Book of Healing - Qur'anic Healing - Divine Love (`Ishq-i Ilahi)

Divine Love (`Ishq-i Ilahi)

Tags: Divine Love, Ishq-i Ilahi, Love, `Ishq, Martyr, Friends of Allah

1. Divine love makes every severe hardship easy. It is the panacea or the universal remedy for hundreds of diseases. Nay, it is the spiritual water of life, by drinking which man becomes immortal. Otherwise no fountainhead of the water of life, other than this, exists on the planet earth, and the story (about the water of immortality) which is in vogue can only be an example of it. For, physical death is necessary, but spiritual perdition is the extreme limit of punishment.

2. Divine love is the supreme bounty among the bounties of the Sustainer of the world. Therefore, if we look with the inner eye, we will find that Divine love is mentioned everywhere, from the beginning to the end of the holy Qur'an. For instance, take the Suratu'l-Fatihah:

The word "Allah" implies the meaning of bewilderment, for there is nothing but bewilderment for lovers and `arifs in the lights of the Divine manifestation.
The interpretation of the name "Rabb or Sustainer" from the point of view of Divine love, is that the Sustainer of the world sustains every creature according to its needs, and accordingly He strengthens His pure-natured lovers with the nourishment of Divine love.
The very heavenly affection and love is mentioned in the names Rahman and Rahim (Compassionate and Merciful).
In "Maliki yawmi'd-din (Master of the Day of Resurrection)", the allusion is that, mu'mins will be enriched with the everlasting wealth of the Divine love on the Day of Resurrection.
"Iyyaka na`budu wa iyyaka nasta`in (You alone we worship and from You alone we seek help)", means that we worship You with love and ma`rifat (recognition) and therefore, we seek help from You only.
"Ihdina's-sirata'l-mustaqim (Guide us on the right path)" means: Guide us on the straight path of love, for, it is the easiest and the shortest path.
The explanation of "Sirata'l-ladhina an`amta `alayhim (The path of those upon whom You have showered favours)" is that we want to follow those to whom You have granted the supreme bounty of Your love, which is superior to any other bounty.
In "Ghayri'l-maghzubi `alayhim wa la'z-zallin (Not the path of those who have been the object of Your wrath)" is taught that those who have become the object of Your wrath or those who have gone astray, are those who, in reality, have failed to attain the luminous wealth of Your love.

3. Further, in the light of the wise Qur'an, you may know who are the chosen ones, whom God by guiding on the straight path has granted the bounty of His wisdom-filled love? Yes, they are the Prophets, the truthful (siddiqin), the martyrs (shuhada') and the righteous (salihin) and among them can also be included those who follow God and the Prophet in true sense (4:69). But how can such a great feat be accomplished in one day? It requires continuous hard work and great sacrifices, so that the animal soul may die in a way, and as a result the holy love may be experienced.

4. The Divine or heavenly love is mentioned in the wise Qur'an both explicitly and implicitly. Among those words in which it (`ishq) is explicitly mentioned is hubb (= mahabbat). Although according to some scholars mahabbat and ishq are two separate things, according to others they are two names of the one and the same reality. This latter view is more correct. This means that Divine love is possible, not directly, but through the Prophet. And it is the teaching of the holy Qur'an (3:31) that unless someone obeys the Prophet with love, God does not love him. This means that people can be illumined with the light of the love of God and His beloved Messenger through knowledge and good deeds.

5. The following Hadith is mentioned in Bukhari (IX, 105), and Muslim (IV, 1776), in Kitabu'r-ru'ya': "Man ra'ani fa-qad ra'a'l-haqq". According to revered sufis, it is translated as: "He who saw me, saw God". However, an intelligent person may ask the question: Is it a matter of wakefulness, or dream? The answer is, whether it is a matter of wakefulness or dream or that of spirituality, in any case, the vision of the Prophet is considered the vision of God. This is because the comprehensiveness of the words of the Hadith to the conclusion that the love of the Prophet is the love of God and similarly, the vision of God is also possible through His mazhar (locus of manifestation).

6. Another example of Divine or true love is fire. Fire is both light and fire (27:8) in Qur'anic language. The sun, every kind of electricity and fire are both light and fire. Thus, the universal light, namely the sun, not only has the capacity of growing and ripening, but also of burning and also of reviving certain things. It is also known to all that fire causes some things to melt. Thus, if a mu'min has to cure himself by the current of spiritual electricity, or to burn carnal germs, or to melt and mould in the mould of the Perfect Man, then with the feeling of utmost indigence, he has to implore and shed tears in the presence of Divine love, so that after purification of every kind, the soul of love (ruhu'l-`ishq) may enter him.

7. Study the verses (82:6-12) carefully, where in the sixth verse is mentioned the way the Benevolent Lord favours man according to the nature of His attributes and the negligence of man from Him. In verse seven, the completion of the physical creation of man is alluded to, then his equalisation (taswiyah) and straightening (ta`dil) in his spiritual progress. In verse eight, "fi ayyi suratin ma sha'a rakkabaka (Into whatsoever form He wills, He casts you)" are mentioned the spiritual form and the intellectual form, that man is given all possible forms by casting him in spiritual and intellectual moulds. This is the supreme reward of melting in the fire of Divine love. Thus, it is possible for every man to be moulded in the mould of the Single Soul (31:28) and to adopt the form of it and of all its copies. If he achieves this supreme bliss, he attains his own whole and perfection.

8. Love or friendship of God gives the concept of the extremely great favour of God, the Exalted. Undoubtedly, the concept of such favour is also found in many other words; and after all these exalted meanings, comes the level of "fana' fi'llah (annihilation in God)". This is the last and most effective treatment for the eternal health and soundness of man. Further, the same means entering the abode of peace, where there is nothing but peace, nor is there any fear and danger of any sickness.

9. In Ahadith-i Mathnawi (p. 134), this sacred Hadith is recorded: "He who loves Me, I kill him; and he whom I kill, I become his blood money". (Al-Manhaju'l-qawi, IV, 398). There is a very great secret hidden in this Hadith, that a positive secret is revealed in a negative way. This is the same favour and bounty of God which is mentioned in verse (57:19), that in one respect, He grants His friends the death of martyrs in the greater jihad, and in the other in His sacred love, while they are physically alive. And in return for such martyrdom, they are granted great reward and light. When someone attains light, it is understood that he finds God as a hidden treasure. Thus this is the meaning of the above-mentioned Hadith.

10. In Ihya'u'l-`ulum, (IV, 295) the following prayer of the holy Prophet, may peace and salutation of God be upon him and his progeny, is recorded, which is extremely wisdom-filled: "O God! Bestow upon me Your love and the love of the one who loves You and the love of that which makes me closer to Your love and make Your love to me more palatable than cold water". This prayer comprises all basic and fundamental beauties of religion, therefore it requires detailed explanation.

11. We have already mentioned the Hadith-i nawafil (Bukhari, VIII, 336-37), which is also called "Hadith-i taqarrub (Hadith related to the proximity of God)". This Hadith is also recorded in Majma`u'l-bahrayn, under the title of "fana' fi'llah". The gist of it is that, as a result of the accomplishment of the obligatory duties and supererogatory services, the faithful servant attains the special proximity of his Lord, the sign of which is that God actually loves him in such a way that His sacred light shines in his heart, and his internal senses and external senses become illumined to the extreme degree. This is his effacement and annihilation.

12. What kind of pleasure and attraction is found in the pure love of God, the Exalted, the Sublime, and what kind of tenderness, gentleness and humility is created in the heart under its influence, or what are its wonders and marvels and its miracles? Although it is extremely difficult to experience them, due to the shortcomings of man, yet the way His mercy works overwhelmingly and abundantly, it is not impossible. Moreover, it is also an extremely great favour of God that He, the Knowing, the Wise, has created His love not all at once, but in different stages so that everyone may progress gradually.

13. Friendship of God has been praised and described in verse (10:62) of the Qur'an, whose expression is extremely miraculous: "Behold! that the friends (awliya') of God have neither fear, nor do they grieve". Common people are afraid of the dangers of the future and grieve for what is past, but with the friends of God, there is neither future, nor past, nor is there any fear and grief. For, in the non-spatial and non-temporal world, they have observed the reality that all things of the space (universe) and time remain safe and secured and everlasting in the fist of God (21:104; 39:67). Therefore, they are not afflicted by the disease of fear and grief.

14. Regarding the external (physical) martyrs (3:169) and those of the Divine love (57:19), the wise Qur'an has passed the universal judgement that they, despite being slain in a way, do not die in reality, rather they become immortal. It is as if they are given the water of immortality of love, therefore they are honoured with eternal life. Thus, every wise person accepts this clear fact that there is no remedy for the physical death, but the spiritual death can be cured with the water of immortality of Divine love.

26 Rajab, 1406/7th April, 1986.

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