Love Has the Audacity To Turn Our World Upside Down

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 21 March 2025 One of my prized possessions in life is a gold-plated Divan-e-Hafiz Shirazi in Persian which I got as a gift from my Persian teacher while studying and growing up in Khorasan (Iran). Though every verse of Hafiz is exquisite, the one that never ceases to appeal to me is: "Even after all this time, the sun never says to the earth, 'You owe me.' Look what happens with a love like that. It lights the whole sky." Hafiz's profound quote beautifully captures the essence of a selfless and unconditional love. With the analogy of the sun and the earth, Hafiz suggests that true love does not seek recognition or reward for its actions. The sun, despite providing light and warmth to the earth for an eternity, never demands anything in return. Instead, it continues to illuminate the entire sky, creating a mesmerizing spectacle. In the same way, a love that is untainted by expectations and obligations has the power to bring immense joy and radiance to the lives it touches. Hafiz reminds us of the transformative nature of such love, as it has the potential to illuminate the darkest corners of the world and ignite a sense of wonder and beauty in every aspect of life. This reminds me of Kahlil Gibran's famous quote from his book The Prophet (1923): “Love is a bond that transcends all boundaries, connecting hearts across time, distance, and difference." In his book, “Kitab al-Tawasin” (كتاب الطواسين), meaning “The Book of the Purity of the Glory of the One “or "The Book of the Tawasin”, the Persian mystic Mansoor-Al-Hallaj put utmost emphasis on Love and Gratitude. Never for a moment, did he forget to thank those who were gradually peeling his skin off and dismembering him for proclaiming An-al-Haq (I'm the Truth). Granted, Hallaj's exalted example is impossible for the lesser mortals to emulate, his message of universal love should be imbibed and internalized: “My love doesn't allow even a skerrick of rancour to thrive." Today's rampaging Hindus in Maharashtra must pause and ponder that relentless bitterness will lead them nowhere. Remember, love sometimes wants to do us a great favour: hold us upside down and shake all the nonsense out. When love takes hold of us, it has the audacity to turn our world upside down, to shake loose all the superfluous and inconsequential aspects that clutter our thoughts and actions. It acts as a catalyst for growth, forcing us to confront the various illusions and nonsensical notions that hold us back from living an authentic life. Love has the remarkable ability to strip away the layers of pretence, revealing our true selves and allowing us to embrace a more honest and meaningful existence. By the way, Mansoor's day of execution, one of the saddest days in the history of Islam and humanity, falls on March 26. Call it a quirk of fate, his birth anniversary also falls on March 26! ---- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/hafiz-shirazi-love-persian-mystic/d/134937 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism