Dr. Muhammad Isa Waley is Lead Curator for Persian and Turkish Collections at the British Library, London. His main research specialisations are the palaeography, codicology, illumination and cataloguing of Islamic manuscripts; and the classical verse and prose literature of Islamic spirituality.Among the numerous works edited by Dr. Waley are Islamic Codicology: an Introduction to the Study of Manuscripts in Arabic Script; the English translation of Tafsir al-Jalalayn; several works by Sheikh Muhammad Mutawalli al-Sha'rawi; the Integrated Encyclopedia of Qur'an; and the Kitab al-Adhkar of Imam al-Nawawi.

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• TAKEN FROM DRAFT MANUSCRIPTKEY THEMES129 The nafs is something base169 Journey of the spirit, not the body171 Fire of anger > Hell180 The Masnavi must be heeded with discrimination, being not just stories202 Weeping over sins is better than prayers203 Allah is the true Friend204 Travelling helps you to grow206 Real knowledge and love of Allah209 Good manners: not to complain213 Why Allah does not always answer or prayers right away214 Malice is forbidden in Islam220 Barrier of jealousy220 Doing the work is part of trust224 Look for spiritual friends227 The Sufi is provided for by Allah234 This world is tiny but seems great to the spiritually dead235 You need spiritual vision236 Your true homeland is the Next World238 Your sustenance is in the Hands of Allah239 Allah decides everything, but you must still work241 Do not blame destiny; blame yourself242 Don’t look back – look ahead245 If you are with everyone you are alone; if you are with Allah you are with all245 Drown in the sea of love246 Love the Immortal, not the mortal249 The repentance of Adam251 Our apparent emotions, ?? joy and sorrow253 The sun of Ma‘rifa never sets254 Love the Essence, not the form255 Love brings life and purity261 Love is beyond need and greed264 Love makes and breaks us again and again266 Ikhla?: Allah Himself is the Reward268 Allah’s lovers, like Him, take no sleep or food269 To lovers humiliation and glory are alike271 Being at prayer 24/7274 ‘You need annihilation, not grammar’275 Ikhlas: ask Him only – seek water from sea, not dry riverbed277 Seeing one’s own faults280 Think well of others281 Ma‘rifa: seeing Allah everywhere286 Ask, that you may be given287 Escape attachment to secondary causes288 Our troubles come to save us from worse290 Dhikr Allah brings tranquillity290 The Light of Allah protects and helps292 Silence of the Sea294 Bring your heart to Allah295 Repentance and weeping296 Muraqaba and veiling the faults of others