Shawq, in its linguistic sense, means longing, desiring, yearning. In Sufi terminology, it refers to the heart’s deep yearning for union with Allah, a longing so intense that it stirs the soul with an overwhelming fervor. It is the natural outcome of mahabba—divine love. Imam Qushayri [quddisa sirruhu] defines shawq as "the heart’s ecstatic excitement upon beholding the beloved." Thus, shawq is not merely a desire but an impassioned longing filled with both ardent love and deep yearning. Ibn Ata [rahimahullah] further describes it as "the burning of the heart, its ignition with longing."
The Sufis often refer to the verse:
"Whoever longs to meet Allah, let him know that the appointed time set by Allah will surely come. And He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing." (Al-Ankabut 5)
They explain that longing to meet Allah in this verse signifies shawq—the deep yearning for His divine beauty (jamal). Abu Uthman al-Hiri [rahimahullah] interprets it as follows:
"This verse serves as a consolation for those who burn with longing. Its meaning is: 'I know how your yearning has consumed your heart. I have only delayed your reunion for a time, but soon, you shall meet that which you so ardently desire—My Divine Beauty.'"
Abu'l-Abbas Ahmad Sayyad [rahimahullah] states:
"Shawq is a branch of the tree of love; it cannot stand on its own. When the fire of love intensifies, the heart is set ablaze, and in that moment, the servant is overtaken by an irresistible fervor. This is shawq."
The only cure for shawq is visitation (wuslah)—the fulfillment of union. One of the awliya said:
"Shawq is a flame that erupts from the heart, and the cause of this flame is the pain of longing. It is a fire that only reunion can extinguish."
For this reason, the sign of shawq in a person’s heart is an inward desire for death, for it is only through death that one attains the ultimate union with the Beloved. Abu Uthman al-Hiri [rahimahullah] states:
"The mark of shawq is the soul’s readiness to embrace death with ease."
The Sufis affirm that shawq only arises toward something that can be known in part but remains beyond full comprehension. What is utterly inconceivable cannot be longed for, for it is unknown. Complete knowledge, however, is only attained through direct vision (mushahada), which is reserved for the Hereafter. Thus, the longing of the Sufis is only truly satisfied when they behold the Divine Beauty of Allah.
Yusuf ibn Asbat [rahimahullah] states that among the signs of shawq are:
- Desiring death while living in comfort,
- Finding peace and joy solely in the presence of Allah.
Yahya ibn Mu‘adh [quddisa sirruhu] says:
"The sign of shawq is to be severed from all carnal desires, just as a child is weaned from milk."
Dhunnun al-Misri [rahimahullah] describes shawq as:
"The highest of degrees and the loftiest of stations. When a person reaches shawq, he yearns for his Lord, desires His nearness, and longs to witness His Divine Beauty. For this reason, he eagerly anticipates death."
This statement illustrates both the supreme rank of shawq and its defining characteristic.
The Sufis hold that shawq is greater than mahabba (love) and that it is born from it. Love first enters the heart, then grows until it completely overtakes it, giving rise to shawq. One who reaches this station has no desire except to meet his Lord and behold His Divine Countenance. His heart is emptied of all worldly attachments, and he guards his limbs from sin. He stands ever-vigilant at the threshold of the Beloved, for he knows not when the moment of divine manifestation (tajalli) may arrive.
Abu Uthman al-Hiri [rahimahullah] summarizes:
"Shawq is the inevitable consequence of love. Whoever loves Allah will surely long for Him."
Bayazid al-Bistami [quddisa sirruhu] describes the state of those consumed by shawq:
"There are those among the servants of Allah who, if they were prevented from beholding Him in Paradise, would seek refuge in Him as the people of Hell seek refuge from the Fire."
The hearts of the people of shawq beat solely for the vision of Allah’s Beauty. The Sufis express this state as follows:
"Shawq is the fire of Allah. He has kindled it in the hearts of His awliyas, such that it has burned away all distractions, all personal desires, all fleeting thoughts, and every worldly need."
The masters of the path divide shawq into three types:
- The shawq of the common people, which is directed toward worldly desires.
- The shawq of the elect, which is directed toward the Hereafter.
- The shawq of the elect of the elect, which is the intense yearning for the Divine.
Whoever longs for the world is destined for Hell. Whoever longs for the Hereafter is destined for Paradise. But whoever longs for Allah is longed for by Allah Himself.
Despite the loftiness of shawq, the Sufi masters have cautioned seekers against making it their focus. Shaykh Abdullah Dahlawi [quddisa sirruhu] would say when the subject of ecstasy (dhawq) and shawq arose:
"Allah is not pleased with the seeker who desires ecstasy, longing, unveilings, or miracles. The seeker should desire only Allah Himself. Whatever appears along the way should not distract him. He must say: 'My only purpose is His Pure Essence, and nothing else.'"
