al 'Ishq Part 1

The following is an article I wrote a few years ago but never got round to finishing it. By posting it here on the blog I hope it will push me to complete it as there remains a lot to be said about this topic. Perhaps input from yourselves will encourage me to complete it as well!

Al 'Ishq.

Ibn al Qayyim in his book Rawdatul Muhibbeen (The garden of lovers) dedicates the first part of the book to defining the word love (Hubb) in Arabic and all other words that have similar meanings. There were approximately 50 words in the Arabic language that carried the meaning of love albeit they differed from each other in various aspects. Amongst the names he discussed, was 'ishq. The following is a rough translation of what he mentioned alongside other comments on the definition by Ibn al Jawzi in his book dham al hawaa (the dispraise of desires) as well as al Fayroozaabadi in Qaamoos al Muheet.

Out of all the names that denote love, 'ishq was described as being the stronger or even bitterer compared to the other forms of love. Ibn al Qayyim in fact describes it as being the most wicked/worse word used to describe love. In fact, it is a word that the Arabs were not so enthusiastic in using, as if they wanted to conceal it. This is why one rarely finds this word used in ancient Arabic poetry. However, it became into use by Arabs that came later. This word was never used in the Qur'an or Sunnah (except in a weak narration narrated by Suwayd bin Sa'eed, which I will mention later).

According to ar-Raazi as mentioned in Mukhtaar as-Sihaah, 'ishq is excessiveness in love. In Qaamoos al Muheet, it states that the word applies to indecent love as well as chaste love. It is said that the word is derived from the name of tree called 'Aashiqah, which has leaves that become green then become yellow. Al-Farraa' said that 'ishq is also a name for a sticky plant. Thus, just like the plant sticks to the things around it, likewise the heart becomes attached to someone/something that it falls in love with.

Ibn al Jawzi mentions in dhamm al Hawaa that Abu Zuhair al Madeeni was once asked what 'ishq meant to which he replied: "Madness and disgrace. It is a disease of people of charm." After quoting the various definitions of 'ishq Ibn al Jawzi concludes by saying that 'ishq is: 'the intensity of inclining to an image of something…The more one thinks about it the more the person wishes it and wants to attain it. Due to the severity of his thinking about it, it leads to a type of illness.' Others described it to have more of a connotation to a carnal sensual type of love. Hence, Ibn al Qayyim stated in Rawdatul Muhibbeen that those who suffer from it are mostly those who are unmarried, and that the illness usually dissolves away with copious amounts of intercourse.

It can therefore be understood that from a brief overlook of the word, it is generally considered to be a negative word rather than praiseworthy.

However, there were those who praised 'ishq and in fact found it to be a noble trait in man, whereas many found it to be a negative trait. It must be stressed though, that those that praised the trait praised that 'ishq was a positive feeling to have towards their valid partner, i.e. wife/husband. Never did scholars of Ahlus-Sunnah ever say that it is praiseworthy to have 'ishq for Allah, for that is not applicable to Allah. As for having 'ishq towards someone that is not halal for you, then that requires further study and scrutiny since it can have many scenarios.

The following discussion will therefore be on:

1. Those that dispraised it (between two people) and their arguments.
2. Those that praised 'ishq (between two people) and their arguments.
3. Whether one can have 'ishq for Allah, and whether the term 'ishq ilaahi is valid.

Those that dispraised 'ishq.

Ibn Taymiyyah mentions in his Majmoo' al Fataawa (10/131) that the majority of scholars say that 'ishq is dispraised with regards to having it towards Allah as well as to people since it is an excessive type of love that exceeds the praiseworthy level of love. The reasons for it being dispraised are due to the qualities it leaves in man and the effects it leaves on him. These qualities will be discussed shortly. As for why 'ishq is inappropriate to apply to Allah, then this will be discussed later.

Allah says in the Qur'an informing us with the supplication of the believers:

"Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error, Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which You did Lay on those before us (Jews and Christians); Our Lord! put not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Pardon us and grant us Forgiveness. have Mercy on us. You are Our Maulâ (Patron, Suppor-ter and Protector, etc.) and give us victory over the disbelieving people." (2:286).

Allah has praised the believers for the supplication that they had made. And since they asked Allah not to put a 'burden' on them greater than they can bear, can only mean that this burden is something that is negative and not sought after. What is this burden the believers are referring to? According to many mufassiroon the word 'burden' means 'ishq. However, as Ibn al Qayyim mentions, the word 'burden' is not restricted to mean 'ishq only, rather that 'ishq is from amongst the things that a person cannot bear. According to Makhool the word burden here means severity in lust or carnal appetite. However, this doesn’t apply to all forms of 'ishq, but most forms. Since the Prophet said: "A Muslim does not disgrace/lower himself." It is therefore not suitable for a believer to lower himself by falling into 'ishq.

Imam Ahmed said: The meaning of the verse is that the believer whishes not to be exposed to afflictions that he cannot bear. This applies to the case of the 'aashiq (the one who suffers from 'ishq.) since he is the most humbled and lowered person to thing he has 'ishq for (note, this is in reference to another human being).

After quoting tens of lines of poetry that condemned 'ishq, Ibn al Qayyim said in Rawdatul Muhibbeen quoting those who dispraised it: " If a servant of Allah plunges into the sea of 'ishq, and its waves played about with him, then he is closer to destruction than to safety. How could something be praised that prevents mental stability, makes one sleepless, distorts the intellect, and causes insanity? Rather 'ishq itself is insanity. Ibn al Qayyim then dedicates a few pages mentioning certain previous nations that were destroyed because of their excessiveness in following their carnal desires. Hence, the people of Lot were destroyed because of their following of their desires in committing acts of Homosexuality. Likewise the people of Shu'ayb, their extreme love of wealth ended up being the reason why they were destroyed. In addition to that there were the people of sabt, who were transformed into apes due to their excessive love for their source of provisions (namely fish). Ibn al Qayyim mentions that many of these stories were mentioned in Surah al 'A'raaf and that the theme of the chapter revolves around those who followed their desires and lust and the result of that thereof. Then he said: "'ishq and one's desires are the source of all afflictions."

Out of all tribulations and afflictions, the fitnah of women was considered to be one of the most testing ones to the believers. This particular type of tribulation is caused by none other than following one's lust and carnal desires, 'ishq. It was reported that Sa'ad Ibn Abi Waqqas used to say: "O Allah, I seek refuge in you from the fitnah of women and I seek refuge in you from the torment of the grave." And in an authentic narration, the Prophet said: "I have not left behind a greater tribulation upon the men of this ummah anything more harmful than women." (agreed upon). As a side note, it should be made clear that this narration is note a criticism of women, rather a clarification of the weakness of man.

[BENEFIT] Ibn al Jawzi mentions in Dhamm al Hawa (p.284) the stages that lead one to the level 'ishq. "Firstly, a person sees the other person in a good light, which leads him to want to be close to other person, who then develops a type of love (Mawaddah) where he wishes that he has possession of that thing/person. Then the mawaddah strengthens and becomes Mahabbah (another grade of love) then khullah. (According to Ibn al Qayyim in Rawdah, this is the highest level of hubb (love). He defines it as being the tawheed (unification) of mahabbah i.e. when the khaleel singles out his love for his beloved, which is a level that leaves no room for the love to be shared with anybody else (Mushaarakah). Since this type of love cannot accommodate any Mushaarakah, Allah put Ibrahim al Khaleel under a test to see whether there was any Mushaarakah in his love for Allah. He did this by ordering Ibrahim to sacrifice his own son. Hence, when Ibrahim submitted to Allah's command, Ibrahim reached the status of al Khaleel since he singled out his love for Allah alone, not allowing anyone else to share that love.) After khullah then comes hawa, then 'ishq, and then tatayyum (this is where a person begins to worship his beloved).

Ibn al Jawzi then says in the following chapter (p. 295): "As for 'ishq which exceeds the bounds of mahabbah, possesses the mind and makes the person who has it behave in a way that goes against wisdom, then that is dispraised and the wise are far from such a trait."

End of Part 1