Fleeing to Allah: The Salaf and the Journey of Inner Growth

Tibb al Quloob – The Medicine of the Hearts Series

Selections from the Writings of Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn Al-Qayyim, Ibn Rajab, and others | Umar Quinn | Thaqafa Press

The science of the spiritual journey in Islam (‘ilm al-sulook) is commonly called by many names, such as: steadfastness (al-istiqaamah), servitude (al ‘ubudiyyah), asceticism (al-zuhd), self-purification (tazkiyyah al-nafs), and character reformation (tahdheeb al akhlaaq). It is the migration of the soul to Allah and the Hereafter upon the path of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him). It is the study of the states of the heart and their effects on behaviour.

Undoubtedly, the pious predecessors (al-Salaf al-Saalih) and those who followed them in goodness were upon the wisest, most knowledgeable, and safest way in their approach to the spiritual journey in both knowledge and action. This volume is a primer on the subject, highlighting the preliminaries of this subject such as its source materials, its connection to the ‘Aqeedah of the Salaf, the stations of the spiritual path and its hazards.

Some of the greatest hazards and pitfalls for those embarking upon the spiritual journey are found in the Sufi approach to the subject. Because so many Muslims confuse self-purification with Sufism, this volume explains the grave dangers of the Sufi way.