Love for Allah

Allah the Most Exalted said:

"And of mankind are some who take (for worship) others besides Allah as rivals (to Allah). They love them as they love Allah."

(Surah AI-Baqarah, 2: 165)

Allah Almighty said:

"Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your kindred; the wealth that you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you delight ...are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger, and striving hard and fighting in His Cause, then wait until Allah brings about His Decision (torment)." (Surah At-Taubah, 9:24)

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Allah's Messenger (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said:

"None of you becomes a believer till he loves me more than his father, and his children and all mankind." (Reported by Al-Bukhari & Muslim)

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) also narrated that the Prophet (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said:

"Whoever possesses the following three (qualities), will have the sweetness (delight) of Faith:

(1) The one to whom Allah (May Allah be pleased with him) and His Messenger Muhammad (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) are more beloved than anything else;

(2)  The one who loves another only for Allah's sake;

(3) The one who hates to convert to disbelief after Allah has rescued him from it, as he hates to be thrown into the fire." (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

In another version the above-mentioned Hadith begins with the words:

"No one will find the sweetness of Iman (Belief) until and unless ..."

Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) said:

"Whoever loves for the sake of Allah, and hates for the sake of Allah, and be friends for the sake of Allah and shows enmity for the sake of Allah, would get Allah's friendship. Without abiding by this, no one can get the real taste (sweetness) of Iman (Belief) though he may have been a frequent offerer of prayer (Saifit) and fasts. Today people keep relationship, and love only for some worldly reason but this will not provide them any benefit (on the Day of Judgement)."

[Ibn Jarir (May Allah be pleased with him) mentioned this Hadith.]

In interpreting the verse:

"Then all their relations will be cut off from them." (Surah AI-Baqarah, 2:166)

Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) said it means "love."

Important issues of the Chapter

1) Explanation of the verse in Surah AI-Baqarah (2:165).

2) Explanation of the verse in Surah At-Taubah (9:24).

3) We must love Prophet Muhammad (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) more than ourselves, families, and wealth.

4) Denial of Iman does not mean going out of Islam.

5) Iman has a sweetness that is sometimes tasted by a person and sometimes not.

6) No one can get the friendship of Allah and relish of Iman until and unless he possesses four "actions" of the heart: (1) Love for the sake of Allah; (2) Hate for the sake of Allah; (3) Friendship for the sake of Allah; (4) Enmity for the sake of Allah.

7) The Companions' understanding of the reality that people in general feel fraternity for worldly reasons.

8) Explanation of the verse:

"Then all their relations will be cut off from them" (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:166).

9) Some polytheists do love Allah intensely.

10) The threat of punishment for the person who loves more the "eight" than his religion. The "eight" being: ancestors, descendants, brothers, spouses, clan, wealth, trade and habitat.

11) Whoever takes a partner (to Allah) for whom he has as much love as he has for Allah, has committed major Shirk.