الحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِي هَدانا سَواءَ الطَّرِيقِ، وَجَعَلَ لَنا التَّوْفِيقَ خَيْرَ رَفِيقٍ، وَالصَّلاةُ وَالسَّلامُ عَلَى مَنْ أَرْسَلَهُ هُدًى هُوَ بِالاهْتِداءِ حَقِيقٌ، وَنُورًا بِهِ الاقْتِداءُ يَلِيقُ، وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَأَصْحابِهِ الَّذِينَ سَعِدُوا فِي مَناهِجِ الصِّدْقِ بِالتَّصْدِيقِ، وَصَعِدُوا فِي مَعارِجِ الحَقِّ بِالتَّحْقِيقِ. وَبَعْدُ: فَهٰذا غايَةُ تَهْذِيبِ الكَلامِ فِي تَحْرِيرِ المَنْطِقِ وَالكَلامِ، وَتَقْرِيبِ المَرامِ مِنْ تَقْرِيرِ عَقائِدِ الإِسْلامِ، جَعَلْتُهُ تَبْصِرَةً لَدَى الأَفْهامِ، وَتَذْكِرَةً لِمَنْ أَرادَ أَنْ يَتَذَكَّرَ مِنْ ذَوِي الأَفْهامِ، سِيَّما الوَلَدُ الأَعَزُّ الحَفِيُّ الحَرِيُّ بِالإِكْرامِ، سَمِيُّ حَبِيبِ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ التَّحِيَّةُ وَالسَّلامُ، لا زالَ لَهُ مِنَ التَّوْفِيقِ قِوامٌ، وَمِنَ التَّأْيِيدِ عِصامٌ، وَعَلَى اللهِ التَّوَكُّلُ وَبِهِ الاعْتِصامُ.
Praise be to God, who guided us to the straight path and made success (tawfīq) the best of companions for us. Blessing and peace be upon him whom He sent as a guidance truly worthy of being followed and as a light in which it is fitting to follow, and upon his family and his companions, who were made happy on the highways of truthfulness by their (taṣdīq) and rose on the stairs of the truth by verification (taḥqīq). To proceed: this is the utmost refinement of speech (tahdhīb al-kalām) in setting out and kalām, and in bringing within reach what is sought in establishing the creeds of Islam. I have made it an insight for minds, and a reminder for those of understanding who wish to take heed — above all for my dearest son, kind and worthy of honour, who bears the name of the Beloved of God, upon him be greeting and peace. May success never cease to be his support, and divine aid his protection. In God is our trust, and in Him we hold fast.
Tahdhīb al-manṭiq · с. 3