Hannah

I’ve been reading a book by the Moroccan writer Fatima Mernissi lately. She recounts her childhood in a harem and mentions Hannah on several occasions—a quality she notes is uniquely Moroccan and one she rarely encountered in other parts of the world. While she admits that *hanan* is difficult to define, she suggests it is best described as an inexhaustible, boundless, and unconditional tenderness. Those who embody *hanan* never threaten to withdraw their affection, even if a mistake is made, whether large or small. To her, *hanan* is a divine gift; it flows like a geyser, showering tenderness upon others regardless of how they behave or whether they strictly follow religious laws. She believes only the most saintly and chosen individuals possess this quality, and that, much like the quiet beauty of nature, *hanan* is the only true remedy for deep human sorrow.

Are you familiar with this feeling? Have you ever experienced it, either receiving it from someone else or offering it to another? Do you believe such a sentiment exists across all cultures and nations? Is it something that can be consciously cultivated through practice, or do you agree with the author that it is a rare gift from God? Do you think *hanan* is a defining trait of truly spiritual people?

There are some striking similarities with this definition of love here:🙂

I think... said:So there isn't actually a contradiction... love is a state of consciousness rather than just a relationship. A person filled with love is, let's say, like a river that anyone can dip into. And naturally, those who are most connected to you in life will be the ones bathing in it most often. It flows for everyone equally, yet its path doesn't cross every single person on this planet. Some people sail along with it their entire lives, forming a unique bond with it. But at the end of the day, it’s just a river... it doesn't flow because of those specific people; it flows simply because that is its very nature.

mistybison said:I’ve been reading a book by the Moroccan writer Fatima Mernissi lately. She recounts her childhood in a harem and mentions Hannah on several occasions—a quality she notes is uniquely Moroccan and one she rarely encountered in other parts of the world. While she admits that *hanan* is difficult to define, she suggests it is best described as an inexhaustible, boundless, and unconditional tenderness. Those who embody *hanan* never threaten to withdraw their affection, even if a mistake is made, whether large or small. To her, *hanan* is a divine gift; it flows like a geyser, showering tenderness upon others regardless of how they behave or whether they strictly follow religious laws. She believes only the most saintly and chosen individuals possess this quality, and that, much like the quiet beauty of nature, *hanan* is the only true remedy for deep human sorrow.

Are you familiar with this feeling? Have you ever experienced it, either receiving it from someone else or offering it to another? Do you believe such a sentiment exists across all cultures and nations? Is it something that can be consciously cultivated through practice, or do you agree with the author that it is a rare gift from God? Do you think *hanan* is a defining trait of truly spiritual people?

I definitely know the feeling, though I suspect its roots go much deeper than just being an emotion.
Just a few random associations hitting me right now:
* halos

* cittavritti (mental fluctuations)

* virtues and vices (in my view, you can actually practice these even if they aren't directly tied to the ultimate goal—experiencing pure consciousness. They still have huge relative value; virtues act like antennas helping us pick up higher vibrations, or perhaps they're just spiritified matter)

* a post from St. Andrew in the thread about yami, which has some solid entries (shout out to crazy, n&n, and St. Andrew) covering similar ground

* Karl Rodgers' book "How to Become a Personality" (the whole thing practically reeks of "tenderness" toward the people he worked with)
and
Erik Bern's "What's up job healthy" (which breaks down the games people play and hints at how to stop playing them—which, again, leads back to spontaneity and "tenderness")

* inspiration—as perhaps the highest thing one human can offer another; passing on inner realization, or "spirit," through the veils of matter

I don't think the feeling is tied to any specific nationality, but it's possible that certain climates, social structures, religions, or even tech environments play a role.

Now, I certainly don't want to ruin anyone's pleasant little fantasy, but the first thing that struck me was the fact that this woman lived in a harem. I believe most people have a basic understanding of what a harem actually entails, and frankly, it seems to me that when individuals find themselves with zero agency in their lives, they tend to cling to these romanticized, fairy-tale notions just to justify their own circumstances.

mistybison said:I’ve been reading a book by the Moroccan writer Fatima Mernissi lately. She recounts her childhood in a harem and mentions Hannah on several occasions—a quality she notes is uniquely Moroccan and one she rarely encountered in other parts of the world. While she admits that *hanan* is difficult to define, she suggests it is best described as an inexhaustible, boundless, and unconditional tenderness. Those who embody *hanan* never threaten to withdraw their affection, even if a mistake is made, whether large or small. To her, *hanan* is a divine gift; it flows like a geyser, showering tenderness upon others regardless of how they behave or whether they strictly follow religious laws. She believes only the most saintly and chosen individuals possess this quality, and that, much like the quiet beauty of nature, *hanan* is the only true remedy for deep human sorrow.

Are you familiar with this feeling? Have you ever experienced it, either receiving it from someone else or offering it to another? Do you believe such a sentiment exists across all cultures and nations? Is it something that can be consciously cultivated through practice, or do you agree with the author that it is a rare gift from God? Do you think *hanan* is a defining trait of truly spiritual people?

I don't personally possess that. I find bits and pieces of tenderness here and there, but only in tiny amounts—usually when I'm around children.
I can muster plenty of patience and even some gentleness, but that deep, bottomless well of tenderness? No, not for me.
To be honest, if someone were constantly showering me with "hananan," I’d probably lose my mind.

I have to disagree with the author on this one; while it is a beautiful quality, calling it a divine gift... well, I'm not so sure.

Perhaps in our corner of the world and in this modern era, hananan manifests itself differently or carries a different name altogether.

mistybison said:I’ve been reading a book by the Moroccan writer Fatima Mernissi lately. She recounts her childhood in a harem and mentions Hannah on several occasions—a quality she notes is uniquely Moroccan and one she rarely encountered in other parts of the world. While she admits that *hanan* is difficult to define, she suggests it is best described as an inexhaustible, boundless, and unconditional tenderness. Those who embody *hanan* never threaten to withdraw their affection, even if a mistake is made, whether large or small. To her, *hanan* is a divine gift; it flows like a geyser, showering tenderness upon others regardless of how they behave or whether they strictly follow religious laws. She believes only the most saintly and chosen individuals possess this quality, and that, much like the quiet beauty of nature, *hanan* is the only true remedy for deep human sorrow.

Are you familiar with this feeling? Have you ever experienced it, either receiving it from someone else or offering it to another? Do you believe such a sentiment exists across all cultures and nations? Is it something that can be consciously cultivated through practice, or do you agree with the author that it is a rare gift from God? Do you think *hanan* is a defining trait of truly spiritual people?

Telema!
There are enlightened people out there—let's call them Love Masters—who have reached a level of awareness where they finally realize that everything is actually one. They understand that whatever you do to someone else, you’re doing to yourself. They live within the collective consciousness; they are one with everything, and everything is one with them. They... I can't work with just a single letter. Give me something to actually write...vetog A...I don't know what you're getting at... ČThey absorb everything around them. They fuse themselves so intensely with every single part of their environment because SAČ is nothing more than a reflection of who they are. To them, all of space is just one big lover, and every star is merely another facet of their passion...

The Orient is essentially one of the main sources of magical sex; you can find its elevated lyricism everywhere from "One Thousand and One Nights" to the poetry of Sufism...

Magical sex is basically built on this idea that you should idealize your partner during intimacy. You visualize them, feel them, touch them, smell them, taste them, hear them, and see them as the physical vessel for your SAČ...

The relationship between SAČ and their protege is built entirely on love...

They took the truths of the Orient and used them as the foundation for their entire culture, science, and art...

High priests and priestesses were trained in the art of love; their entire service was dedicated solely to God, because God is Love...

The exact same thing played out in India, China, and Egypt, as well as in several countries surrounding the Himalayas; back in the day, the entire human race was well aware of that fact...

Best regards...

Eric Lopez2

Agape!

Enchantress Asks:
I have recently been immersed in a book by the Moroccan writer Fatima Mernissi, which offers a profound look into her childhood spent within the confines of a harem. Throughout her narrative, she makes several references to... HannahShe speaks of a certain quality inherent to Moroccans, one she admits is a rare find in almost any other corner of the world. It is difficult to pin down exactly what hanan is, yet perhaps it is best described as an inexhaustible, bottomless, and unconditional tenderness. Those who possess this capacity to provide hanan never threaten to withdraw their affection, even if a mistake—be it minor or significant—is made unintentionally. Is it not true that hanan is a gift from God? It erupts like a natural geyser, spraying warmth and gentleness in every direction, regardless of whether the recipient deserves it or adheres strictly to God's laws. Only those who are truly holy and chosen can offer such a thing. Ultimately, she believes that hanan, much like the quiet beauty found in nature, serves as the only true remedy for the profound sorrows of the human condition.

Are you familiar with that particular sensation? Have you ever experienced it, perhaps receiving it from another soul or offering it to someone else? I find myself wondering if such a feeling exists universally, transcending all cultures and nations. Is it something one can consciously summon through practice, or would you agree with the author's sentiment that it is a divine gift bestowed only upon a rare few? Do you believe that hananan is the defining mark of those who live with a truly spiritual essence?

There is a particular hymn—a devotional song, if you will—that follows a certain melody and rhythm, something along these lines.

Ah, when does that rabbit appear?
Is there anything more profound than the mercy found within the embrace of Hannane?

Is it not possible that the intention here refers to something more abstract than a single, specific log or tree?
But really, isn't that just the way of things?

I am not particularly acquainted with this author's body of work, yet I find that this conversation provides more than enough incentive for me to go out and seek it out myself.

In many instances, one finds that this specific term is frequently employed by practitioners of Sufism to describe certain spiritual states or conditions—what they call *hal*—that individuals experience in their relationship with their Lord and toward other seekers on the path.

It was only yesterday that I unexpectedly crossed paths with such a charming admirer, and I found myself wondering... might what I felt in that fleeting moment be described as Hannan?
It is truly a profound sensation—that delicate moment when happiness and sorrow intertwine with love so deeply that it becomes overwhelming. Isn't it beautiful? It reaches such a height of intensity that one must make a conscious, deliberate effort just to hold back the tears that begin to well up in your eyes at that very instant. 😍

By the way, that truly is one of those rare gifts that isn't encountered very often, is it?

It bears a striking resemblance to the kind of love a parent holds for their own child, does it not? 🙂

What might Dante have chosen to sing at the final conclusion of his Divine Comedy? If one considers the profound spiritual ascent he endured, does it not stand to reason that his song would transcend mere poetry to become a pure, wordless vibration of cosmic harmony? One wonders if even the most masterful verses could truly capture that singular moment where the individual soul finally dissolves into the infinite light of the universe. Would he have sung of the struggle, or simply fallen into a silent, ecstatic awe before the majesty of God?
Is there any force more profound than a love capable of igniting the very sun and commanding the stars to shine?

A user named Ašik approaches you on the forum and simply copy-pastes his post from the Meidan thread, post number 10099:

Oh, when will those tears finally cease?
The merciful trunk, Hannane:
"You leave me behind, my love,
leaving me to mourn through nights and days!"

Jann Allah, Kadur Allah!
My heart has been pierced by a dagger,
so I cry out the zikrullah:
La ilahe illallah,
Muhammad!

"Ah, my dear Hannane,
be the sweetest date,
or perhaps a green cypress,
always more beautiful and young."

Jann Allah, Kadur Allah!
My heart has been pierced by a dagger,
so I cry out the zikrullah:
La ilahe illallah,
Muhammad!

"Ah, most Sultanov sultan,
the coral of this world,
I shall not cling to anything
that might turn to dust one day!"

Jann Allah, Kadur Allah!
My heart has been pierced by a dagger,
so I cry out the zikrullah:
La ilahe illallah,
Muhammad!

"Ah, my beloved Hannan,
you shall rise as a human being,
and you will teach within the bazaar,
smiling because of your joy!"

Jann Allah, Kadur Allah!
My heart has been pierced by a dagger,
so I cry out the zikrullah:
La ilahe illallah,
Muhammad!

Hannane—the trunk that served as the pulpit for the messenger, which wept when he departed it to move toward the first great mosque in Medina.
Jann – (Persian) soul
Kadur – (Arabic) Almighty
Sevlija – (Turkish) cypress
Merjan – (Arabic) coral

Eric Lopez2 said:Telema!
There are enlightened people out there—let's call them Love Masters—who have reached a level of awareness where they finally realize that everything is actually one. They understand that whatever you do to someone else, you’re doing to yourself. They live within the collective consciousness; they are one with everything, and everything is one with them. They... I can't work with just a single letter. Give me something to actually write...vetog A...I don't know what you're getting at... ČThey absorb everything around them. They fuse themselves so intensely with every single part of their environment because SAČ is nothing more than a reflection of who they are. To them, all of space is just one big lover, and every star is merely another facet of their passion...

The Orient is essentially one of the main sources of magical sex; you can find its elevated lyricism everywhere from "One Thousand and One Nights" to the poetry of Sufism...

Magical sex is basically built on this idea that you should idealize your partner during intimacy. You visualize them, feel them, touch them, smell them, taste them, hear them, and see them as the physical vessel for your SAČ...

The relationship between SAČ and their protege is built entirely on love...

They took the truths of the Orient and used them as the foundation for their entire culture, science, and art...

High priests and priestesses were trained in the art of love; their entire service was dedicated solely to God, because God is Love...

The exact same thing played out in India, China, and Egypt, as well as in several countries surrounding the Himalayas; back in the day, the entire human race was well aware of that fact...

Best regards...

Eric Lopez2

Agape!

There have always been people like this, and honestly, there always will be, no matter what labels you throw at them. The world just feels brighter knowing they're out there! Their inner glow hits different—it really sheds a whole new light on how incredible reality actually is. It’s all about being able to spot that spark deep down inside someone.

It might not be unique to Moroccans specifically—rather, it’s just expressed through their specific cultural lens. Think of it like being raised in a certain type of American household: if you grow up in an environment where affection is shown through physical touch and tenderness, expressing love that way becomes second nature—just as much as its opposite.

Eric Lopez2 said:Telema!
There are enlightened people out there—let's call them Love Masters—who have reached a level of awareness where they finally realize that everything is actually one. They understand that whatever you do to someone else, you’re doing to yourself. They live within the collective consciousness; they are one with everything, and everything is one with them. They... I can't work with just a single letter. Give me something to actually write...vetog A...I don't know what you're getting at... ČThey absorb everything around them. They fuse themselves so intensely with every single part of their environment because SAČ is nothing more than a reflection of who they are. To them, all of space is just one big lover, and every star is merely another facet of their passion...

The Orient is essentially one of the main sources of magical sex; you can find its elevated lyricism everywhere from "One Thousand and One Nights" to the poetry of Sufism...

Magical sex is basically built on this idea that you should idealize your partner during intimacy. You visualize them, feel them, touch them, smell them, taste them, hear them, and see them as the physical vessel for your SAČ...

The relationship between SAČ and their protege is built entirely on love...

They took the truths of the Orient and used them as the foundation for their entire culture, science, and art...

High priests and priestesses were trained in the art of love; their entire service was dedicated solely to God, because God is Love...

The exact same thing played out in India, China, and Egypt, as well as in several countries surrounding the Himalayas; back in the day, the entire human race was well aware of that fact...

Best regards...

Eric Lopez2

Agape!

😂

So where does everyone else live? 😁
And how can someone be "one" with you if you aren't one with them?

steeleagle13 said:😂

So where does everyone else live? 😁
And how can someone be "one" with you if you aren't one with them?

Thelema!
Most people—those who don't see reality as "all is one"—reside beneath the Abyss. They’re stuck in the realm of pure reason or intellect, or even lower, drifting through mere emotions and sensations.
The Masters of Love, or the Master Temple, dwell within the collective consciousness (the first level above the Abyss); specifically on its first step, within Neshamah, Sefirah Binah.
To actually perceive them—to reach that point where you are truly one with them just as they are with you—you have to "ascend" to their level...
The lesson: become a Master Temple...🙂
Agape!

Thelema!



Agape!

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this discussion. 🙂

Ryan Wilson2 said:Now, I certainly don't want to ruin anyone's pleasant little fantasy, but the first thing that struck me was the fact that this woman lived in a harem. I believe most people have a basic understanding of what a harem actually entails, and frankly, it seems to me that when individuals find themselves with zero agency in their lives, they tend to cling to these romanticized, fairy-tale notions just to justify their own circumstances.

Her mother, grandmother, and aunts all lived in a harem setting—though I am not referring to a harem as a place where one man lives with multiple women. Rather, it refers to a large communal household where many relatives live together, and where women do not go out without permission or an escort. However, the author is a product of the modern era and did not grow up under those traditional rules. Furthermore, not all such households were identical. In Hannah's case, this dynamic exists not just in her own home, but also at her grandmother's house in the countryside, where she actually enjoyed significant freedom of movement.

It occurs to me: isn't it much easier for Hannah to develop within large communities where multiple generations live side by side? People today, accustomed to isolation and loneliness, have lost the ability to interact properly, let alone accept, love, and treat one another with unconditional tenderness. We have been taught entirely different values. I found St. Andrew's post quite striking: 'When Tao is lost, kindness remains; when kindness is lost, morality remains; when morality is lost, law remains; and when law is lost, ritual remains. Thus, ritual becomes the shell of love.' We have become people of ritual. And sometimes, we lose even that.

The concept of the harem is actually quite broad in its application,
for instance, it can refer to a courtyard surrounding a mosque; the most famous example being the sacred precinct surrounding the Kaaba, known as Al-Masjid al-Haram.
A harem can even be a cemetery.
Furthermore, people often associate the term with the group of hedonistic women within Islamic royal courts.

Most people interpret and translate "harem" simply as "forbidden."
However, the term also encompasses the sacred Al-Masjid al-Haram, or the Holy Temple.
In essence, to be sacred is to be both consecrated and protected.
One might argue that the Arabic word H(a)R(e/a/)M serves as a perfect representative example of how polysemic a language can truly be.

But let us pivot slightly toward what you have written here.
You made mention of
Hannah,
kindness,
morality,
law,
and ritual.
Are these not merely different degrees of piety?
Of course, there are various levels, both higher and lower, and I am certain that while the ritual represents the lowest level, Hannah represents the highest.

Regardless, this is a truly beautiful topic of discussion.🙂

Kimberly Evans said:There are some striking similarities with this definition of love here:🙂

The only point where I diverge is the idea that it isn't *because* of those people; surely, that person is beautiful, and 🙄

for what is Love if not BECAUSE...

And how, precisely, are we meant to be filled by it if we haven't first RECEIVED it?
RECEIVING is the genesis of GIVING. 😉

I am of the mind that destined people find their way into our path... and yesterday, I encountered an opinion suggesting that the most vital people in our lives arrive sooner or later, inevitably.🙂

It took me quite a while to digest that, but eventually, I realized I could feel it myself...
For what is Fate if not the infinite rearranging of Causality according to free will?

Which is why they say... that we met sooner or later.😳😠 But that is what weak people say—those who wish to shed an (imaginary) burden and fail to see that the hardest part is actually enduring everything until unconsciousness... that one must suffer through whatever comes just to learn how to experience Pleasure.

Eric Lopez2 said:Telema!
There are enlightened people out there—let's call them Love Masters—who have reached a level of awareness where they finally realize that everything is actually one. They understand that whatever you do to someone else, you’re doing to yourself. They live within the collective consciousness; they are one with everything, and everything is one with them. They... I can't work with just a single letter. Give me something to actually write...vetog A...I don't know what you're getting at... ČThey absorb everything around them. They fuse themselves so intensely with every single part of their environment because SAČ is nothing more than a reflection of who they are. To them, all of space is just one big lover, and every star is merely another facet of their passion...

The Orient is essentially one of the main sources of magical sex; you can find its elevated lyricism everywhere from "One Thousand and One Nights" to the poetry of Sufism...

Magical sex is basically built on this idea that you should idealize your partner during intimacy. You visualize them, feel them, touch them, smell them, taste them, hear them, and see them as the physical vessel for your SAČ...

The relationship between SAČ and their protege is built entirely on love...

They took the truths of the Orient and used them as the foundation for their entire culture, science, and art...

High priests and priestesses were trained in the art of love; their entire service was dedicated solely to God, because God is Love...

The exact same thing played out in India, China, and Egypt, as well as in several countries surrounding the Himalayas; back in the day, the entire human race was well aware of that fact...

Best regards...

Eric Lopez2

Agape!

👍 I heard a saying once—or perhaps it was someone’s personal mantra... "I am at peace because I am doing good." 👍

At that moment, I felt this intense, almost overwhelming craving for that specific sensation... yet, no matter how hard I tried, I simply couldn't conjure it up. Is it even possible to force something like that? I suppose not.
Is it just me, or does that deep, aching hunger for something spiritual... somehow act as a sort of compass? Perhaps that very longing is what begins to reveal the future to us. 🙂
Even if everything were to fall apart right now... we are growing.
That is all I can offer.