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Rhyming Prose
The opening paragraph of each book is in rhyming prose. Let us benefit from the transliteration and translation of the first paragraph of the book titled Kitab Kasr Shahwatayn (On Breaking The Two Desires, p. 105-106; Ihya', Vol III, p. 87)
Alhamdu Lillah i'l munfaridi bi'l Jalaali fee Kibriyaaihi wa
Ta'aleeh
Al-mustahiqqi li't Tahmeedi wa't Taqdeesi wa't Tasbeehi
wa't Tanzeeh
Al-Qaaimi bi'l 'Adli feema yubrimuhu wa yaqdeeh
Al-mutatawwilu bi'l fadli feema yun'imu bihi wa yusdeeh
Al-mutakaffilu bi hifzi 'abdihi fee jamee'i mawaaridihi wa mujaareeh
Al-mun'imu 'alayhi bimaa yazeedu 'alaa muhimmaati maqaasidihi
bal bimaa yafee bi amaaneeh
Fahuwalladhee yurshiduhu wa yahdeeh
Wa huwalladhee yumeetuhu wa yuhyeeh
Wa idha maridha fahuwa yashfeeh
Wa idha dha'ifa fahuwa yaqweeh
Wa huwalladhee yuwaffiquhu litta'ati wa yartadheeh
Wa huwalladhee yut'imuhu wa yasqeeh
Wa yahfazuhu minal halaaki wa yahmeeh
Wa yahrusuhu bitta'ami wa'sh-sharabi 'amma yuhlikuhu wa yurdeeh
Wa yumakkinuhu minal qana'ati bi qaleelil quti wa yuqarribuhu
hattaa tadheeqa bihi
majaarish-shaytaan-i'lladhee yunaaweeh
Wa yaksiru bihi shahwat-an-nafs-i'llatee tu'aadeeh
Fa yadfa'u sharrahaa thumma yu'badu Rabbahu wa yattaqeeh
Haadhaa ba'da an yusi'a 'alaihi maa yaltadhdhu bihi wa yashtaheeh
Wa yukthiru 'alaihi maa yaheeju bawaa'ithahu wa yuakkidu dawaa'eeh
Kullu dhalika yamtahinuhu bihi wa yabtaleeh
Fa yandhuru kayfa yu'thiruhu 'alaa maa yahwaahu wa yantaheeh
Wa kayfa yahfazu awamirahu wa yantahee 'an nawaaheeh
Wa yuwaazibu 'alaa ta'atihi wa yanzajiru 'an ma'aseeh
Wassalatu 'alaa Muhammad-in 'abdih-i'n Nabeeh
Wa Rasulihi'l wajeeh
Salaatan tuzlifuhu wa tuhzeeh
Wa tarfa'u manzilatuhu wa tu'leeh
Wa 'alal abraari min 'itratihi wa aqrabeeh
Wa'l akhyaari min sahaabatihi wa tabi'eeh
Praised be Allah, in His glory and height the sole possessor of majesty,
Who is worthy to be praised, hallowed, extolled, and exalted above all comparison;
Who is ever just in his judgements and decrees;
Gracious without cause in His blessings and gifts;
Who has taken it upon Himself to protect His bondsman
in his every provenance and course;
and who does grant him more than is his need, and even that which fulfils his hopes.
For He is the one who guides and leads him,
slays and quickens him,
heals him when he ails,
strengthens him when he weakens,
guides him to His obedience until He is well-pleased with him,
feeds and waters him,
protects him from perishing and preserves him,
and by means of food and drink safeguards him from his death and destruction.
With little nourishment strengthens He him, and makes him content
so that the courses of Satan's assails are
straightened,
and he subjugates thereby the desires of his
soul which makes war on him.
Wherefore, having warded off its evil, does he worship his Lord,
and hold Him in fear and piety.
Then has He bestowed upon him such things as give him delectation and delight,
and has abundantly aroused inducements in him and reinforced his temptations
in order that He might prove and try him,
and behold how he might prefer Him over his desires and ambitions,
and in what manner he shall respect His ordinances and prohibitions,
persevere in His obedience, and restrain himself from sinning against Him.
And may blessings be invoked upon our master Muhammad
His noble bondsman and excellent Emissary,
whereby his rank and degree may be exalted
and his closeness to his Lord increased,
and upon the righteous of his Family and House,
and the best of his Companions and Followers.
We note that the book opens with rhyming prose where 29 words rhyme. These are: Ta'aleeh, Tanzeeh, yaqdeeh, yusdeeh, majaareeh, amaaneeh, yahdeeh, yuhyeeh, yashfeeh, yaqweeh, yartadheeh, yasqeeh, yahmeeh, yurdeeh, yunaaweeh, tu'aadeeh, yattaqeeh, yashtaheeh, dawaa'eeh, yabtaleeh, yantaheeh, nawaaheeh, ma'aseeh, Nabeeh, wajeeh, tuhzeeh, tu'leeh, aqrabeeh, tabi'eeh.
Allahu Akbar!
Hasbunallahu wa ni'mal Wakeel
Allah is Sufficient for us and (He is) the most excellent Trustee (3:173)