The Arabian nights - Introduction

The Book of The Thousand Nights And A Night - Translation by Richard F. Burton


In the Name of Allah, the Compassionating, the Compassionate!

Praise Be to Allah 

The Beneficent King

The Creator of the

Universe

Lord of the Three Worlds

Who Set Up the Firmament Without Pillars in Its Stead

and Who Stretched Out the Earth Even As A Bed

and Grace, and Prayer-Blessing Be Upon Our Lord Mohammed

Lord of Apostolic Men

and Upon his Family and Companion Train

Prayer and Blessings Enduring and Grace Which Unto the Day of Doom Shall Remain

Amen!

O Thou of the Three Worlds Sovereign!

And afterwards. Verily the works and words of those gone before us have become instances and examples to men of our modern day, that folk may view what admonishing chances befel other folk and may therefrom take warning; and that they may peruse the annals of antique peoples and all that hath betided them, and be thereby ruled and restrained: Praise, therefore, be to Him who hath made the histories of the Past an admonition unto the Present! Now of such instances are the tales called “A Thousand Nights and a Night,” together with their far famed legends and wonders.