What is Divine Love?

When we talk about divine love, everyone describes it from a different perspective.
Some call it a fire, others call it an ocean. Some say it is the path of sacrifice.
Whatever the answer may be, one thing seems constant: pain and even death are always part of it.

So what is it about divine love that, despite so much difficulty and suffering, people are still drawn toward it?

Let’s understand this through a famous spiritual concept—and then look at it scientifically as well.

The Concept: The Moth and the Light

A moth follows the light and keeps returning to it again and again—until it dies.

The Poetic & Literary Aspect

In Urdu and Persian literature, the moth (Parwana) and the candle (Shama) are powerful symbols of selfless love and sacrifice.

• Symbol of the Lover:
  The moth represents a true lover who is willing to burn itself to ashes for the sake of the beloved (the light).

Many poets have expressed this idea in their own way:

• Allama Iqbal: Saw the moth as a passionate seeker whose ultimate desire is to burn in the light.
• Mirza Ghalib: Believed the moth’s sacrifice has purpose—no one dies without a deeper spiritual meaning.
• Bahadur Shah Zafar: Portrayed the moth as a faithful lover who will find the beloved wherever it exists.
• Mir Taqi Mir: Focused on the silent suffering and dignity in the moth’s final annihilation.
• Jigar Moradabadi: Viewed the moth as a devotee whose entire life is justified by a single moment of sacrifice.
• Amir Meenai: Highlighted the tragedy of the moth’s unwavering desire versus the candle’s indifference.
• Mirza Sauda: Considered the moth’s ashes sacred—symbolizing a heart purified by fire.

Even Western writers reflected on this idea:

• Virginia Woolf: Saw the moth as a “bead of pure life,” showing the fragile yet intense energy of existence.
• Robert Frost: Used a dead moth to question whether darkness has its own hidden design.
• Percy Bysshe Shelley: Spoke of “the desire of the moth for the star,” symbolizing longing for the divine.
• Don Marquis: Suggested that the moth chooses to “burn with beauty” rather than live a dull life.
• Emily Dickinson: Found deep meaning in the moth’s delicate and fleeting existence.
• Tennessee Williams: Used the moth as a symbol of sensitivity unable to bear the harsh light of reality.

The Scientific Reason

• Transverse Orientation:
  Moths use distant light sources like the moon as a compass, maintaining a fixed angle to fly straight.

• Optical Confusion:
  When the light source is nearby (like a bulb), the angle constantly changes, causing the moth to spiral inward.

• The Trap:
  Because artificial light is too close, the moth’s navigation system fails—leading it to circle endlessly or crash into the light.

So scientifically, the moth is not in love—it is simply trapped in a survival mechanism it cannot understand.

Then Why Do Humans Do It?

Why do humans willingly choose a path of truth that is full of difficulty?

What’s the “pull”?

When a person truly realizes what darkness is—and how it slowly consumes the inner light—it creates a powerful storm within.

A storm so intense that a person no longer behaves like an ordinary human.
He becomes like the moth.

He accepts the struggle.

He moves toward the light again and again.

Eventually, the “grey areas” of life become unbearable to him.
Those shadows remind him of the darkness he once carried within himself.

So he keeps returning—again and again—not to die, but to purify himself.

The Reality of Divine Love

This continuous struggle is the true essence of divine love.

It does not demand perfection.
It demands consistency.

This constant movement creates an inner heat—
and that heat becomes the source of light within.

A light that slowly removes all darkness from the soul.

Attributed from Rumi 

The moth dies in the light…

      Being Muslim, we all have read the Qur’an. We notice that every Surah and its verses carry a beautiful rhythm and powerful expression—almost like perfect poetry that conveys deep meaning.

We have heard that when Prophet Muhammad ﷺ appeared as a Prophet in Arabia, poetry was highly valued. Arabs took great pride in their language and poetic skills.

Then Allah revealed the Qur’an through the Prophet ﷺ—words that Arabs had never heard before. They understood the language, yet they had never seen such a perfect composition.

That is why some of them said (نعوذ بالله):

“He is a magician”

“He is a (poet)”

“He is Enchanted”

Because Prophet Muhammad did not receive any formal education, people were amazed that a person who could not read or write was speaking such profound words. This became a clear proof that he is the Prophet of Allah.

Some people tried to investigate where this poetry came from. Others claimed:

 “We can produce something like this.”

Then the Qur’an gave an open challenge 

Surah Al-Baqarah (2:23)

وَإِن كُنتُمْ فِي رَيْبٍ مِّمَّا نَزَّلْنَا عَلَىٰ عَبْدِنَا فَأْتُوا بِسُورَةٍ مِّن مِّثْلِهِ وَادْعُوا شُهَدَاءَكُم مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ

“And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down upon Our servant, then produce a surah like it and call your witnesses besides Allah, if you are truthful.”

Similar challenge in other surahs 

Surah Yunus (10:38)

 Surah Hud (11:13)

Surah At-Tur (52:34)

This was not just about writing—it was about matching its truth, depth, and impact.

For understanding this challenge first we need to decode:

 What is Poetry?

Writers and experts often define poetry as:

 An expression where words are arranged beautifully in a small form to convey deep meaning and

secret code words

When someone reads poetry:

They relate to it

They feel understood

They find answers within it

They feel peace

That is why people share poetry—it reflects their inner feelings.

 Now Coming to the Qur’an

The Qur’an is the Book of Allah, and there is no doubt in it.

What does the Qur’an do?

 It talks to you

You read it and feel: “This is about me”

It is a complete book, and within it there is something for every human being.

Allah made it a book of guidance until the Day of Judgment.

 I repeat: Guidance (نصیحت)

Why Guidance Sometimes Feels Hard

Advice (نصیحت) can feel uncomfortable.

Why?

Because when a person sees a reflection of themselves they don’t want to face, they escape toward comfort instead of truth.

Allah's take about on Poets

Surah Ash-Shu'ara (26:224–226)

Arabic:

وَالشُّعَرَاءُ يَتَّبِعُهُمُ الْغَاوُونَ

أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّهُمْ فِي كُلِّ وَادٍ يَهِيمُونَ

وَأَنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ مَا لَا يَفْعَلُونَ

“And the poets are followed by those who go astray.

Do you not see that they wander in every valley?

And that they say what they do not do?”

 Why Allah criticized poets?

They speak on every topic

They exaggerate

They often lack truth

They create things that don’t exist

But There is an Exception

Surah Ash-Shu‘arā’ (26:227)

إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَذَكَرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا وَانتَصَرُوا مِن بَعْدِ مَا ظُلِمُوا ۗ وَسَيَعْلَمُ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا أَيَّ مُنقَلَبٍ يَنقَلِبُونَ

“Except those who believe, do righteous deeds, remember Allah كثيرا (abundantly), and defend themselves after they have been wronged (ظلم). And those who ظلم will soon know to what return they will return.”

 So not all poets are wrong—only those who mislead.

 Why Do People Get Misguided?

Intention (Niyyah)

Your intention decides:

Whether you seek truth

Or arguments

Or comfort

Or personal benefit

If someone reads the Qur’an:

To attack specific person and find a lead to protect their argument→ they may misinterpret

To seek guidance → they will be guided

Understanding the Qur’an

Many people say:

“First learn Arabic, then read the Qur’an.”

Yes, Arabic is the original and most powerful form.

But:

The Qur’an is guidance for all humanity

Translation in your language is enough for guidance

If your intention is sincere, Allah will guide you

Even hearing it in your own language can change you.

Scientific Signs

   1. Expanding Universe: "And the heaven We constructed with strength, and indeed, We are [its] expander" (Surah Adh-Dhariyat 51:47).

   2. The Big Bang: "Have those who disbelieved not considered that the heavens and the earth were a joined entity, and We separated them?" (Surah Al-Anbiya 21:30).

   3. Origin of Life: "We made from water every living thing. Then will they not believe?" (Surah Al-Anbiya 21:30).

   4. Iron's Origin: "And We sent down iron, in which is great military might and benefits for the people" (Surah Al-Hadid 57:25).

   5. Mountains as Stakes: "Have We not made the earth a resting place? And the mountains as stakes?" (Surah An-Naba 78:6-7).

 These are not just words—they are truths that were confirmed later.

Deep Insight

The challenge of the Qur’an was not just to:

Write something similar

But to:

Match its truth

Prove it

Sustain its meaning

 That is why no one could meet the challenge.

Final Reflection

No human can ever gain complete knowledge.

Allah gives each person only what they are meant to receive.

 So:

Keep your intention pure

Read or listen to the Qur’an

Because it truly speaks to you

دسترس میں موجود چیزوں کو و فدا کر دینا ہی اصل قربانی ہے 

انگور کھٹے ہے یہ کوئی قربانی نہیں ہے یہ تو اوسط درجے کا صبر ہے 

جس میں ہر ممکن کوشش کے بعد دل کو سمجھا لیا جاتا ہے 

(راست)

 Sacrificing the available things is the true sacrifice

“The grapes are sour” it’s not a sacrifice.

it’s only an average kind of patience where the heart

got convinced after every possible effort

(Raast)

In Sufi poetry, we often hear that the color of divine love is white.

But what is white? Only the one who has truly experienced love can fully understand it.

Still, we try to understand this through the Qur'an and science.

 What Does the Qur’an Say About 

“Allah’s Color”?

Allah says:

— Surah Al-Baqarah 2:138

صِبْغَةَ اللَّهِ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللَّهِ صِبْغَةً

“(We are) the color of Allah, and who is better than Allah in coloring?”

This raises a deep question:

 What is the color of Allah?

  Allah Introduces Himself as Light

Allah says:

— Surah An-Nur 24:35

اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ

“Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth”

So now the question becomes:

What is light?

 Understanding Light (Science Perspective)

At night, stars appear in different colors (white, yellow, bluish, reddish)

In the day, the sun shines strongly

Because of this light, we can see all colors

Light reveals colors—it contains them

 Rain, Purity & the Rainbow

After rain, we see a rainbow (7 colors).

Science says:

Air becomes clean

Water droplets remain in air

Light splits into colors

Reflection:

Rain removes dust

Air becomes pure

Light shows its true nature

 This shows a process of purification

Human Creation from Clay 

The Qur’an tells us humans are created from (clay).

Mix 7 colors in form of bigment → brown / dark brown = Clay color 

Why do seven colors combine into a muddy color? The explanation will come later in this reflection.

But Yes, white paint exists.
Its source is also nature, like titanium dioxide (TiO₂) which is used most commonly today.
If it is not directly available, it is taken from things like sand or rocks and then processed in factories. After that it is turned into paint.
So basically, its origin is still nature, but we convert it into usable form through processing. 

Now let’s come to how white light is formed:

Basic idea:

Isaac Newton used a prism to split sunlight into a spectrum of colors. Then he performed a reverse experiment by passing those separated colors through another prism (or a lens system) in the opposite direction, which combined them back into a single beam of white light. This showed that white light can be reconstructed from all the colors of the spectrum.

Modern engineering has made this concept even more advanced.

 Black as Absorption 

Black Absorbs all colors

Hides their existence

That’s why you never see light as black.
Black means the absence of light, and if there is any color, black will make it dim.

For Example 

A Cloth is yellow

Black color falls on it → it becomes black

Yellow disappears

 Can yellow come back by adding more yellow?

❌ No

What is required?

Remove black through bleaching

Then apply yellow again

⚠️ Risk:

Too much bleach can damage fabric

Requires careful treatment 

Because Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said.

Arabic:
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ:
«إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا أَخْطَأَ خَطِيئَةً نُكِتَتْ فِي قَلْبِهِ نُكْتَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ، فَإِذَا نَزَعَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ وَتَابَ صُقِلَ قَلْبُهُ، وَإِنْ عَادَ زِيدَ فِيهَا حَتَّى تَعْلُوَ قَلْبَهُ…»

“When a servant commits a sin, a black spot appears on his heart. If he stops, seeks forgiveness, and repents, his heart is cleansed. But if he returns (to sin), it increases until it covers his heart…”

Reference:
Jamiʿ al-Tirmidhi (3334), Ibn Majah (4244) — graded Hasan.

Sin = black dot

Repeated sin = spreading darkness

Eventually it can cover the heart completely

But through Taqwa, the original purity can be restored. 

but this purification is a careful process, otherwise you’ll end up tearing the fabric

 Role of White (Purity & Protection)

White:

Reflects light

Does not hide colors

Allows all colors to exist

 Spiritually:

White protects purity

Keeps your original nature safe

Does not suppress uniqueness

Like a rainbow:

Colors appear when environment is pure 

When Allah’s mercy (rain) is present

 Human Reality (Body & Noor)

Human body = clay (earthly form)

Inner reality = light (divine essence)

The body is like a garment

To protect light inside you and hides it 

Why?

A human is a physical being, so each person carries a different light within. Allah never wants it to turn black—it is about acceptance, so that the light within you can meet and support others, forming a perfect rainbow. Then, together, all of us become a pure white light And that's the color of Allah.

But before that, we all need to know ourselve

Saying attributed to Imam Ali (A.S):

Arabic:

مَنْ عَرَفَ نَفْسَهُ فَقَدْ عَرَفَ رَبَّهُ

“Whoever knows himself, knows his Lord.”

And How to discover  the color most dominant within you? 

Read this article.

👉   Why Every Human is UNIQUE in Islam? (The Divine Secret formula)

جب تک دل میں محبت کا ایک بھی ذرہ موجود رہتا ہے، 

یہ کبھی بنجر نہیں ہوتا۔ 

(راست)

As long as a spark of love exists in the heart,

it never becomes barren.

(Raast)

 Flowers bloom only in that place

 where her touch once awakened the branches.

(Raast)

(راست)