After Love

It is so important that, in the final analyse, the degrees of Love are lower than Knowledge ones, whether in Islamic or Hindu esotericism. Someones have said that Persian or Iranian (commonly Shuhūdī) Sufis first and last are in the path of Love and for them Love has the highest degree of voyage toward God. It is false, beside the consideration of the particular terminology of Persian Sufism, we can find the writtings that are contrary to it.

Maybe Shaikh Ruzbihan Baqli is the best known Sufi that value Love too much. It is interesting to read this words of him in the last chapter of Abhar al-Āshiqīn (Narcissus of Lovers):

States of Love have an end which is the begining of Knowledge. In the Knowledge, Love is perfect. If colours of lover and Beloved become one, station of Unity will be attained. If [voyager] become wonderful at the Knowledge, station of Knowledge will be attained. End of Love is these two stations.

Therefore, if Hindus speak of three “separate” paths, according to Sufis there are three “conjunct” paths. Hindus call these paths respectively as “Karma” (act), “Bhakti” (love) and “Jnana” (knowledge), and Sufis call them as “Khauf” (awful) or “Mo’āmela” (act), “Mahabba” (glow) or “Ishq” (love) and “Ma’refa” (knowledge). End of these all of course is station of “Vahda” (unity).

One chapter (“Knowledge and Love”) of Titus Burckhardt’s book An Introduction to Sufi Doctrine is dedicated to comparison between Sufi and Hindu viewpoints about these paths.

Tags: bhakti, ishq, jnana, karma, khauf, ma'refa, mahaba, path, vahda