DÖRDÜNCÜ BÂB · İKİNCİ FASIL · Dördüncü Madde
**Fourth Article**
Describes the origin, nature, varieties, characteristics, benefits, and stations of Divine love.
Beloved! It is known that the Friends of God have said: The love of God is a hidden secret which cannot be explained. It is a spiritual thing which cannot be elucidated. However, every perfected one has spoken of what they have come to know concerning love in their own journey. They have spoken of its characteristics and benefits, so that the hearts of people may fill with longing and desire for union, eagerness and ardor, thereby becoming seekers of Divine love with heart and soul.
As a perfected one once said: “Love is that which makes the lover forget all desires of this world and the hereafter.”
Again, another perfected one said: "Love is that which causes you to see few of your own many services as valuable, and to see little of the generosity of the beloved."
Again, another perfected one said: “Love is that by which you incline completely towards the beloved; consider him more precious and delightful than your possessions or your life. Show accord with him in your outward appearance and inner state, and even then consider yourself flawed in relation to him. Seek forgiveness from him.”
Again, another perfected one said: "Love is that by which you yearn for the beloved even while unable to attain him." Again, a perfected one said: “Love is that which transports you away from the pleasures of both worlds and your own attributes, keeping your heart constantly occupied with the beloved.”
Again, another perfected one said: “Love is that by which you surrender completely to the beloved, so that all traces of selfhood vanish from you and you become annihilated.” Again, a perfected one said: "Love is that in which you transcend your own ego and immerse yourself in the remembrance and contemplation of the beloved, remaining constantly with him in your heart."
Again, another perfected one said: “Love is that by which you prefer the Word of God to the words of people. You prefer meeting Him to socializing with others. You place obedience to Him before service to humankind. You grieve not for lost or missed transient pleasures, but are saddened by the time spent heedless of God’s remembrance.”
Again, another perfected one said: “Whoever loves God hates being known by people.”
Again, a perfected one said: "Be with your Lord so that He may treat you kindly. It is He who will suffice you with love."
Again, a perfected one said: "Divine One! Even if You tear me apart and shower blessings upon me, this only increases my love for You and my yearning.”
The friends of Zunnun al-Misri were observing him, bound hand and foot, surrounded by people weeping. He looked at the weeping people with joy and addressed them compassionately, saying: “My being in this state is, in truth, a gift and bounty from God to His Friends. Every one of His works is sweet honey for me; it is beautiful and good.”
The love of God blinds the eye that applies kohl like an ordinary person; it loses sight of people and finds God.
And a perfected one has said in verse:
Poem
1- The lover of God is strange in this world. For him is a light and wondrous secrets.
2- And among people he is like a sword in its sheath, but in the spiritual realm, he is close to his Lord.
Again, a perfected one said: “The perfection of trust (tawakkul) is abandoning being affected (infial). The perfection of delegation (tafweed) is relinquishing choice (ikhtiyar), and the perfection of acceptance (rida) is abandoning objection. But the perfection of love is preferring the beloved to everything.”
Again, a perfected one said: “Not everyone who sits with you is worthy of intimacy, and not every friend is a confidant. A person only tells his secrets to those friends he loves most deeply."
Again, a perfected one said: "God has employed one group in His service, and dedicated another group to His love. The people of service are the possessors of piety and abstinence, who are worthy of Paradise, and they are called the righteous (ebrâr). The people of love are the people of gnosis (irfan), whom God has elevated because of their spiritual closeness (kurbiyet) to Him. They are called the near ones (mukarrebîn)."
Again, a perfected one said: “The ‘pure drink’ (sharab-i tahur) mentioned in the Holy Quran is the wine of love given with the cup of knowledge.”
Again, a perfected one said: "The knower tastes the flavor of love when the suffering from people becomes sweet to him like honey. Poverty and destitution become as delightful as nectar." Again, a perfected one said: “Love surpasses fear. For the slave who loves protects his master in every situation; he guards him in his presence and absence. But the fearful slave disobeys his master in his absence. Therefore, everyone’s worth is according to the measure of their heart's aspiration. So, the value that a world-oriented person places on things is desire. The value that a hereafter-oriented person places on things is Paradise. The value that one who loves God places on things is boundless and infinite.”
Again, a perfected one said: “Love is an inclination of the heart which cannot be attained through human instruction. It is only obtained by the grace of God."
Again, a perfected one said: "Love is an attribute of the Existent (Bari) who is with the heart, encompassing all; it is involuntary, not willful.”
Again, a perfected one said: “The love of God is a light that shines in the heart. When this light descends upon the heart, its possessor is joyful and delighted, and freed from otherness."
Again, a perfected one said: "Love and compassion in the heart are inspiration from God to His servant. Hatred and animosity are whispers from Satan. For love and compassion are attributes of the Most Merciful, while hatred and animosity are satanic attributes.”
A knower wrote in a letter to a perfected one: "…And thereafter…"
1. I desire no companion save from God; in the presence of His rose, I desire not a thorn.
2. If other companions exist, let them be; I desire no burden upon my tongue but Him.
3. Apart from Him, I seek neither fortune nor ease; I desire no labor except the remembrance of God.
4. I have relinquished both worlds to their rightful owners, immediately; I desire a beloved in the abode, not the dwelling itself.
5. Within my heart, I have found the Simurgh [mythical bird] on Mount Kaf; I desire not the carrion-eating vulture.
6. I am within the hand of my Sultan; I desire not dust or debris within the grave.
7. My companion in darkness, my solace in grief is God alone; I desire no other friend.