The Essence of Islam – Volume I — Page 410
410. Essence of Islam-1 possible for worldly lovers to hide their love for their beloved from their companions and associates whom they yearn to see day and night. The love that penetrates their talk, and their looks, and their eyes, and their appearance, and their nature, and is manifested in every particle of their being, cannot be kept secret. Whatever they might do, some sign of it is betrayed. . The greatest sign of their sincerity is that they prefer their. Beloved to everything else, and if they experience any hardships, they view them as bounties on account of their overpowering love, and torment becomes for them a sweet drink. No sharp sword can bring about separation between them and their Beloved and no great calamity can restrain them from His remembrance. They regard it as their very life, and find all their joy in it, and deem its existence as their own existence and consider it as the purpose of their lives. They are fond only of Him and find comfort only in Him. They have only Him in the world and become wholly His. They live for Him and die for Him. They are in the world but are outside the world; and possessing self, they are selfless. They have no concern with honour, name, life or comfort. They lose everything for the sake of the One and give up everything to find Him. They are consumed by an unperceived fire and cannot explain why they are consumed. They are deaf and dumb to every admonition, and are ready to endure every hardship and disgrace, and find their delight therein. عشق است که بر خاک مذلت غلطاند عشق است که بر آتش سوزاں بنشاند کس بہر کسے سرندہد جاں نہ فشاند عشق است که این کار بصد صدق کناند 247 247 Love is what makes one roll in the dust of disgrace,