Secrets of Divine Love: A Spiritual Journey into the Heart of Islam

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INTRODUCTION L ove. It is the reason there is something instead of nothing. It is from the soil of love that all of existence blossoms into being. Love is why we are here. Love is why you are holding these words in your hands, speaking them on your tongue, or hearing them with your ears. This book did not call you or find you because of who I am, but because of how loving God is. The words I will offer you are not new, but I do believe many of these teachings of love and mercy have been forgotten. Islam does not have to change, we just need to return to the spiritual heart and soul of its timeless message of love, mercy, peace, freedom, justice, and unity. Although this book is about Islamic spirituality and practices, I believe God is bigger than any one religion or philosophy. I choose Islam as my faith, but I offer you these words from the Qur’an not to change you, but to remind you how much you are loved by God. I believe that just as wisdom teachings from other faiths have enriched my relationship with God, the deeper dimensions of Islam may also inspire you, regardless of what path you choose to walk. I pray these words awaken your heart to fall deeper in love with Allah, When we open our hearts to the light of God the answers to our most bewildering questions begin to blossom. It is my hope that through reading this book with an open heart you will have an experience of God, instead of simply acquiring new information about God. Helwa menulis buku ini setelah melewati perjalanan spritual yang panjang. Dalam satu wawancara disebutin kalo Helwa sempat nggak menyembah Tuhan mana pun selama hampir 10 tahun karena ia masih bingung dengan entitas Tuhan mana yang harus ia sembah. Lalu setelah mencari-cari dan berguru ke sana ke mari, hatinya pun tertancap di Islam dan jadilah ia seorang Muslimah yang taat, cerdas, dan menyenangkan sampe sekarang. A marvelous book that gives a sound grasp of this great religion and nourishment to the heart we deeply need. This book is a source of majesty and beauty.

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In my early twenties, I was traveling through a small town in Turkey called Cappadocia, when the divine spark of faith reignited within me like lightning. All it took was my eyes to fall upon a woman who was drowned in her worship of God. I watched her pray in an old seventeenth-century animal barn, as if nothing in the world existed but her divine Lover. us, not because of who we are, but because of how merciful and loving He is. Allah Is Love Allah is the origin and cause of love. Allah never stops loving you, because His love is eternal and has no beginning or end. Love is not something Allah does, love is something Allah is. You cannot separate love from God any more than you can separate water from the ocean. We can respond to Allah’s love by loving and worshiping Him, but our unwillingness to honor Allah does not affect His divine qualities, as Allah is entirely “independent of all creatures” (3:97). Whereas the human being can be kind, God is Kindness (Ar-Ra’uf); where we can be merciful, God is Mercy (Ar-Rahman). God is not just peaceful, He is Peace (As-Salam). God’s loving qualities do not change in response to our choices because God is not reactive. He is the cause of everything in existence.14 The Prophet explains that if every single human on Earth reached the height of spiritual piety—or if they were all the worst in existence—it would not add or take away anything from Allah’s sovereignty. The Prophet continues to say that if Allah chose to fulfill the prayer of every single human being at once, it would not decrease what Allah has “any more than a needle decreases what is in the ocean when it is put into it.”15 As the twentieth-century theologian, C.S. Lewis said, “A man can no more diminish God’s glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word ‘darkness’ on the walls of his cell.” Allah’s love for us never diminishes. What changes is our ability to be receptive to divine love. In fact, the word “hate” does not exist in the Qur’an in relation to Allah. The English translations of “God hates” can more accurately be translated as “God does not love,” which implies that our experience of Allah is always on the spectrum Many of the quotes, spiritual stories, and teaching parables I have included in this book are not cited, as they are oral stories that have been passed down through different cultures and religions. I am forever grateful to all of my friends, teachers, and especially my grandfather, for taking the time to share these priceless stories with me so that I could in turn share them with you.When I use the word “mystics” in the text I am referring to spiritual masters in the Islamic tradition that delved past the literalism of the religion and into the realm of the heart. A mystic is not someone who ignored the rules of the Qur’an and prophetic tradition, but someone who sought to learn the esoteric teachings of the faith from a place of love and joy. In fact, most of the utterances of Muslim mystics are directly inspired by the Qur’an and the Prophet , or inspired by the family of the Prophet and his closest companions. 7. I rely heavily on the profound wisdom of the seventh-century Islamic sage Ali ibn Talib, affectionately known by many as Imam Ali. The spiritual master Imam Ali, may Allah be pleased with him and grant him peace, was the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet and the first person after the wife of the Prophet to convert to Islam. The Prophet Muhammad said of Imam Ali, “I am the city of knowledge and Ali is its gate.”1 Imam Ali is known to be a symbol of unification and peace, as Sunnis, Shias, and Sufis follow his guidance and adore his examples of bravery, leadership, and spiritual knowledge. I also rely on the beautiful contemplations of the Islamic theologian and poet Jalaluddin Rumi, whose most famous book, The Mathnawi, is a poetic masterpiece that was directly inspired by the Qur’an. 8. When words in Arabic could not properly be translated into English, I put the Arabic transliteration of the word in parenthesis as a point of reference. 9. Many of the quotes, spiritual stories, and teaching parables I have included in this book are not cited, as they are oral stories that have been passed down through different cultures and religions. I am forever grateful to all of my friends, teachers, and especially my grandfather, for taking the time to share these priceless stories with me so that I could in turn share them with you. As I began seeking more deeply—fasting, praying, and meditating upon God’s words—I started to touch places inside my heart that I had never known existed. Slowly, my hardened heart softened, restoring my spiritual vision. The outer shell of who I thought I was started to break as the mask of my ego began to melt away, unveiling a spirit I had felt from time to time, but had never fully embraced. REMEMBER: Prayer is not about punishment or reward; it is about cultivating a genuine connection with God. The deep purpose of prayer is not to obtain a certain outcome; rather, it is about having an intimate conversation with your Lord.” In Arabic, the word fitna, meaning “hardship,” stems from the word fatanah, which means “to test gold, burn with fire.” Just as gold is heated to extract valuable elements from the useless surrounding material, it is through the fire of our trials that our golden essence is unearthed.” A Few Things to Consider Although this book will walk you through major concepts of Islamic spirituality, it is not a textbook on Islam. Instead of emphasizing every aspect of a Muslim’s spiritual practice, it highlights inspirational and practical insights from the Qur’an and Islamic tradition. However, before we jump into the ocean of divine love, there are a few stylistic things that I would like to further clarify to avoid any confusion. 1. I use Allah and God interchangeably as a means of articulating to the English speaker that God, the one transcendent omni- present reality, and Allah are one and the same. Although in Arabic the word Allah has many connotations that the English word “God” does not have, it felt important to use both, since the majority of Muslims are not born Arabic speakers. Also, since Allah transcends all language, I will often speak metaphorically in expressing different aspects of His holy qualities by using symbols and metaphors. 2. After the words “Prophet Muhammad,” “Prophet,” or “Muhammad” you will find the following Arabic symbol, , which stands for salla Allahu alayhi wa-sallam and translates to “Peace and blessings be upon him.” This emblem is included in the text because Allah says in the Qur’an to send blessings upon the Prophet every time his name is mentioned. As the Qur’an says, “Allah and His angels shower blessings upon the Prophet. Oh you who believe, send blessings on him and salute him with worthy greetings of peace” (33:56). In a sense, when we send blessings upon the Prophet we are following the sacred path (sunnah) of Allah and His angels. 3. Outside of reciting the words of the Qur’an, whenever the Prophet Muhammad spoke, his words were referred to as Hadith. These “Prophetic sayings” paired with the written

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have said that the word Rahman linguistically implies that it is happening in the here and now.11 In other words, Allah is loving, caring, and merciful not just in a general sense, but in this very moment right now.12 Allah emphasizes His name, The Most Merciful (Ar-Rahman), over His name, The Most Loving (Al-Wadud) because Rahman is all- encompassing and present in all places and times. Love is not separate from but enfolded into the meaning of Rahman. “Limitless is your Lord in His Mercy” QUR’AN 6:147 Allah’s Rahman is like the sky, it covers everything in existence, including us and the worst of our sins. We were created from Allah’s mercy, and the Qur’an was sent like a ladder from Heaven to Earth, so that we could get closer to the Divine. Allah has opened the door for us; it is up to us whether we walk into the palace of His mercy and love. The Importance of Divine Justice It is important to understand that God’s mercy and justice go hand in hand. The word for justice in Arabic is ‘adl, which at its root means “to proportion, to create symmetry, to be equitable.” In other words, harmony and balance are dependent on justice. Jewish mystics metaphorically describe God’s justice as scolding hot water that, if poured on its own into a clay vessel, would break it. God’s mercy is described as freezing cold water; if poured on its own into a clay vessel, it would also break it. But if you pour them together, a neutralizing balance is created, preventing the vessel from breaking. The clay vessel in this story is a metaphor for the human heart, which is unable to contain only God’s mercy or only God’s justice. If God was only merciful there would be chaos on Earth because there would be no accountability; however, if God was only just there would be no one on Earth because no human being is perfect. As breathes the spark of life into us and plants in us a longing to experience these truths for ourselves.” —NURA LAIRD; MEd, Professor at the University of Sufism, Chair of the Department of Spiritual Peacemaking, Mediator, Sufi healer and Counselor “I am simply entranced by Helwa’s metaphors and insights. The bulk of her sentences are poetry in motion and studded with pearls of wisdom. Fragrant with beauty. Many of the sentences are musical. You can rap with them. Enchanting! The creative way Helwa has integrated her heart knowledge into her understanding of Islam is stunning.” —IMAM JAMAL RAHMAN Author of Spiritual Gems of Islam: Insights & Practices from the Qur’an, Hadith, Rumi & Muslim Teaching Stories to Enlighten the Heart & Mind “Secrets of Divine Love is the product of A. Helwa’s earnest search for truth and meaning. It is also her invitation to us, the readers, to see what she has seen. This is a fascinating book that offers various profound insights and a vision of Islam—and indeed the Divine—that many readers will surely find enlightening and uplifting.” —MOHAMMAD KHALIL Professor of Islamic Studies at Michigan State University “Secrets of Divine Love opens with one word: ‘Love.’ This word appears and reappears, until the reader comes to understand only a fraction of the ways that God pours His light on them. Helwa guides the reader through a spiritual journey, highlighting aspects of Islamic spirituality, practices, and tenets of the faith. This book serves as a contemporary primer on Islam, and blends passages from the Qur’an with reflection and discussion prompts for the reader. One regularly is flushed with examples of God’s compassion, kindness, forgiveness, patience, and comfort. This is simply a wonderful book, written with care and precision, weaving us into God’s beautiful tapestry.”Each moment contains a hundred messages from God. To every cry of, 'Oh God,' He answers a hundred times, 'I am here.' " of love.16 The variation in this spectrum occurs not because Allah is withholding from us, but because of our forgetfulness and the veils that result from our misperceptions, false identities, and sins. Just as the sun doesn’t stop shining if we close our eyes, when we sin it is not that God hates us, but rather we who are closed off from experiencing His love.17 “Moonlight floods the whole sky from horizon to horizon; How much it can fill your room depends on its windows.” RUMI Allah loves and provides for whom He wills “without accounting” (3:37), so if we feel limitations, they exist in the containment of our receiving and not in the outpouring of His giving. Some linguists say that the word Allah is based on the word waliha, which translates to a love that is so passionate and ecstatic that it completely transcends the senses.18 This implies that to know God we have to surrender our minds, everything we are, and everything we know in exchange for love, because self-surrender to divine love is the only path to God. Unlike the angels, we have been given the gift of not only knowing of love, but becoming it. Since Allah is the origin of all love, to know Him you must drown in the essence of love. To know Him you must be empty of yourself entirely, for love leaves no witnesses. How can there be two with the One? We must stop trying to understand with our limiting minds what the heart already knows. As Rumi says, “I looked in Temples, Churches, and Mosques. But I found the Divine in my heart.” In this poem, Rumi reminds us that God is most brilliantly reflected in the mirror of the spiritual heart, which is the seat of consciousness. God Transcends the Human Mind God is limitless. It is our vision of God that is limited to the qualities we seek in the world and reflect within our own existence. Since we see the world through the filter of how we see ourselves, Love. It is the reason there is something instead of nothing. It is from the soil of love that all of existence blossoms into being. Love is why we are here. Love is why you are holding these words in your hands, speaking them on your tongue, or hearing them with your ears. This book did not call you or find you because of who I am, but because of how loving God is. Love. It is the reason there is something instead of nothing. It is from the soil of love that all of existence blossoms into being.” Secrets of Divine Love was written for the longing heart, for the one who is searching for something they have not been able to find. For the one who sometimes spirals into hopelessness and cannot help but feel too imperfect for a perfect God to love. This book is for the one who is at the edge of their faith, who has experienced religion as a harsh winter instead of the life-bearing spring it was sent to be by God.

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CONTENTS Introduction Reading with an Open Heart Chapter 1—Allah: The Origin of Love The Mystery of “Allah” The Divine Door Is Always Open Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim: The Spiritual Secrets of God’s Mercy The Importance of Divine Justice God’s Mercy Gives Us More Than We Deserve Allah Is Love God Transcends the Human Mind How the Universe Points to God Who Created God? How to Have an Intimate Connection with God Reflection: The Mystery of Breath Reflection: Everywhere You Look Is the Face of Allah Chapter 2—Who Are You? Who You Are to God The Infinite Faces of God The Honor of the Human Being The Fitra and the Innate Goodness of Man Adam and Eve and the Devil The Power of Gratitude Sin and ForgetfulnessSecrets of Divine Love opens with one word: ‘Love.’ This word appears and reappears, until the reader comes to understand only a fraction of the ways that God pours His light on them. Helwa guides the reader through a spiritual journey, highlighting aspects of Islamic spirituality, practices, and tenets of the faith. This book serves as a contemporary primer on Islam, and blends passages from the Qur’an with reflection and discussion prompts for the reader. One regularly is flushed with examples of God’s compassion, kindness, forgiveness, patience, and comfort. This is simply a wonderful book, written with care and precision, weaving us into God’s beautiful tapestry." divine compassion transcends time and space, providing for the good, the bad and everything in between. In the 114 chapters of the Qur’an, 114 times Allah says Bismillahi Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim, which can be translated as “In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Bestower of Mercy.”10 In Arabic, these words do not just denote mercy, but also carry the qualities of love, forgiveness, aid, compassion, passion, assistance, protection, concern, tenderness, and forgiveness. Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim are both derived from the verb rahima, which refers to “being merciful, loving, and caring in a way that benefits the object of the affection.” In other words, God is making us, the creation, the emphasis of His infinite grace and most loving qualities. While Ar-Rahim is seen as God’s qualities of love and mercy in action, Ar-Rahman is God’s nature of mercy, love, and grace. Ar-Rahim is a specified form of mercy that is given to those who open their hearts to God, longing for the light of His love, whereas Ar-Rahman shines upon all of creation without discrimination. Both Ar-Rahim and Ar-Rahman originate from the Arabic word rahm meaning “womb.” This implies that we can only experience the truth of God’s message from the all-embracing womb of His mercy, love, compassion, and grace. Ar-Rahman is seen as the mother of all the divine names, for it is through the all- encompassing womb of God’s Rahman that the universe was manifested into being. In Arabic, the word Rahman is known as a sigatul mubaalagha or hyperbole, which refers to a word that is excessive and extraordinary. For example, a’tash is a word you would use to say you are thirsty, but the form a’tshan means you are desperately thirsty. Another example would be the word ghadhib, which is used to say you are angry, but the form ghadhban means you are infuriated with anger. In this case, rahma means mercy, but the form Rahman is an extreme, infinite form of mercy that is beyond what can be understood by the human mind. Some grammarians also It suddenly became clear to me that the whole purpose of faith is not to be good enough before we begin on the path to God, but to come with all our deficiencies to God, knowing that only He can fill in our gaps through His mercy. As the mystics say, “Before you speak, let your words pass through three gates. At the first gate, ask yourself, ‘Is it true?’ at the second ask, ‘Is it necessary?’ and at the third gate ask, ‘Is it kind?”

OF DIVINE LOVE, Spiritual Journey into the Heart of SECRETS OF DIVINE LOVE, Spiritual Journey into the Heart of

Secrets of Divine Love takes you on a journey through the mysterious names of God and His unconditional mercy and love for you. It then delves into who you are and how the Qur’an can be used as a map for manifesting your greatest potential. By unveiling the spiritual secrets that are hidden in the heart of Islam’s pillars, principles and practices, this book calls you to contemplate the divine beauty that is imbedded in every atom of existence. Secrets of Divine Love is a reminder that no matter who you are God’s love is like a healing balm that can mend your soul and reignite the spark of faith within you. Nggak cuma penjelasan-penjelasan secara teoritis dan puitis, di sini juga ada serangkaian latihan praktis serta tips dan trik yang bisa kita praktekin dalam rangka menjemput kembali cinta Tuhan. So menurut ane ini bagus banget, karena Helwa ngga cuma pengen kita menyadari kuasa Tuhan dalam hati belaka, tetapi juga diterapkan dalam kehidupan menjadi sebuah aksi yang menjembatani hubungan kita dengan Tuhan. How distractions during your daily devotions can surprisingly bring you closer to God, and much, much more! Oiya, dalam buku ini Helwa sering menggunakan kata "Allah" untuk Tuhannya umat Islam dan "Tuhan" untuk sembahan manusia secara keseluruhan. Jadi secara tersirat, Helwa nggak cuma menegaskan bukti Maha Cinta-nya Allah, tetapi juga bukti cinta Tuhan secara universal, sehingga menurut ane, buku ini juga cocok dibaca oleh Non Muslim.

Nothing I say can explain to you divine love, yet all of creation cannot seem to stop talking about it." Secrets of Divine Love: A Spiritual Journey into the Heart of Islam is an inspiring guide that will lead you towards the hidden meaning of the Qur'an through passion and joy. Written with care and precision, Helwa’s metaphoric insights invite you on her earnest search for truth and understanding. By accessing the inner workings of the Islamic tradition, your struggles in faith will be met with a deeper connection to Allah rooted in compassion. Give Like the Sun Gives to the Earth Reflection: Reflecting Divine Light Chapter 9—Ramadan: The Holy Month of Fasting The Month of Endless Mercy Becoming Receptive to Divine Guidance The Spiritual Stages of Fasting The Outer Fast of the Limbs The Inner Fast of the Senses and Mind The Heart-Centered Fast Laylatul Qadr: The Night of Power The End Is the Beginning Only for the Sake of Allah Reflection: Observing the Illusion Chapter 10—Hajj: A Pilgrimage to God Prophet Abraham: The Father of Monotheism The Mysteries of the Kaaba Mystical Symbolism in the Rituals of Hajj Every Moment Is Hajj Reflection: What Is in the Kaaba of Your Heart? Chapter 11—The Spiritual Secrets of Death The Pricelessness of Time Losing a Loved One This Is Not Your Home Impermanence and the Hidden Mercy of God Death Unveils the Truth If You Fear Death, This Is Why Whoever you are, I am certain you will find this book one day, and when you do I want you to know that God loves you. Your prayer meant so much to God that He brought dozens of people together, dedicating their lives to creating this work to answer your sincere calling. I often think of you and how this book belongs to you. After all, it was your love and longing that put into motion something that is beyond me. Whenever there is a direct reference to a particular revelation of the Qur’an you will find the sentence followed by two numbers separated by a colon, i.e. (57:4). The first number, in this case 57, refers to the chapter (surah); the second number after the colon, in this case 4, refers to the verse ( ayah)within the 57th chapter. A citation of (1:5-7) simply means that the quoted text is from the first chapter as denoted by the 1 and is referring to verses 5 through 7. I have also put these numbers after my own sentences that were inspired by a particular verse in the Qur’an.