Originally Posted by
Kbilal89
This is from the book, 'Love For Allah' by Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad Naqsbandi db.
TRUE LOVE [’ISHQ HAQĪQĪ] AND
METAPHORICAL LOVE [’ISHQ MAJĀZĪ]
True love [’ishq haqīqī] refers to love for Allah, while metaphorical
love [’ishq majāzī] refers to love for creation when it
exists for the sake of fulfilling one’s base desires. In short, true
love is love for Allah, Lord of the universe, and metaphorical
love is love for creation. A more detailed explanation of these
two types of love is given below.
METAPHORICAL LOVE [’ISHQ MAJĀZĪ]
The First Principle
In metaphorical love, the physical and external beauty of a man
or woman is known as husn. It is husn that generates passion in
youth. There is no greater influence in the material world than
husn; it causes even highly intelligent people to act irrationally.
The Second Principle
Once an image of physical beauty becomes imprinted in a person’s
heart, that person is rendered helpless. Shaytan presents this
image in such an attractive form that the person becomes
absorbed with each glance.
يزيدك وجهه حسنا إذا ما زدته نظرا
The beauty of his face increases in your eyes, the more
you behold it.
The Third Principle
When smitten by husn, a person dies a spiritual death. Although
he has eyes that see clearly, he views the faults of his beloved with
admiration.
The Fourth Principle
Husn is ephemeral like the foam on the crest of an ocean wave.
As a result, love that is based on physical form cannot be maintained
for long.
The vicissitudes of life are wealth, beauty, and youth,
We ourselves have seen this, and history, too, bears witness.
Notwithstanding the ephemeral nature of husn, the lower self
[nafs] is blinded by desire and fearlessly pursues its gratification
regardless of the consequences.
The Fifth Principle
When unable to approach his beloved, a metaphorical lover
[‘āshiq majāzī] contents himself with the sight of his beloved from
afar. He consoles his heart thinking that seeing from afar suffices.
The Sixth Principle
If the ‘āshiq majāzī gains the opportunity to be close to his
beloved, then his nafs desires physical contact. Thus, the one who
True Love [’Ishq Haqīqī] and Metaphorical Love [’Ishq Majāzī] apparently claims to have true love reveals his deceit in this manner.
The Seventh Principle
When love degrades husn to fulfillment of lustful desires and selfishness,
it loses its humanity. The truth is that no face is as
attractive as it seems from a distance. No voice is as enchanting
as it seems from afar. Is then the reality of physical attraction
based on distance? If so, it would seem that it is better to keep a
distance. Regardless, the metaphorical lover desires proximity to
such an extent that he cannot be satisfied without physical consummation.
Ask those who are drunk with lust and infatuation;
even after consummation they remain unsatiated.
My life is still hanging around the noose,
I swear, my love, even by gaining you, my thirst is not quenched.
The Eighth Principle
Allah, the Lord of the worlds, has placed an instinctive mutual
attraction between men and women. However, He has also
placed some restrictions and conditions for their relationships. If
they live within these limits, they will be rewarded. If they exceed
these limits, they will be punished. When purification of the soul
[tazkiyah al-nafs] is not achieved, a man’s mind is always preoccupied
with thoughts of women. Similarly, women may be captivated
by men. Even if the whole world praises the beauty of a
certain woman, she herself can become infatuated with the physical
beauty of one man. One of the greatest stories of love
between a man and a woman is that of “Laila and Majnun.” Due
to its fame, ’ishq laila [love for Laila] has become another term for
’ishq majāzī [metaphorical love] as Majnun’s love for Laila is symbolic
of the love of worldly objects.
Majnun’s real name was Qais. His story falls in the period of
Hadrat Hasan g. Qais was deeply taken by Laila. He once met
Hadrat Hasan g who said, “Qais, I have made peace with Amir
Mu’awiyah g. I have handed the reigns of leadership to those
suited for it.” Qais kept silent for a while. Hadrat Hasan g asked
him, “What are you thinking about?” He replied, “I was thinking
that the governorship actually suits Laila.” Upon hearing this
Hadrat Hasan g stated, “You are crazy [Anta Majnun]!” and from
then on he became known as “Majnun.”
Once Majnun’s father told him, “Because of you I have had to
face considerable disgrace. The tales of your infatuation have
spread far and wide. Come, I will take you to the Sacred Ka’bah.
There, you can sincerely repent for your sins.” When Majnun
reached the Sacred Ka’bah, he clasped the shroud of the Ka’bah
and supplicated:
إلهي تبت من آل المعاصي
و لكن حب ليلى لا أتوب
O Allah, I repent of all my sins,
But I repent not of my love of Laila.
When his father heard him say this, he looked angrily at him.
Then Majnun recited another couplet:
رب لا تسبني حبها أبدا
و يرحم الله عبدا قال آمينا
O Lord, never remove my love for her,
And have mercy upon that person who says amen for my
supplication.
Once a person saw Majnun kissing the feet of a dog. He asked
Majnun, “Why are you doing that?” Majnun replied, “This dog
has just come from the street on which Laila lives. That is why I
True Love [’Ishq Haqīqī] and Metaphorical Love [’Ishq Majāzī] 63
am kissing its feet.” What else can such an obsessed and insane
person be called except for “Majnun” [crazy]!
Majnun used to circle the street where Laila lived, reciting the
following couplets:
أطوف على جدار ديار ليلى
أقبل ذا الجدار و ذا الجدارا
و ما حب الديار شغفن قلبي
و لكن حب من سكن الديارا
I circle the walls of the house of Laila,
Sometimes I kiss this wall, sometimes I kiss that one,
It is not love for these walls that has infatuated my heart,
But the love of who lives within them.
Once, the mayor of the city thought that he should actually
see with his own eyes the girl whom Majnun’s love had made
famous. When Laila was brought before him, he was astounded
to see that she was just an ordinary girl without any extraordinary
features, figure, or complexion. He said to her, “You are no prettier
than any other girl.” She retorted, “Keep quiet. You are not
Majnun.”
It is for this reason that the metaphorical lover claims that
Laila should be beheld by the eyes of Majnun.
Need help with making my love for a woman halal
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