Love is such a rich phenomenon that some scholars suggest that it has no definition, it is known only by its effects. Love is categorized into different types in Islamic worldview. Some forms of love are healthy and encouraged, yet others are blameworthy. Some people or things we love are natural and we have no control over, whereas others build over time and develop into strong relationships.
The first type of love is emotional love, such as the love for one’s parents, children, and spouse. However it may vary in a sense, for example, the love of a mother for her child will be different from the love one has towards his or her spouse. In married couples, the love will be stronger if the spouse has qualities valued by the other like beauty, wealth, stability, or religious commitment. This type of love is not within one’s control. One is not responsible in front of Allah for loving one child more than the others.[1]
Love for one’s parents is also natural since a child has an innate inclination to love his parents. A child gets love and security from them and realizes the hardship they went through to raise them. By extension, one also loves his relatives and family members.
The second type of love is romantic love which can further divided into two types. The first type is when someone is in love with another person, yet the person fears Allah, and does not indulge in anything Allah has forbidden and remains chaste. The best solution for someone genuinely in love is to get married to the person if possible. If it is not meant to be, one must turn away from them for fear of falling into something forbidden by Allah.
The second type is when romantic love turns into an obsession. Obsessions in most cases take control of the person and become their main purpose of existence. Thus obsessive ‘love’ is forbidden and sinful. Scholars consider it to be an ailment of the heart that afflicts a heart empty of Allah’s love. Islamic Law has laid many safety nets to protect people from such destructive emotions that they themselves can not control.
The last category is the most sublime and pure form of love, the love of Allah. A Muslim should keep a few simple points in their mind:
First, love of Allah is not optional; it is required of every Muslim. It is an integral component of one’s faith as Allah states in the Quran:
“…But those who believe, love Allah more (than anything else)....” (Quran 2:165)
Second, love of Allah is different from all the above categories of love. Love of Allah is not a claim to be made; it is something that resides in the heart. The learned scholars of Islam consider love to be an ‘action’ of the heart, something that actually motivates the heart and moves a person to obey Allah and leave sins. Love of Allah is strongly related with the concept of worship in Islam and one’s faith. Worship is the fruit of a person’s love of Allah, and love of Allah in reciprocate is its aim. Love is the fuel behind worship that keeps it from becoming a habit. ALL acts of devotion, worship, and obedience spring from its fountain. The very definition of worship states that it is everything Allah loves and is pleased with. Love enters every good work we do. When we offer salah, read Quran, fast, perform Hajj, give charity, or remember Allah, His love should be part of it.
Third, love of Allah is different from natural, emotional types of love described above. True love of Allah is always combined with a feeling of awe in front of divine majesty and glory, a feeling of insignificance in front of divine might. On the other hand, love for one’s spouse or child is not coupled with such feelings of awe. What this means is that a person does not just say, ‘I love God’ and leave it there, but actually carries out what Allah loves and leaves what Allah has forbidden, because a person realizes Allah’s might and ability to punish.
Fourth, love of Allah supersedes love for anyone else. Whenever there is a conflict between the two, a person must give precedence to what Allah loves.
Fifth, the more a person obeys Allah and worships Him the more his love for Allah will grow.
Sixth, love of the Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of Allah be upon him, is part of loving Allah. All the world’s treasures and riches can not match the love for the Prophet. It needs to be discussed separately.
Seventh, following Prophet Muhammad is a true sign of loving Allah as He says in the Quran:
“Say [O Prophet]: ‘If you love Allah, follow me, [and] Allah will love you.’” (Quran 3:31)
A new Muslim should learn as much as possible about how the Prophet worshipped and prayed to Allah, his guidance and Sunnah in all matters of life and lovingly imitate him to earn divine love. There is nothing that Allah loves or with which one can come close to Allah, except that the Prophet of Mercy has informed us of it.
The next question for is, ‘how can I achieve the love of Allah?’
(a) the first and most important way to achieve the love of Allah is to understand the meaning of the Testimony of Faith (Shahadah) and to commit oneself to live by it. Laa ilaha ill-Allah is the purpose of your creation, the definition of your relationship with Allah, and the key to Allah’s love and entry into Paradise. Anyone’s whose last words are Laa ilaha ill-Allah in this life will enter Paradise. One must also try to learn Allah’s beautiful Names and sublime Attributes. One cannot truly love someone they do not know.
(b) the second most important way to achieve the love of Allah is to perform the obligatory duties followed by voluntary ones. The most important of the obligatory duties is to learn the salah and to pray regularly. This is followed by fasting, paying zakah, and performing other obligations. Some scholars say that there is a Paradise on earth, if someone does not enter it, he shall not enter it in the afterlife. A person enters the Paradise on earth by enjoying God’s worship and obedience. With time, understanding the spiritual significance, and patience one will reap the greatest spiritual benefit of carrying out the obligations of Islam: the love of Allah. The Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of Allah be upon him, related:
“Allah the Mighty has said: ‘Whoever shows enmity to a beloved slave of Mine, I shall be at war with him. My slave does not draw near to Me with anything more loved by Me than what I have made obligatory upon him. And My slave continues to draw near to Me by voluntary works till I love him. When I love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask of Me, I would surely give and were he to seek refuge in Me, I would surely grant it.”’ (al-Bukhari) [This Prophetic narration is not to be taken literally, rather what is meant is that the person will act according to that which pleases God. For example, he will not look at impermissible things, will only listen to that which is useful and beneficial such as listening to the Quran, Islamic lectures, etc.]
(c) to enjoy being alone with Allah in prayer, salah, reciting Quran, and meditating in isolation with the Creator. Call out to Allah by presenting your problems, ask for His assistance, and supplicate to Him in those specific areas in the prayer where this is to be done, such as the prostration. One does not reach this level immediately with the first prayer. A person has to struggle with distractions, one’s self, and the devil and patiently practice being attentive to reach the state in salah where he finds comfort in it.
(d) a person can achieve the love of Allah by developing the qualities Allah loves and avoiding those things he dislikes. These qualities are found in the Quran and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad. Some of them are:
Patience in face of religious prejudice and persecution:
“And Allah loves the steadfast.” (Quran 3:146).
A new Muslim should be patient when they face ridicule, lose friends, or are mocked for accepting Islam. They should endure in learning Islam and practicing it.
Doing good:
“Surely, Allah loves those who do good.” (Quran 3:134, 148).
Controlling your anger, spending more in charity, and learning the etiquette of supplicating to Allah all fall under this category.
Taqwa:
“Indeed, Allah loves those who fear Him.” (Quran 3:76).
Taqwa is to obey Allah’s commandments and to stay away from His prohibitions in dress, diet, behavior, personal relationships, and other aspects of life.
Continuously repenting to Allah and maintaining proper hygiene:
“Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves.” (Quran 2:222, 9:108)
Trusting Allah in all affairs especially in decisions made after consultation:
“Indeed, Allah loves those who rely [upon Him].” (Quran 3:159)
Being fair:
“And if you judge, judge between them with justice. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly.” (Quran 5:42)
Allah does not love:
Arrogance like rejecting the truth even after it has become clear:
“Indeed, He does not like the arrogant.” (Quran 16:23)
Transgression like speaking about Allah and His religion what one does not know:
“Surely, Allah does not love transgression.” (Quran 2:190, 5:87)
Wronging others:
“Indeed, He does not like the wrongdoers.” (Quran 3:57, 42:40)
Being excessive in eating, drinking, and clothing:
“And be not excessive. Indeed, He does not like those who commit excess.” (Quran 6:141, 7:31)
Spreading corruption like inciting wars:
“And Allah does not like corruption.” (Quran 2:205, 5:64)
Breaking treaties and covenants:
“Indeed, Allah does not like traitors.” (Quran 8:59)
Sins:
“And Allah does not like every sinning disbeliever.” (Quran 2:276)
Disbelief:
“Indeed, Allah does not like the disbelievers.” (Quran 3:32)
Boasting and stinginess:
“Indeed, Allah does not like those who are self-deluding and boastful, who are stingy and enjoin upon [other] people stinginess and conceal what Allah has given them of His bounty.” (Quran 4:36-37)
Deceiving Allah and people:
“Indeed, Allah does not love one who is a habitually sinful deceiver. They conceal [their evil intentions and deeds] from the people, but they cannot conceal [them] from Allah, and He is with them [in His knowledge] when they spend the night in such as He does not accept of speech.” (Quran 107-108)
Mentioning evil:
“Allah does not love the public mention of evil except by one who has been wronged.” (Quran 4:148)
Trust & Reliance in Allah
Meaning of Reliance Upon Allah
TrustinAllah.jpg“Reliance on Allah” is referred to in Arabic as tawakkul. The word literally means to place one’s affairs in the hands of another.
Allah has many Beautiful Names. One of Allah’s personal Names associated with ‘trust’ is Al-Wakeel - the Disposer of Affairs. The Quran refers to Allah by Al-Wakeel fourteen times. For instance,
“And they said: ‘Sufficient for us is Allah, and He is the best Disposer of Affairs’” (Quran 3: 173)
“Allah is sufficient as Disposer of Affairs.” (Quran 4:81)
“He is the Disposer of all Affairs.” (Quran 6:102)
Allah commands us to place our trust in Him: “(He is) the Lord of the East and the West. There is no true deity but He. Take Him, therefore, as Disposer of your Affairs.” (Quran 73:9)
Likewise, Allah forbids us to place our reliance on His creation: “We gave Moses the Book, and made it a guide to the Children of Israel, (commanding): ‘Take not other than Me as Disposer of (your) Affairs.’” (Quran 17:2)
Together, these two verses show us that reliance on Allah is an act of worship. Through our devoted trust and reliance, we express our monotheistic belief, and therefore these are things we should direct towards Allah alone.
How to Rely on Allah?
1. Do not confuse reliance with laziness
Tawakkul sometimes is mistaken for being laid back and thinking your problems will be solved without your intervention. Tawakkul should not be mistaken with giving up your efforts thinking that somehow your challenges will get resolved. Rather striving and working with the attitude that Allah will take care of your affairs and will help you in getting through your trials is part of you relying on Allah.
Reliance does not mean you do not work for provision, neglect education or not apply for a job, and miss an interview deadline. Allah has decreed that we must work and it is from His ways that He give people when they strive. Do not sit in your home and claim that your daily sustenance will come to you! Allah orders us to depend upon Him and to work at the same time. Thus, the act of striving for our sustenance is an act of physical worship while trusting in Allah is worship of the heart as Allah says, “So seek provision from Allah and worship Him (alone).” (Quran 29: 17)
Another way to truly understand trust is to look at what is Imaan. It is not just having faith in the heart, but it is a combination of faith and action. Similarly, reliance on Allah does not mean giving up on your own efforts. Rather it is to strive with the attitude that Allah will take care of your affairs and will help you get through the trials.
Remember when the Prophet asked a Bedouin, “Why don’t you tie down your camel?” He replied, “I put my trust in Allah!” The Prophet then said, “Tie your camel first, then put your trust in Allah”.[1]
2. Do not become arrogant
You should always plan and work based on what Allah has blessed you with. You should fully use those blessings by thanking Allah for them, without getting puffed up with arrogance about your personal strengths. All your strength and ability is from Allah and ultimately it’s the favor of Allah that will determine your success.
3. Accept Allah’s Decisions
After your best efforts, accept whatever happens. You should believe that Allah, out of His wisdom, may decide to supersede all your plans for reasons that only He knows. Remind yourself that believing in al-Qadr (divine decree) is one of the pillars of your faith. Know that whatever will happen will happen and all you can do is your best.
4. Take all precautions
In the Quran Allah tells us the story of two prophets, Yaqub (Jacob) and his son Yusuf (Joseph). On one occasion, when sending his sons to Egypt, Yaqub instructs them to enter from different gates of the city to avoid suspicion, but Allah willed otherwise. The point is that Yaqub took all the measures he could to avoid any possible risk.
We must avoid a common pitfall. We tend to either rely on our efforts and forget trusting Allah or we think we are relying on Allah by not adopting any practical measures to solve our problems.
Benefits of Tawakkul
We need to apply tawakkul in our daily lives. One of the major benefits of tawakkul is that it can relieve us from unnecessary anxiety, worry, and resulting depression from the daily challenges. By believing that all our affairs are in Allah’s hands and we can do only what is in our control, we leave the results to Allah and accept His decree whatever it may be. A sensible Muslim who understands tawakkul will not give up the effort, but will also not become overly elated with success or depressed by failure.
