By : Mohammad Farooq Khan

Supposing one visits a place and finds that arrays of musical instruments are being tuned. However, after tuning, they are simply set side: no instrument is played, no music is enjoyed. On such an occasion, one’s natural reaction would be that they are naives; they have all the musical instruments, but no flair for music. They’re having the instruments and setting them in tune have no meaning.

This is exactly the state of mind of a person who is conscious of his physical being, takes all precautions for his health and security, earns his livelihood, enjoys the good things of life, but his life does not string any rhythm or harmony whatsoever. His life is like a harp without tinkling. His life’s instrument does not play, strings no symphony.

Man is not a mere physical entity. His physical demands are not all. In fact, his real self is over and above the physical being. As compared to death, which is not so significant, life, in fact, is highly significant.

Man, in fact, is not physical, but metaphysical - pure consciousness; and love is its highest realm. Benevolence is the hallmark of life. Where there is no benevolence, it is not life but death that reign.

When a tree withers, we can’t expect any flower or fruit from it; once extinguished, the fire emits no heat, because it is dead. There is nothing more precious than love to give. Love is life. God is all love. His love is eternal. This is a fundamental truth. It is the live of the benevolent God, which is the essence of all creation. The Holy Quran says:

"And He is the Most forgiving, the loving."

(85:15)

God Almighty can be realised by love alone. It is our sacred duty to love Him. The Holy Quran guides us:

"And there are some among men who take for themselves objects of worship other than Allah, loving them as they should love Allah. But those who believe, are stronger in their love for Allan."

(2:166)

Holy Prophet Mohammad (Peace be on him) says that Allah proclaims:

The one who loves me the most, worships me more than the normal to attain my nearness, I too start loving him, so much so that I become his eyes, ears, nose and hands, and, above all his stay and support.

One of Prophet Mohammed’s prayers is:

"Allah! Grant me your love as also of the one who brings me closer to your love. May you become dearer to me than the cool water."

Love is the music of life and nature of the soul. To merge in love is the food for the soul. God’s love is, in fact, the real bliss and happiness. Devoid of love, the harp of soul remains bereft of the divine symphony. It is likened to a bed of flowers in full bloom withering for want of water. Love is the essence, which permeates the whole creation. Love is the real life force behind all beauty and evolution of the whole nature. It is through love that the soul blooms. Love, at its climax manifests in the form of spiritual subtlety, light, beauty, and force. To sum up, love is that basic element which exists in every form of the creation. Love is synonym of life. It seeks to manifest itself in all expressions of life. In case man understands love and its significance, he can very well perceive its miraculous working within and without. However, love is a matter of personal experience. Miss Underhill has aptly said;

"They know by the experience the unique nature of the spiritual love, and no one can know anything about it in any other way."

The more one contemplates on love and its significance, the more one gets enamoured of it, so much so that one cannot think of anything but God.

Immersion in the love of God brings about a radical change in man’s personality and outlook. His surrender to the Supreme Lord is total; for him pain and pleasure are both God - willed; he will in the will of God; his consciousness is replete with sweet emotion. Now the worldly odds are no stumbling block to him. As one in his dream feels quite relieved of all burdens including that of his own body and, at the same time, feels free from the bondage of such things, such is the state of mind of a devotee. Love of God or Bhakti assumes the state of self-consciousness, a personal experience. This is known as Samadhi or trance. Maulana Rumi says: I have broken all my bonds with the ‘alien’ and now I am with my Beloved at all times and at all places . He further says : A true lover perceives the Unknown and those who are not in love, are deaf and dumb and die in that state.

Love has been defined in several ways. Its one definition is : One derives joy from the one whom he is inclined to.

Generally, the following are the objects of devotion:

• Beauty

• Benefactor

• Excellent personality

• One who conforms to one’s nature

• Eternal

• Close relative

All these characteristics are found in God; and if anyone has any of these he is a God-gifted person. Since God is the reservoir of all these characteristics, only He is worthy of our love, but for love and devotion to god life is barren and cannot be made fertile by any other means.

Some of the salient features of devotion and traits of a devotee are as follows:

- Craving to meet the Beloved to such an extent that the pangs of separation become unbearable.

- Submissiveness: Complete surrender to God.

- Constant remembrance of God.

• Praise of God: One derives supreme bliss in singing the Lord’s praises.

• Worship: The lover gets so much absorbed in the Beloved that he does not tolerate any distraction.

• Eternal bond: He simply cannot think of separating himself from his Beloved even in death.

• Constant effort to please his Beloved.

• Ever conscious to avoid His displeasure and wrath.

• To derive solace even from the pain afflicted by the Beloved.

• To take Beloved’s hint as His command. For this, he is prepared to sacrifice his very life.

• Ever eager to hear the Beloved’s Word.

• Ever craving for a divine glimpse of the Beloved.

• To consider His friends as his friends, and His foes as his foes.

• To value His loving glance more than anything else such as status, riches position.

• To look to the Beloved for all his hopes.

• To dedicate his all to Him.

• To wish and pray for the welfare of all.

In Islam, we have explicit and exhaustive instructions on all these aspects.