Ishq (Arabic:عشق,romanized: ʿishq) is anArabic word meaning 'love' or 'passion',[1] also widely used in other languages of theMuslim world and theIndian subcontinent.
The wordishq does not appear in the central religious text of Islam, theQuran, which instead uses derivatives of the verbal roothabba (حَبَّ), such as the nounhubb (حُبّ). The word is traditionally derived from the verbal rootʿašaq "to stick, to cleave to" and connected to the nounʿašaqah, which denotes a kind of ivy.[2] In its most common classical interpretation,ishq refers to the irresistible desire to obtain possession of the beloved (ma‘shuq), expressing a deficiency that the lover (‘āshiq) must remedy in order to reach perfection (kamāl).[1] Like the perfections of the soul and the body, love thus admits of hierarchical degrees, but its underlying reality is the aspiration to the beauty (al-husn) which God manifested in the world when he created Adam in his own image.[1] The Islamic conception of love acquired further dimensions from the Greek-influenced view that the notions of Beauty, Good, and Truth (al-haqq) "go back to one indissoluble Unity (wahda)".[1]
Among classical Muslim authors, the notion of love was developed along three conceptual lines, oftentimes conceived in an ascending hierarchical order: natural love, intellectual love and divine love.[1] The growth of affection (mawadda) into passionate love (ishq) received its most probing and realistic analysis inThe Ring of the Dove by the Andalusian scholarIbn Hazm.[1]
The termishq is used extensively in Sufi poetry and literature to describe a "selfless and burning love" for Allah. It is the core concept in the doctrine ofIslamic mysticism as is key to the connection between man and God. Ishq itself is sometimes held to have been the basis of "creation". The termishq is widely used in the sacred text ofSikhism.
Traditional Persian lexicographers considered the Persianešq and Arabicʿišq (عشق) to derive from the Arabic verbal rootʿašaq (عَشَق) "to stick, to cleave to". They connected the origin of the root toʿašaqa (عَشَقَه), a kind of ivy, because it twines around and cleaves to trees (Zamaxšari, Tâj al-'arus).[2]
Heydari-Malayeri suggests that (ʿišq) may have anIndo-European origin and may be related toAvestan words such asiš- "to wish, desire, search", and ultimately derive from *iška. The Avestaniš- also exists inMiddle Persian in the form ofišt "desire".[2]
In the most languages such asDari:eshq; inPashto:eshq; inSomali:caashaq orcishqi; inTurkish:aşk and inAzerbaijani:eşq, in modernPersian asešq oreshghعشق, it literally means "love".[2]
Some scholars objected to the use of the term 'ishq' due to its association with sensual love but despite the linguistic, cultural or technical meanings, Sufis believe that 'ishq' can only be associated to the Divine.[3]
The word ishq referred to traditional ghazals and Indo-Persian literary culture[4] and has made its way to many other languages which were influenced by Sufism. Some of the most notable languages which have this word arePersian,Hindi,Urdu,Pashto,Arabic,Sindhi,Saraiki: عشق,Turkish:aşk,Azerbaijani:eşq,Bengali:এশ্ক,romanized: eśk andPunjabi:ਇਸ਼ਕ.
In Persian, Ishq construed with the verbs "bākhtan باختن", "khāstan خواستن", "sanjīdan سنجیدن", "rūīdan روییدن", "nešāndan نشاندن", etc.[5] In Persian, "Āšeq عاشق" is the active participle (lover), "Ma'shūq معشوق" is the passive participle (beloved), and "Ma'shūqeh معشوقه" conveys a vulgar meaning, whilst in Arabic it is the female passive participle of "Mā'shūq معشوق".
In Urdu,Ishq (عشق) is used to refer tofervent love for any object, person or God. However, it is mostly used in its religious context. In Urdu, three very common religious terminologies have been derived fromIshq. These terminologies areishq-e Haqīqi (love of Truth),Ishq-e majāzi (love of God's creation i.e. ahuman), andishq-e rasūl /ishq-e Muhammadi (love of the Messenger / love ofMuhammad). Other than these, in non-religious context,‘ishq is a synonym for obsessive love.
In Turkish,Aşk is commonly used to express love, passion or adoration. The Turkish version replaces the 'q' with a 'k', as Turkish lacksvoiceless uvular plosive, and the letter 'ş' with thecedilla denotes the "sh" sound,/ʃ/. In comparison withArabic orUrdu, (like Persian) the word is less restrictive and can be applied to many forms of love, or simply romance. It is common in the lyrics of Turkish songs.
Ishq is used in theUrdu-language, especially inBollywood movies (Hindi cinema), which often use formal, flowery and poetic Urdu loanwords derived from Persian. The more colloquial Urdu word for love ispyar. In Urdu,ʻIshq' (عشق) meanslustless love.[6] In Arabic, it is a noun. However, in Hindi-Urdu it is used as both verb and noun.
In Modern Arabic the usual terms used for romantic love arehabba and its derived formshubb, habib, mahbub, etc.[2]
In religious context, Ishq, divided into three kinds, is a very important but rather complex concept of Sufi tradition ofIslam.
Ishq-e Majāzi (Persian:عشق مجازی) literally means "metaphorical love". It refers to the love for God's creation i.e. love of a man for a woman or another man and vice versa. It is said to be generated by the beloved person's external beauty, but since it is connected to lust, it is against thelaw. Hence, inFaqr, the term Ishq-e Majāzi is directed only towards Ishq-e Murshid.[7] This love for one'sMurshid eventually leads to love forMuhammad and eventually for God, upon which one that understands Ishq-e Haqīqi is in fact the source of all 'metaphorical love'.
Ishq-e Rasūl (Persian:عشق رسول) means "love of Muhammad," an important part of being a Muslim. In Sufism, however, the Ishq-e Majāzi changes its form to Ishq-e Rasūl through the development of an intense feeling of Ishq forMuhammad. Every existent form of creation is in fact the slave of the Creator (in the sense of being subject to His will). SinceMuhammad is the most beloved to Allah, the true Lover feels Ishq-e Rasūl till "the Prophet becomes dearer to him than his life, wives, children, house, business and everything else". (Sahih Bukhari andSahih Muslim)[8]
Ishq-e Haqīqi (Persian:عشق حقیقی) literally means"the real love" i.e. "the love of God". It refers to the belief that only God is worth loving and He is the only one who can return His creature's love for Him.[9]The inner subtlety whose locus is the heart is felt by the true seeker of God only. According to this view, this is what differences man from beast because even beasts have senses, whereas inner sight is characteristic of humans.
"And those who truly believe, love Allah intensely."[10] (Al-Baqarah 165)
The term ‘Ishq’ (Punjabi: ਇਸ਼ਕ ) has been used multiple times in theGuru Granth Sahib as well as other religious texts of the Sikhs such as those written byBhai Gurdas andBhai Nandlal. The concept of ‘Ishq’ in Sikhism is similar to that of Ishq-e-haqiqi in Sufism.[11] The Guru Granth Sahib on page 37 says “ He Himself dyes us in the Color of HisLove; through the Word of His Shabad, He unites us with Himself.” (Siree Raag, Third Mehl)[12]
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