Muhabbah, in its most exalted form, is the reciprocal bond where Allah loves His servant, and the servant loves Allah in return. This divine affection is a manifestation of Allah’s name, Al-Wadud (the Most Loving). However, the precedence of love lies unequivocally with Allah; it is He who bestows love upon the servant, igniting in return the servant’s yearning for Him. Yet, for a servant to be deemed worthy of such divine affection, persistent supplication and devoted striving are imperative.
The love directed toward Allah’s essence is pure, untainted, and sublime, encompassing a love free of ulterior motives, unclouded by personal gratification or material gain. True, or essential love, is devoid of the expectation of pleasure or benefit. The one who claims such love retains only their devotion, seeking neither reward nor personal delight. Should worship be conducted with the intent of pleasure, the essence of such love is forfeited, its aim diverted from seeking Allah’s pleasure to mere self-satisfaction. Essential love neither increases with divine blessings nor diminishes amidst trials and tribulations.
Mevlana Jami [quddisa sirruhu] (1414–1495) narrates:
“Our master, Mevlana Sadeddin Kashgari [quddisa sirruhu], had a young disciple distinguished in asceticism, spiritual states, and the depths of love. Yet, like me, he too was enraptured by a worldly beauty, transferring the treasure of his inner heart to that fleeting charm.
