Divine Love in Islamic Mysticism

The Teachings of al-Ghazali and al-Dabbagh

Binyamin Abrahamov

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2013
• eBook ISBN: 9781136129308
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Islamic Theology

The two theories of divine love that are examined in this book have their foundations in Greek, Jewish, Christian and Muslim ideas. Al-Ghazâlî (twelfth century) was influenced mainly by Plato and Ibn Sina's teachings, while al-Dabbâgh (thirteenth century), who accepted some Ghazâlîan notions, developed a theory of divine love that can be traced back to Neoplatonism. Both scholars created complete theories of divine love that include definitions of love, its causes and signs, the ways to love God, God's love for man, and kinds of love. The book will interest students of theology, philosophy and mysticism in general, and students of Islam in particular.

NOTES

PREFACE

1 Kitâb ‘aṭf al-alif al-ma’lûf ‘alâ al-lâm al-ma‘ṭûf, ed. J. C. Vadet, Cairo 1962, p. 2. (The date of al-Daylamî’s death is unknown. He was a disciple of the famous author on mysti- cism, Abû ‘Abdallâh Muḥammad ibn Khafîf (d. 371/981). R. Walzer, ‘Aristotle, Galen, and Palladius on Love,’ in his Greek into ArAbîc – Essays on Islamic Philosophy, Oxford 1963, p. 48.) Vadet translates the title as follows: ‘Livre de l‘inclinaison de l’alif uni sur le lâm incliné.’ It seems to me that by this title al-Daylamî makes an allusion to the metaphor of love which is light. The conjunction of alif to lâm creates when it is doubled the verb la’la’a meaning to shine. This verb occurs before a formula similar to our title wa’l-lâm bi’l-alif al-ma‘tûf mu’talif (‘The lâm is connected to the inclined alif.’ The alif is inclined [\] when it is connected to lâm) in a poem (Kitâb ‘aṭf, p. 44, para. 164) written by al-Ḥallâj. In Shaydhala1, fol. 35a, this poem appears anonymously with some differences.

2 Cf. The Encyclopaedia of Religions and Ethics, ed. J. Hastings, London 1915, vol. VIII, p. 154.

3 Bell, Love Theory, p. 146f.

I INTRODUCTION

1 Singer, The Nature of love, p. 47f.

2 Symposium, 189–192. Singer, ibid., pp. 50–52.

3 Symposium, 192. Trans. Jowett, vol. I, p. 562.

4 Symposium, 200–201.

5 Symposium, 205f. This is the statement of Diotima, the prophetess of Mantineia, Socrates' interlocutor. Singer, ibid., p. 52f.

6 Symposium, 21 Of. Singer, ibid., pp. 55–57.

7 In his translation of Plato’s dialogues (vol. I, p. 533), Jowett says that the theme of the Symposium is the ‘passion of the reason,’ and that ‘in the Phaedrus and Symposium love and philosophy join hands, and one is an aspect of the other.’ Ibid., p. 393.

8 Singer, ibid., p. 73. Thus in Platonism true love is equivalent to true rationalism, for both have common basis, that is knowledge. If love of any kind means longing for the Good, and only the philosopher knows the nature of the Good, only the philosopher can truly love. It is not our aim here to tackle the question posed by Singer: Can only the philosopher truly desire the Good and truly attain it? See ibid., pp. 82–87. This question will be asked again in the context of al-Ghazâlî’s theory of divine love. See below p. 78.

9 Nygren, Agape and Eros, p. 167.

10 The way and stages of the soul’s ascent is described in the Symposium (211).

11 Nygren, ibid., pp. 169–181. According to a myth mentioned in Phaedrus (248), ‘the soul which has seen most of the truth (in the upper world), shall come to the birth as a philosopher.’ Jowett’s trans, vol. I, p. 454. Hence, a man is predestined to long for wisdom, a conclusion which seems to contradict the spirit of free choice in the Symposium and Phaedrus.

12 Nicomachen Ethics, VIII, 1156. Singer, The Nature of Love, p. 88f.

13 Singer, ibid., pp. 93–95.

14 Physics, I, 192a. Averroes, Tahâfut, vol. II, p. 20 (note 4 to vol. I, p. 22). This notion goes back to Plato. Symposium, 186–189.

15 Metaphysics, 1072b. Nygren, Agape and Eros, pp. 183–86.

16 Averroes, Tahâfut, vol. II, p. 91, note 6 to vol. I, p. 138.

17 For a discussion of Plotinus’ theory of divine love see R. Arnou, Le désir de Dieu dans la philosophie de Plotin, Rome 1967.

18 Plotinus, Enneads, I, 6, 5f. IV, V, 1, Iff.

19 Ibid.,V, 8.9.

20 Ibid., Ill, 5.

21 Ibid., VI, 9, 9. Nygren, Agape and Eros, pp. 186-193.

22 Singer, The Nature of Love, p. 159.

23 Vajda, L’Amour de Dieu, p. 66.

24 We are referring to the Bible, the Talmud, the Midrash, the Apocrypha, and the liturgy.

25 Deuteronomy 10.12: ‘And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• ROUTLEDGE SUFI SERIES
• Full Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Preface
• I. Introduction
• II. Al-Ghazâlî's theory of divine love in Kitâb al-Maḥabba
• III. Al-Dabbâgh's theory of divine love
• Notes
• References and abbreviations
• Index