What did al-Ghazali say about love of Allah?
The Iḥyāʾ closes with the highest stations: love, longing, intimacy, contentment. Al-Ghazali argued that love of Allah is not only possible — it is the purpose of the believer's life.
10 passages from 7 books in the library
Al-Ghazali taught that love of Allah is not only possible but is the very purpose of the believer's life. In his Book of Love, Longing, Intimacy, and Contentment, he described longing as a seeking and yearning that the present beloved does not stir, and related that the pious long for meeting Allah while Allah longs for meeting them. To deny this love, he warned, is also to deny intimacy and the sweetness of private conversation with Allah.
Drawn from the classical sources below — in the scholars' own words.
The classical approach.
These passages are drawn from 7 books by Imam al-Ghazali and Ibn Battuta — part of the classical Sunni tradition that carries over a thousand years of reflection on the Qurʾān, the authentic Sunnah, and the consensus of the early community. Nothing below is a paraphrase. The words are the scholars' own, translated from the original Arabic manuscripts.
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"The one who is present does not inspire longing, as longing involves seeking and yearning for"
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"He asked, O Lord, who are those longing for you? Allah replied, The ones longing for me"
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"Having denied love, they also denied intimacy, longing and the sweetness of private conversations."
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"The longing of the pious for My meeting has grown long, and My longing for their meeting"
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"Sometimes this feeling is called longing, but it's a longing without knowing what or"
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"Almighty and ignites its fire if there is already a longing present, or stirs and brings about that"
14th century · Tangier, Morocco
The Riḥlah — a 30-year, 75,000-mile journey across three continents, and the most important travel account of the pre-modern world.
More on Ibn Battuta →
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"At that moment, I aimed to visit his exalted presence, motivated by memories of my homeland, longing for family and friends, and love for my country, which holds a special place in my heart over other lands."
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"fear, hope, poverty, asceticism, love, contentment, longing, reliance, contemplation, and self-accountability."
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"A believer, on the other hand, is someone whose heart is detached from the world, longing to leave it."
14th century · Tangier, Morocco
The Riḥlah — a 30-year, 75,000-mile journey across three continents, and the most important travel account of the pre-modern world.
More on Ibn Battuta →
· Provenance →
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"None visits without his heart feeling overwhelmed, nor does he leave without longing for separation,"
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