The Fire of Ishq

In Sufi thought, Ishq is not romance. It is a purifying fire. It burns through illusions, pretenses, and borrowed beliefs until only the essence remains. Bahu’s call — “Burn in love!” — is not a metaphor for passion but for purification.

Most of us seek warmth, not fire. We want the light of love without its heat. We want to be seen, not stripped. But Bahu says: “You cannot see Truth while you are still hiding from yourself.”

The fire he speaks of is not external suffering; it is the inner friction between who we pretend to be and who we truly are. When the mask begins to melt, the fragrance of authenticity rises — that is the smoke of awakening.