1: Recitation of the Qur’an with reflection and understanding of its meanings and what is intended by it. [This helps] understand what its author intends from us.
2: Getting closer to Allah with the supererogatory acts of worship, after the obligatory ones, for they will take a person to another level of love.
3: Constant remembrance (of Allah) in every circumstance by the tongue, the heart, and actions, so a person’s share of love is in accordance with his share of remembrance.
4: Preferring His love over our own when desires overcome us and climbing to reach His love, even if the ascent is difficult.
5: The heart’s comprehension of His Names and Attributes, witnessing them and having knowledge of them, to immerse oneself in the garden of this knowledge and its fundamental pillars. Whoever knows Allah by His Names, Attributes and Actions, will, no doubt, love Him. For this reason the deniers of His Attributes (Mu’attilah)… are like highway robbers to the hearts, (they come in between it and) between reaching the beloved (i.e., Allah).
6: Witnessing His generosity, His benevolence, His favours and blessings, both hidden and open, for these things call to His love.
7: This is the most amazing of them all. The heart’s total defeat and humility in front of Allah, the Most High.
8: Being alone at the Time of the Descent of Allah for having private conversations with Him, reciting His Words, investigating the heart, displaying the manners of servitude whilst in front of Him and then to seal all of that with seeking forgiveness and repentance.
9: Sitting with the truthful lovers (of Allah) and gathering the good fruits (arising) from their speech, just as one picks out the best of fruits, and that you do not speak except when the benefit of the speech prevails and when you know that there is a betterment for you and benefit for others in it.
10: Keeping distant from everything that comes between the heart and Allah, the Mighty and Majestic.
So from these ten ways, the lovers will reach the (various) levels of love.
Source: The Path to Guidance by Ibn al-Qayyim
Dr. Bilal Philips