When hearts unite in pure Ishq,
no moment feels apart.
Others cry “Ah” in longing —
but this love breathes only Waah.

This artwork is an ode to the exalted state of Ishq — a love so pure that it remains luminous in presence and in absence. Inspired by a profound poetic dialogue between two eras and two understandings of love, the piece reflects the journey from worldly longing to divine union.

The form reads “Waah”, an expression of awe, ecstasy, and spiritual joy. Each letter contains the same sacred sound — Waaw-Alif-Haa — nested within itself, echoing the concept that true love repeats and renews itself endlessly. It does not break. It does not fall. It remains constant, unwavering, eternal.

The inspiration draws from a famous poetic contrast:
Mutanabbī speaks of love in dual states —
Presence of the Mashuq brings Waah (joy),
Absence brings Aah (pain).
But Amīr Tamīm ibn al-Imām al-Muʿizz — elevates the discourse.
He declares that the true Aashiq (lover) knows only Waah — in presence and in absence. For when the Mashuq (beloved) resides in the heart, absence has no meaning. Distance dissolves. The lover and beloved are united in a state of ittihād — sacred union.
Thus, the calligraphy becomes a spiritual declaration:
True Ishq does not turn to pain in separation —
because true Ishq knows no separation.

The letters flow in gold, symbolising the purity and illumination of divine love. The deep emerald background represents the vast expanse of spiritual depth — where longing transforms into certainty, and love transcends time, place, and physical closeness.
This piece reminds the viewer that the highest form of love is not transactional nor dependent on presence.

It is rooted in Hudur — the inner presence of the beloved in the heart.
Wherever the lover stands, they stand in the state of Waah —
in awe, in gratitude, in eternal joy.