From the translator: Al Waraqat, a fifth century Islamic era text, was composed by Imam al Haramaya al Juwayni (d.478 H., 1085 CE), who, at the time, was the foremost authority in usul al fiqh and fiqh in the Shafi school of law.

Imam al Juwayni was only two generations removed from al Imam al Shafi (d. 208 H. 820 CE), which makes his contribution in the field of usul very critical and comes at the initial stage of the codification process. Also, al Juwayni is the primary usul teacher of Al Ghazali (d. 505 H., 1111 CE), who at his own time, was considered to be the Mujadid (re-newer) of the faith and sciences and contributed works in various fields of Islamic learning. A Ghazali, who is more known for his Sufi works in the West, is one of the foremost authorities in the field of usul and his book al Mustafa continues to be a foundational work for advanced students in Islamic jurisprudence.