Al-Ghazali on Love, Longing, Intimacy and Contentment

'Al-Ghazali on Love, Longing, Intimacy and Contentment' is the thirty-sixth chapter of Abu Hamid al-Ghazali's 'Revival of the Religious Sciences' (Ihya Ulum al-Din), which is widely regarded as the greatest work of Muslim spirituality. 'Al-Ghazali on Love, Longing, Intimacy and Contentment' is of fundamental importance in the history of Islamic thought and in the development of Sufism, being the first treatise to establish not merely the possibility but the necessity for the love of God.---In 'Al-Ghazali on Love, Longing, Intimacy and Contentment', Ghazali argues that all the virtues and spiritual stages that precede love, like repentance, patience and thankfulness, lead to love; and all the spiritual stages that follow on from love are a result of it. Using proof texts from the Qur'an, the Traditions of the Prophet Muhammad and Sufi precepts, Ghazali succeeds in marshalling forceful arguments to make his case. Out of Ghazali's pioneering treatment would emerge not only new trends in