HADITH TWENTY FIVE: LOVE OTHERS FOR ALLAH TO LOVE YOU
The Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said, «Allah, Glory be to Him, says, “My Love is confirmed for those who love each other for My sake, My Love is confirmed for those who purify their love for each other for My sake, My Love is confirmed for those who visit each other for My sake, My Love is confirmed for those who give each other for My sake, and My Love is confirmed for those who champion each other for My sake.”»
Reported by Ahmad (19438). Al-Albani declared it sahih (Sahih al-Targhib, 3021) and so did Shu‘ayb al-Arna’ut
Commentary
Love for love
As you do and as you are, you shall receive. This is the reciprocal divine law. You see many instances of it spread throughout the Quran and Sunnah. For instance, Allah, the Exalted, said:
And let them pardon and overlook. Would you not like Allah to forgive you?
An-Nur (Q24:22)
Reception of Allah’s Forgiveness is predicated on our forgiveness. Similarly, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
«The merciful receive mercy from the Merciful. Be merciful to those on earth and the One above the sky will be Merciful to you.»
Reported by al-Tirmidhi (1924) and al-Albani declared it sahih (al-Silsilah
al-Sahihah, 925)
And in the Hadith, those who love others for Allah’s sake have a promise from Allah to receive His love. This is the highest reward possible: to win the love of Allah is to have everything you ever wanted. Everything else will love you because its Master and Creator is happy with you. All of your worries will disappear, all of your dreams will come true, and your heart will finally receive what will make it forever at peace. Having the love of Allah is having everything.
When Allah looks at those fortunate few who love for His sake, He sees the purest of hearts. They do not love for any worldly return: no praise, no favours, no wealth, and no blood ties. They are moved to love because of Allah. And their love produces the noblest actions. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
«A man set out to visit a brother of his in another town, so Allah sent an angel on his way. When the man met the angel, the angel asked him, “Where are you going?” He replied, “I want to visit my brother in this town.” The angel asked, “Are you doing it to repay him for a favour [or taking care of a worldly interest by your visit]?” He said, “No, except that I love him for the sake of Allah, the Exalted and Glorious.” The angel then
said, “I am a messenger of Allah to you [to tell you] that Allah loves you as you love him for His sake.”»
Reported by Muslim (2567)
He did not visit because of any worldly reason. He was not returning a favour, visiting out of social obligation, or protecting his interests. These are not necessarily bad motives. But this man was not doing it for any of this. He hoped to receive nothing but the pleasure of Allah. He travelled an unknown distance; and travel then was an ordeal. He faced the hardships of travel for nothing but his love for Allah. And for that he deserved the honour of an angel’s visit with the greatest of news that Allah loved him. And the story was immortalised in a hadith as an inspiration for millions.
When one loves Allah, their heart beats with Allah’s love. They have gentle hearts that love—with utmost delight—everything that Allah loves. This is not something they have to force on themselves: it comes naturally. No one has to remind us to love our favourite food and drink or our favourite smell; we just do. And when the love of Allah penetrates the hearts, it brings in with it everything that Allah loves. Whatever Allah wants becomes what we want. Whatever He decides becomes the best decision. His commands become a joy because they carry us to Him; and His prohibitions become bitterer than death. Physical death is but a transition that leads us back to Him. But sin is alienation from Him, and there is nothing more wretched and lonely than separating from Him. They love Allah so much that they change their plans to fit His, their priorities are His, and the joy of their hearts is hearing His Name and Words (i.e. Quran and dhikr). They used to chase after the world to make them happy, but found no real happiness until they came close to Him. He took care of all of their needs, all of their worries, and was their solace and companion when no one else could. They cannot love anyone more than Allah, even their own selves, for they exist only because of Him and for Him. Loving for Allah’s sake is as natural to them as loving their own selves.
But love will be tested and will face obstacles. Just like Iman, loving Allah and loving for His sake need to be nurtured. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم described the lovers in the Hadith as purifying their love for each other. They cleanse their hearts from baseless suspicion as soon as it arises. They forgive their beloveds and seek excuses for them, harbouring no ill will or hatred in their hearts for them. Abu Qilabah said:
When you hear something you hate about your brother, try your best to find an excuse for him. And if you cannot, say to yourself, “Maybe my brother has an excuse that I do not know.”
Hilyat al-Awliya’ (vol. 2, p. 285)
They do not envy the success of their loved ones but wish them all the good they wish for themselves. And when they notice their hearts experiencing negative emotions, they step back to reexamine their Iman and strengthen their connection with Allah. If they harm their beloved or deprive them of their rights, they repent to Allah and humbly apologise. They are sincere and honest with those whom they love, doing it to please Allah and gain His love. This is how they keep their love for the pious pure, and because of that, their love for Allah continues to grow.
What love entails
Love is not simply a word we say. It is a state of being, a commitment to what we love. And loving someone for Allah’s sake is the greatest of these commitments because it sprouts from the greatest of all loves. The Hadith explained that the bond of love manifests itself in moral and physical support to protect the wellbeing of the one that you love. If they see their beloved in financial need, they give immediately without any expectation. They visit them because they miss them and to take care of them. If they are assailed, they console and defend them until they are safe. If they see them committing a mistake, their love moves them to give advice. They cannot sit back and see their beloved drift away from Allah, for this would be too heartbreaking to witness. And they receive no satisfaction from another’s affliction. Some, unfortunately, dance with glee when others fail, thinking that their failure somehow translates into their own success. Such a heart suffers from the absence of love, and is distant from Allah’s love. We cannot hate the wellbeing of the believers and imagine that Allah loves us. This should be the greatest motivation to combat those destructive feelings and repent from them. If I want Allah’s love, I need to love what He loves, and loving the wellbeing of the believers is an essential ingredient.
The aforementioned noble behaviour is not limited to the small circle of those whom we know and love. Rather, it is how we are supposed to see the world and react to it.
Tawus took care of his sick friend until he missed Hajj.
Hilyat al-Awliya’ (vol. 4, p. 10)
Tawus was a Tabi‘i (from the second generation) who lived in Makkah, and he put the health of his friend before the performance of (voluntary) Hajj. Hajj is one of the greatest acts of worship. But is it more valuable than the life of a Muslim? When we give (money, aid, time), we should prioritise whom and what Allah loves. Many donate according to their personal preferences, not wondering if this is what Allah loves the most. Many of us champion causes and people based on tribe, colour, family ties, citizenship, gender, and the likes. But those with Iman champion Iman. All other connections disappear: they only see what matters to Allah. Since race, gender, citizenship, colour, and tribe are unimportant to Allah, they are unimportant to them. They will stand with a stranger against their dearest relative if the former is more pleasing to Allah. Al-Hasan al-Basri said:
The believer is not unjust with those whom he hates, and he is not driven to sin because of those whom he loves.
‘Uyun al-Akhbar (vol. 3, p. 14)
They have emotions like everybody else, but Allah is superior to their emotions. Their devotion to Allah makes them adhere to the truth, no matter where it takes them. They speak the truth and give honest advice because of love and care. We cannot love someone and deprive them of the advice they need. The proverb goes:
Your brother is one who is honest in giving you advice.
Majma‘ al-Amthal (vol. 1, p. 23)
We do not advise each other today as often as we should because we lost the love we have for each other. If we still had it, we would care enough to say the truth even at the risk of angering the advisee. Should I sit back and watch someone spiralling into their own destruction and say nothing because they will get angry? If I love them, I will risk their anger in hope of saving them.
Love for the sake of Allah is challenging and demanding. But the reward is magnificent. This love elevates us to stations that the Prophets of Allah themselves admire.
Abu Muslim al-Khawlani said to Mu‘adh ibn Jabal, “By Allah, I love you, not for a worldly favour I will receive from you or kinship between me and you.” Mu‘adh asked, “Then, for what?” I said, “For Allah.” He pulled me by my clothes and said, “Expect the best if you are honest, for I heard the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم say, ‘Those who love each other for the sake of Allah are under the shade of the Throne, where there will be no shade except its shade. The Prophets and the martyrs will admire them and wish for their station.’ ” Then Abu Muslim al-Khawlani left and met ‘Ubadah ibn al-Samit and narrated to him the saying of Mu‘adh. He said, “I heard the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم report that Allah said, ‘My love is confirmed for those who love each other for my sake, My love is confirmed for those who advise each other for my sake, My love is confirmed for those who visit each other for my sake, and My love is confirmed for those who give to each other for my sake. They will be on pulpits of light, where the Prophets and the Siddiqs will admire them and wish for their station.’ ”
Reported by Ahmad (22064) and Ibn Hibban (2510). Al-Albani declared it sahih (Sahih al-Targhib, 3019)
They will be under the shade of the Throne and on pulpits of light. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
«There are seven that Allah will put under his shade on the Day when there will be no shade except his shade.» He mentioned among them, «…and two who love each other for the sake of Allah; they gathered because of this love and continued to have it until they parted ways.»
Reported by al-Bukhari (660) and Muslim (1031)
Their distinction will be so luminous that it attracts the attention of the best of humanity: the Prophets, Siddiqs, and martyrs. You can only imagine the prestige that even the Prophets would admire and wish for. And their heavenly reward is even greater and more lasting. Those coveted rewards tell us that the path is serious and demanding, but it is also beautiful and gratifying.
Love for the sake of Allah is a badge of honour. It means something. It is not a word we say or a wish we have. Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah said:
I heard Musawir al-Warraq swear by Allah and say, “I would not say to a man ‘I love you for the sake of Allah, Glory be to Him,’ and deny him anything from this world.”
Al-Ikhwan by Ibn Abi al-Dunya (p. 202)
When you say it, it means that you love Allah so much that you can now love for His sake. And if you truly love a person because of Allah, you will love them more than the world. So, how can you deny them the world if you love them more than the world? Love is more precious than gold and silver. Abdullah ibn al-Walid said:
Abu Ja‘far Muhammad ibn Ali asked us, “Does one of you put his hand in his friend’s sleeve [where he keeps his money] and take what he wants?” We said, “No.” He said, “Then, you are not brothers as you claim.”
Al-Ikhwan by Ibn Abi al-Dunya (p. 203)
This is what loving someone else for the sake of Allah means.
DR. ALI ALBARGHOUTHI
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