The Promoter of Gold and Minerals of the Jewel

It begins with creation and ends with the covenant of the Abbasid caliph who is obedient to Allah Its first: (Praise be to Allah, the Lord of praise, deserving of praise and glory ... etc). It mentions: that he compiled first, a large book. He named it: (News of the times). Then he summarized it. And named it: (The Middle). Then he intended to summarize what he expanded upon, and to abridge what he detailed in this book. And he said: We entrust to it the glimpses of what is in those two books, which we included, and other types of sciences, and the news of nations. Then he said: We have gone through all the naming of the people of the ages, from narrators of the carry of traditions, and transmitters of biographies and news, and the classes of scholars from the era of the companions. Then from those who followed them: up to the year 332, thirty-two hundred and thirty-two. In our book: (News of the times). And in: (The Middle). And I have labeled my book as: (The Meadows of Gold). For its precious content. And I made it: (The Gift of the Nobles). For what I included of the summaries of what calls for need, and the souls’ disputes over knowledge of it. And we did not leave any kind of sciences, nor any art of news, except that we presented it in detail, or in summary. So whoever distorts anything of its meaning, or removes a pillar of its foundation, or obscures clear signs of it, or mixes something of its translations, or others’, or replaces it, or selects it, or abbreviates it, or attributes it to others, or adds it to our s, or changes it, or chooses it, or summarizes it, or attributes it to others, then Allah’s anger, and His punishment, and the causes of His calamities will come upon him, what his patience cannot bear, and his mind will be confused, and he will be made an example for the worlds, and a lesson for the mindful, and a sign for the seers. And Allah - the Most High - took away what He gave him, and prevented him from what He blessed him with of strength and blessing, the innovator of the heavens and the earth, from whatever sect he was. Indeed, He is capable of everything. I placed this warning at the beginning and the end of my book, to be a deterrent for those who incline to their desires, or are overwhelmed by hardship. So let them watch over their Lord’s matter, and beware of a bad return. The period is short, and the distance is brief ... etc.