Love

About the Book

Love: The Spiritual Dimensions of Islam is an authentic exposition of spiritual love and the practical and theoretical methods for achieving it, written by the contemporary scholar Shaykh Sufi Muhammad Iqbal and translated by Aftab Ahmad. The book presents instructions for purifying the heart according to the inner teachings of Islam, accompanied by clear explanations, practical guidance, and insights into the living tradition of Muslim mystics.

What You'll Discover

• Practical and theoretical aspects of the stages of wisdom and spiritual experiences
• Instructions for purifying the heart through Dhikr and spiritual guidance
• Detailed discussion of the stages of Sulūk (Beginners, Intermediate, and Advanced)
• The balance and coexistence of Love and Hatred for the sake of the Almighty
• Historical examples and lessons from the Sahāba and spiritual masters

Table of Contents

1. Acknowledgments (p. 6)
2. Foreword (p. 12)
3. About the Author (p. 13)
4. Introduction (p. 14)
5. Part One: Secrets of Love (p. 17)
6. Chapter 1: Secrets of Love (p. 18)
7. The Inferior Degree of Love (p. 19)
8. Loving a Human Being (p. 19)
9. Duke of Windsor's Sacrifice for his Love (p. 20)
10. The Result of Loving a Mortal (p. 20)
11. Malik Ibn Dinar & the Beautiful Slave (p. 20)
12. Mumshad Denori & Paradise (p. 22)
13. Love is Essential for Faith (p. 22)
14. Love Accessible to Everyone (p. 23)
15. Allah's Invitation of Love (p. 24)
16. Believers and True Love (p. 26)
17. Part Two: Fruits of Love (p. 28)
18. Chapter 2 (p. 29)
19. The Fruits of Love & Condition of Lovers (p. 29)
20. The Power of Lovers in This World (p. 29)
21. Removal of Blameworthy Qualities (p. 30)
22. Being in the Company of Allah (p. 30)
23. Fanā (Annihilation of the self) (p. 31)
24. Increased Comprehension (p. 31)
25. Acceptance & Popularity (p. 32)
26. Worldly Life of the Lover (p. 32)
27. Quality of Worship of Lovers (p. 33)
28. Purity of the Lover's Heart (p. 34)
29. Lover's Use of Medicine (p. 36)
30. Taste of Love (p. 38)
31. Last Stage of Worldly Life (p. 40)
32. Death of the Walī (p. 41)
33. Events in the Grave of the Walī (p. 42)
34. Intermediary State between Death & Resurrection (p. 43)
35. The Parallel Subtle World & Bodies (p. 43)
36. Walī on the Day of Judgment (p. 44)
37. Walī & Aş-Şirāţ Bridge (p. 44)
38. Life in Paradise (p. 44)
39. Chapter 3: Definition of Tasawwuf (p. 47)
40. Chapter 4: Validity of Tarīqa & Tasawwuf (p. 49)
41. First Logical Proof (p. 49)
42. Second Logical Proof (p. 51)
43. Third Logical Proof (p. 52)
44. Continuity of the Sufi Paths (p. 52)
45. Chapter 5: Means used in Suluk & Tarīqa & their Effects (p. 55)
46. The Effects of Company in Achieving Love (p. 55)
47. The Order to Adopt the Company of the Truthful (p. 56)
48. The Influence of Dhikr in Achieving Love (p. 57)
49. Chapter 6: The Properties & Effects of Intense Love (p. 63)
50. First Effect of Love (p. 64)
51. Second Effect (p. 64)
52. Third Effect (p. 64)
53. Fourth Effect (p. 65)
54. Fifth Effect (p. 65)
55. Comments about Wrongdoings of Some Sālikīn (p. 69)
56. Note (p. 70)
57. The Conditions of Acceptance (p. 74)
58. An Apology (p. 79)
59. Chapter 7: Search for a Spiritual Guide (p. 80)
60. Chapter 8: Three Stages of Suluk (p. 82)
61. Beginners, Intermediate & Advanced Levels (p. 82)
62. Beginner's Level (p. 82)
63. Forty Days with Tablīghi Jama'a (p. 87)
64. Chapter 9: Intermediate Level (p. 91)
65. Duration of this Syllabus (p. 101)
66. Practice of Spiritual Masters in prescribing dhikr (p. 105)
67. Syllabus of Dhikr & Shughl of Intermediate Level (p. 108)
68. Chapter 10: Advanced Level (Muntahā) of the Sufi Path (p. 109)
69. Duration of the Final level (p. 109)
70. Condition of the Accomplished Sufi (p. 109)
71. Chapter 11: An Amazing Question (p. 111)
72. Part 3: Coexistence of Love & Hate (p. 113)
73. Chapter 12: Hatred for the Sake of the Almighty (p. 114)
74. Section 1: Qur'anic Verses (p. 118)
75. Section 2: Hadith (p. 120)
76. Stories of Sahāba about Bughd Fillah (p. 121)
77. Sayyiduna Abdullah Burns His Sheet (p. 121)
78. Ibn-Umar Gives up Speaking with His Son (p. 121)
79. Sayyiduna Ibn Mughaffal & His Nephew (p. 122)
80. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and His Son in Badr (p. 123)
81. Behavior of Umm Habibah with Her Father (p. 123)
82. Abdullah Ibn Abdullah & His Hypocrite Father (p. 123)
83. Religious Dignity of Rabī bint Muawwadh (p. 124)
84. Sayyiduna Uthmān Refuses to Perform Tawāf (p. 124)
85. Sayyiduna Zaid Refuses to Go with His Father (p. 125)
86. An Ansāri Demolishes His House (p. 126)
87. Companions Throw Away Red Saddle Covers (p. 127)
88. Sayyiduna Wā'il Cuts off His Hair (p. 127)
89. Sayyiduna Umar Asks for Little Leniency (p. 128)
90. Verdict of Sayyiduna Umar (p. 128)
91. Displeasure of Sayyiduna Umar (p. 129)
92. The Sunnah of My Beloved (p. 129)
93. Honor by Virtue of Islam (p. 129)
94. King's Letter Thrown in Fire (p. 130)
95. Do Not Reply to the Greetings (p. 130)
96. The Consequence of Greeting an Innovator (p. 130)
97. Better than Sixty Years of Worship (p. 131)
98. Questioned for Thirty Years (p. 131)
99. Mawlānā Gangohi's Aversion to Bid'ah (p. 131)
100. Letter of Shaykh Masoom Sirhindi (p. 132)
101. Our Daily Covenant (p. 132)
102. An Exemplary Incident (p. 133)
103. Rules & Regulations about Hatred (p. 133)
104. A Necessary Explanation (p. 135)
105. A Hundred Containers of Wine (p. 139)
106. Effect of Sincerity (p. 139)
107. GLOSSARY (p. 141)

More About the Author

Shaykh Sufi Muhammad Iqbal is a contemporary spiritual master whose writings describe the stages of wisdom and practical methods for cultivating spiritual love in Islam.