Reddit reviews Purification of the Heart: Signs, Symptoms and Cures of the Spiritual Diseases of the Heart

As people have mentioned here, Sufism is incredibly misunderstood on multiple level by various types of people. It would be good to discuss some terms first:

1. Tasawwuf and Tazkiyah - these are common terms that are associated with Sufism. They both share similar meanings, I won't go into the details but basically both mean achieving spiritual purification. In essence, practicing tasawwuf is what Sufism is supposed to be about. To people who misunderstand these terms, or who look historically improper connotations associated with it, hearing the term "Tasawwuf" can mean running for the hills in fear of bidah (improper innovation in Islamic practices/worship/etc.). Unfortunately, tasawwuf as a term has the same problem that the terms "Islamic fundamentalism" have (Note that there is nothing wrong with wanting to follow the fundamentals of Islam, but clever wordplay by folks in the media have redefined this to mean "supports terrorism" in the same way that tasawwuf is associated with "practicing bidah"
   
   
2. Tariqah - This is the following of a sheikh or equivalent spiritual master to help achieve tasawwuf and the like. Consider this the same way that one might go to the same psychiatrist for therapy. The psychiatrist grows to understand your condition, and suggests exercises and approaches to help you deal with the problems. In the same way, following a tariqah allows one to use a path (like how 12 step programs work) in order to achieve spirituality. Tariqah is not necessary for tasawwuf. And not all tariqahs are equal, there are many that follow deviant ideologies and practices.
   
   
3. Ihsan - Here's a term that people are more likely to agree with. Ihsan is a difficult word to deal with, but everyone knows there are three dimensions to a Muslim - Iman, Islam, and Ihsan. Iman is faith itself (although that is such a limiting definition), Islam is the "what" (think the other 4 pillars) and Ihsan is the "how." It isn't "how" in terms of the action, but rather the state of your heart and intention. It's about purity in action. Tasawwuf is ultimately about attaining a high state of Ihsan.
   
   
4. Zuhd - This is another important term. Also difficult to explain, but in essence it is about avoiding attachments to this life. Zuhd is not about monasticism, and it's not about just refusing everything in this life. It's about understanding the big picture. The afterlife is the true life, this is just fleeting. If Allah gives you rizq and you earned it through halal means, enjoy it, provided you fulfill your obligations first. But if your happiness is focused on the accumulation of wealth, like our consumer society is, there is a problem. Zuhd is in many ways the opposite of riya, which is arrogance or showing off.
   
   
5. Shariah - Now here is a term that one accustomed to the popular (in the Western sense) impressions of Sufism. Shariah is the limits. Islam is not a religion where the ends justify the means. It sets the limits according to what Allah ordains is permissible and not. Feeding one's family is a requirement and an act of worship. Feeding one's family by stealing from your employer is not. Making dawah is incumbent on every believer. Forcing conversion is not. In the same manner, achieving a higher state of spirituality is of course something expected of the believer. Performing this outside the boundaries of the Shariah is not. Thus some practices that can be associated with Sufism (whirling dervishes, the use of narcotics, abandoning prayer on the pretense that you have achieved a higher level of spirituality, etc.) are impermissible.
   
   So what is Sufism really? In its true form, it is attaining spirituality within the bounds of the Shariah. There cannot be Sufism without Fiqh. Anything other than that is neither Sufism nor is it Islam. It becomes a sin. Sufism is not about monastic isolation, it is not about changing Islamic law, and it is not about having hallucinations of seeing Allah.
   
   What are good bases for achieving spirituality and tasawwuf? It all starts with purifying one's character. There are many great books on this topic. A lot of them are written by several scholars from the subcontinent, such as students of Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi. They had collections of ahadith and primers on tasawwuf to counteract the growing movement that was attacking Sufism from two sides: First, those who were so apprehensive about bidah that they rejected any notion of tasawwuf in Islam, and secondly, those who were so into spirituality that they abandoned the core responsibilities ordained to them by their maker.
   
   I've got titled in Urdu, but some good books in English are Purification of the Heart and Prohibitions of the Tongue (this might be out of print, I'll look for a PDF. It's translated from Mawlana Mawlud from Hamza Yusuf). In both books, the core is to first and foremost improve our character. If our character is poor, we cannot possibly achieve any spirituality. Oftentimes when people go abroad to study under scholars, they will find themselves forced to observe their teachers, and clean up the masjid, etc. The intent is to have the students first and foremost learn proper character before even opening a single text. That is what inculcates spirituality and tasawwuf.
   
   One thing to clarify when it comes to Sufis and Sufism. By following the Shariah, we all are trying to achieve the same destination, which is Jannah. Spirituality comes naturally to some, and is more difficult for others. The goal is not the trance. The goal is not to have visions and dreams of pious predecessors. The goal is Jannah.
   
   A great analogy that Sheikh Rami Nsour gave me was to look at life like a plane trip. The Shariah is our ticket, and it lets us board the plane. Some people have window seats, where along the way they might have a nice view of all kinds of amazing things along the way. Some have middle seats, where their view isn't as great. Others have aisle seats, who don't have any good view of things along the flight. However, what the passenger sees along the way does not change the destination. All the passengers, Insha Allah, are on the flight to the same destination, Jannah.
   
   I have some more that I could add to, but I'll leave it here. Anything that is good and true comes from Allah, and anything that is incorrect is a fault from my own self and I ask for forgiveness from you all and from Allah.
   
   Edit: added definition for zuhd

Some Muslims make this mistake, assuming that they are guaranteed paradise so they don't make an effort to do good deeds, and some other Muslims make the mistake of having too much fear, which is also discussed in the book.

I would start with understanding spiritual diseases and then understand how the Sunnah helps with dealing with those diseases. Shaykh Hamza Yusuf has a good book on understanding the different types of Spiritual Diseases of the heart and it's purification.

Abdul-Haleem's translation of the Quran is very good. He also wrote a good companion book "Understanding the Quran: Themes and styles" which I also recommend. If you prefer something a bit more archaic and poetic, I really like the Arberry "Koran Interpreted". You can get Arberry's (and many other translations) here: http://arthursbookshelf.com/koran/koran.html

As for Sufism, some of the best books, in my opinion, are:

Lings, Martin. What is Sufism?
http://www.amazon.com/What-Sufism-Islamic-Texts-Society/dp/0946621411/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335349461&sr=1-1

Helminski, Camille Adams. Women of Sufism: a Hidden Treasure
http://www.amazon.com/Women-Sufism-A-Hidden-Treasure/dp/1570629676/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335349480&sr=1-1


A practical guide for diseases of the heart:

Yusuf, Hamza (tr). Purification of the Heart
http://www.amazon.com/Purification-Heart-Symptoms-Spiritual-Diseases/dp/1929694156/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335349415&sr=1-1

Something more academic but fascinating. You might consider this if you want to really get into the guts of things:

http://www.amazon.com/Sufism-Theology-Ayman-Shihadeh/dp/0748626050

Purification of the Heart: Signs, Symptoms and Cures of the Spiritual Diseases of the Heart - By Humza Yusuf

Do you mean Purification of the Heart in general, or are you referring to this book?

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Purification-Heart-Symptoms-Spiritual-Diseases/dp/1929694156/

If you are speaking in general, do you have any good resources?