DÖRDÜNCÜ BÂB · İKİNCİ FASIL · Onuncu Madde
Allah’s love possesses characteristics and wondrous states.
Beloved! Know that the friends of Allah have said: The attributes of love manifest according to its degrees within itself. As it is stated in the Arabic verse:
Verse
Those sincere in love, proceed upon the path. All those who enter therein are surely delivered.
(Translation of the Verse)
The sincere brothers in love, journey forth. Everyone who enters that path is certainly saved.
Amongst the attributes of love is that it is both a beginning and an end; both a distance and a means by which one reaches the goal. Thus, love is something wondrous and astonishing. For the lover, upon turning away from his own self and directing himself towards the beloved, traverses the valleys of love. Such that only the footsteps of love and the feet of love can traverse those valleys. As it is stated in poetry:
Quatrain
1. The ascetic journeys but a single day each month; the lover beholds the Sultan’s throne every moment.
2. Ascetics proceed cautiously, fearing each step; lovers fly swifter than lightning and wind.
3. How can these timid ones reach the dust of love? For love spreads the heavens as a carpet.
(Translation of the Quatrain)
1. The ascetics journey but one day a month; the lovers behold the Sultan’s throne every moment.
2. Ascetics proceed cautiously, fearing each step; lovers fly swifter than lightning and wind.
3. How can these timid ones reach the dust of love? For love spreads the heavens as a carpet.
Thus, love contains within its own nature two opposites simultaneously. Therefore, it necessitates the existence of both. For love requires an observation that only manifests through annihilation in the beloved (fana fi’l-mahabub). And again, it demands obedience to a command that is realized through the subsistence of the self. But subsistence and annihilation are mutually contradictory.
Another aspect is this: Love inherently necessitates union with the beloved. When the beloved separates from the lover, it necessitates the separation of the beloved. For the beloved of the beloved is also the beloved of the lover. But union and separation are opposites, contrary to one another.
One of the attributes of love is that the lover prefers the beloved over both worlds and knows him as his own self. Otherwise, he has not attained true love. Again (it is an attribute of love that) the lover hesitates to conceal his love, but rather proclaims it. For if he does not, love will overcome him.
Verse
I proclaim what I say and am pleased with my words; I am a slave of love and free from both worlds.
(Translation of the Verse)
Indeed, I speak and am delighted with what I have said; I am a slave of love and freed from both worlds.
One of the attributes of love is that when love reaches completion and perfection, it does not accept division. As stated in the Arabic verse:
Verse
Sleeplessness for eyes other than your countenance is false,
And weeping by women other than for your love is vain.
(Translation of the Verse)
Sleeplessness for eyes other than your face is falsehood; and the tears of women other than for your love are vanity.
One of the attributes of love is that, out of fear that someone else might approach the beloved, zeal arises in the lover. Therefore, the lover hastens to serve the beloved due to his excessive passion, and he is hasty in serving the beloved with the anxiety that another may precede him in love. One of the attributes of love is that the lover rejoices and thrives when rebuked and blamed for the sake of the beloved. For those who reproach him relying on his love, in a way, mention the beloved and offer solace, calming the lover’s longing for the beloved.
One of the attributes of love is that the lover does not hesitate to humble himself for the honor and majesty of the beloved. In this regard, he hesitates not to relinquish his own desires and wishes. One of the attributes of love is that the lover does not refrain from mentioning the name of the beloved and thinking of him at every moment. He does not depart from the presence of the beloved without solace in His favors. As it is stated in poetry:
Verse
Love, seek love; be filled with love, O Haqqi!
Everything has a price; they have not found the price of love.
(Translation of the Verse)
Love, seek love; be filled with love, O Haqqi! Everything has a price; they have not found the price of love.
One of the attributes of love is that it makes every difficult task easy and shows every ugliness as beautiful. As stated in poetry:
Verse
From love, fire becomes light;
From love, an ifrit becomes a houri.
(Translation of the Verse)
From love, fire becomes light; from love, an ifrit becomes a houri.
One of the attributes of love is that it neither diminishes nor changes with various afflictions and harshness. Nor does it increase through favors and forgiveness. As stated in poetry:
Verse
Loving him became obligatory; whether he bestows favor or inflicts harshness.
I drink his wine, whether sweet or bitter and turbid.
(Translation of the Verse)
Loving him became obligatory; whether he bestows favor or inflicts harshness. I drink his wine, whether it is sweet or bitter and turbid.
One of the attributes of love is that the lover refrains from ostentation when praising the beloved. When supplicating and praying to him, he becomes so lost in himself that he forgets the proprieties. One of the attributes of love is that a sincere lover trembles and loses himself upon hearing the mention of his beloved’s name; he even derives pleasure from the mention of words close to his name. One of the attributes of love is that the lover adorns himself with the qualities of the beloved. He considers everything connected to him as a source of profound joy.
Greetings, O eternal love, greetings!
You are ever faithful, ever faithful, ever faithful.
Come and sway within my heart, O soul of the world!
You steal hearts, you steal hearts, you steal hearts.
In the sky of my heart, you are a complete full moon.
Moon-faced, moon-faced, moon-faced.
You are, from beginning to end, my cave companion, constant.
Life-giving, life-giving, life-giving.
You are the commencement of all things flowing forth.
You are the ultimate limit, the ultimate limit, the ultimate limit.
The thorn of the rose and the dust of gold come from you.
You are alchemy, you are alchemy, you are alchemy.
You join the servant to his Lord.
You are a guide, a guide, a guide.
To the lover who has become estranged from the people;
You are familiar, you are familiar, you are familiar.
If you do not neglect the Truth from the Truth, you are pure, you are pure, you are pure.