Love (Mahabbat), as a matchless gem within the path of mystical journeying (Sulk), constitutes a spiritual station that serves both as the terminus of the path for the commoners and as the gateway for the elite to ascend to loftier mystical states. This station, elaborated upon with unparalleled profundity in the mystical discourse of Grand Nekounam (may his secret be sanctified), is not merely a sign of the community of wayfarers but also represents the very axis of the mystical path and the relational nexus between Divine Lordship (Rubbiyyah) and Servanthood (Ubdiyyah). Love, as a divine flame, melts the heart of the wayfarer, emancipating it from egocentric attachments and guiding it toward unity with the Absolute Truth.

Within the framework of spiritual wayfaring, love emerges as a pivotal station delineating the boundary between the general masses (awm) and the elect (khaw). For the former, it marks the culmination of external exertions in the path. For the latter, however, love inaugurates their entry into transcendent stationsinitiated through the melting away of ego and immersion into the divine furnace. Beneath love lie motivations rooted in recompenseacts motivated by reward and self-interest. Yet love, as a definitive signifier of the community of wayfarers, is deemed both the title of the mystical path and the conceptual juncture between Divine Lordship and servanthood. This station redirects the wayfarer from self-centredness to theocentrism, leading him towards union with the Infinite Divine Essence.

Love may be delineated through two conceptual modes: ontological and exemplary. The ontological perspective addresses the essential reality of love, understood as the connection between the wayfarer and the transcendent Divine Essence. Here, love is depicted as a celestial light that illumines the heart and directs it toward unity. Conversely, the exemplary mode portrays love as the valley of annihilationan arduous trial requiring the abandonment of self. This valley is likened to a profound gorge into which the wayfarer must cast himself from the summit of ego, thereby attaining the station of love. These two expressions position love as both a lofty objective and an operative process necessitating internal transformation and sustained exertion.

Love, as a central station within the path of wayfaring, constitutes both the terminus for the common and the point of departure for the select. Expounded through ontological and exemplary dimensions, it serves to guide the wayfarer from worldly motives to divine sincerity. Love, as a divine flame, liberates the heart from attachments and guides it to unity with the Almighty.

Attainment to the station of divine love necessitates the shedding of selfnot merely ritual acts of worship or dietary restraint. This transformation mirrors a descent from the pinnacle of self into the valley of annihilation, where the wayfarer relinquishes egocentricity for theocentric devotion. Contrary to superficial beliefs, this metamorphosis is not accomplished through mere solitude or invocation; it demands a dissolving in the furnace of divine love. This shedding is neither mechanical nor destructive, but rather a sanctifying heat that melts the soul and unites it with the Real Belovedakin to a candle melting before the Divine Flame.

Self-love, as an inner idol, obstructs attachment to the Divine. So long as this egocentric tendency inhabits the heart of the wayfarer, divine love cannot take root, for the two are antithetical. Self-love behaves like a rival that seizes the wayfarer, severing his connection to God. Only by demolishing this inner idol can the heart be prepared to host the divine flame of love. This contrast underscores the indispensability of annihilation and the abandonment of egocentrism on the spiritual path.

External attachmentseven trivial ones such as shoes or hatsact as fetters preventing egoic shedding. Perfect saints, though clothed in the garb of the mundane world, inwardly traverse the divine realms, being emancipated from these material constraints. Ordinary wayfarers, however, often remain entangled in such attachments and are thereby deprived of full descent into loves valley. These hindrances, like a button fastened to a robe, bar the wayfarers descent into the domain of annihilating love. Only by severing these bindings can the seeker tread the path of divine purity and love.

Egoic shedding is the fundamental prerequisite for attaining love, realised through dissolution in the divine furnace. Self-love and material attachments constitute the primary impediments to this pathobstacles that must be overcome to reach the station of divine love. This journey is one from the summit of self to the valley of annihilation, leading ultimately to union with the Divine.

Beyond Love: From Self-Interest to Sincere Devotion

Below the station of divine love lies the realm of self-serving motives in exchange for reward. Those who worship with intent of personal gain are as hired workers seeking compensation. In contrast, true lovers act for God alone, seeking divine reward. The sincere lovers are liberated from all but the Truth, performing no deed for recompenseunlike the hireling, who acts for wages within the dominion of the Master. This purity of intention emancipates the seeker from materialistic impulses, guiding them toward divine love.

Summary of Section III

Love, as a divine impetus, emancipates worship from egoistic intentions and guides it toward divine reward. Divine justice grants recompense even for misguided deeds; however, true reward is reserved solely for the pure-hearted lovers who act with the intention of nearness to the Divine. This station directs the seeker toward sincerity and unity with the Divine Essence.

Section IV: Love and Its Role in the Journey of the Elect

The Role of Dhikr in Spiritual Training

Invocations such as "Ya Muhibb", "Ya Mahbub", and "Ya Habib" vary according to the seekers state and play formative roles in their spiritual development. These acts of remembrance, akin to lamps along the path of spiritual wayfaring, guide the seeker from one station to the next. The diversity of invocations reflects the differing stages of love that direct the seeker toward union with the Divine.

The Distinction between Ethics and Mysticism

Ethics focuses on the adornment and refinement of the self, whereas mysticism is the destruction of the self in affirmation of "There is none dwelling in the abode but He." Ethics, like superficial ornamentation, prepares the self for self-display, but mysticism, through the obliteration of ego, leads to unity with the Truth. Love is the axis of this mystical annihilation, shifting the seeker from egocentrism to theocentrism.

Humility and Liberation from Pride

The spiritual journey signifies descent and humility, not ascent. Arrogance acts as a thick veil that hinders love. Through egoic dissolution and humility, the seeker ascends to the rank of the elect. This humility, like descending from the summit of the self into the valley of annihilation, guides the seeker toward the Divine.

Wilayah and the Abandonment of Self

God bestows divine guardianship (Wilayah) upon those who abandon the self, for such abandonment reflects trust in the Divine and detachment from all else. Wilayah is the result of pure love and the release from ego, elevating the seeker to a sublime station. This station is akin to the souls ascension, wherein the seeker beholds none but God and desires nothing but Him.

Summary of Section IV

In the spiritual journey of the elect, love functions as a transformative force that leads the seeker from self-centredness to God-centredness. Remembrance, humility, and self-abandonment are tools guiding the seeker toward divine guardianship. This station marks the beginning of the journey of the elect, accompanied by sincerity and divine love.