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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

Must a person refrain from eating for the rest of the day if they break a fast of a vow (nadhr) or a make up fast (qada)?

 

Whoever observes a vowed fast (nadhr) or a makeup fast (qada) is prohibited from breaking it without a valid excuse. If they break it without a legitimate reason, they are sinful.
However, they are not required to refrain from eating for the rest of the day, because such restraint is only required out of respect for the month of Ramadan, not for other types of fasting.

What is the ruling on swearing a false oath by the Holy Quran?

Swearing a false oath by the Holy Quran dips the oath-taker in Hellfire, and one who had done so should turn to Allah in repentance, seek His forgiveness, give back rights to whom they belong, and pay the oath expiation.

Is it correct that everything dry is pure even if it has impurity on it?

If something impure becomes dry, it remains impure and is not purified by drying. However, the impurity does not transfer by touching it if the one touching it is also dry. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on waiving a debt owed by a debtor and counting it toward zakāh?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Waiving a debt owed by a debtor, with the intention of counting it toward zakāh, does not fulfill the zakāh obligation. Rather, it constitutes an ordinary act of charity, for which Allah rewards the giver generously — since one of the conditions for the validity of zakāh is that the person paying it must form the intention of zakāh at the actual moment the wealth is paid out. In this case, the debt has already been established as a standing obligation upon the borrower, so it is not valid to simply redirect the intention toward zakāh after the fact.
It is preferable, instead, for the creditor to first collect the debt from the debtor, and then return to him the amount of money he is required to pay as zakāh — or a portion of it — if the debtor happens to fall under one of the eight categories that Allah, the Exalted, has commanded be given from zakāh.
It is stated in ‘Umdat as-Sālik, from the books of the Shāfi‘ī school: "If someone gives [money] to a poor person, stipulating that the recipient return it to him in payment of a debt owed to him, or says, 'I am making what you owe me into zakāh, so take it [as such]' — this is not valid. But if he gives it to him with the [unstated] intention that the recipient will use it to repay him, or says, 'Repay what you owe me, so that I may [then separately] give it to you as zakāh,' or the debtor himself says, 'Give it to me, so that I may [then] repay you with it' — this is valid, and there is no binding obligation for the recipient to actually fulfill this [informal understanding]." And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

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