Mahabbah

The Concept of Mahabbah and Divine Love

Speaking about mahabbah, or love, is always compelling. Some say that the rope of Allah stretched across the universe is love itself. Those who speak of hubbul ilahi, the love of God — including thinkers such as Ibn Sina — hold that everything in creation is touched by love. In their view, the beings created by Allah exist in pairs. Fire and water are not merely opposites; they can also be understood as companions within the order of creation. When a great fire burns, it seems to call for water, and when water comes, smoke rises into the sky as if the meeting of the two has produced its own powerful symphony.

The Universality of Love

Shaykh Amin al-Kurdi defines love as a natural inclination toward something that brings deep delight to the one who loves. Love gives rise to joy, while separation from love often becomes the source of sorrow.

Because love carries beauty and sweetness, it has inspired many forms of art, expression, and longing throughout human life. The sense of beauty placed within the human being awakens attraction, and from that attraction love begins to grow.

To be continued…