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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 of Islamic Law on a fictitious marriage for the purpose of obtaining citizenship?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
There is no such thing in our noble sharīʿah as a "nominal" or "fictitious" marriage or divorce. Marriage and divorce are among the sacred ordinances of Allah, and it is not permissible to manipulate them or use them as a stratagem to obtain worldly gains.
The foundational purpose of a marriage contract is the permanence and continuity of the relationship between the spouses — to establish a family, and to bring forth righteous offspring. So sacred is this bond that Allah the Almighty Himself described it as a solemn covenant (mīthāq ghalīẓ), saying {what means}: "And if you wish to replace one wife with another and you have given one of them a great amount of wealth, do not take any of it back. Would you take it in injustice and manifest sin? And how could you take it while you have gone in unto each other and they have taken from you a solemn covenant?" [Al-Nisāʾ/ 20–21]
Accordingly, it is not permissible to resort to manipulation and deception in contracts that Allah, Mighty and Majestic, has described as a "solemn covenant" — all for the sake of material and worldly benefit. Marriage is built upon permanence and does not admit of a fixed time limit. If a time limit is stipulated in the contract, the contract is rendered invalid by the consensus of the jurists. Similarly, marriage is impermissible when there exists a mutual, concealed intention to limit its duration — even if no time limit is explicitly mentioned in the contract — for this constitutes a form of unlawful circumvention of the sharīʿah. This is to say nothing of the lying and deception that such conduct involves, the prohibition of which needs no elaboration. Lying, deception, and fraud for the purpose of obtaining worldly gains are among the gravest of sins.
If, however, the marriage contract is first concluded in a valid sharʿī manner and then registered civilly, it is sound and fully valid. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

I work overtime after regular working hours and may become occupied with my phone or the work computer for personal matters — what is the ruling on this?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It is obligatory upon an employee to abide by the instructions and regulations governing overtime hours, and equally obligatory to uphold honesty and avoid all forms of deception and dishonesty. Allah the Almighty says {what means}: "O you who have believed, be mindful of Allah and be with the truthful." [Al-Tawbah/ 119]
Whoever is assigned to work overtime must be present at his workplace — even if he has no specific tasks to carry out at that time. In such a case, he should strive as best he can to spend that time in a manner that benefits the institution he works for. If there is genuinely no work for him to do, there is no objection to occupying his time with something beneficial — such as reciting the Holy Qurʾān, reading, or listening to educational lessons — provided he has already completed all the responsibilities assigned to him.
If, however, he does have work to complete, he must spend that time fulfilling it. He may attend to phone calls or other personal matters to the extent that is customarily acceptable, as long as this does not result in delaying or postponing his work. If he delays his work on account of personal preoccupations, the wages he received for that wasted time are not lawfully his to keep, and he is obliged to return the equivalent amount to the institution by whatever means available to him. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

Does burping (belching) break the fast?

Burping does not break the fast. However, if anything comes up from the stomach, the fasting person must spit it out and rinse their mouth to cleanse it.
If they swallow it intentionally while being able to expel it, or if they swallow their saliva before rinsing their mouth, their fast is invalidated.

The Jurisprudential Significance of the Ḥadīth: "Whoever says, at the conclusion of the Fajr Prayer, while crossing his legs, before speaking..."
"Whoever says, at the conclusion of the Fajr prayer, while crossing his legs, before speaking: 'Lā ilāha illā Allāh, waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, lahu al-mulku wa lahu al-ḥamdu yuḥyī wa yumītu wa huwa ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīr' ten times — ten good deeds will be recorded for him, ten bad deeds will be erased from him, he will be raised ten levels, he will spend that day in protection from everything disliked and guarded from the devil, and no sin will be able to befall him on that day except associating partners with Allah" — does this noble ḥadīth apply to the imam, and what is meant by "extraneous speech"?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It is recommended for both the imam and those praying behind him to recite, immediately after the final salām, the specific remembrance reported in the sunnah to be said before turning away from one's place of prayer. The imam then leaves his praying spot, and the act of "turning" is fulfilled when the imam faces the congregation — even without physically leaving his spot — by positioning his right side toward them and his left side toward the qiblah, and this applies even while he is engaged in supplication.
Al-ʿAllāmah Ibn Qāsim al-ʿAbbādī states in his Ḥāshiyah ʿalā al-Tuḥfah (Vol.2/P.105): "It is most virtuous for the imam, once he has given the salām, to rise from his place of prayer immediately afterward." He adds that an exception must be made for the remembrances that are specifically required to be recited before he turns away. He then notes, citing Sharḥ al-ʿUbāb: "Yes, an exception to this rising immediately after the salām applies to the Fajr prayer, due to the authentic report that the Prophet ﷺ, when he prayed Fajr, would remain seated until the sun rose." He further cites, from al-Khādim, the ḥadīth concerning one who recites, at the conclusion of the Fajr prayer while still in the position of crossing his leg to rise: "Lā ilāha illā Allāh, waḥdahu lā sharīka lah..." and the rest of the well-known ḥadīth. He comments that this makes explicit that this particular remembrance is to be recited before the worshipper turns his legs to leave, and the same applies to Maghrib and ʿAṣr, as reported in those contexts as well.
What is meant by "speech" in the relevant ḥadīth is extraneous worldly speech that is not called for after the prayer and for which there is no legitimate excuse. The remembrances reported to be recited upon concluding the prayer, however, do not fall under this category of extraneous speech, since they are themselves required by the sharīʿah.
Al-ʿAllāmah ʿAlī al-Shabrāmalsī states in his Ḥāshiyah ʿalā al-Nihāyah (Vol.1/P.551): "If someone greets a person with salām while he is occupied with reciting this remembrance [i.e., 'Lā ilāha illā Allāh...'], should he return the greeting — without this causing him to forfeit the promised reward, since he is engaged in an obligatory matter — or should he delay returning the greeting until he finishes, this being a legitimate excuse for the delay?" He continues: "I say: the more likely view is the former, and the prohibition on speech is to be understood as applying to extraneous speech for which there is no legitimate excuse. Based on this, should the worshipper give precedence to this remembrance ('Lā ilāha illā Allāh...') or to reciting Sūrat al-Ikhlāṣ ('Qul huwa Allāhu aḥad')? This requires consideration, though it is not unlikely that the remembrance takes precedence, given that the Lawgiver urged hastening to it through his words 'while crossing his leg.' This is not considered ordinary speech, since it is not extraneous to what is required after the prayer."
Accordingly, it is recommended for both the imam and those praying behind him to recite this remembrance and to give it precedence over the other remembrances of the prayer, ensuring it is said before they move from their place. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

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