Love Transcends Logic

For Rumi, love (‘ishq or mahabbah) is not merely an emotion or a romantic sentiment, but the fundamental, dynamic energy of the universe that supersedes all forms of intellectual learning. He defines love as an attribute of God Himself, declaring that while fear is an attribute of the servant, love is a quality of the Divine ,. Because it is an infinite ocean with no visible depth, love cannot be contained by speech, hearing, or the logical parameters of the human mind.

The Limitations of Logic and Intellect 

Rumi frequently contrasts the "partial intellect" (‘aql-i juzvi)—the logical, discursive mind used for daily affairs—with the transformative power of love. He argues that while the intellect is useful for procuring a livelihood, it is utterly incapable of explaining or attaining the Divine. Rumi famously asserts that in the exposition of love, the intellect collapses "like an ass in the mire".

While the pen can write about other subjects with haste, Rumi notes that when it attempts to write about love, it splits in two. Logic is portrayed as cautious and calculating, always seeking a profit, whereas love is reckless, creating a "destructive downstroke" that ruins the personality to reveal the treasure beneath. Rumi suggests that intelligence is of Iblis (Satan), who argued via logic, while love is of Adam . Therefore, to expound on love, one must abandon the intellect, for "love alone" can explain love.

Transcending Books and Scholarship

Rumi’s definition of love explicitly rejects bookish learning (‘ilm) as a means to the Truth. He states that love does not reside in "notes" or "pages and pamphlets". This detachment from scholarly knowledge is illustrated by the pivotal moment in Rumi's life when Shams-e Tabriz threw Rumi’s books into water (or fire, in some accounts), declaring that the mystical state is something Rumi’s books did not contain.

Rumi warns that those who are content with the "husk" of knowledge never reach the "kernel" of truth. He likens the scholar to a donkey laden with books—burdened by information but devoid of insight. True knowledge, according to Rumi, is not acquired through texts but through the burning of the self in the fire of love; he declares, "I am the slave of that Moon who has burned the books".

Love as the Motive Force of Evolution

Rumi defines love as the eternal force responsible for the existence and evolution of the cosmos. He asserts that "if there had not been Love, how should there have been existence?". It is the cosmic energy that prevents the universe from freezing.

Rumi describes an evolutionary ascent driven by this force:

• Inorganic to Organic: Love compels the inorganic to enter the organic kingdom.

• Biological Growth: It causes plants to enter the animal spirit.

• Spiritual Ascension: It leads the spirit to sacrifice itself for the Divine Breath.

Every particle in the universe is described as desiring its mate, functioning like amber and straw, drawn together by the fore-ordainment of Divine Love.

The Alchemical and Healing Nature of Love 

Rumi defines love as a discipline and a medicine that transforms the very nature of the lover. He refers to love as "our Plato and our Galen," the physician of all ills, capable of curing pride and vainglory. Through the alchemy of love:

• Copper becomes gold.

• Dregs become clear.

• The dead are made living.

• The king becomes a slave.

The Astrolabe of God’s Mysteries 

Ultimately, Rumi defines love as the "astrolabe of the mysteries of God". Just as an astrolabe is used to calculate the position of the stars, love is the instrument through which the seeker sights the Divine. Whether love is earthly or spiritual, Rumi insists that it ultimately leads us "yonder" to God . It is a flame that, when it blazes, consumes everything except the Beloved, acting as the "destroyer of polytheism" by removing the illusion of a self separate from God.