Love in Islam

Love in Islam

Love for Allah:

It's a race where everyone competes, the goal toward which the contestant strives, and upon which the lovers selflessly dedicate themselves. It is the essence of the Islamic faith, around which the axis of its perfection revolves. The completeness of faith is attained through it, and its deficiency diminishes the oneness of a person's belief.

We can find this spirit in the supplication of the Prophet, peace be upon him: "(O, Allah,) I ask You for Your love, the love of those who love You, and the love of actions that will bring me closer to Your love."

The love for Allah is the noblest form of worship. It requires servitude, humility, submission, reverence, perfect obedience, and prioritizing Him above all else.

This love, as described, is exclusive to Allah alone. To divert any part of it to other than Allah is to associate partners with Him.

Allah warns against the love of idolaters for their idols, comparing it to the love of Allah. He says:

  وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَتَّخِذُ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ أَنْدَادًا يُحِبُّونَهُمْ كَحُبِّ اللَّهِ﴾ [البقرة: 165])

[Still there are some who take others as Allah’s equal—they love them as they should love Allah.] 2:165

This means they treat them equally in love and reverence, just as they do with their idols and righteous beings, worshipping them with a devotion, humility, and submission that is only suitable for Allah. Therefore, even while facing punishment in Hell, they confess:

 تَاللَّهِ إِنْ كُنَّا لَفِي ضَلَالٍ مُبِينٍ * إِذْ نُسَوِّيكُمْ بِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ﴾ [الشعراء: 97، 98])

[By Allah! We were clearly mistaken, when we made you equal to the Lord of all worlds.] 26:97-98

True love requires prioritizing the beloved of Allah over personal loves when they conflict. As mentioned in the Quran:

 قُلْ إِنْ كَانَ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَاؤُكُمْ وَإِخْوَانُكُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُكُمْ وَعَشِيرَتُكُمْ وَأَمْوَالٌ اقْتَرَفْتُمُوهَا وَتِجَارَةٌ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَاكِنُ تَرْضَوْنَهَا أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَجِهَادٍ فِي سَبِيلِهِ فَتَرَبَّصُوا حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ اللَّهُ بِأَمْرِهِ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ  [التوبة: 24]

[say, ˹O Prophet,˺“If your parents and children and siblings and spouses and extended family and the wealth you have acquired and the trade you fear will decline and the homes you cherish—˹if all these˺ are more beloved to you than Allah and His Messenger and struggling in His Way, then wait until Allah brings about His Will. Allah does not guide the rebellious people.] 9:24

True love for Allah necessitates following the path of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, as mentioned in the Quran:

 قُلْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ﴾ [آل عمران: 31])

[Say, ˹O Prophet,˺“If you ˹sincerely˺ love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love you and forgive your sins. For Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”] 3:31

Sincere love for Allah requires prioritizing the love of the Prophet, peace be upon him, over everything, even oneself. He said, "None of you truly believes until I am more beloved to him than his son, his father, and all of mankind."

This entails prioritizing the teachings and practices of the Prophet, peace be upon him, over the opinions of others, no matter how esteemed.

True love involves loving faith and the believers while disliking disbelief and the disbelievers, as stated in the Quran:

 لَا تَجِدُ قَوْمًا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ يُوَادُّونَ مَنْ حَادَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلَوْ كَانُوا آبَاءَهُمْ أَوْ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ أَوْ إِخْوَانَهُمْ أَوْ عَشِيرَتَهُمْ﴾ [المجادلة: 22])

[You will never find a people who ˹truly˺ believe in Allah and the Last Day loyal to those who defy Allah and His Messenger, even if they were their parents, children, siblings, or extended family.] 58:22

Islam does not prohibit human emotions and natural love. The Prophet, peace be upon him, had a fondness for sweets and honey, loved his wives. Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, was particularly dear to him.

The love for parents and children is a natural and innate affection.

The love for friends and colleagues among Muslims is also a natural form of love.

The love for food when hungry and for water when thirsty is a natural love that does not affect one's belief in the Oneness of Allah.

The love for wealth and one's homeland is a natural affection that doesn't interfere with Tawhid unless it surpasses the love for Allah when conflicting.

The strongest ties of faith involve love for the sake of Allah and hatred for His sake. Those who love each other for the sake of Allah will be on illuminated platforms on the Day of Judgment.

The thirteenth lesson concludes here, all thanks to Allah.