AN ALCHEMICAL COMPILATION OF THE THIRTEENTH CENTURY, A.D. 
69 
The preface, which may be quoted in extenso, fully describes the object of the 
book. 
“ Praise be to God, the Ford of the Worlds, 
And blessings be upon His messenger Muhammad and all his family ! 
“ Saith Muhammad ibn Zakariyya: — ‘Seven books have already preceded this 
our Eighth Book, the First 1 2 being Kitdbu-l-I tAbat (Book of Confirmation), in which 
the truth of the Art has been confirmed. The Second, Kit abul-l-H ajar (Book of the 
Stone), in which is explained the thing by means of which the Work is done. The 
Third, Kitabu-t-Tadbir (Book of the Operation), which shows whether or not any 
treatment of the Stone is necessary, and, if so, what is the proper treatment. The 
Fourth, Kitabu-l-Iksir (Book of the Elixir), in which is shown how and what Elixir is. 
The Fifth, Kitab Sharafi-s-Sind‘ah (Book of the Nobility of the Art), which treats of the 
Excellence of this Art and the superiority of its followers over all other men [and 
others]. It also contains a refutation of those who believe in the Unlawfulness of 
striving after Gain. The Sixth, Kitabu-r-Rahah (Book of Rest), 2, in which are stated 
the claims of the Principal men of the Art and their different views regarding it. 
It further contains the method of work that should be followed by Experimenters, 
and an elucidation of the phrases occurring in the Kitabu-r-Rahmah (Book of Mercy). 3 
The Seventh, Kitabu-t-T adabir (Book of Operations), which describes the operations of 
which the Experimenter stands in need, such as those alluded to in the Kitabu-r-Rahah. 
As for this our Eighth Book which is entitled Kitabu- s/i-Shawahid (Book of Evi- 
dences), it contains a Selection of the Mystical and other sayings of the Sages, 
including those in which they spoke the deliberate truth. We did not undertake 
the labour of writing this book for the reason that previous books needed a supple- 
ment in order to complete the Work, but that we might make it a witness to prove 
the agreement of former Masters with ourselves and that we have not deviated from 
their path. These Mystical sayings are nothing but Evidences of the Art and in no 
wise impart instruction. 
“ For the Sages themselves have borne witness that they have used obscure lan- 
guage in their books and filled them with superfluous words, the really essential matter 
being but little. They have also said, ‘ Eet none of you imagine that when he has 
acquired some knowledge of the Art, the prolixity of our conversation will appear 
anything more than a detail compared with even a fragment of what he has learnt, 
for that is only intended as a confusion to the ignorant.’ 
“ Now that we have explained our object in compiling this book and also the 
character of the books of the Sages, we will proceed to quote the choicest of the 
1 The omission from this catalogue of the first two treatises of Ar-Razi’s magnum opus, viz., the Madkhalulu-t- 
Ta'limi and Madkhalu-l-Burhdni ( vide Fihrist, loc. cit., and text infra), probably indicate that they were written by way 
of preface after the last io books mentioned in the Fihrist and the M adkhalu-t-T d‘ limi had been completed. 
2 This is an alternative title; as both in the list given in the Fihrist, as well as in that found at the end of the 
M adkhalu-t-T a‘ limi ( vide infra), it is called Kitabu-t-T artib (Book of Progression). 
3 For a translation of this book of Jabir, cf. B., La Chimie, III, pp. 163-190. Though mentioned in the Fihrist as 
being the only book acknowledged by all to be written by Jabir, it cannot be found in the list of his works subse- 
quently given by An-Nadim — a striking proof of the mutilation this special list has undergone. 
