Precious Pearls — Page 8
10 Master. His love of God comes out so intense and forceful in his writings that it amounts to an almost insane passion that leaves a lasting impression upon the reader. Without exaggeration, his love for God has no like in its depth and intensity in the annals of poetic literature of Islam or of any other faith. Much of his emotions in this respect are shown in the traditional symbolic language of mysticism where God is frequently addressed and spoken of as one’s Dear and Belovèd. A few of his verses below illustrate his constant restlessness for his Love : I cannot rest a single breath without Thee; It chokes my life like gasping of an indisposed. (6/14) What’s the clamour in Thy lane, pray find quickly, Lest some lovelorn lover may lose his life! (6/15) Come quick, Supporter mine, grief’s burden is heavy; Pray hide not Thy Visage this is my very cure. (29/109) Pray rid me of my grief by showing Thy Face How long shall last such days of teasing us? (35/14) Without Thee, my Soul, this life is but naught; Better than such living is to die and turn to dust. (39/238) Thus, the conventional mystical yearning for the Belovèd’s company and for His Face runs as a steady theme throughout his poetry. Although Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad has clearly found God, he continues to reach higher and deeper into this limitless ocean of ‘Irfaan , or the Knowledge of God. Having personally experienced revelations, visions and converse with God, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad constantly encourages the reader to develop the same relationship of friendship and love with the Creator that he has forged himself: ‘Tis the only way, my dear, that you ask Him for nearness; Just seek His Hand and burn all other means! (22/3) That life is impure that is spent away from God The wall of dry piety finally collapsed! (38/110) No path is shorter than the path of love; through this path The saliks 2 cross a thousand thorny wilds. (39/280) Friends! This is the only secret to find Him; This is the alchemy to obtain countless treasures. (39/281) If love of God could be considered the noblest of all emotions, then self-negation would amount to the greatest of all self-controls. The tendency towards pride is so deeply ingrained in the human psyche and so destructive with respect to spiritual advancement, that Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad has frequently singled it out as one of the greatest stumbling blocks in our moral progress. In this context, he writes: Only they are close to Him who lose their own selves;