorn themselves with fruits and herbage. (The author) has thus determined to write a book containing the names of the guiding Imams: the masters of authority, the people of command, the people of remem­brance (see Qur'an. 4:59 and 16:43 ) and the people of the household of revelation from whom Allah has removed all impurity, and purified with a great purification[^5] (.

It shall contain their biographies: the times of birth, and the spans of their lives and reports of their private lives and righteous deeds. It shall present proof texts sup­porting the truth of their imamate, as well as the signs which Allah manifested concerning them and which testify to their exalted status over all others.

The author contemplated all this, pondering it well, then said to himself: “If indeed the Apostle of Allah is the tree of which the Imams are the branches, the garden of which they are the flowers, the wellspring of knowledge of which they are the repositories, the essence of wisdom of which they are the treasurers, the legislator of the religion of which they are the keepers, and the recipient of the Book of which they are the bearers; he would then be more worthy to be first mentioned.

The miracles which bespeak his apostleship, the signs pointing to the truth of his Prophethood, his great miracles and incontrovertible proofs, must all be set forth. He thus sought Allah's aid in beginning and completing such a work, and entitled it ” I`lamu 'l‑wara bi a A`lami 'l-huda ”.

He divided it into four parts: the first deals with the Messenger of Allah; the second concerns itself with the Commander of the Faithful, 'Ali ibn Abi Talib; and the third deals with the Imams of his descendants, beginning with al‑Hasan ibn 'Ali and ending with al‑Hasan al‑`Askari (the eleventh Imam), peace be upon them. The fourth and final part discusses the imamate of the twelve Imams, as well as the twelfth Imam.

Each part is in turn divided into different chapters and sections, rich with precious knowledge and wisdom, each separately and all together. For in this book I have brought forth a brilliant pearl for the hearts of the faithful, and the noblest sounds to be poured upon the ears of the people of certainty. Allah the Exalted grants support; He guides to the right course and to wise counsel. In Him do I trust, and to Him do I turn. [^1]: 'Sirat' means path or way.