HADITH FORTY ONE: THE WAY TO HIS LOVE
The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said, «Allah said, “I have declared war on the one who hurts my Wali. My servant will not come closer to me with something I love more than what I obligated on them. And My servant will continue to come closer to me with voluntary worship until I love them. And when I love them, I will be their hearing by which they hear, their sight by which they see, their hands by which they take, and their legs by which they walk. If they ask Me, I will give them. And if they seek My protection, I will protect them. And I do not hesitate in something I am doing as much as I hesitate with the soul of the believer: they hate death and I hate to upset them.”»
Reported by al-Bukhari (6502)
Commentary
Allah’s obedience is the path that leads to His love. Once Allah loves you, you will see wonders.
The Wali of Allah
What does it mean to be a wali of Allah? And how does one become one? Many are confused over the credentials of a wali. It is all wrapped in mystery. They attribute it to eccentric personalities, outliers who speak in riddles and exist on the edge of Shari‘ah. But this is not at all what a wali is.
Linguistically, wali carries the meaning of proximity (see Appendix III). When someone or something is a wali of another, they follow each other or are next to each other without separation (see, for example, Mufradat al-Fadh al-Quran by al-Raghib
al-Asfahani). Ibn Rajab wrote:
The basis of wilayah (being a wali) is proximity, and the basis of enmity is remoteness.
Jami‘ al-‘Ulum wa al-Hikam (vol. 2, p. 335)
Since proximity leads to love, support, and caretaking, wali carries these meanings too: lover, supporter, and caretaker. A wali of Allah is one who is close to Allah, a proximity founded on love (as the Hadith affirms). They love Allah dearly, champion His religion, and sacrifice what they love for His sake. Allah loves them back, protects them, and takes care of them. It is a connection based on love.
Every Muslim—in correspondence to the strength of their Iman—has their portion of being a wali of Allah. The portions vary significantly, however, as Iman varies. When Iman is strong, so is the love of Allah and the observance of what He loves. The wali then receives the full blessings of Allah’s love. Weakness of Iman, however, produces weak love that receives few of these blessings.
One of the prominent signs of Allah’s love for His wali is how strongly He defends them. Allah declared war in the Hadith against those who oppose and hurt His wali. Allah’s care for the believers is abundant in the Quran. Allah said:
Indeed, Allah defends the believers.
Al-Hajj (Q22:38)
He defends them because of their devotion and faith. They let go of everything else to be with Him, and He defends them from all that seeks them harm. The believers receive an ever-increasing portion of Allah’s assistance as their Iman grows. Allah said:
O you who believe, if you champion Allah, He will champion you and make you steadfast.
Muhammad (Q47:7)
And He also said:
And Allah surely will champion the one who champions Him.
Al-Hajj (Q22:40)
The more we rely on Allah and seek His help, the more that He helps us. But if we turn away from Him in disobedience, we leave ourselves vulnerable without Allah’s support.
How does Allah defend the believers? In every way and whenever they need Him. He defends their honour and reputation, their physical and emotional wellbeing, their family and wealth, and their Iman. He defends them with His proofs and signs, with His angels and miracles (i.e. karamah for the wali), with circumstances that favor them, and with natural causes. He defends them in perceptive and imperceptive manners, in
ways they know and in ways they cannot imagine. They are Allah’s beloved, and Allah takes care of the ones He loves.
Imagine the warmth and comfort of knowing that Allah is taking care of you. Not only that, but He is threatening your enemy with war if they hurt you. Is there something more threatening than Allah waging war against someone? Allah’s firm stance is a reflection of how much He loves His wali and how much He hates it when they are hurt. Why do they deserve such special treatment? They strive until they love Allah more than anyone else, and sacrifice more than anyone else. Allah’s wali withdraws from other loves to the love of Allah. They cleanse their hearts and bodies from sin and adorn themselves with the best of manners. They remind you of Jannah when you see them. They remind you of Allah. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
«The walis of Allah are those whom when seen, Allah is remembered.»
Al-Albani declared it hasan (Sahih al-Jami‘, 2557)
Their humility, their worship, their manners, and their appearance remind people of Allah whenever they see them. The love of Allah has so saturated their hearts and bodies that they exude Iman wherever they go.
Hurting a wali of Allah is a serious offence. In fact, hurting any Muslim is a serious offence, but it is more so for a wali. They spend greater time in devotion and obedience to Allah. How can you hate such a person or wish them harm? Opposition to Allah
Himself likely motivates opposition to them. You cannot hate a wali except if religious hatred is behind it. Personal grievances are something else. If one quarrels with a wali over worldly matters, they are not opposing Allah. A wali is a fallible human who can commit injustice. Some of the Companions—the best of the walis of Allah—would sometimes disagree and become upset with each other. Similarly, a wali of Allah can make mistakes, and one can rightfully be angry with them. If, however, a wali is innocent and blameless and yet they are hurt, one does risk the anger of Allah. The following story explains this.
Abu Sufyan passed by Salman, Suhayb, and Bilal while they were in a gathering, and they said, “By Allah, the swords of Allah did not strike the neck of the enemy of Allah as they should have.” Abu Bakr said to them, “Do you say this to the head of Quraysh and its master?” Then he went to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and told him what happened. The Prophet said to him, «O Abu Bakr, perhaps you made them angry. If you made them angry, then you made your Rabb angry.» Abu Bakr went to them and said, “My brothers, did I make you angry?” They replied, “No, may Allah forgive you, our brother.”
Reported by Muslim (2504)
Abu Bakr I is the best wali in this Ummah. Yet, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم feared that he may have made Allah angry by upsetting the other Companions. And you see the sublime manners of the Companions: Abu Bakr I rushing to restore the love, and the three responding with a gracious du‘a and comforting words.
It is so beautiful to have Allah be so close to you that He is the One who is taking care of you. This is available to us all. If we want Allah to take care of us, we have to come closer to Him. If we run away from Him, we will be running into the troubles of the world. Allah said:
If Allah champions you, no one can defeat you. And if He forsakes you, who can champion you besides Him? So, let the believers rely on Allah alone.
Ali ‘Imran (Q3:160)
Allah is waiting for us. We just have to take the first step.
The path to Allah’s love
Every destination has a path. And the path to Allah’s love is in His revelation. The whole Shari‘ah was sent down to guide us to the love of Allah. Allah said about the walis of Allah:
Indeed, there is no fear or sadness for the walis of Allah. They are the ones who have Iman and Taqwa.
Yunus (Q10:62–63)
This is Allah’s definition—Glory be to Him—of who is a wali and how to become one. The Hadith complements the ayah by explaining the progressive ascension towards Allah’s love.
The first step in the path is adherence to the obligations, the top priority of Taqwa. Included in that is avoiding the prohibitions, since avoiding them is also an obligation. Allah loves obligatory acts the most, and this is why He made them a must for everyone. We need them. The five daily prayers are indispensable. They nurture Iman and keep our connection to Allah vibrant. They teach us patience and help us overcome
life’s problems. If our Iman is suffering, if our love of Allah is weak, we should focus on improving our Salah. Similarly, the rest of the obligations—especially the pillars—are the keys of love. They are the foundations. When these foundations falter, the entire structure is weak. Adhering to the obligations—and avoiding haram—is the first step towards solving any spiritual, emotional, and mental problems and anguish.
The Hadith provides us with an essential master plan. If you want Allah, here is the way and the steps. And it sets our priorities. If there is ever a clash between obligatory and voluntary acts, the obligations come first because Allah’s love for them is greater. If we want to progress into the recommended acts, make sure they are resting on the secure foundation of obligatory ones. It is unproductive to engage in the voluntary—especially when it consumes our time—while the obligations are missing. How could a building have a tenth floor without a first? At times, we may prefer some recommended acts to obligatory ones. Yet, the Hadith teaches us to place what Allah loves before what we do. It is important when worshipping Allah to prioritise Allah’s
loves, not ours. If we get our priorities straight, we would proceed with sure and guided steps towards Allah.
The second step towards Allah is the recommended acts. When the obligations are performed well, they plant in us the desire to do more. And since they made worship a habit, it is easier to do more of it. We are more likely to pray voluntary Salah when the obligatory Salah has become a fixture, an anchor to which voluntary Salah can attach. The obligations introduce the love of Allah, and voluntary worship develops it. Unlike the obligations, voluntary worship is based on choice, the desire to do them. This signals a higher commitment to Allah. The Hadith describes a persistent and continued performance of voluntary worship until Allah loves this person. With consistency and
striving comes the gradual buildup of practice, certainty, and love. With every good deed, we draw near to Allah. Every day, we conquer our desires and Shaytan. Every day, we love Allah more.
Ibn Rajab V remarked that the greatest voluntary acts that bring the love of Allah are (1) the frequent reading and listening to the Quran with understanding and reflection, (2) the dhikr of Allah with the tongue and heart, and (3) loving whom Allah loves and hating whom Allah hates (Jami‘ al-‘Ulum wa al-Hikam, vol. 2, pp. 342–343). We can confidently add night prayer to his list. Also, charity and helping others. These acts grant us the opportunity to be in solitude with Allah, to enjoy listening to His Words and talking to Him. They teach us to rely on Him alone and ask Him for what we want. They are our daily nourishment that connects us emotionally to Allah. With time, they become indispensable. They cleanse us from material obsession and open our hearts for Allah.
The path of love is not a mystery. We do not need to travel to meet a recluse guru at the top of a mountain to learn it. And we do not need to learn special dhikr or act that only a select and lucky few have had the privilege to learn. No. It is available to everyone. Allah revealed it, in plain words, to all. Ibn Rajab said:
There is no way that leads closer to Allah, to becoming His wali, and to His love except through His obedience that He legislated on the tongue of His Messenger. So, if one claims to be a wali of Allah and to love Him through a path other than this, it would be clear that they are lying in their claim.
Jami‘ al-‘Ulum wa al-Hikam (vol. 2, p. 336)
If you want Allah to love you, follow the guidance that He revealed to Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم. Stay close to the obligations and recommendations, and your love for Allah will blossom. Some get excited only when they think that the path is mysterious, with guarded knowledge that needs initiation and pledges. But Allah’s love is there for all, taught to all, and available to all in the clearest language. His love is the nourishment of the soul. It is an essential need, and it must be available to all, just as food and drink are. It is even more important than that.
Loving Allah until He is everything
One can continue to worship Allah—with heart and body—until Allah’s love fills their heart. When that happens, Allah becomes their greatest joy, their greatest concern, and their greatest companion. He is with them all the time. When they are sad, they turn to Him for comfort, to heal their hearts. When they are happy, they praise Him for His never-ending blessings. When they are overwhelmed and overpowered, they seek Him for help and support. They believe He alone can fulfil all their needs, so they ask Him first and place all their hope and trust in Him. Their hearts are liberated from human dependence, and see only Allah as their Master. They see the weakness and helplessness of all humans, and realise that Allah has all the power, wisdom, and knowledge. They rely on Him and need no one else. They worship Him as if they can see the Day of Judgement, where people are separating into the party of Heaven and the party of Hell. They know they can never do enough to worship and thank Him. His Mercy alone will rescue them. They love Him for His favours, they love Him for His unmatched qualities, and they love Him because their life means nothing without Him.
They worship Him as if they can see Him, and they cannot wait to see Him in Jannah. To them, He is everything. And to Him, they are the best of His creation.
When the love of Allah saturates their hearts, it flows to their senses. They are embarrassed to use their senses in what upsets Allah. They preserve them for what pleases the One who made them. When they move, they move for Allah; and when
they take and give, they do so for Allah. They also “see Allah” in everything. They see His signs wherever they look. They see His Power, Wisdom, Mercy, and Design. They see His Will in whatever happens. He is extremely close to them. He is above His Throne—glory be to Him—but everything they see, hear, and encounter reminds them of Him.
Allah loves them so much that He guards their hearts and their love by protecting their senses. He guides their eyes, ears, limbs, hearts, and thoughts towards what He loves and away from what He hates. And He assists them so they see, hear, and can do what others typically cannot.
Their station with Allah is so high that if they ask Him, He will give them what they desire. He does not say no to them because they do not say no to Him. He protects them because they protect their hearts and bodies from what Allah hates, and they protect and defend His religion. Imagine if Allah Himself is ready to give you what you want! What honour is this! What happiness is this! If we can get all this from Allah, do we need anyone else? So, why would we listen to anyone but Him, worship anyone but Him, or ask anyone but Him? When you love Allah, He will show you that He is the only One you need.
This is how much Allah cares
We all will die; this is how we pass on to the next life. Though it is inevitable, it is still hard to accept and harder to experience (see Hadith Fourteen). The believer may have mixed feelings about death. On the one hand, death brings relief from the trials, temptations, and hardships of this life. It is the passageway to the Hereafter, Jannah, and meeting Allah. All this makes death very desirable. On the other hand, we have a natural aversion to death. It is the ultimate separation. We leave our loved ones and everything we know. And the soul separates from the body to enter a new realm which has never experienced and is not sure about its fate in it.
Allah told us in the Hadith that He does not hesitate in doing something as much as He does when taking the soul of the believer. Allah’s hesitation—and all of His attributes—do not resemble human hesitation. Humans hesitate because they are not sure of the outcome of their decisions, do not have all the facts they need to make the right choice, and lack the resolve and patience to make the right but difficult choices. Allah is free from all of these imperfections. Allah’s knowledge is complete and encompasses the past, present, and future. And Allah is All-Powerful, so He does what He does unopposed. Allah’s hesitation is different. It comes from His Care and Mercy. Allah loves two things but only one can happen.
Allah decreed death to move us from this world to the next. In that sense, Allah loves it since it is part of His plan for us. Yet, Allah hates what His devout believers hate, and He does not wish to upset them. So, death is beloved and unbeloved to Allah. His hesitation is in disliking the discomfort of the believers while knowing that death is necessary and best.
What all this tells us is how deeply Allah cares about the believers and their feelings. And this is out of love for them. Why would the All-Mighty, the First and the Last, care so much about such a weak and insignificant being? What are we compared to Allah? Imagine if our greatest hesitation was about removing an ant from its house! We to Allah are lesser than ants to humans. This is why Allah is so great. He does not need us, yet He cares so deeply about us and desires our happiness. If we develop this intimate relationship with Allah, we will receive the highest honour and care in existence. Allah would love us so much that He would not want to upset us. When Allah is your wali and you are His, you will live in bliss, die in bliss, and be resurrected in bliss. To that we say, as Allah said:
For the like of this let the strivers strive.
As-Saffat (Q37:61)
DR. ALI ALBARGHOUTHI
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