Love and Kindness in the Sufi Literature: A Descriptive Study

Abstract

Sufism holds a significant and esteemed place in Arabic literature. Sufi writings have often captivated the minds and souls of people, leading their hearts to understand the essence of life, which is love and compassion. In their discussions, Sufis frequently emphasize that love and compassion are at the core of Sufism and even claim that they are the reason for the creation of the universe. They derive this from their deep interpretation of the Hadith Qudsi: "I was a hidden treasure, and I desired to be known, so I created the creation. “The great Sufi scholar Ibn Arabi, in his work "Al-Futuhat Al-Makkiyah," interpreted this Hadith as follows: "When he mentioned love, we learned about the reality of love and its attributes, which the lover finds within himself. We explained that love is only connected to the non-existent, as it can only be valid when its existence is absent. Sufis assert that love for God is the ultimate goal that enables a person to understand the truth of their soul. When a person's heart is illuminated by the love of the Truth (God), they radiate compassion and kindness towards all of creation. Love and compassion became the foundation of Sufi philosophy, contributing significantly to Arabic literature, both in prose and poetry. This paper seeks to explore the words of Sufis regarding love and compassion and how they described these concepts in their writings, whether in prose or poetry. It also aims to examine the impact of their ideas on society through a descriptive research approach, avoiding unnecessary verbosity. The paper delves into the thoughts of some of the prominent Sufi saints such as Jalaluddin Rumi, Sheikh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani, Imam Ghazali, Ibn Arabi, Hallaj and Rabiya who are considered to be the most dependable scholars of Sufism. Love for God and compassion for creation are central themes in Sufism, and Sufis seek profound and sincere love for God, His Messenger, and all of creation. In a nut shell, this paper aims to describe the stages of love and compassion as classified by Sufis in their eloquent prose and poetry.