10 Things to Attain the Love of Allah

By Imam Ibn al-Qayyim, Madaarij as-Salikeen, 3:17

The First: Reading the Quran with contemplation, understanding its meanings and what it requires, like a book one memorizes in order to explain to others what the author means.

The Second: Drawing closer to Allah through voluntary forms of worship after the performing the obligatory actions, for that leads one to the highest levels of love.

The Third: Continuously practicing the remembrance of Allah at all times with the tongue, the heart, through your actions and state.A person’s portion of love is according to his portion of this remembrance.

The Fourth: Choosing what Allah loves over what you yourself love at times of overpowering desire, and deferring to what Allah loves even when the standing is difficult.

The Fifth: The Pondering of the heart over Allah’s Names and Attributes, witnessing them, knowing them and roaming in the gardens of this knowledge and its principles.For whoever knows Allah with His Names, Attributes and Actions would, without doubt, love Him.This is why the Mu’atilah, the Phir’awniyyah and the Jahmiyyah cut off the path between the hearts and reaching the Beloved One.

The Sixth: Thoughtfully witnessing Allah’s benevolence, beneficence, bounties and favors, both hidden and apparent for indeed this is a cause for His love.

The Seventh: And it is amongst the most remarkable; the breaking of ones heart in totality in front of Allah the Elevated, and there is nothing to explain this condition except words and phrases.

The Eighth: Being alone with Him during the Divine Descending (the last third of the night), to call upon Him, to recite His Words, to contemplate with the heart, to behave oneself with the mannerisms of a worshiper in front of Him, and to conclude all of this by seeking forgiveness and repenting.

The Ninth: Accompanying those who love Him, those who are truthful and sincere and collecting the best fruits of their speech just as one would pick only the best fruits [from a tree].And to stay silent except when the benefit of speaking is preponderant and you know that it will increase your state and benefit others.

The Tenth: Distancing everything that comes between the heart and Allah the Glorified.

It is with these ten ways, that the Muhibboon have reached the estates of Love, and entered upon the Beloved One, and all of this can be achieved with two things:

  1. Preparing your soul for this affair.
  2. Opening your eyes.
And Allah is the Grantor of success.