by Ibn Qayyum al-Jawziyyah
FlRST: Recite the Qur’an with reflection, and understand its meanings and what is intended by it, like a book that someone memorizes in order to explain the author’s intention to others.
Second: Draw close to Allah by performing the supererogatory acts of worship after fulfilling the obligatory acts of worship.
Third: Constantly remember Allah in every situation, with the tongue, the heart, and the actions. The person will attain Allah’s love in accordance with his remembrance of Allah.
Fourth: Give preference to what Allah loves over what you love when being overcome by desires, thus ascending to what He loves even when the ascension is difficult.
Fifth: Contemplate the beautiful names and attributes of Allah with the heart, and roam in the gardens of this knowledge and its fundamental concepts. The one who knows Allah by His names, His attributes, and His actions will inevitably love Him. For this reason, those who denied the divine attributes, those with Pharaonic (ancient Egyptian kings) ideology, and the Jahmis, severed the path between their hearts and reaching the Beloved (Allah).
Sixth: Observe and recognize His kindness, benevolence, favors, and blessings, those that are hidden and those that are apparent; this is surely from the causes of His love.
Seventh: Completely submit your heart in front of Allah the Exalted, and this is from the greatest means (of acquiring Allah’s love).
Eighth: Seclude yourself during the time of the Divine Descent and turn to your Lord, and recite His speech. Contemplate with the heart and adorn yourself with the manners of a worshiper in front of Him, and conclude all of this by seeking forgiveness and repenting.
Ninth: Accompany those who truly, sincerely love Him. Collect the best fruits of their speech just as one would pick only the best fruits. Remain silent except when you are certain there is more benefit in your speech and when you know it will better your condition and benefit others.
Tenth: Stay far away from everything that will come between your heart and Allah the Exalted. By way of these ten means, those who love Allah have reached the level of attaining His love. And this can all be achieved by two matters:
1) Preparing your soul for this affair.
2) Opening the source of your insight.
An excerpt from
“*100 Hundred Pieces of Advice *”
by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah
