The Lovers' Daffodil
The Prophetic &
Intellectual Evidence for Human ‘Ishq (Unrestrained Love)
Chapter 3.
Discussion
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Apercue
Indeed the Mahab-bat (Divine
Love) built a mine [0], from Jalaal (Momentous
Glory) of Zhaat
(Divine Essence) and Beauty of Sifaat (Divine
Attributes) and Manifestation of Divine Deeds within the hearts
& minds of the Spiritual & Religious slaves, to extract Ishq
(Unrestrained Love) from the Beloved. And the nightingales of Haqiqat
(Absolute Reality) [1] & Ma’refat (Divine
Gnosis) pushed their
beaks of Shawq (Anxious
Yearning) into the hearts of the ones with firm ‘Aql (Intellect).
Clasped at the claws of Jazb (Attraction), this overpowering falcon of
‘Ishq (Unrestrained Love) of the Divine Ordinance, carries the
Beloved’s Mahab-bat (Divine
Love) into the realm of Moshahedah (Observable Universe). The Haqq
(True & Absolute Reality, The Lord) places the lovers alongside
lovers and adorns them with the fineness of Mahab-bat (Divine
Love). Being munificent with Its lovers—after the Istefaa (Choosing
& Selection) of their sanctified souls—bestowed upon them ‘Ishq
(Unrestrained Love) & Mahab-bat (Divine
Love) thus saying, “But I cast
(the garment of) love over thee from Me” (Koran [20:39], Allah
told Moses). Mojahed said, “No matter what kind of love &
affection”. (Meaning all kinds love was poured into the human
being)
Here the sanctified souls once
enrobed by the Divine Light—by the pure descent of the Sifaat (Divine
Attributes)—the luminous rays from the mine of Sifaat (Divine
Attributes) transmit from the realm of the souls to the realm of
the bodies. Therefore the heart & soul of the intellects feel the
love due to the impact of this (transmission of) ‘Ishq (Unrestrained
Love). This is a glittering pearl for the lovers, a bestowal from the
Lord an infinite & endless blessing, their wealth from the
beginning to the end. Because the chieftain of the Moshahedah (Divine
Perception) for the Qayb (Transcendental Unseen) and the fierce warrior
of the arena of the hearts—Mohammad peace be upon him—taught Imam Ali,
“Say: My Lord cast upon I the love from within the believers’ hearts,
give me a confidant & love, give me loyalty, commitment &
undying love”.
Once the hearts of the Awlia
(Divine Patricians) become true, because of the human love that
emanated from the Divine Sifaat (Attributes),
these hearts of Awlia become the lodestone for the believers’ souls—a
herald. This lodestone pulls the believers from the mines of human
nature towards the eternal realm, whereupon the eye of Moshahedah
(Divine Perception) by beholding the beauty of the Sifaat (Divine
Attributes) perfects their Ma’refat (Divine Gnosis). The Jalal
(Momentous Glory) of the Divine Mahab-bat (Divine
Love)—answering the prayers of the Mohammad—sent down the verse, “On those who believe and work deeds of
righteousness, will ((Allah)) Most Gracious bestow love” (Koran
[19:96]). In other words has said, “Mahab-bat (Divine Love) within the
hearts of the believers”.
Whomsoever finds the wealth of
the Mahab-bat’s (Divine
Love’s) effulgence, adorned by the Divine Beauty, shall find a
hearth within the hearts of those who are near to Al-Haqq (True &
Absolute Reality, The Lord). The person who is beautified as such and
desired by the hearts is called either “The Morad (sought after) by
Allah on Its earth” or “The beloved of Allah amongst the people”.
Prophet said, “Do you want me to inform you about the most loved by
Allah?” people replied affirmative and he continued, “The most loved
amongst the people”.
A scale, measuring the
Mahab-bat (Divine
Love), appears due to the effect of the beauty upon the souls’
reception & perception of such beloved (amongst the people). Until
equilibrium is reached between the love for Mankind and Mahab-bat (Divine
Love), where the measure of that loving is the weight of Mahab-bat (Divine
Love) for Lord’s beloved(s) balanced against the peoples’ love for
them. It has to be clear for the intellectual ones who believe in
Al-Haqq (The True, Absolute Reality, The Lord) That the Royal Highness first
selected the righteous before endued them with righteousness.
The rule for the Mahab-bat (Divine
Love) is the enrobing. (The Lord enrobes whomever It loves with the
gown of beauty & goodness thus covering them with Inaaya (Divine
Providence) & Mahab-bat (Divine
Love) which are exclusively found at the Divine Presence in Azal
(Sempiternity). The robe for Perfected Ones (Kaamel), is the spiritual
beauty & goodness which is the lodestone for the Morid (Seeker),
and their destination becomes the Lord. The robe for the
physical/behavioral beauty & goodness, is such that if the selfless
lover does not betray and persists upon appreciating & loving,
guides the way towards the beatitude of Wasl (Divine Nexus) &
Shohood (Divine Presence) [2])
Indeed It loves Its own gown
of Divine beauty & goodness and there is no surprise nor amazement
at this.
Within the Haqiqat (Absolute
Reality) [1] of Sabab (Instruments & Causes between Man & the
Lord) there is nothing more endeared & mightier than the human love
& Mahab-bat (Divine
Love), because it is a Khaas (Personalized & Specific)
instrument [3]. Stepping upon this (niche &
personalized) ladder we
can reach the roof of Azal (Sempiternity). Beauty is the best
instrument to obtain this form of Mahab-bat (Divine
Love) as was told (by Allah) to the Sun shining upon the realm of
Azal (Sempiternity) and the Simorgh nesting within the orchards of Abad
(Eternity) i.e. Mohammad, “Say: "If
ye do love Allah, Follow me: Allah will love you” (Koran [3:31])
since the most momentous & splendid beauty was found within the
beauty & goodness of our chieftain & gentleman (Mohammad), may
peace & blessing of Allah be upon him. Enchained within each strand
of his hair one hundred Josephs in dungeons of Ishq (Unrestrained Love)
and one hundred thousand suns & moons shine & glitter within a
ray of his soul.
His beauty was indeed a lucent
shaft of Manifestation emanated from the Divine Zhaat (Essence) since
he was the mirror reflecting the Sifaat (Attributes)
of the Divine Zhaat (Essence). These luminous reflections, through him,
in this world were the traces of the other world. He was the hadal
waves of the deep ocean of Qedam (Time Immemorial) who traversed the
realm of ‘Adam (Nonbeing) into this world. This gentleman’s ‘Ishq
(Unrestrained Love) reached & benefited people in two ways: First
those who follow him, second those who are influenced to see talk &
behave in accordance to his Kholoq (Disposition & Character), since
the Lord called his behavior exalted & grand because his
disposition & proclivity was based upon (or towards) the Divine’s.
His, Mohammad’s, Khalq
(Creation) shaped by the “Allah created Adam upon Its own
likeness/manner [4]”. His Kholoq (Disposition)
derived from Sifaat (Divine
Attributes) “And thou (standest)
on an Azim (Exalted) standard of character” (Koran [68:4], Azim
(Exalted) is a Divine Attribute). Allah did not see any better wealth
for Children of Adam than that of acceptance of hearts caused by the
impressions of beautiful disposition as was indicated by the Prophet,
“Do you want me to inform you about who is best loved by Allah and
closest to me?” People responded affirmative and he continued, “The
best in his character and humble to those loving & being loved”.
And again peace be upon him said, “Indeed Allah loves with Wodd
(Constant Loving) [5] from Qadim (Time Immemorial)”.
Anas has narrated
that whenever a gift was given to the Prophet he would ask him to take
it to so and so lady, saying, “Because she loves Khadija”. (Khadija was
the first most beloved wife of the Prophet who died early in their
marriage. I guess it means since Khadija & this other lady loved
each other then even after Khadija’s death the love continues, prophet
fosters this continuation if he could.)
Behold the rational presented
to the folk of Ma’refat (Divine Gnosis) when it comes to Divine ‘Ishq
(Unrestrained Love), ‘Ishq for Its friends/lovers and Its Mahab-bat (Divine
Love) for the slaves, and this Divine ‘Ishq an Ishaarat (Paradigm)
hinting towards the human ‘Ishq, a paradigm for lover nearing their
beloved. The law of this ‘Ishq (Unrestrained Love) is such that the
late night yelps of the dogs in beloved’s street are heard by the
lover’s soul and in reaching the fulfillment of love these barks are
considered as the Sabab (Instruments & Causes):
Some day
Majoon found a dog in desert
Kissing
its legs and circling it with grace
“Showering
the dog with love!” He was asked why?
Cried, “It
has once passed the Leily’s valley by!”
***
Obeying
& fulfilling all Leily’s family’s want
Carrying
the burden of their desire old & young
Due to the Mahab-bat’s (Divine
Love’s) lofty rank and Ishq’s (Unrestrained Love’s) fortune, the
covenant of ‘Ishq was fulfilled by the chieftain of all lovers
(Mohammad). Prophet said that Solomon told his son, may Allah’s
blessing be upon all of them, “Pursue (with top priority in your heart)
in accordance with the Awwal (Primordial or First) Beloved”. After
being cut-off and yanked away from the flaring ardor of Divine ‘Ishq
(Unrestrained Love), they still recall the nectar of ‘Ishq and behold
the Beloved’s phantasm upon the mirror of their imagination but
unfortunately ‘It’ is searchlessly rare since nothing can ever reach It.
The source for ‘Ishq
(Unrestrained Love) is the Khaas (Personalized & Niche) Mahab-bat (Divine
Love) which derives its characteristics from Al-Haqq (The Absolute
& True Reality, The Lord). The King & the Prince i.e. Abraham
& Mohammad were debuted to the universe, It called Abarham the
Khalil (Friend) and Mohammad the Habib(beloved), dressed the first with
robe of companionship and the second with the gown of love, may Allah
be pleased with them both. (These two prophets are examples of Khaas
(Personalized & Niche) love with the Divine Beloved)
And all the Maqamat (Stations for the
heart to meet the Divine) e.g. affright, hope, patience &
trust, are indeed the tumult to provoke the cognizance within the heart
of the ‘Aref (Divine Cognoscente). Indeed their eyes sighted with the
Divine Vision entering the Qayb (Transcendental Unseen) in close
proximity to the Lord to finally Fanaa (Evanesce). And other than the
Mahab-bat (Divine
Love) which is a Sifat (Attribute)
from the Zhaat (Divine Essence)—both lover & beloved attributed
to—this Fanaa (Evanesce) & Zawaal (Annihilation) not possible.
In the Eternal Abode of
orchards of Paradise, the beatitude of the heart of the Awlia (Divine
Patricians) are the Lord’s ‘Ishq (Unrestrained Love) & Mahab-bat (Divine
Love). Since the impact of beholding the Qadim (Time Immemorial
& Preexistent) beauty and endowal of Perfected & Completed
Divine gifts are Abad (Eternal) & Azal (Sempiternal) and they can
not be annihilated in either world in their reality or metaphorically
since their origination is the Divine Essence which is immutable i.e.
subject to no hange or variation.
O my Beloved Creator of the
humanity, I wrote about the Fadhl (Munificence) of Your ‘Ishq
(Unrestrained Love) based upon the Hadith (Narration of the Prophet)
the Koranic verses and intellectual rationalization. If you, the
reader, have to see the trees of Mahab-bat (Divine
Love) through the eyes of the Soul, come into my eyes, through the
purified portals of Divine Manifestation you shall glance at the
blooming trees of Mahab-bat (Divine
Love) upon which hundreds of thousands of nightingales singing the
aching soothing songs of ‘Ishq (Unrestrained Love) and deep within the
vernal orchards of the heart flames of ‘Ishq (Unrestrained Love) burnt
the wings of struggle whereat the soul left helpless clasped between
the beaks of love.
Lovers
hurried towards Its Presence drunken
Minds in
sleeves and souls at hand so hasten
Yearning
with anxiety galloping the heart
At the
mount of Its stallion sacrificed’em all
(People used to place goods in
their wide sleeves in old days. Here the poet uses sleeves as a symbol
of a rushed packing of goods to offer to a king mounted upon a house.)
End.
Apercu
What moves few bones &
skin to embrace a child, moments prior to a horrific death? That which
gravitates the two together, was brought into this universe with
tremendous application of energy & force from another universe. The
mold within the human being to hold this love was crafted again with
fantastic energy & force, indeed a precision instrument the most
intricate known to the creation. And tremendous size of the cosmos was
necessary to contain this uncontrollable this unrestrained all-powerful
Divine Love, say of a mother for her
child.
And when Mankind drowned
within the darkness of misanthropy, the Divine Power that flooded this
universe with love and The Divine Artist that precision-crafted the
beautiful mold & matrix of humanity, sent down the Prophets to
inject within Humanity the torrential beauty of love.
The prophet appears in
darkness within whose bosom
scintillates the sanctified mirror reflecting the lucent rays of the
Divine Attributes. The luminous shafts of light that reflect from our
mirrors installed within, one reflecting towards the other and the light lets you see:
one loving another.
The father that carried the
corpse of his son for days, the emaciated mother clasping at her child
to the last moment, fingers pointing at the distant moon, the moon of
that Divine Beloved and the love within hearts pointing towards the
Majesty of Its Everlasting Beauty.
The Beloved Creator did not
love you from your birth; you were loved from time immemorial to
incomprehensible end of all eternities. And when you glance at your
Self upon the mirrors of others remember that Divine Beloved chose the righteous before endued them with
the righteousness.
And if people can not love the
dogs of that Beloved's valley i.e. the famished & ailing African
mother & father, no one can love that incommensurable illimitable
Divine Beauty our Most Manifest Beloved.
[0] For
Mahab-bat (Divine
Love) Behroozan used the term Khaas (Specific, Niche & Personal) to
indicate this would happen not at the broad sense of the word love. It
happens to few who find the ‘mine’ within themselves to extract the
‘Ishq (Unrestrained Love).
[1] Haqiqat
is the awareness
& consciousness that you are subsisting & facing the Al-Haqq
(The True & Absolute Divine Reality, The Lord). Jonaid said,
“Haqiqat despises that there is something remains within the heart
subject to the explanation or interpretation”. Meaning the truth of
Haqiqat is a reality e.g. gazing upon the sun or moon. It is there with
no ambiguities or misinterpretations. And like glancing upon the moon
& the soon your entire awareness is consumed into a reality that has no
ambiguities.
[2] Often
the religious &
spiritual folk do not understand why there is physical beauty. They
often down play or even avoid the physical attractions around. The
mother is an example of the physical beauty; the child believes that
she is the most beautiful woman in the world. Similarly an orchid
blooms to stun our eyes or we listen to the beauty of a waterfall or
the giggle of a child. In all these our Divine Beloved placed some of
Its own secret beauty to guide us towards Itself: “See this beauty,
love it, if you don’t abuse it, it guides you to Me” is the song Sufi
hears looking at all physical beauty.
[3] There
are ‘Aam (Broad
& General) instruments e.g. a train which carries everyone to one
specific destination. And then there is Khaas (Personalized &
Specific) instruments e.g. a passenger car that carries only the driver
to any specific destination. Human & Divine Love are Khaas they
carry each individual to a niche & specific tryst with his Divine
Beloved. Allah sends provisions for everyone, we all eat we all drink
we all have home we all recover from hurt. These are ‘Aam (Universal)
blessings from Allah. But when the slave becomes a lover and is carried
alone towards the rendezvous with the Beloved that is a grand affair
and Sufis call that Khaas (Specific & Niche).
[4] This
Hadith (Narration) of
the Prophet has been interpreted in many different ways. The best
description fitting the Sufism’s framework is as follows: Allah created
Adam in likeness or Its Characteristics & Attributes e.g. Allah is
Most Merciful so It put mercy in man, Allah is Omniscient so gave man
some knowledge, Allah Most Beneficent Provider & Sustainer so made
man generous & charitable, so on and so forth.
[5] Wodd is
similar to the
Arabic word Hobb which means love. However Wodd is a love that does not
diminish it is as ever passionate & affectionate. From Wodd comes
the word Wadood that means the Perpetual & Constant Lover, which is
one of the Beautiful Names and
Attributes of Allah. In this Hadith (Narration) Prophet says that
Allah’s love/loving is infinitely ancient i.e. once we are born Allah
has already loved us for an eternity. There is nothing we can do of
good or evil, to ourselves or to others, that can fluctuate the
amplitude of this love.
Contributor: ‘Adel Mahmood who
help me
with the Hadith translations in Tim Horton’s coffee shop in Toronto
June 2004.
© 2004-2002,
Dara O. Shayda