10

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, 

"Ways that bring about the Love (of Allaah) and necessitate it, and they are ten in number:

1. Recitation of the Qur’aan with reflection and understanding of its meanings and what is intended by it, as one reflects over a book which he has memorised and which he expounds so that he mayunderstand what its author intends from him.
2. Getting closer to Allaah with the supererogatory acts of worship, after the obligatory ones, for they will take him to another level of love that comes after love.
3. Constant remembrance in every circumstance by the tongue, the heart, actions and (one’s) condition, so a person’s share of love is in accordance with his share of this remembrance.
   
4. Preferring His love over your own when desires overcome you and climbing to reach His love, even if the ascent is difficult.
   
5. The heart’s comprehension of His Names and Attributes,witnessing them and having knowledge of them, to immerse himself in the garden of this knowledge and its fundamental pillars.Whoever knows Allaah by His Names, Attributes and Actions, will,no doubt, love Him. For this reason the deniers of His Attributes (Mu’attilah), Fir’awniyyah and Jahmiyyah are like highway robbers to the hearts, (they come in between it and) between reaching the beloved (i.e., Allaah)
   
6. Witnessing His generosity, His benevolence, His favours and blessings, both hidden and open, for these things call to His love.
7. And this is the most amazing of them all, the heart’s total defeat and humility in front of Allaah, the Most High, and there are no other words and considerations which give expression to this meaning.
8. Being alone at the Time of the Descent of Allaah for having private conversations with Him, reciting His Words, investigating the heart, displaying the manners of servitude whilst in front of Him and then to seal all of that with seeking forgiveness and repentance.
9. Sitting with the truthful lovers (of Allaah) and gathering the good fruits (arising) from their speech, just as one picks out the best of fruits, and that you do not speak except when the benefit of the speech prevails and when you know that there is a betterment for you and benefit for others in it.
10. Keeping distant from everything that comes between the heart and between Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic.

-The Path of Guidance, by Imam Ibnu Qayyim Al-Jauzi -