The Short Words
Introduction
THE SHORT WORDS
On Faith and Worship
بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحٖيمِIn the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate
وَ بِهٖ نَسْتَعٖينُAnd from Him do we seek help.
اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمٖينَ وَ الصَّلَاةُ وَ السَّلَامُ عَلٰى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلٰى اٰلِهٖ وَ صَحْبِهٖ اَجْمَعٖينَAll praise belongs to Allah, the Sustainer of all the worlds, and blessings and peace be upon our master Muhammad, and upon all his Family and Companions.
O brother! You asked me for a few words of wisdom. Since I am in greater need of these words than anyone else, and since you are a soldier, listen together with me to a few truths conveyed through the following eight brief parables drawn from military life.
In the past, I benefited from eight treatises inspired by eight verses of the Qur’an. Now I shall present those treatises to myself in a concise and generally understandable form. Whoever wishes may listen along with me.