A Handbook of Spiritual Medicine

by Ibn Daud

This spiritual guide to the self is a handbook of tazkiyah or 'self-purification'. Not only does it illustrate the maladies of the human spiritual condition, it recognises the struggles and insecurities we all succumb to from time to time, and offers up the remedies too. The antidotes to our ailments are drawn from Qur'anic verses and authenticate ahadith (Prophetic sayings), inspiring mindfulness of the Almighty Cherisher (SWT) and His Beloved Prophet (PBUH). This guidebook, drawing on the 11th and 12th Century works of the 'Proof of Islam' and the wondrous sage, Imam Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali can be applied to our busy lives in the modern, hi-tech era, and will prove accessible to people of all ages, all believers and non-believers alike. 

Genres: Islam, Religion, Self Help, Spirituality, Faith, Psychology, Nonfiction

278 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2020

Reviews

[Laiba Faheem · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 ⭐

There exist only a handful of books that not only deserve to be read but also cherished in one's personal library, and 'Qalb, the Spiritual Medicine' by Ibn Daud unequivocally earns its place on that list.

Within the pages of this book, the author delves into the depths of human forgetfulness, shedding light on the sins we inadvertently commit. What sets this book apart is its remarkable ability to not just identify these transgressions but also offer both practical and academic solutions to them.

'Qalb' is not just a book; it's a timeless guide that every seeker of spiritual growth should embrace and cherish.

[Chaimaa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found "Purification of the Heart" by Hamza Yusuf to cover similar themes as this book, but in a much more profound manner. If you're seeking an in-depth exploration of psychological ailments and their remedies for the heart, I highly recommend the former over this one.

☆May Allah purify our hearts and guide us towards goodness and righteousness.🤲🏻

[Karima · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Let not your tongue mention the shame of another, for you yourself are covered in shame and all men have tongues. If your eye falls upon the sins of your brother, shield then and say: 'O my eye! All men have eyes!'."

- Imâm As-Shāfi'i

[адэм · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great reference work that covers many of the diseases of the heart, what symptoms to look out for, ways to treat the condition, and the exceptions to the rule. The color coding of each chapter and simple presentation were a nice touch.

You'll get a brief summary of the above info at the start of each chapter, with the points on the left hand side and corresponding proof from the Koran, Hadith, and scholarly works on the right. If that wasn't enough, the back of the book has an extensive Index (also colored) to help you find what you're looking for in a hurry. Whether you're a beginner on the path to self-purification or a Sufi veteran, this book is a nice resource to have on your shelf for easy reference and instructional purposes.

[Pushon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an amazing book, perfect antidote for internal disease. A must read for those who are seeking spiritual cleansing.

[Rukhsorakhon Tukhtasinova · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished reading this book last week and it was so helpful. In the book it explained how to control your anger, how to deal with people you don’t like. And there were many hadiths from different scholars.

[Laurianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un des livres les plus importants que j'ai lus de toute ma vie. Un guide exceptionnel pour le comportement, la personnalité. Même s'il s'appuie sur le Quran et la Sunna, il est d'une utilité universelle au-delà des musulman.e.s, car il permet de viser la noblesse de caractère et la sérénité dans sa vie. Je voudrais le relire de suite pour m'imprégner de ses leçons. La mise en page est excellente et attrayante.

[Faridahyunos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect 🥰

[Riyam Sabi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well 2 points for the effort and it states the obvious i thought that this book will contain more in depth details and philosophy but it is a very good book for teenagers that we need to attract them and make them learn more about our religion.

[Dia Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good book. The author markets it as for “believers and non believers alike” (Muslims and nonmuslims) and as a non Muslim religious person, I still felt it was helpful. Personally, I think this book is better for people who follow monotheistic religions, especially Christianity and Islam, and especially those who have a concept of sin. As a person who also doesn’t fall under those categories, that’s what I felt. I do think the book did get “worse” (in like how helpful was) towards the end. Like for example, in the book we established that some people have a problem with “hard heartedness” aka not caring about punishment or the afterlife, so why is the treatment “know that you will be punished for this” ? We already established that some people don’t care and also I feel like fear of punishment isn’t that helpful for people, but that’s just me. Though of they did give other treatments beside that, but I wanted to point it out. Like I said, I do think the book is good for people of most religions, but part of me also feel like maybe the book should have just been advertised towards Muslims. There’s nothing wrong with advertising books towards Muslims and in thus having things like Quran verses referenced heavily, but if you’re writing a book for a general population, then why do that? I still think they are not a bad addition, for example taking the lesson of verses and applying it towards my own gods (especially since ofc there is religious overlap), but the author obviously had mostly Muslims in mind, which again, is fine, but a bit of strange choice when you’re marketing towards everyone. Overall, I do recommend this book IF you feel like you can get something out of this. If you look the book up, there is a free preview online on what they book will go over, check that out first before you buy. This might be obvious, but also I only recommend this book for people who are religious. If you’re not, you will get nothing out of this book lol. But that’s obvious and I don’t think a non religious person would even be interested. Overall, pretty solid, but I would generalize it as “mid.”

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Allāh SWT says, "Perhaps you dislike something which is good for you
and like something which is bad for you. Alläh knows and you do not know."
[AI-Baqarah 2:216]

this was an unforgettable line, which shows this world is all a facade, الله has placed us on this earth for his test and knows beyond what we know; trusting in الله’s plan and decree for us is important to get through this test successfully

[Ramona · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is beautifully designed and organized. I was hoping for something with more spirituality and connection to the Quran. I found the topics to be discussed in a manner appropriate for teenagers/young adults.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Handy book to keep you in check and to practice self accountability. This book was gifted to me but it is a bit pricey. But something good to keep on your shelf and pick up every so often and scan a characteristic you think you have, or don’t even suspect it.

[Aimen Kashif · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got me back into spirituality and my religion, it is an easy guide to how we can follow our religion on a day to day basis. truly life changing and makes us realize how grateful we should be and learn everyday about our God and spirituality

[Sultan Sufiyan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best 👌

[Mubarak Hayat · Rating 1 out of 5]

Good

[Xlr Gaming · Rating 2 out of 5]

I want to read

[Halima Khatun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right now i want to read this book.I just loved this book

[Abdel Muqtadir · Rating 3 out of 5]

If anyone wants pdf of this book for low price email me muqtadirisback@gmail.com

[Sumaira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice book

[arifa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good, well written cohesive resource

[She Reads Sometimes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, read all of it. This book is the sort of book you can revisit often. Very good for introspection. It is like looking in a mirror. Highly recommend. Great layout.

[Remna M · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was an overall good book. However, there are some pages missing so I didn’t get to enjoy the book as much as I would like to.

[Abdul Mateen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book

[Book Cucci · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like the format and how it’s like a guide book rather than chapters. Very refreshing. It is pricey however.

I’m writing this review over a month after finishing and currently reading “Reformation of Character”. It’s an older book but goes over the exact same thing. Kind of sus but if you want the same information but cheaper read that instead.