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What is Book 36 of the Iḥyāʾ?
The Book of Love, Longing, Intimacy, and Contentment is Book 36 of Imam al-Ghazālī's Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn, the sixth book of the fourth quarter, The Saving Virtues. Written in the 11th–12th century, the Iḥyāʾ is al-Ghazālī's attempt to revive the inner life of Islam, and this book is where that inner life reaches its height. It asks whether a human being can truly love God, what such love is made of, and what follows from it: longing, intimacy, and contentment with what God decrees. Al-Ghazālī treats these as the highest stations a heart can reach.
The nine chapters begin with the truth of love, its causes, and what it means for a servant to love God. Al-Ghazālī then lists the reasons that strengthen love for Allah, and explains why people differ in love and in their capacity for it. Two chapters follow on longing for Allah, the Exalted. He then turns the question around and asks what Allah's love for the servant means. The book closes with the meaning of intimacy with Allah, exalted be He.
The book opens with praise of Allah, who has distanced His close ones from the allure of worldly adornments and purified His servants to focus on His presence, revealing Himself through His names and attributes until their hearts are lit with the light of His knowledge. The opening also touches the practical edge of contentment: a hadith about what a sick servant says to his visitors, and the ruling that mentioning an illness is permitted so long as it carries no complaint against God's decree. The reader is shown that these stations are measured in conduct, in patience and gratitude during illness, and not only in feeling.
Is there an English audiobook of The Book of Love, Longing, Intimacy, and Contentment?
Yes. Joyful Muslims publishes the complete Book 36: The Book of Love, Longing, Intimacy, and Contentment as an English audiobook (about 5 hours), translated from the Arabic, with a word-synced bilingual transcript. It covers the highest stations of the heart: love of God, spiritual longing, intimacy with the Divine, and contentment with His decree.
Is it free to listen?
The whole library is open to everyone. Every member gets five hours of listening free each month; Joyful+ removes the time limit.
What does it cover?
Nine chapters on the truth of love and its causes, the reasons that strengthen love for Allah, why people differ in love, longing for Allah, Allah's love for the servant, and intimacy with Allah. About 5 hours in all.
Last updated 2026-09-11
Inside the book.
Chapters
Word-synced with the narrator.
The first three minutes are transcribed here. In the app, the Living Manuscript scrolls through the entire book in rhythm with the audio — Arabic alongside English.
Living Manuscript
Listen to the full book in the app for the complete Living Manuscript.
The full, word-synced transcript in Arabic and English is in the app.
