Excerpted from the lectures of Nokounam, may his sacred spirit be sanctified (Session 496)
In the mystical path of spiritual progression known as Manzil al-Sirn, the station of Love shines forth like a brilliant jewel, liberating the seeker's heart from the shackles of worldly attachments and guiding it towards the realm of divine intimacy and proximity. This station, characterised by attributes such as consolation amidst afflictions, reflection upon divine blessings, and adherence to the Prophetic tradition, frees the seeker from sorrow and melancholy and leads him towards unity with the Divine Beloved. Session 496, through an in-depth exposition of the station of Love, elucidates how the lovers heart, by detachment from all but the Truth, attains tranquillity in the face of trials and, through contemplation of divine bounties and compliance with the Sharia, reaches the perfection of love.
The station of Love, by virtue of its characteristic consolation in afflictions, shields the seekers heart from sorrow and grief. This consolation does not arise from indifference to circumstances but rather from the hearts detachment from all except the Beloved. As stated in the lecture text:
The true lover, whose heart is attached solely to the Truth, remains unaffected by the loss of worldly matters. This liberation is akin to a breeze that removes the dust of attachments from the mirror of the heart, preparing it to receive the divine lights.
The intensity of afflictions corresponds to the degree of the hearts attachments:
One whose heart is not attached to anything other than the Truth experiences no calamity upon losing anything, for affliction is the bitter fruit of attachment to multiplicities. For instance, a person attached to his child grieves upon losing him; whereas the lover, whose heart belongs solely to the Truth, is emancipated from such grief, soaring lightly like a bird freed from the bonds of the ego.
The lover, by virtue of his hearts concentration upon the Truth, does not grieve over the loss of worldly possessions. As expressed in the lecture: if a person is attached to a child or wealth, their loss provokes sorrow; however, the lover, whose bond is solely with the Truth, is safeguarded from such grief. This tranquillity resembles a profound sea whose depths connect to the divine realm, rendering its surface undisturbed by the waves of afflictions.
Love, intensified affection, is a sublime state accompanied by passion, separation, pain, poverty, lamentation, tears, and sighs:
Contrary to popular misconception that equates love with joy and carnal pleasure, true love is neither revelry nor merriment but a painful yet exalted experience that directs the heart towards the Truth. This love is like a fire that consumes the very existence of the seeker and guides him towards union.
Love is distinct from carnal obsession and satanic desire. What is commonly called love among the masses is often the pursuit of pleasure and joy associated with dance, music, and merriment. True love, however, is lamentation and sighing, not debauchery and frivolity. This distinction acts as a clear line between light and darkness, separating the reality of love from carnal deviations.
The Divine saints are true lovers whose love manifests in weeping and passion. The Holy Quran states in verse 43 of Surah Az-Zumar:
This weeping signifies intimacy with the Truth and detachment from worldly pleasures. The Messenger of God (peace be upon him) in the sorrow of Abrahams separation, Jacob for Josephs absence, Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him) at Karbala, and Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her) for the loss of her father, all expressed their love through tears. Such tears, like flowing springs, connect the hearts of the saints to the Beloved.
The gamble of love reaches its pinnacle in martyrdom:
Karbala is the battlefield of this passionate gamble, where Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) and his companions staked their lives in the game of love. This love manifests not in indulgence but in the prayer mat, striving in the path of God, and the blood of the martyrs. Martyrdom, like a shining gem, demonstrates the zenith of love and annihilation in God.
Karbala represents the ultimate lesson in love and divine knowledge:
This battlefield is not only the apex of love but the complete manifestation of mystical progression, which presents martyrdom as the embodiment of love. In the future, when human civilisation reaches the zenith of knowledge, great universities must teach the chronicles of Karbala to reveal to the world the truth of love and spiritual wayfaring. Karbala stands as a mirror reflecting the reality of love through its passion, tears, and blood.
The claim regarding the joy of Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her) in association with debaucheries, disorder, and transgressions constitutes an innovation and deviation that is fundamentally incompatible with the essence of the love exhibited by the awliy (the Divine saints): "This is analogous to the army of Yazid declaring that for three days Madinah shall be permissible for you." While cursing the adversaries of wilyah (Divine guardianship) is obligatory, it must not be accompanied by sin or religious innovation. This critique, akin to a sharpened sword, distinguishes the truth of genuine affection from deviations and underscores the imperative of preserving the sanctity of Sharah.
Affection emanates from contemplative reflection upon the manifest and latent blessings of God: "It is a love that springs forth from the contemplation of bounty." Such reflection inclines the heart towards gratitude and ardent love for the Truth, as elucidated in the Glorious Quran, in verse 18 of Srah An-Naml: وَأَسْبَغَ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَهُ ظَاهِرَةً وَبَاطِنَةً
(And He has completed His favour upon you, manifest and hidden, as translated by ). These blessings, akin to showers of mercy, satiate the traveler's heart and guide him towards divine affection.
God Almighty proclaims in a sacred adth quds: "I created the creatures and endeared Myself to them through my bounties." These bounties serve as the means of Divine affections manifestation and are the source of the servants love. Just as a person receiving a flower or gift senses the givers affection, so too do the Divine blessings direct the servants heart toward the True Beloved.
Affection begins with reflection upon blessings and culminates in the blood of martyrdom: "Its inception is love, its conclusion is blood, and this blood itself is the essence of love." This blood symbolizes the Majesty and Omnipotence of the Truth, manifest in the martyrs. The crimson hue of blood, resembling a flame of Divine Majesty, unsettles the mundane realm and unveils the reality of love.
Affection is fortified through adherence to the Prophetic Sunnah: "Indeed, it is only through following the Sunnah that love is established." This observance illumines the seekers heart and guides him towards beholding the virtues of the Beloved. The Quran affirms this in Srah l Imrn, verse 31: قُلْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ
(Say: If you love God, then follow me; God will love you, translation). This verse identifies Sharah as the key to Divine love.
Sharah constitutes the foundation of the spiritual journey and the Truth itself: "The Sharah of the seeker is the Truth." This path progresses from the legal injunctions (Shar) to the spiritual method (arqah), and ultimately to the Reality (aqqah). Without Sharah, the seeker is prone to being led astray. Like a clear fountainhead, Sharah guides the seeker towards the Truth; those heedless of it wander lost in the wilderness of the ego.
Love engenders obedience born of affection: "Love is that from which obedience emerges, and that obedience is of a loving nature." This obedience arises not from fear or desire, but from heartfelt devotion, elevating the heart towards Divine proximity. The lover, like a passionate moth, seeks nothing but submission within the precincts of the Beloved.
The Divine saints, by virtue of their detachment from worldly attachments, remain tranquil in the face of adversities: "Observe how their spirits remain joyful and composed amidst all tribulations." This serenity stems from love for the Truth and liberation from worldly afflictions. As Imam , amidst severe hardships, maintained steadfast calmness akin to a towering mountain, so too is this repose a result of a heart unentangled by anything but the Truth.
The Divine saints, due to the manifestation of the Truth within their beings, are beloved even by their adversaries: "See how all, including the enemies of God, harbor affection for the saints of God." This popularity arises from their love and sincerity, which magnetise hearts towards them. Historical instances demonstrate that even figures such as Muwiyah and isha at times expressed affection toward Amr al-Muminn (peace be upon him) and Lady Khadijah (peace be upon her).
The genuine seeker is one who possesses the reality of the spiritual path in his heart: "The seeker and the knower are not those who merely carry a beggar's pouch or a twofold staff." This reality lies in love and sincerity rather than outward appearances. The seeker is like a pure, flowing stream, progressing solely towards the Truth and free from superficial attachments.
The believers every action must be for Gods sake: "It is incumbent upon the believer that all his deeds be acts of proximity to God." Whether it be child-rearing, acquiring knowledge, or life in general, if conducted for anything other than the Truth, they result in misfortune and failure. Conversely, when performed for God alone, they culminate in felicity. Such sincerity is the key that opens the gates to Divine nearness.
Love of God brings the seeker to the vision of the Truth: "However, Divine love is not of this nature, for whoever dies shall see Me." The sacred adth quds فَمَن يَمُتْ يَرَنِي
(Whoever dies shall behold Me) promises Divine proximity to those whose hearts are freed from worldly attachments. This vision is a light that dispels the darkness of the ego.
Love is accompanied by separation, burning, and tears: "Yet love entails separation, parting, and burning pain." These are not worldly calamities but rather the lashes of love and the ladder of the beloveds longing that lead the seeker towards the Truth. Separation acts like a polish upon the mirror of the heart, preparing it to receive Divine radiance.
The station of love within the stages of the spiritual traveller is akin to a blazing fire that frees the seekers heart from worldly attachments and guides him towards the realm of Divine proximity. Consolation amid trials arises from detachment from all but the Beloved, safeguarding the seeker from the sorrow of loss. Love, unlike carnal desire, is characterised by burning, separation, and tears, reaching its zenith in the awliy and the tragedy of Karbal. Reflection upon Divine blessings and adherence to the Prophetic Sunnah constitute the origin and fortification of love, leading the heart towards the vision of the Beloved. Karbal represents the ultimate lesson in love and gnosis, where martyrdom is introduced as the embodiment of loves summit. The Divine saints, through their tears and serenity towards the world, exemplify true love. This station, through sincerity and proximity to God, leads the seeker to union and annihilation in God.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
