Reaching Out to God With Fear or Love
There has historically been a 'dichotomy' within Islam, between perceiving God as an austere judge, a common strain in semitic religions, and perceiving Him as a loving, merciful figure who demands devo- tion purely through love. From these two extreme ideals emerged the two ways of relating to God, shariat and tarigat The shariat enjoins Mus- lims to fear God's wrath, follow His rules and accumulate merit to escape perdition. The tariqat, also sometimes called the Sufi way, aspires to communion with God through love and devotion. Among Sufi saints, the highest praise is reserved for Rabia, the unique one. Attar describes her thus: "That woman who lost herself in union with the Divine,/ that one accepted by men as a second spotless/ Mary-Rabia al Adawaiyya, may God have mercy upon her./ If any- one were to say, Why have you made mention of her/ in the class of men, I should say God does not/ look upon the outward forms". Rabia al Ada- waiyya or Rabia, the pure, Basri, was born in a poor Arab family and was orphaned and sold into slavery when very young. How she was set free and how she became a Sufi is unclear but stories of her austerity, piety, immaculate life and the feats and legends associa- ted with her have made her one of the most iconic representatives of an 'alternate Islam'. She was among those who proposed the doctrine of disinterested love to God, a concept unfamiliar to many of her fellow Muslims. There is love that seeks a reward; there is love that only seeks to love the object. Ordinary worshippers fear God, she said, whereas the mystic loves him. She was once found seated before the Qur'an with fire in one hand and Say water in the other with the intention of light- ing a fire in Paradise and to pour water on Hell so that both veils- of hope and of fear - may completely disappear. The ways to God are as many as there are creatures and believers, Rabia dec- lared in reply to people's objection to her keeping a dog. "Until that dog enters heaven I would not set foot there", she said. As for Satan, she dismissed the concern by saying my love for God leaves me no room for hating Satan. Once, Rabia was to visit the Kaba and in response to her entreaty God moved the Kaba to where she was. When the saint, Ibrahim b Adham, arrived after a 14-year odyssey on foot through the deserts, he was bewildered to find the Kaba missing and at last beseeched Rabia to explain it. She said, "You spent 14 years of the passage in ritual prayer (namaz) but I, in personal supplication (niyaz)". On her unmarried status, Rabia said, "My exis- tence is for Him and I am altoge ther His. I am in the shadow of his command. The marriage contract must be asked for from Him, nor from me". She even expressed the same senti- ment about God's apostle, Muhammed. When asked what her love for the Prophet of God was like she replied: "Verily I love Him greatly, but love of the creator has turned me aside from love of His creatures". Rabia took the concept of selfless and universal role to unprecedented heights. That she was also its apotheosis in conduct and action makes her one of the greatest spiritual figures of all time. Her beliefs are equally universal. Does not Radha, at one stage, completely submerged in her love for Krishna, ends up expressing her pining for Krishna by exclaiming "Radha, Radha?"
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are Mahmood Farooqui and kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it.
Courtesy: Mahmood Farooqui and Speaking Tree,Times of India
Reaching Out to God With Fear or Love
There has historically been a 'dichotomy' within Islam, between perceiving God as an austere judge, a common strain in semitic religions, and perceiving Him as a loving, merciful figure who demands devo- tion purely through love. From these two extreme ideals emerged the two ways of relating to God, shariat and tarigat The shariat enjoins Mus- lims to fear God's wrath, follow His rules and accumulate merit to escape perdition. The tariqat, also sometimes called the Sufi way, aspires to communion with God through love and devotion. Among Sufi saints, the highest praise is reserved for Rabia, the unique one. Attar describes her thus: "That woman who lost herself in union with the Divine,/ that one accepted by men as a second spotless/ Mary-Rabia al Adawaiyya, may God have mercy upon her./ If any- one were to say, Why have you made mention of her/ in the class of men, I should say God does not/ look upon the outward forms". Rabia al Ada- waiyya or Rabia, the pure, Basri, was born in a poor Arab family and was orphaned and sold into slavery when very young. How she was set free and how she became a Sufi is unclear but stories of her austerity, piety, immaculate life and the feats and legends associa- ted with her have made her one of the most iconic representatives of an 'alternate Islam'. She was among those who proposed the doctrine of disinterested love to God, a concept unfamiliar to many of her fellow Muslims. There is love that seeks a reward; there is love that only seeks to love the object. Ordinary worshippers fear God, she said, whereas the mystic loves him. She was once found seated before the Qur'an with fire in one hand and Say water in the other with the intention of light- ing a fire in Paradise and to pour water on Hell so that both veils- of hope and of fear - may completely disappear. The ways to God are as many as there are creatures and believers, Rabia dec- lared in reply to people's objection to her keeping a dog. "Until that dog enters heaven I would not set foot there", she said. As for Satan, she dismissed the concern by saying my love for God leaves me no room for hating Satan. Once, Rabia was to visit the Kaba and in response to her entreaty God moved the Kaba to where she was. When the saint, Ibrahim b Adham, arrived after a 14-year odyssey on foot through the deserts, he was bewildered to find the Kaba missing and at last beseeched Rabia to explain it. She said, "You spent 14 years of the passage in ritual prayer (namaz) but I, in personal supplication (niyaz)". On her unmarried status, Rabia said, "My exis- tence is for Him and I am altoge ther His. I am in the shadow of his command. The marriage contract must be asked for from Him, nor from me". She even expressed the same senti- ment about God's apostle, Muhammed. When asked what her love for the Prophet of God was like she replied: "Verily I love Him greatly, but love of the creator has turned me aside from love of His creatures". Rabia took the concept of selfless and universal role to unprecedented heights. That she was also its apotheosis in conduct and action makes her one of the greatest spiritual figures of all time. Her beliefs are equally universal. Does not Radha, at one stage, completely submerged in her love for Krishna, ends up expressing her pining for Krishna by exclaiming "Radha, Radha?"
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are Mahmood Farooqui and kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it.
Courtesy: Mahmood Farooqui and Speaking Tree,Times of India