Passionate love (Islam)

This love is described as the operation of a heart which is empty or unpreoccupied, a madness leading to sorrow or death. It has been referred to as a disease similar to melancholy. According to Ibn al-Jawzi, it is the acute inclination of the nafs or soul towards a form which conforms to its nature. Thinking intently on this form it imagines obtaining it, then begins to hope to obtain it, and from this intense thought comes love. It could be termed an excess of feeling and, of its nature, can be felt towards one person only although, in practice, it may be dissipated among a number of partners. Although love for one's family and affection are natural and not to be blamed, passionate love possesses the reason and makes the person act in an unwise way. It is therefore to be avoided. It leads to idolatry and is the opposite of tawhid (spirituality which is monotheistic).

There is difference of opinion as to whether 'ishq is an appropriate term when referring to love for God. In that it implies desire it is used when the possibility of consummated love (mahabba) between God and man is disputed. It is also used in the sense of excessive and firmly planted love towards God. It may not be strong enough, even then, to describe the degree of love felt for God's attributes. In mystic terms, five stages of 'ishq are enumerated by al-Dabbagh: gharam (infatuation), iftitan (seduction), walah (loss of discernment), dahsh (bafflement) and fana (annihilation).

One of the sins of passion (hawa) in Islam.