Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Dedication
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Manuscript title page in English
- Author’s Preface
- I On the Chapters of the Book
- II May the Word cIshq Be Applied to Love for God and from God?
- III Preliminary Considerations
- IV On the Word Love, Its Derivation, and Its Meanings
- V On the Origin and Beginning of Love and Eros
- VI On the Essence and Quiddity of Love
- VII On the Diverse Views People Hold about Love
- VIII On the Description and Character of Eros
- IX On Praiseworthy Love
- X On Those Who Disparaged Love for Some Cause
- XI On the Effects of Love [and Eros] and Their Signs and Symptoms
- XII On the Signs of Love, Including the Sayings of Unimpeachable Spiritual Authorities among the Mystics and the Righteous
- XIII On the Classification of Love according to Our Opinion
- XIV On the Signs of God’s Love for Man
- XV On the Explanation of the Signs of Man’s Love for God
- XVI On the Signs [of the Love] of Those Who Love One Another in God
- XVII On the Love of the Elite among Believers
- XVIII On the Love of the Commonality of Muslims
- XIX On the Love of All Other Animate Beings
- XX On the Meaning of the Word Shahid
- XXL On the Definition of the Perfection of Love
- XXII On Those Who Died of Natural Love
- XXIII On Those Who Killed Themselves for Love
- XXIV On the Death of Divine Lovers
- Bibliography
- Index of Persons, Peoples, and Places
XVII - On the Love of the Elite among Believers
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 October 2020
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Dedication
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Manuscript title page in English
- Author’s Preface
- I On the Chapters of the Book
- II May the Word cIshq Be Applied to Love for God and from God?
- III Preliminary Considerations
- IV On the Word Love, Its Derivation, and Its Meanings
- V On the Origin and Beginning of Love and Eros
- VI On the Essence and Quiddity of Love
- VII On the Diverse Views People Hold about Love
- VIII On the Description and Character of Eros
- IX On Praiseworthy Love
- X On Those Who Disparaged Love for Some Cause
- XI On the Effects of Love [and Eros] and Their Signs and Symptoms
- XII On the Signs of Love, Including the Sayings of Unimpeachable Spiritual Authorities among the Mystics and the Righteous
- XIII On the Classification of Love according to Our Opinion
- XIV On the Signs of God’s Love for Man
- XV On the Explanation of the Signs of Man’s Love for God
- XVI On the Signs [of the Love] of Those Who Love One Another in God
- XVII On the Love of the Elite among Believers
- XVIII On the Love of the Commonality of Muslims
- XIX On the Love of All Other Animate Beings
- XX On the Meaning of the Word Shahid
- XXL On the Definition of the Perfection of Love
- XXII On Those Who Died of Natural Love
- XXIII On Those Who Killed Themselves for Love
- XXIV On the Death of Divine Lovers
- Bibliography
- Index of Persons, Peoples, and Places
Summary
ʿA1ī b. Muḥammad (al-Daylami) said: The elite among believers are a group below those who love one another in God. Their love results from their spirits recognizing one another when they meet in the spiritual world. They associate familiarly together when they know one another, and they remain at variance when they do not. This makes the rank of the elite one step lower than that of those who love one another in God and two steps lower than the first rank. It is their great distance from [221] the beloved that causes them (at times) not to know one another, and it is because they fall short of perfection that opposition occurs between them. The spirits of the elite strive to draw them up to the rank of those who love one another in God, whereas the spirits of those who love one another in God seek to come together with the beloved. The essence of the love of the elite is a spiritual cheer that comes into their hearts when they remember their beloved. On this love it has been related from the Messenger of God that he said: “Spirits are regimented battalions: those which know one another associate familiarly together, while those which do not know one another remain at variance.”
It is related from ʿIkrima from al-Ḥārith b. ʿUmayra that he said: “I met Salmān and he said to me, ‘How are you, Ḥārith b. ʿUmayra?’ ‘How are you, Salmān?’ I answered. ‘How did you know me?’ he asked. ‘My spirit knew your spirit,’ I replied. Then he said, ‘I heard the Messenger of God say: “Spirits are regimented battalions: those which know one another associate familiarly together, while those which do not know one another remain at variance.’””
The following verses have been related to us from al-Raqāshī: [222]
He had to love you with all his heart;
So our masters and forefathers have informed us.
In their view hearts are not free to choose,
but acknowledge authority over earthly passions to God.
So those that know one another associate familiarly,
while those that do not remain at variance.
- Type
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- Information
- A Treatise on Mystical Love , pp. 157 - 158Publisher: Edinburgh University PressPrint publication year: 2020