A WORD OF WARNING REGARDING SENSUAL LOVE (by Hakim Akhtar)

Falling in love with perishable beauty is our spiritual death,

It is in safeguarding one's heart wherein lies the secret of eternal life.

Ah! That cheek which was the envy of a hundred gardens in youth, Now due to old age, it has become a disgrace to a hundred autumns,    in this perishing garden.

Those eyebrows and eyelashes that had become an altar for the lovers yesterday,

Now due to old age, they are like the eyelashes of a donkey, with flowing matter discharging from them.

That sweetheart of beauty who yesterday ruled the kings,

Today, due to old age, there is rebellion in her kingdom.

That glowing countenance which was being adorned by a volunteer love,

Because of its declined beauty, is ashamed of its admiration.

That pride of charm which, until yesterday, was the adornment of

Poetry and Literature, .

Why is it, that now, in old age it is subjected to criticism?

Now where is the veil of 'howdah' (of camel) and that deep sigh of separation?

That idolised doll is being humiliated in the dust of camel driving.

The charms of a young beauty is the dawn of a rose garden,

But look at the end of this rose garden in the eve of gardening.

That essence of the sweet love of lovers, and that inspiration for the love-song composition,

In old age has been reduced to a withering rose in the spring of the

Poet's meeting.

Thousands of Beauties portraits are buried in tombs

Yet the fools {lovers) are still subjected to vain imagination.

If there is any true love, then it is the eternal love of the ever-living

Lord, The love of a perishing beauty is always a temporary one.

O Akthar do not be deceived by any charms of this Universe,

Rather remain in love with (Allah) the Creator of the Universe in this temporary world.

 

LESSON

 

The lesson of the story is this: The seeker after Allah (the Mureed) became involved in sensual love and would not have found a way out of it. However, a saintly person's company saved him. Maulana Rumi (R.A.) says about this: The path towards Allah does not reach Him through reason alone. One will have to seek the company of saintly beings with whom one should reside with the intention of self-rectification and reformation. If one is going to avoid being obedient to those saintly beings, then one will at all times remain imperfect and will never be able to achieve complete results. Thus in this way Abu Ali Sina, who was the Master of the Philosophies, at the time of his death considered. 'Reason' as being of no benefit, calling it as being without benefit. He admitted that "we have ridden the horses of intellect and Reason in vain and having been deceived by the Reason and intellect, avoided the obedience and guidance of the saints of Allah and so continued to swim about in an imaginary world".

 

Maulana Rumi (R.A.) says: "It is completely useless to swim about in the sea of Reason and intellect. There is need for the ship of Nabi Nooh (A.S.) – i.e. The help of the friends of Allah. Look how Nabi Nooh's (A.S.) son – Kan'aan depended on Reason alone saying: "The high mountains shall save me from this storm". He considered the ark of Nabi Nooh (A.S.) as being despicable. The result was that the ship was saved during the deluge and reached the high mountain while Kan'aan was drowned.

 

Maulana Rumi (R.A.) says: "When you do not look with proper sight, then you look upon the love and company of the saintly ones and their obedience i.e. their ship as despicable, and you look upon your imitation of the people of Europe as the high mountains of Intellect and Reason. But, beware, do not look upon this ship as being of no value and a thing to be despised. It is true that the Ah-Iullah, the saints are usually dressed in old and tattered clothes and live simple lives, but do not look at the simplicity of their lives and consider them lowly and despicable. Instead look at the Grace of Allah that is with them. Look at the splendour of the one who arrives through the ship and do not look at the heights of the mountains of Reason.

 

The power of Allah is such that with one wave, He can turn the ship upside down. But the ship which travels in the shadow of Allah's Mercy, in spite of its outward weakness and the evil intention of Shaytaan, it will pass through all the trials in safety. If one is not going to follow this advise, then in the end one will have to admit the shortcomings of the intellect.

 

Hence, if a person needs to find safety from faults and sins, he will have to become closely connected in love with the saints of Allah. Then he will not suffer losses. People who wish to travel on the path of deen with only reason are breakers of their 'tobah'.

When Shaytaan gives one blow in their direction, their 'tobah' is broken down. Yet their arrogance is such that they look down upon the saints of Allah. Such people remain imperfect throughout their lives. So, 0 People! Seek for yourself a way towards Allah and consider the company of the saints as medicine.