The  dhikr of love  

 a talk by  Sheikh  Nazim  1984/5

(Sheikh Nazim  led the assembly in calling on the  Holy  Name of Allah -  ya Wadud) – a Divine  Name signifying God’s all embracing Love.  (pronounced Wadood,  rhyming with food).   Then he spoke;

 …  All creation appeared through His Divine Love.   He loved them and they appeared;  therefore everything in existence carries its share of Divine Love in it.

      When I say “everything”, I mean everything from atoms and their parts – the very building-blocks of the universe – up to mankind.  Yes,   everything, even the smallest particles of matter, carry that Divine gift.  As you know, the electrons of atoms revolve around the nuclei, and at enormous velocity.  Someone told me that the famous scientist Albert Einstein once declared;  “I have come to understand so much,   but  what I have never been able to fathom is what power gives the electrons the  energy  to orbit nuclei at such a speed.  From where does such power come to them?”

………

        It is  for those who  have access to a  realm of knowledge  beyond  science  to say with certainty, that it is Allah  Almighty, the  Lord of  the universe,  who  through   His  Holy  Name “Al Wadud”  ( the All-loving )  gives  His  Divine Love to everything in the universe.   Those electrons, drunken with Divine Love, spin at such velocity around the nuclei.  That is how the influence of Divine Love is manifested by them.

       Scientists can neither prove nor deny this explanation, as this phenomenon is beyond their realm, and they cannot as much as offer a theory.  But our hearts  may be content with this explanation,   as each and every one of us may try it; for we  all have the  power  of that Divine  Love  in our  hearts  ready to be contacted.

       There is no one word in western languages that gives the full meaning of   “Al Wadud”.  And even explanations don’t do it justice, even though the west claims its knowledge to be superior and looks down disdainfully on every religious experience.  And  this  Holy Name  is the  most  suitable  “Dhikr”, (pronounced zicker)  the  most  suitable of all the   Divine  Names to repeat and meditate upon for people who see themselves as  superior beings and as  being  above  normal  standards.

       “Love,”   is  certainly  not a  concept that  western culture is unfamiliar with, and  undoubtedly most people lay claim to loving and being loved, to knowing the  meaning  of  love, and to it being an important aspect of their lives, indeed the most important.   But the love we refer to in connection with the Divine Name,  “al  Wadud” is not the physical transitory love that is rapidly becoming  the  only meaning  of  love applicable to modern man,  the love that one may find in the zoo.  If you can’t imagine a love other that what is on the level of animals, then you belong in the zoo.

       There is a real love, never changing, never dieing love, and then there is temporary animal love.  Both are in man through the wisdom of the Creator, but the permanent Love is the love given to man through the Divine Name,  “Al Wadud”.  To  realise  that love is the challenge and fulfilment of  human  existence -  to come in contact with those  love oceans,  for He has given His Divine  Love to His most honoured  representatives in  creation, mankind.

 ….

        Therefore,  when we  say  “Ya Wadud” we are opening  ourselves  up  to that  Divine Love,   asking our  Lord to awaken that Love that knows no limitation, that is eternal and extends to all  creation.

        I have been ordered to teach and advise people to call on our Lord, saying “Ya Wadud”, as this will enable the sincere to attain real love of their Lord Almighty and to love everything around themselves.    We must learn to love everything for the sake of the Love the Creator has for all His creation.   

….

For the Full text of this talk see ;    Navigation button  Divine Love  >>> The power of love

Abridged from  Mercy  Oceans of the  Heart   (also partially  reprinted in  On the Bridge to Eternity)