What does loving Allah really mean ?
BS Foad,M.D. 2009
We will discu=
ss the
following concepts
1-&n=
bsp;
To
acknowledge Allah’s blessings
2-&n=
bsp;
To
obey His orders and the orders of His messenger
3-&n=
bsp;
To
help God’s servants that need our help
4-&n=
bsp;
To get
close to Allah through rituals of worship and optional service
5-&n=
bsp;
To
remember Allah, praise Him and turn to Him seeking His forgiveness
Loving Allah =
means
acknowledging Allah’s blessings
Most people take Allah’s blessings for granted a=
nd
only feel His blessings when they are deprived of these blessings. For exam=
ple
when we get sick we understand the value and importance of being healthy and
active. When we loose financially or face the loss of a loved one or face o=
ther
types of difficulty, we realize how much we owe everything to Allah, and how
much we depend on Him. The Qur’an explains that tests and trials will
occur, and gives guidance regarding our behavior towards calamity:
Be sure We shall t=
est
you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the
fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently perseve=
re.
&n=
bsp; Al-Baqara
2 : 155
Who say, when affl=
icted
with calamity: "To Allah we belong, and to Him is our return"
&n=
bsp; Al-Baqara
2 : 156
They are those on =
whom
(descend) blessings from their Lord, and Mercy, and they are the ones that
receive guidance.
&n=
bsp; Al-Baqara
2 : 157
And :
O ye who believe! Seek help with patient Perseverance and Prayer:
for Allah is with those who patiently persevere.
&n=
bsp; Al-Baqara
2 : 153
It
is the realization that we are indebted to Allah, for He has given us
everything that we ask for and that we cannot enumerate His blessings:
And He giveth you =
of all
that ye ask for. But if ye count the favours of Allah, never will ye be abl=
e to
number them. Verily, man is given up to injustice and ingratitude.
&n=
bsp; Ibrahim
14 : 34
And :
And ye have no good
thing but is from Allah; and moreover, when ye are touched by distress, unto
Him ye cry with groans;
&n=
bsp; An-nahl
16 : 53
Loving Allah means ob=
eying His
orders and the orders of Allah’s messenger
Loving
Allah is not empty words that we utter, rather it is obeying His orders and
living our life as He commanded. The Qur’an explains that following
Allah’s messenger is a criterion of belief:
But no, by thy Lor=
d,
they can have no (real) Faith, until they make thee judge in all disputes
between them, and find in their souls no resistance against thy decisions, =
but
accept them with the fullest conviction.
&n=
bsp; An-Nesa’a
4 : 65
We
cannot claim to love Allah unless we follow the orders of His messenger and
follow his example:
Say: "If ye d=
o love
Allah, follow me: Allah will love you and forgive you your sins; for Allah =
is
Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
&n=
bsp; Al-Imran
3 : 31
Loving Allah means he=
lping
Allah’s servants who need our help
·
We cannot claim to have faith till we love one another
·
We cannot claim faith till we love for our brothers what we love for
ourselves
·
We cannot feel true faith till we love Allah’s servants for the
sake of Allah not expecting material reward
·
When we love each other and help one another then we are loved by Al=
lah
Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH) said:
(
You will not enter heaven until you believe; and you will not believe until=
you
love each other ) Muslim
(
None of you will truly believe until you love for your brother what you love
for yourself ) Bokhari & Muslim
(
Three traits whoever has them will feel the sweet taste and effect of faith=
:
-&nb=
sp;
That Allah and His messenger are more beloved to him than anyone els=
e
-&nb=
sp;
That he loves a servant of Allah for the sake of Allah not for any o=
ther
reason
-&nb=
sp;
And that he hates to revert to a state of unbelief in the same way t=
hat
he hates to be thrown in the fire )
Bokhari & Muslim
( On the Day of Judgment Allah will say: “ Where are those who love one another because of Me ? This day I will protect them in My shade when there is no shade or protection except mine ) Muslim<= o:p>
Loving =
Allah
means getting close to Him through rituals of worship and through offering
optional service
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) explained that the thin=
gs
that bring us closer to Allah is doing what He made obligatory on us, like
prayers, charity, fasting, doing good and helping others. The more we try to
come close to Allah through our service and worship, the more Allah appreci=
ates
our effort:
Those who rehearse the Book of Alla=
h,
establish regular Prayer, and spend (in Charity) out of what We have provid=
ed
for them, secretly and openly, hope for a Commerce that will never fail:
=
; Fatir
35 : 29
For He will pay them their meed, na=
y, He
will give them (even) more out of His Bounty; for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most
Ready to appreciate (service).
=
; Fatir
35 : 30
The prophet said:
( Allah says:&= nbsp; “ … There is nothing that I love more, as My servant tri= es to come close to Me, than him doing what I made obligatory on him. My serva= nt keeps coming close to Me with optional service till I love him. When I love him, I become his hearing that he hears with; and his eye sight that he sees with; and his hand that he uses; and his leg that he walks with. And if he = asks Me I will give him; and if he seeks My protection I will protect him .. ) <= o:p>
Bokhari
Remembering Allah, pr=
aising
Him and seeking His forgiveness
·
Remembering Allah at all times and praising Him
·
Turning to Him seeking His forgiveness and guidance
·
Wanting to meet Allah
Remembering
Allah and praising Him
Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH) said:
(
Two words that are light on the tongue, but heavy in scale and beloved to A=
llah
most gracious are: praise and glory to Allah, and praise to Allah most grea=
t )
Bokhari & Muslim
Wanting
to meet Allah
(
Whoever likes to meet Allah, Allah likes to meet him: for when a believer is
given glad tidings of Allah’s mercy, pleasure and paradise he loves to
meet Allah, therefore Allah loves to meet him ( to give him his reward ). B=
ut
the unbeliever hates to meet Allah, for when he is told of Allah’s
punishment and displeasure, the unbeliever hates to meet Allah, therefore,
Allah hates to meet him ) Bokhari & Muslim
Turning
to Allah in repentance
(
Allah is more happy with the repentance of one of His servants than one of =
you
who lost his ride and food in a desert then found it )
Bokhari
& Muslim
Who are the ones that=
Allah
loves?
1-&n=
bsp;
Those who do good ( Al-Muhseneen )
2-&n=
bsp;
Those who are God-conscious ( Al-Muttaqeen )
3-&n=
bsp;
Those who patiently persevere ( As-Sabereen )
4-&n=
bsp;
Those who purify themselves and repent ( Al-Mutatahhereen &
At-Tawwabeen )
5-&n=
bsp;
Those who are just ( Al-Muqseteen )
6-&n=
bsp;
Those who strive in the cause of Allah ( Jihad )
7-&n=
bsp;
Those who do their work to the best of their ability day in and day =
out
8-&n=
bsp;
Those who help others
9-&n=
bsp;
Those who are content
10-&=
nbsp; &nbs=
p;
Those who are strong and effective
Al-Muhseneen
Those who spend (freely), whether i=
n prosperity,
or in adversity; who restrain anger, and pardon (all) men; for Allah loves
those who do good.
=
; Al-Imran
3 : 134
And spend of your
substance in the cause of Allah, and make not your own hands contribute to
(your) destruction; but do good; for Allah loveth those who do good.
&n=
bsp; Al-Baqara
2 : 195
And those who stri=
ve in
Our (Cause), We will certainly guide them to Our Paths: for verily Allah is
with those who do right.
&n=
bsp; Al-Ankabut
29 : 69
Al-Muttaqe=
en
Nay, those that ke=
ep
their plighted faith and act aright, verily Allah loves those who act arigh=
t.
&n=
bsp; Al-Imran
3 : 76
Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH) said:
(
Allah loves His servant who is God-conscious, heart-content and helps other=
s in
secret ) Muslim
How can there be a
league, before Allah and His Messenger, with the Pagans, except those with =
whom
ye made a treaty near the Sacred Mosque? As long as these stand true to you,
stand ye true to them: for Allah doth love the righteous.
&n=
bsp; At-Tawba
9 : 7
As-Saberee=
n
How many of the Pr=
ophets
fought (in Allah's way), and with them (fought) large bands of godly men? B=
ut
they never lost heart if they met with disaster in Allah's way, nor did they
weaken (in will) nor give in. And Allah loves those who are firm and steadf=
ast.
&n=
bsp; Al-Imran
3 : 146
And obey Allah and=
His
Messenger; and fall into no disputes, lest ye lose heart and your power dep=
art;
and be patient and persevering: for Allah is with those who patiently
persevere:
&n=
bsp; Al-Anfal
8 : 46
Al-Muqsete=
en
(They are fond of)
listening to falsehood, of devouring anything forbidden. If they do come to
thee, either judge between them, or decline to interfere. If thou decline, =
they
cannot hurt thee in the least. If thou judge, judge in equity between them.=
For
Allah loveth those who judge in equity.
&n=
bsp; Al-Maeda
5 : 42
Allah forbids you =
not,
with regard to those who fight you not for (your) Faith nor drive you out of
your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them: for Allah loveth those
who are just.
&n=
bsp; Al-Mumtahina
60 : 8
Al-Mutatah=
hereen
and At-Tawwabeen
They ask thee conc=
erning
women's courses. Say: They are a hurt and a pollution: so keep away from wo=
men
in their courses, and do not approach them until they are clean. But when t=
hey
have purified themselves, ye may approach them in any manner, time, or place
ordained for you by Allah. For Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly=
and
He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean.
&n=
bsp; Al-Baqara
2 : 222
Those who =
strive
in the cause of Allah
O ye who believe! =
if any
from among you turn back from his Faith, soon will Allah produce a people w=
hom
He will love as they will love Him, lowly with the Believers, mighty against
the Rejecters, fighting in the Way of Allah, and never afraid of the reproa=
ches
of such as find fault. That is the Grace of Allah, which He will bestow on =
whom
He pleaseth. And Allah encompasseth all, and He knoweth all things.
&n=
bsp; Al-Maeda
5 : 54
Only those are Bel=
ievers
who have believed in Allah and His Messenger, and have never since doubted,=
but
have striven with their belongings and their persons in the Cause of Allah:
such are the sincere ones.
&n=
bsp; Al-Hujerat
49 : 15
Truly Allah loves =
those
who fight in His Cause in battle array, as if they were a solid cemented
structure.
&n=
bsp; As-Saff
61 : 4
Those who =
do
their work to the best of their ability on a regular basis
Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH) was asked: What are the deeds most beloved to Allah? He sai=
d: (
The deeds that are done on a regular basis are more beloved to Allah even if
little ) Bokhari & Muslim
Allah love=
s His
servants who help others
Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH) said:
(
The upper hand ( that gives ) is better than the lower hand ( that receives=
)
and start with those whom you support )
Bokhari
& Muslim
(
Allah loves His servant who is God-conscious, heart-content and helps other=
s in
secret ) Muslim
By no means shall =
ye
attain righteousness unless ye give (freely) of that which ye love; and
whatever ye give, of a truth Allah knoweth it well.
&n=
bsp; Al-Imran
3 : 92
Allah loves
those whose hearts are content and peaceful
Summary What does loving Allah mean? BS
Foad,M.D. 2009
Most people take AllahR= 17;s blessings for granted and do not thank Allah properly:
“And He gives you of= all that you ask for; but if you count the blessings and favors of Allah, never will= be able to enumerate them. Indeed man is unjust and ungrateful”
Ibrahim 14: 34
“ Whatever blessings= or good things you have it comes from Allah; and when you are touched with distress, you cry to Him with groans “ An-Nahl 16 : 53
“Say: “If you = do love Allah, follow me: Allah will love you and forgive your sins, for Allah is often-forgiving, most-merciful “ Al-Imran 3 : 31
“ But no by Allah th= ey will have no faith till they make you the judge in all disputes between them and find no resistance in their hearts.. “ An-Nesa’a 4 : 65
Prophet Muhammad ( PBUH ) = said: ( You will not enter heaven until you believe; and you will not believe until= you love one another ) Muslim
( None of you will truly b= elieve until you love for your brother what you love for yourself ) Bokhari & Muslim
( Three things whoever hav= e them will experience the sweet feeling of faith: That Allah & His messenger = is more beloved to him than anyone else; and that he loves another person only= for the sake of Allah; and that he hates to revert to unbelief, after Allah sav= ed him, like he hates to be thrown in fire ) Bokhari & Muslim
( Allah on the Day of Judg= ment will say: “ Where are those who love each other for My sake? This day= I will shade them and protect them.. ) Muslim
Prophet Muhammad ( PBUH ) = said: ( Allah says: “ .. and there is nothing more beloved to Me that one of = My servants can do to get close to Me than obeying what I made obligatory on h= im. My servant keeps coming close to Me with optional service till I love him. = When I love him, I become his hearing and his eye sight, and his hand and his leg… ) Bokhari
Prophet Muhammad ( PBUH ) = said: ( Two words that are light on the tongue, but heavy in scale, and beloved to = the Most Gracious are: Purified is Allah and glory to Him and all praise belong= to Him; glory to Allah the most great ) Bokhari & Muslim
Who are the people whom Allah loves?
- = Those who do good ( Al-Mohsineen ) = -Those who are God-conscious ( Al-Muttaqeen) - Those who are just a= nd do not wrong others ( Al-Muqseteen )
- = Those who patiently persevere ( As-Sabereen )
- = Those who purify themselves & turn to Allah in repentance ( Al-Mutatahereen &= amp; At-Tawwabeen ) – Those who strive in Allah’s cause ( Jihad )
- = Those who do their work to the best of their ability day in and day out
- = Those of noble character - Those who are content – Those who help others