HADITH THIRTY SEVEN: LOVING TO HEAR ABOUT ALLAH
There was a man from the Ansar who led them in Salah at Masjid Quba’. And every time he recited a Surah for them during Salah, he would begin by reciting Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad until he finished it, then he would recite another Surah with it. He used to do this in each Rak‘ah. His companions talked to him and said, “You recite this Surah but see it is not enough unless you read another. You should either recite it [by itself] or leave it and recite another Surah.” He said, “I will not leave it. If you would like me to lead you with it, then I will do so. But if you do not like it, then I will leave you.” They considered him to be the best among them, and they disliked the idea of someone else
leading them. So when the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم came to them, they informed him of what had happened and he said, «O so-and-so, what prevents you from doing what your companions told you to do? And why do you recite this Surah in every Rak’ah?» He said, “O Messenger of Allah, I love it.” So the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said, «Its love has admitted you to Jannah.»
Reported by al-Tirmidhi (2901) and al-Albani declared it sahih (Sahih al-Tirmidhi, 2901)
Commentary
When you love someone, you frequently talk about them, love to hear from them, and about them. When we love Allah, there would be nothing sweeter and more comforting than Him talking about Himself.
Loving the Quran
Romantic love is a staple in classical literature, poetry, and art. Even today, novels, movies, series, and songs center on the ups and downs of love: the excitement of loving someone and the agony of losing them. We hear there how a lover impatiently waits to hear from their beloved, to see them, and to be near them. And we see how their union brings immense joy to them. Their love transforms anything they receive from their lover into a priceless possession, a source of bliss that reminds them of their beloved and the love they share. Now, imagine with me, lovers separated by long-distance for a protracted time. Imagine them eagerly awaiting a letter—or a text—from their beloved, and the happiness they feel when they hear from them. Now, I want you to imagine with me the joy those who love Allah will feel when they read and hear the Quran.
Allah is greater than anyone else. He is Perfect in His qualities, Perfect in His gifts, and Perfect in His promises. And His love is greater than any other love. And so, the bliss and comfort His beloveds receive from His Words and the longing they have for them are greater than what other lovers experience. They hear in His Words the eternal wisdom that answers all of their questions. They discover in them the final truth that gives them peace. They receive in them the assurance they constantly need to feel safe and fortunate. There is no other book like it, and no one can speak to their hearts like the One who created them. The Quran, to them, is more important than food and drink.
Their bodies can survive without them for days, but their souls cannot withstand to be separated from their Creator. The Quran is their comforter, their solace, their answer, their companion, their hope, their advisor, and their treasure. When they stay away from it, their souls shrivel. And when they come back to it, life itself returns to their soul. It is their daily fuel that fights all the demons of this world. Without it, they stand defenseless. With it, they can take the entire world. Every time they read it, they discover something new. Every time they come to it with a problem, they discover in it the light that guides them to safety. How can you stay away from a book like this? They long for it because it is the Words of the One they love. Whenever they miss Allah and long to see Him, they rush to the Quran. These are the actual words of the One they love and Who loves them. How much joy do the Words of the Beloved bring to these parched hearts? Like a child who is only comforted by the sound of his loving mother, only the Words of their Greatest Love can make them this happy.
The Quran is Allah’s revelation to humanity. It tells them who He is, and invites them to His Forgiveness and Mercy. It invites them to His love: to love Him and be loved by Him. The Quran is intimately linked to attaining the love of Allah (see also Hadith Sixteen). Ibn Rajab said:
And of the greatest voluntary deeds that bring the love of Allah is the recitation of the Quran, especially with reflection. Ibn Mas’ud said, “Do not ask yourself about anything except the Quran. The one who loves the Quran loves Allah and His Messenger.”
Ikhtiyar al-Awla (p. 130)
If you read the Quran regularly and you understand it, you will love Allah. And according to the great Companion and teacher of the Quran, Ibn Mas‘ud, if you love Allah, you would not be able to stay away from the Quran. How can one love Allah and bear to stay away from His Words? Ibn Mas‘ud gave us invaluable advice: if you want to love Allah, start with the Quran. It is one of the easiest and most fulfilling paths towards the love of Allah.
Another cherished gem that can be gleaned from what Ibn Mas‘ud said is to interrogate our loves and behaviors. Do we truly love Allah? What evidence do we have of this? What is it that I love in this life? If you want a hint, look at what you love to talk about and listen to. Look at how you spend your time. What do you enjoy doing? Now, is Allah part of any of this? The answer to these questions will raise our awareness of the direction of our life, the good and the bad in it. Once we can clearly see it, we can try to change it.
The virtue of Surah al-Ikhlas
The Companions were especially close to the Quran. The love the Companion had in the Hadith for Surah al-Ikhlas was not unique. Another Companion did something similar.
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم sent a man as head of an army expedition, and he used to lead them in Salah and conclude his reading with Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad. When they returned, they mentioned this to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, and he said, «Ask him why he did it?» They asked him and he replied, “Because it has the attributes of the Most Merciful and I love to read it.” The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, «Let him know that Allah loves Him.»
Reported by al-Bukhari (7375) and Muslim (813)
There is a third narration that may point to yet another man.
A Companion of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم would not recite a Surah in an obligatory or voluntary prayer but he would read Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad after it. This was brought to the attention of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and so he asked him, «Why do you do this?» He replied, “I love it.” He said to him, «Indeed, Allah loves you because of your love for it.»
Al-‘Athar by Abu Yusuf
This Surah is about Allah and His Perfect Attributes, and there is no other Surah like it. It packs—in short and clear sentences—significant truths about the Creator: His Oneness, Uniqueness, Greatness, and our need for Him. Those who love Allah find immense peace and comfort in it. It reminds them that Allah is sufficient for them and can take care of all of their needs (al-Samad). Since no one is like Him or is equal to Him, they remain faithful to Him despite what others say and do. His supremacy in existence translates into His supremacy in their hearts. Whenever they miss Him and long for Him, they read this Surah and they hear about their Beloved. As they keep reading it, their love and longing for Him grows. Nothing will truly satisfy them except gazing upon His Honorable Face in Jannah. But until then, they stay close to His Words, and they repeat the ayahs that describe Him, impatiently waiting for the day when they will hear His words with their own ears and see Him with their own eyes. This is the greatest bounty in Jannah.
The Companion loved this Surah—as he stated in the hadith—because it described the Most Merciful. When our love for the Most Merciful grows, so will our love for the Quran and the ayahs that describe Allah, especially al-Ikhlas.
This short Surah is equal to one third of the Quran. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
«Gather, for I will recite one-third of the Quran for you.» So, people gathered. Then the Prophet of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم came out and recited Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad, and then he entered his house. We said to each other, “He must have gone inside because of some news he received from above.” The Prophet of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم then came out and said, «I told you that I will recite for you one-third of the Quran. Indeed, it is equivalent to one-third of the Quran.»
Reported by Muslim (812)
It encapsulates one-third of the Quran: Tawhid. And if we know that the highest goal of the Quran is to teach us who Allah is, we would understand why this Surah is so significant. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم also said about it:
«Allah will build a palace in Jannah for the one who reads Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad till the end ten times.»
Reported by Ahmad (15610) and al-Albani declared it hasan (al-Silsilah al-Sahihah, 589)
This Surah is part of the morning and evening dhikr of Allah, part of the pre-sleep dhikr, and one of the protective and healing trio of Surahs (with al-Falaq and al-Nas). This Surah is the companion of those who remember Allah often. It nurtures the love of Allah in their hearts every single day. The more they read it—and the rest of the Quran—the more they can stay devoted to Allah, and the safer they are from the temptations of the world. It keeps them close to Allah, and Allah close to them.
DR. ALI ALBARGHOUTHI
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