We should never undervalue the importance of loving each other for the sake of Allah (SWT) since true love brings closeness and friendship among believers. That feeling of closeness manifests itself in how we care for each other, which consequently earns Allah’s pleasure and love and entry into paradise.
Abu Hurayrah (RA) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (SAW) said:” When Allah loves a person, He calls Jibreel (AS), and says: I love so and so, so love him. So Jibreel loves him, and then he calls out to the people of heaven: Allah loves so and so, so love him. So the people of heaven love him and he also finds acceptance on earth. If Allah hates someone, He calls Jibreel and says: I hate so and so, so hate him. So Jibreel hates him, then he calls out to the people of heaven: Allah hates so and so, so hate him. So they hate him and he is hated on earth.” (Bukhari)
It was also narrated by Abu Hurayrah (RA) from the Prophet (SAW):” A man visited a brother of his in another town, and Allah sent an angel to wait for him on the road. When the man came to him, the angel asked: Where are you headed? He said: I am headed to a brother of mine in this town. The angel asked: Have you done him any favor for which you hope to be recompensed? He said: No, but I love him for the sake of Allah. The angel said: I am a messenger from Allah to you, to tell you that Allah loves you as you love this person for His sake.” (Muslim)
Amira Ayyad in her health science guidebook, Healing Body & Soul, mentions a unique incident that she experienced relating to true love among Muslim brothers and sisters, which is worth mentioning. He says:” To love (in the true Islamic meaning) is to relate everything we love to Allah and avoid associating worldly partners and idols with Him. This higher meaning of love takes it beyond mere human relations to a more sacred and spiritual level. I have heard the expression ‘to love for the sake of Allah’ many times, but I did not truly understand its meaning until recently. I met a group of enthusiastic young women preparing for a conference about true Islamic relationships and morality. The organizers lived in different countries and communicated through email; they had never met before, but they were all so dedicated and believed so much in the Islamic values they were teaching, that they had experienced an incredibly strong bonding, connecting their souls. They met each other for the first time in the conference and lived together for only one week; a week of hard work and extreme dedication. At the end of the conference, I saw them crying because they were soon to be separated. I felt true love, a divine affection that bonded their hearts and freed them from all worldly greed and personal interests; a love that generated immense energy revealed in their beautiful work and a successful conference. They found their happiness in each other’s success, self-denial, and Divine love that filled their hearts and overflowed as if bathing everything and everybody around them in a sacred divine blessing. I then remembered these words by Ghazali, “Love for Allah envelopes the heart; it rules the heart and it even spreads over everything.”
This kind of love for the sake of Allah (SWT) emanates from our true belief in God, which is why the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said such love deserves paradise.
However, to put love in the correct perspective according to the teaching of the traditions of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), we should know that love is not blind. We cannot love our fellow human beings or any other creature to the same dimension as we should love Allah (SWT) because this will lead to the serious sin of associating partners with Allah (SWT).
Thus, the first and most important aspect of love is to love Allah (SWT) sincerely from the bottom of our hearts. However, this absolute love of Allah (SWT) that surpasses all other forms of love does not come about until we know who Allah is and try to understand His perfect names and attributes, such as His majesty, greatness, supremacy, wisdom, sovereignty, purity, beneficence, might, as well as his perfect and extreme love over His creation and control over all things in the universe.
From our true and sincere love of Allah (SWT) proceeds the love of His divine revelation, His prophets and Messengers including the angels, and love of fellow human beings as well as all other creatures who obey Allah.
Yahya M.A. Ondigo
