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Introducing those who Love to the Reality of Love (The Love of Allah and His Messenger)
Author : Dr. Mohammad bani Taha
Date Added : 26-02-2025

Introducing those who Love to the Reality of Love (The Love of Allah and His Messenger)

 

The love of Allah, the Almighty, and His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, is the strongest bond of faith, the shortest path to Paradise, and a sign of disavowal from Satan. How could it not be so when its place is the heart—the very place where the Most Merciful looks. When it dwells there, light radiates from it and spreads to all the limbs. This love manifests in the heart as faith and conviction, and in the limbs as obedience and submission. They loved Him, so He loved them, and He commanded them, so they obeyed Him. Allah Says (What means) "O you who have believed, whoever among you turns back from his religion—Allah will bring forth a people He loves and who love Him, humble toward the believers, powerful against the disbelievers. They strive in the cause of Allah and do not fear the blame of a critic. That is the favor of Allah; He bestows it upon whom He wills. And Allah is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing." [Al-Mai`dah/54].

Preferring this love over all other beloved things is a condition for attaining Paradise and being saved from Hellfire. However, this can only be achieved by striving against all desires and temptations. One who loves but does not struggle against their desires is deluded, and one who strives without love will find their deeds unacceptable. Allah Says in [Surat At-Tawbah]—which is also known as Surah of Disavowal [Bara`ah], the Revealer [Al-Khashifah], and the Exposer [Al-Fadihah] (What means): "Say, [O Muhammad], ‘If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your spouses, your relatives, the wealth you have acquired, the commerce you fear will decline, and the homes you cherish are more beloved to you than Allah and His Messenger and striving in His cause, then wait until Allah brings about His decision. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people." [At-Tawbah/24].

Whoever attains this true love (for Allah and His Messenger) has acquired great goodness and reached a lofty level of faith. The Prophet said: "None of you truly believes until I am more beloved to him than his father, his child, and all people." [Agreed upon]. Therefore, every Muslim must understand the true nature of this love, so they may learn the way to attain it and enjoy its blessings.

The essence of love is the inclination of the heart, and it is of two types [1]:

1. Natural Love: This follows human desires, such as a person’s love for themselves or their parents. By nature, a person loves themselves more than they love others. This type of love is beyond human control and is not subject to religious obligation, as Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity.

2. Rational, Volitional Love: This is the inclination towards what the intellect chooses, even if it goes against natural desires. For example, a sick person may willingly take bitter medicine because reason dictates that it will bring healing, despite its unpleasant taste.

The love that Islamic teachings require is of the second type—rational, volitional love—not the natural, instinctive love that a person has no control over. This is because Islamic law only obligates a person with what is within their ability and choice.

This Sharia-based love (for Allah and His Messenger) consists of two stages: the essence of love and its perfection [2].

The first stage: The foundation of Sharia-based love, which is the heart’s inclination and preference for the commands of Allah and His Messenger. This is because a person knows that Allah and His Messenger only command and forbid what ensures the well-being of their religion, worldly life, Hereafter, and ultimate fate [3]. As a result, they incline towards and prioritize their commands based on reason, even if their desires and natural inclinations oppose them.

This love is cultivated through reflection on Allah’s blessings and is proven through obedience. The Prophet (PBUH) emphasized this in the hadith: "Love Allah for the blessings He bestows upon you, and love me for the love of Allah, and love my family for my love." [Al-Hakim]. The Quran also confirms this in the verse, it states (What means): "Say, if you love Allah, then follow me, and Allah will love you." [Al-Imran/31].

Some scholars, like Qadi Iyad, considered this love a condition for true faith, as it signifies veneration and reverence for Allah and His Messenger (PBUH), which are fundamental aspects of Faith. However, Al-Qurtubi argued that reverence does not necessarily require heartfelt affection, as one might respect something without loving it, as mentioned by Ibn Hajar in His book Fath Al-Bari [4].

The Second Stage: At this level, a person’s natural inclinations and desires become fully aligned with their intellect and faith. Instead of experiencing the internal struggle of resisting personal desires in favor of divine guidance, the believer finds pleasure in following Allah’s commands. The heart, soul, and intellect are in harmony, loving only what Allah loves and detesting only what He detests. Scholars have described this stage in profound ways: A state beyond verbal expression. The beloved fully possesses the heart, immersing it in constant remembrance. No distinction remains between presence and absence, closeness and distance [5].

Perfect love can be described as the complete transformation of a person’s nature, desires, and pleasure into an unwavering devotion to knowing and worshiping Allah. Hence, the people of love and devotion—may Allah make us among them—express this reality through their well-known sayings: Whoever tastes, knows. Whoever knows, draws from it. Whoever draws from it, acknowledges it. Whoever acknowledges it, becomes immersed in what he knows.

Some have criticized the expressions used by those who speak about this stage of perfect love, objecting to it on two grounds:

First Objection: The Supposed Negation of Reason in Favor of Experience 

Some argue that this concept eliminates the role of intellect and replaces it with subjective experience ("Dhawq") [6].

This objection is clearly unfounded, because reaching this stage of knowing Allah comes only through deep reflection, contemplation, and intellectual engagement with His signs in creation—all of which are functions of the intellect.

Second Objection: The Risk of Straying from Sharia

Another criticism is that such discussions about love and spiritual experience may lead individuals to abandon the clear teachings of Islam, replacing divine guidance with personal feelings and mystical experiences [7].

This argument is also invalid, because one of the greatest fruits of true love for Allah is perfect obedience to His commands and strict adherence to the Sunna. The more complete a person’s love for Allah, the more they follow His guidance. Therefore, true love does not exist without obedience, and no one reaches its perfection without first establishing its foundation through adherence to the Sharia.

In conclusion, the station of love is a great station; whoever attains it has indeed achieved a tremendous success. May Allah make me and you among its people.

 

[1] Sharh Al-Shifa, Al-Hirawi Al-Qari, 2/36.

[2] Sharh Al-Shifa, 2/36.

[3] Sharh Sahih Al-Bukhari, by Ibn Battal, 1/67.

[4] Fath Al-Bari, 1/59.

[5] Mu'jam Maqalid Al-Uloom, by Al-Suyuti.

[6] Tanbih Al-Ghabi, by Al-Biqa'i, edited by Abdul Rahman Al-Wakeel, 2/212.

[7] Al-Manar Magazine, 19/50.

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling on praying alone (munfaridan) in a row, and what should I do if I enter the mosque together with another person, and there is only a single gap in the first row with no second row present — should I fill that gap in the first row, or should I stand together with him in a new second row?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
If a person enters [the congregation] and finds no space available in the row, it is recommended for him — after making his opening takbīr for the prayer — to gently pull someone from the row in front of him to pray alongside him, provided he senses that this person would be agreeable to it. If that person does not agree, then he prays alone, and there is no dislike attached to his doing so in that case.
If he ends up praying alone [behind the row], it is sunnah for him to stand directly behind the imam. Then, if someone else arrives, that person stands to his right; and whoever comes after them stands to his left — and so on — such that the imam remains centered in the middle of the row. This is done so that everyone attains the reward of congregational prayer.
As for the case where two people enter the prayer together, and there is a gap in the row wide enough for only one person, then the two of them should pray together in a new row [of their own], and whoever arrives after them should fill that original gap. This is because if only one of the two fills the gap, the other would end up praying alone [which is to be avoided when it can easily be prevented].
Al-Khaṭīb ash-Shirbīnī (raḥimahullāh) said in Mughnī al-Muḥtāj (Vol.1/P.494): "If he does not find space, then it is recommended for him, while still standing, to gently pull a single person from the row toward himself after making his opening takbīr — out of caution, so as to avoid the position held by some scholars that a person's prayer standing alone behind the row is not valid.
Az-Zarkashī and others said: this should only be done if it seems he would agree to it; otherwise, he should not pull anyone — indeed, doing so becomes impermissible, out of fear of causing discord (fitnah). It is recommended for the person being pulled to cooperate and agree, so that he may attain the reward of assisting in righteousness and piety (al-birr wat-taqwā). However, he should not pull one of two people [praying together] from the row, since this would cause one of them to end up praying alone. This is why the 'pulling' described here takes place only after the opening takbīr [i.e., once the person doing the pulling has already validly begun his own prayer]."
Accordingly: it is sunnah for you to pray alongside the person praying alone, and then, if someone else arrives afterward, you may go and fill the gap in the original row. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on the prayer of zawal?

 

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It is recommended (sunnah) to pray four rakʿāt — either with a single tasleem or as two separate sets of two rakʿāt — immediately following the sun's decline from its zenith (zawāl). This prayer is distinct from the regular Sunnah prayer of Ẓuhr (sunnat al-ẓuhr al-rātibah), as explicitly stated by the Shāfiʿī jurists.
It is mentioned in Nihāyat al-Muḥtāj: "The prayer of zawāl is offered after the sun's decline — so were one to perform it before that, it would not count. It consists of two or four rakʿāt and is distinct from the Sunnah of Ẓuhr, as is evident from the fact that it is mentioned separately after the regular Sunnah prayers, and it becomes a make-up prayer (qaḍāʾ) if a long period of time passes by customary reckoning... Al-ʿAlqamī stated: 'Scholars refer to this as the Sunnah of Zawāl, and it is distinct from the four rakʿāt that constitute the Sunnah of Ẓuhr.' Our shaykh said: Al-Ḥāfiẓ al-ʿIrāqī stated that among those who explicitly affirmed its recommendation was al-Ghazālī in al-Iḥyāʾ, in the chapter on devotional litanies, noting that there is no tasleem between them — meaning there is no break between each pair of rakʿāt."
The time of the sun's decline (zawāl) marks the very beginning of the time for the Ẓuhr prayer.
And Allah the Almighty knows best.

I`m in love with a certain man, and want to marry him in particular, but my family refused that, what should I do?

The father should know what is in the best interest of his daughter and consider her situation. On her part, the daughter should trust her father`s view point as far as suitors are concerned. Moreover, it is prohibited for any woman, or girl to get involved in a relation with a non-Mahram (Marriageable man).

What is the ruling on omitting the prostration of recitation?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
The prostration of recitation (Sajdat al-Tilawah) is a Sunnah for both the reader and the listener. There is no sin in omitting it, though doing so results in missing a great reward. Muslim narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said: 'When the son of Adam recites a verse of prostration and prostrates, Shaytan withdraws weeping, saying: "Woe to him! (and in the narration of Abu Kuraib: "Woe to me!") The son of Adam was commanded to prostrate and he prostrated, so Paradise is his; and I was commanded to prostrate and I refused, so the Fire is mine."'
 
Sheikh al-Islam Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) stated: 'It is recommended to prostrate immediately after reciting or hearing a verse of prostration. If one delays it but the interval is short, he may still prostrate. However, if the interval is long, the opportunity is missed.' [Rawdat al-Talibin Vol.1/P.323].
 
Furthermore, the prostration of recitation becomes obligatory (Wajib) in congregational prayer if the Imam prostrates, out of the necessity of following him. And Allah the Exalted knows best.

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