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Sufi Love | understanding from master | Technology of the Heart
Sufi Love | understanding from master | Technology of the Heart
Homesufismsufi
Sufi Love | understanding from master
2 Sadiq Sunday, May 06, 2007
In the spirit of the Sufi Poetry Carnival, the theme being Divine Love here is a post that focuses on the theme, borrowing understandings of Sufi (Mystic) Love.
Sufi Master Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh eloquently puts "Sufi Love" in contast to ordinary love in a profound way. I am quoting from Sufism.ru.
All human beings during their lives tend to experience love and friendship. Human love can be classified into three basic categories according to its intensity, quality and limitations.
The first form of love is the friendship that is based on social conventions where two people behave in accordance with the following principle: "I for myself, you for yourself; we love each other, and we have no expectations of each other." This form of love is that of ordinary people, whose love relationships tend to be of this nature.
The second form of love is based on a more solid foundation and those who live together usually experience this kind of love: "I for you, you for me; we love each other, having mutual expectations of each other." This form of love includes profound love as well as the love found within most families, involving emotional give and take on an equal footing.
The third kind of love transcends all conventions based on mutual expectations and is based on the following principle: "I am for you, you are for whoever you choose; I accept whatever you want without any expectations whatsoever."
The Sufi's devotion to God and to the master of the Path represents this latter form of love. This third kind of love is not based upon any constraints or conditions, and the Sufi who possesses this kind of love says with contentment and submission to God: "I am satisfied with whatever You want without any expectations, and love You without any thought of reward."
The Sufi's love of God is not based upon any expectation of reward or fear of punishment, for the Sufi does not have any wishes and demands. The Sufi embraces and loves God's wrath as much as His grace, His hardheartedness as much as His fidelity.
Only a few Sufis have managed to annihilate themselves in the Beloved through the path of such love and friendship. It is about these Sufis that Rumi has said:
Everything is the Beloved,
and the lover but a veil;
The Beloved is alive,
while the lover is dead.
Thus, we see that the highest form of human love is 'Sufi Love'. Alas, it is a polo ball that only the most distinguished and perfected human beings are worthy of putting into play. text credit / image credit
:: Read about the upcoming Sufi Poetry Carnival and submit your poem
:: Previous post: What is Divine Love? Mystics understanding of Love - part 1
Homesufismsufi
Sufi Love | understanding from master
2 Sadiq Sunday, May 06, 2007
In the spirit of the Sufi Poetry Carnival, the theme being Divine Love here is a post that focuses on the theme, borrowing understandings of Sufi (Mystic) Love.
Sufi Master Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh eloquently puts "Sufi Love" in contast to ordinary love in a profound way. I am quoting from Sufism.ru.
All human beings during their lives tend to experience love and friendship. Human love can be classified into three basic categories according to its intensity, quality and limitations.
The first form of love is the friendship that is based on social conventions where two people behave in accordance with the following principle: "I for myself, you for yourself; we love each other, and we have no expectations of each other." This form of love is that of ordinary people, whose love relationships tend to be of this nature.
The second form of love is based on a more solid foundation and those who live together usually experience this kind of love: "I for you, you for me; we love each other, having mutual expectations of each other." This form of love includes profound love as well as the love found within most families, involving emotional give and take on an equal footing.
The third kind of love transcends all conventions based on mutual expectations and is based on the following principle: "I am for you, you are for whoever you choose; I accept whatever you want without any expectations whatsoever."
The Sufi's devotion to God and to the master of the Path represents this latter form of love. This third kind of love is not based upon any constraints or conditions, and the Sufi who possesses this kind of love says with contentment and submission to God: "I am satisfied with whatever You want without any expectations, and love You without any thought of reward."
The Sufi's love of God is not based upon any expectation of reward or fear of punishment, for the Sufi does not have any wishes and demands. The Sufi embraces and loves God's wrath as much as His grace, His hardheartedness as much as His fidelity.
Only a few Sufis have managed to annihilate themselves in the Beloved through the path of such love and friendship. It is about these Sufis that Rumi has said:
Everything is the Beloved,
and the lover but a veil;
The Beloved is alive,
while the lover is dead.
Thus, we see that the highest form of human love is 'Sufi Love'. Alas, it is a polo ball that only the most distinguished and perfected human beings are worthy of putting into play. text credit / image credit
:: Read about the upcoming Sufi Poetry Carnival and submit your poem
:: Previous post: What is Divine Love? Mystics understanding of Love - part 1
What is Love? A Sufi Perspective - Part 1
What is Love? A Sufi Perspective - Part 1
1,401 viewsJul 20, 2020
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Tania Kazi
528 subscribers
Exploring love in Sufism with Pouria Montazeri. An Iranian-American filmmaker, writer, speaker, spiritual coach, mentor and founder of 'In The Footprints of Rumi.'
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Sufism: A mystic faith soaked in universal love - Times of India
Sufism: A mystic faith soaked in universal love - Times of India
Sufism: A mystic faith soaked in universal love
Farida Khanam | Sep 25, 2008
Universal love: Sufism is the form which mysticism has taken in Islam. The term Sufism embraces the philosophy and practices in Islam which aims at direct communion between God and man.
The Islamic values of love, peace and kindness, embodied in the Prophet of Islam were embraced by Sufis. They devoted their lives to spreading these virtues all around the world.
The original intention of Sufism was to deliver man from slavery to worldly passions by destroying the power of the flesh and uniting souls to God by spiritual ties. The Sufi movement's origins lie in asceticism. In one sense self-denial was a reaction to the worldliness of some of the faithful who were absorbed in the pursuit of worldly goals. Sufis felt the need to help the poor and the helpless. During the reign of the Abbasids a rich minority enjoyed all the comforts of life, while the majority lived as poor peasants and labourers.
Sufis reiterated that God was all-loving and all-merciful; that God wants people to love one another, be merciful and compassionate. They raised such questions as how we are justified in expecting love and compassion from God, while we have nothing to offer to our fellow- men but hate and ill will. Sufis spread the message of harmony, brother-hood, peace and friendship.
The Sufis hold that despairing of love and mercy is a greater fault than committing sin. For, as we learn from traditions, everything in life is mortal, except for God and good deeds. All worldly things are characterised by impermanence. Good deeds alone can bring us salvation. The Qur'an says: "Do not despair of My mercy. God turns to those who repent and surrender themselves to Him" (39.54).
Shaykh Nizamuddin Awliya devoted his life in saving mankind from sin and suffering. He believed that, in the eyes of God, no deed was of greater significance than freeing fellow human beings from their misery and helping the helpless. Once someone asked Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti what was the highest form of religious devotion in the eyes of God. He replied: "Develop river-like generosity, sun-like bounty and earth-like hospitality".
Love is most important. Sufis conceive God as the beloved and man as the lover. According to Ibn Arabi, no religion ranks higher than the religion of love. Love is the source and the essence of all creeds. Therefore, a Sufi thinks that all the evil thoughts which breed dislike, hatred and religious division and prejudice must be replaced by love. When he has come to his last stage of enlightenment, his self is annihilated in the complete sense. This is the stage when he comes closer to God, and naturally he becomes a servant to God's people. He rises above vested interests, above all biases and predilections. A realised Sufi has no other interest but his love of God and world brotherhood.
Love of God is a process that purifies the human perso-nality. That is, the soul comes to realise itself, in the sense that the latent natural potential of the soul is ultimately awakened and, in the words of the Qur'an, it becomes the 'serene' or 'pure soul'. A heart filled with God's love will necessarily be filled with the love of other human beings, all the creatures of God. As Bayazid Bistami says: "A Sufi belongs to the sect of God".
The writer is a reader in the Islamic Studies department of Jamia Millia Islamia.
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