Translator’s Foreword

Biography of Ayatullah Ibrahim Amini

Preface

Self-Purification, the Main Goal of Divine Messengers

The Heart in Quran

Evacuation or Self-refinement (Takhliyeh)

Self-refinement

Self-Struggle

The Stages of Self-refinement

Things which are Helpful for Self-refinement

Egotism - the Root of all Evils

Piety, the Most Important Factor for Purification

The Characteristics of Pious (Sermon of Hammam)

Supervision - the Most Important Factor for Self-restraint

Repentance and Self-cleansing

Nourishment and Perfection of Self (Tahliyeh)

Faith, the Foundation of Spiritual Perfection

The Means of Perfection and God's Nearness

First Means -God's Remembrance (Dikhr)

The Effects and Indications of Invocation (Dhikr)

The Means of Attainment

Instructions

Obstacles of the Path

Second Means, Nourishment of Moral Virtues

Third Means, the Righteous Deeds

Some Righteous Deeds

Fourth Means, Struggle (Jihad) and Martyrdom (Shahadat)

Fifth Means, Benevolence and Service to Humanity

Sixth Means, Supplications (Dua)

Seventh Means, Fast (Sawm)

Appendix 1: A Mystical Poem (Ghazal al-Irfani) of Imam Khomeini

Appendix 2: Supplication of the Holy Month of Sha'ban (Munajat al-Shabaniyyah)

Appendix 3: A Prayer

A detailed description of special deeds as performed by God's most
devoted sincere servants during their lives, the self-restraint and
asceticism practiced by them during these worships, and the spiritual
purification achieved by them. Original Persian title: Khud Sazi wa
Tahzib wa Tazkiyeh Nafs.


Self Building

Appendix 3: A Prayer
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[^1]Oh Lord! Be kind to us. Bestow upon us Your love and knowledge and
guide us from darkness towards illumination. If You Yourself make us
know You, we would certainly love You, because, we would love You. Your
Love would burn whatever falsehood, ignorance and arrogance there exist;
rather the fire of Your love will burn down whatever veils exist between
You and us. We would become the way -you want Your friends to be.

Oh our Lord, Master. Creator, God and Bestower of bounties. We have
inflicted tyranny upon ourselves. Admit our sins and before the Day of
Judgment cry:

 ***Is there a way to get out of the Hell*** **?**[^2]

With Your mercy and compassion we have rested all our hopes upon You so
that on the Judgment Day we are not doomed to utter the above cry and do
not combine for us the suffering of this world and Hereafter.

[^1]: Added by [Tr].

[^2]: The Holy Qur’an (40: 12)


