Chapter VI: Love, Longing, Contentment
Samnun was giving once the description of love, when a bird came down and began to dig earth with its beak, so much so that blood began to ooze out of it so profusely that it died. Ibrahim-bin- Adham said: O Lord, you know that in comparison with the honour given to me by your love, Your satisfaction towards me by your remembrance and the leisure you have given me to think about your glory, the value of paradise is like the wing of a fly. Sufyan Saori said: He who loves God is alive. He who loves the world, is a fool who works day and night uselessly and the wise man enquires about his faults.
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The saint Kabiya was asked: How is your love for the Prophet of God? She said: By God, I don't love him excessively. My love for the Creator has abstained me from loving His creations. When Jesus Christ was asked about the best of actions, he said: Cotentment comes from God and love for Him. Abu Yezid said: A lover does not love the world, but love his Lord. Shibli said: Love circles round pleasure and honour. A certain sage said: The meaning of love is nearness of the Beloved wit good news and joy. Khaos said: Love eradicates wish and burns all natures and necessities. Sahal Tastari was once asked about love. He said: God prepares the mind of one to meet Him if love grows in him. A certain sage said: The affairs of a lover are established upon four stages love, shame, fear and honour. Out of these, honour and love are best as these two stages will remain with the inmates of paradise in paradise and the other two will be lifted from them. Haram bin Hayan said: When a believer
Vol-IV THE BOOK OF CONSTRUCTIVE VIRTUES 317
recognises his Lord, he loves Him. When he loves. Him, he comes forward to Him. When he gets pleasure in going to Him, he does not look with desire towards the world and with rest towards the next world. Abdullah-bin-Mohammad said: I heard a saint woman who was weeping and whose hairs were flowing upon her cheeks saying: By God I am tired of life. Even I would have purchased death if it would have been a saleable commodity for being satisfied with God and desirous of meeting with Him. I asked her: Would you do it being of firm belief on your good deeds? She said: That is not so. I would have done it loving God and cherishing good hope in Him. Do you conceive that 1 would love Him and He will give me punishment?