The Use of the Word “‘Ishq” in Religious Texts

Some Muslim thinkers have had disagreements over the use of the word “‘ishq” in religious texts since many years ago. The main claim made by those who prohibit the use of this word for the sacred associations such as God, the Prophet (s), and Imāms is that the meaning of this word is appropriate only to the material and carnal issues and so, it has not been used in religious texts and its concept has even been blamed in some traditions, but the philosophers and Sufis have promoted it in the form of poem and prose among Muslims inadvertently or in order to subvert the Muḥammadan Law. On the contrary, some researchers have relied on the literal meaning of the word “‘ishq” and some traditions to consider this term a constant added-nouns similar to ḥubb and bughḍ, which are not blameworthy or praiseworthy per se and are rather praised or blamed due to their associations. Therefore, we observe in the religious texts that the term “‘ishq” has been used in both meanings and it has been actually used more in a praiseworthy manner. The study at hand aims at strengthening the latter viewpoint. To this end, this article is divided into four parts: expressing the root and literal meaning of the word “‘ishq”, narrating and explaining the traditions that approve the use of “‘ishq” about the religious associations, narrating the traditions that blame “‘ishq” and analyzing the incorrect understandings made about suchlike traditions, and investigating and providing the final analysis about the various viewpoints to the associations of the word “‘ishq”.