Ayn al-Quzat Hamadani ~ The Frenzied Ones ~ Sufi Mystics
Aug 29, 2024
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Ayn-al-Qużāt Hamadānī was a Persian mystic and philosopher, executed for heresy at just 33. In this discussion, he delves into the transformative power of love, exploring its dual ability to elevate and burden the heart. He reflects on how genuine devotion can reshape one’s identity and foster a deeper connection to the divine. The conversation also touches on excerpts from his works, providing insights into Sufi mysticism and the overlooked brilliance of his spiritual philosophy.
True engagement with love demands selflessness, allowing individuals to prioritize love above their own existence for spiritual fulfillment.
Love is depicted as a transformative fire that not only consumes but also creates a profound unity between the lover, the beloved, and the act of loving.
Deep dives
The Power and Nature of Love
Love is depicted as a force that dominates and can bewilder the individual, making it impossible to escape its reach. The narrative highlights that true engagement with love necessitates a selfless abandonment of self, suggesting that one can only immerse in love when they prioritize it above their own existence. Love is likened to fire, an entity that transforms everything it touches, underscoring its transformative and consuming nature. The discussion emphasizes that genuine love leads one closer to the Creator and that it acts as an essential pathway for spiritual fulfillment.
The Interconnectedness of Love
The essence of love is portrayed as a reflection of unity between the lover, the beloved, and the act of loving itself, suggesting an intrinsic bond that transcends individual identities. It is illustrated that when a lover sees their beloved, they can also perceive themselves, reinforcing the idea that love encompasses both the knower and the known. Furthermore, the metaphor of the ivy wrapping around a tree is used to express how love inherently transforms and consumes, regardless of affections or enmities. This notion encapsulates the idea that in love, choice is relinquished, illustrating love’s overwhelming and unstoppable nature.
A selection of excerpts from the texts Tamhidát and Laváyeh by Ayn-al-Qużāt Hamadānī .
Translated by Ali Yansori - with thanks to Ali for gifting this beautiful translation.
Ayn-al-Qużāt Hamadānī (1098–1131) (Persian: عین القضات همدانی), was a Persian jurisconsult, mystic, philosopher, poet and mathematician who was executed by the Seljuk rulers at the age of 33 on charges of heresy. He is one of the many overlooked figures of the pre-modern Islamic tradition. Born in Hamadhan in Seljuk Iran to a family of prominent Shāfi’ī scholars, by the age of 20 he had mastered Arabic, Persian, jurisprudence, ḥadīth, Qur’ān, poetry, kalām (dialectical theology), philosophy and various strands of mystical thought. A student of Aḥmad al-Ghazālī he became an eminent scholar and mystic in his own right, composing various works in both Persian and Arabic, the most important of which were Tamhīdāt and the Zubdat al-Haqāʾiq fī Kashf al-Khalāʾiq. Much of his mystical philosophy was focused on the concept of divine love.
Music - from the album 'The Great Intimacy' by Sujatha Maheshwari
With thanks to Sujatha for sharing this sublime music for this channel.
You can find links to her album on all major platforms here:
https://www.sujathamaheshwari.com/music
Art/image: "Source" by Mevlana Canan Berber
/ canan-berber
🙏 May whatever goodness arises from these readings/offerings be for the benefit of all sentient beings.