In a recent gathering of Sufi scholars and devotees, the profound concept of divine love as understood in Sufi tradition was explored. The discussion highlighted the central role of love in the spiritual journey and its transformative power in connecting individuals to the divine.
Sufi mystics emphasize that divine love is not merely an emotion but a state of being, a profound connection that transcends the limitations of the physical world. It is a love that is both unconditional and all-encompassing, encompassing all of creation.
Some Important Points on Divine Love
- Unity of Existence: Sufis believe in the essential unity of all things, a oneness that is grounded in divine love. This concept challenges the notion of duality and separation, fostering a sense of interconnectedness and compassion.
- The Path of Love: The Sufi journey is often described as a quest for divine love. It involves a series of spiritual practices, including meditation, contemplation, and remembrance of God, that aim to purify the heart and prepare it for the experience of love.
- The Beloved and the Lover: In Sufi tradition, God is often referred to as the “Beloved,” and the seeker as the “Lover.” The relationship between the Beloved and the Lover is characterized by longing, yearning, and ultimate union.
- Divine Ecstasy: The experience of divine love is often described as a state of ecstasy, a feeling of overwhelming joy and bliss. This ecstasy is seen as a glimpse of the divine reality and a foretaste of the ultimate goal of the spiritual journey.
The gathering concluded with a shared recitation of Sufi poetry, a form of expression that often explores the themes of love, longing, and divine union. Participants expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to delve deeper into the Sufi understanding of divine love and its transformative potential.
Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen opinion on Divine Love
A person loves several relations and things. For example, he loves Allah and the Holy Prophet, he loves his parents, spouse, children, siblings, friends, home, land, possessions, city, community, kith and kin, country, business and more. When there exists a love so profound that it eclipses all other affections, it is termed as ‘Ishq’ in Arabic. If such fervent or ardent love is for Allah then it is called Divine love. The blazing intensity of this love turns all the other loves into ashes and overpowers them.
Further Quotes:
- Love is to sacrifice yourself.
- Love means not to let the tongue complain, the mind object and the eye suspect.
- Love is submission and obedience.
- Love is slave hood
Sultan Bahoo and Divine Love
The invocation with love takes high flight. A fly can never approach the heights attained by a falcon even if it tries hard and soars thousand times. Similarly an ascetic can never find Divine secrets even if he goes through hard ascetic discipline. The lesson of Divine love is not taught by any teacher in any institution because it is the grand Trust. The tradition of love is to be indifferent to the whole world. An ardent lover of Allah always seeks death before dying so that he spiritually reaches the station of no station as death of a lover means union with the Beloved. (Ain-ul-Faqr)
Divine love is like a skilful jeweller who checks the purity or impurity of gold. (Ain-ul Faqr)
In Punjabi Abyat He said
جَیں دل عشق خرید نہ کیتا، سو دِل درد نہ پَھٹی ھو
اُس دل تھیں پتھر چنگیرے، جو دِل غفلت اَٹی ھو
جَیں دل عشق حضور نہ منگیا، سو درگاہوں سَٹی ھو
ملیا دوست نہ اُنہاں بَاھُو، جنہاں چوڑ نہ کیتی تَڑَٹی ھو
Explanation: The soul which neither traded for the Divine love nor suffered from the pangs of pain is deprived of compassion. The rocks are better than such oblivious soul and damned is the inward that has not sought Divine presence. The union with Allah is not destined to those who do not sacrifice their household for the Reality.
Love is such a unique game which is played by the restless, eager and the true lovers of Allah by going beyond the boundaries of intellect, putting their lives and wealth at stake. If they prove the truth and sincerity of their passion, the presence in the Mohammadan Assembly and Divine vision are granted to them as Allah does not let anybody’s struggle go in vain. It must be understood that only love opens the door to Divine vision. Otherwise thousands of caravans of intellect have been ruined in trying to understand the quiddity of the Essence. Though Fakirs got the blessing of Divine vision and found the secrets of Allah through the path of love.