Al-Ḥallāj and the Game of Love

 Al-Ḥallāj and the Game of Love 

Al-Ḥusayn ibn Manṣūr al-Ḥallāj  was a sufi par excellence, a true mad lover of Truth, a hopeless romantic in the drama of mysticism. During later years of his life, his inhibitions of diplomacy, religious training and social civility wore off; perhaps he had found something so intoxicating, much more than what packets of LSD and jugs of gin may provide. He would cry and weep, wallowing in the mud in the floor. I better tell you, had I or you to witness one such person in today's time, we would perhaps have no better opinion of him than what the society in Baghdad then did. But what got to their nerves, was his direct, yet unintended attack on formalised religion. He would cry loudly, much to their blesphemous perception, "Oh Moslems, save me from  Allah". Yes you read that right— "save me FROM Allah".

At yet other occasions, he would reinterpret the chant "La ilaha  illallah" (Kuran 37:35) and say fools remain at understading this to mean monotheism [there is no deity but Allah] ; the wise know with certainty " There is Nothing but Allah". He mystically was hinting at monism. He asserted, even the ego must be dissolved in divine fana. He meant with it, giving up the pride of "MY god" as well.

This surely pushed the society over the edge. They simply could not stand him anymore. They could no longer excuse his "blabberings" as drunkard rubbish.  And as the mass think, so the leader, even in an autocracy, believe me. It soon became impossible for his death even to be dignified. Perhaps he wished it so, happily. He was denounced by the court and relegated to some time in prison, following which he would be tortured to death. 

Sparing the readers the details of the gory, barbaric torture, here is what happened on the eve of his persecution:

 Manṣūr al-Ḥallāj stood upon the gallows —  
serene, luminous, untouched by fear. 

Those who condemned him for uttering “Ana’l-Ḥaqq” — I am the Truth —  
crowded around and mocked him: 

“Will your Beloved Truth save you now? 
Watch as Allah punishes your blasphemy.” 

Al-Ḥallāj smiled and replied: 

“Fools! In the game of love, 
the lover willingly chooses to lose —  
for in losing, he pleases the Beloved. 
I am so free that I choose bondage. 
I choose my Beloved’s will over my own.” 

And on the day of judgement, 
as his blood streamed from open wounds, 
he smeared it across his torn face and laughed with wild joy. The executioner, bewildered, asked: 
“Why do you smile in such pain?” 

He whispered: 

“I would not have my Beloved 
see me writhing in agony. 
I would not have Him behold 
a face distorted by suffering. 
I seek not His pity nor His tears —  
I seek only Him.” 

Further reading

Sadhguru on Mansur Al-Hallaj, the Sufi mystic

A Musical rendering of "There is Nothing but God"

References

"Execution of Husain Ibn Mansur Al-hallaj". The Morgan Library & Museum. November 22, 2013. Retrieved April 30, 2021.