Intense Love for ALLAH

“Those that believe have intense love for Allah.”

True love is such a characteristic that it can drive a person to exert himself to unbelievable sacrifices and hardships. True love also has the power to turn the heart of the beloved to such a degree that the lover can receive numerous favours and bounties from the beloved.

This beautiful quality was, no doubt, truly displayed, demonstrated and shown to the entire mankind by the Khalil of Allah Ta’aala, Sayyidina Ebrahim (Alayhis Salaam). The various actions of this true lover of Allah Ta’aala are a lesson for us all to emulate, if we sincerely desire the love and pleasure of Allah Ta’aala.

Analysing the beautiful actions of Sayyidina Ebrahim Alayhis Salaam, will reveal the meaning of true love. Sayyidina Ebrahim (Alayhis Salaam) at a very young age was called upon to choose between the love of Allah and the love of his father, Aazar. His father was not only an idol-worshipper but he also made and sold idols. Sayyidina Ebrahim’s (Alayhis Salaam) love for Allah Ta’aala would not allow him to support the foolish behaviour of his father. He openly declared to his father his opposition as he was not willing to ascribe any partners with Allah Ta’aala.

If any heart is imbued with the true love of Allah then one will not be able to tolerate going against the commands of Allah, even though it maybe one’s father who commands one to do so. The love of Allah is not like the love between father and son, nor like the love between husband and wife, nor like the love between two friends. It is the love between the Creator and the created. That very Creator who has granted one that father, spouse and friend. That very Creator whose love for His servants is much more than a mother’s love for her child.

Therefore, Ebrahim (Alayhis salaam) eventually had to leave home and settle in a new land due to his father’s persistence on kufr. Ebrahim (Alayhis salaam) passed the test, the test of the love of Allah over the love of the father. He passed the test of leaving behind all that he had known, family, friends, home to obey the order of Allah to settle in a strange and uninhabited land of mountains and desert. He further passed the test of leaving his wife and child in the middle of the desert to obey the order of Allah, he passed the test of sacrificing his beloved son Ismail (Alayhis salaam) at an age when a son is most beloved and helpful to his father. Indeed once the true love of Allah enters the heart one cannot bear to disobey the commands of Allah. Sayyidina Ebrahim’s (Alayhis salaam) passing all the tests that his Rabb had put before him was due to his extreme love of Allah. He was therefore, given the honourable title of Khalil-ullah by Allah Himself.

In commemoration of the love displayed by Ebrahim (A.S.), Allah made Haj compulsory and Qurbani obligatory upon the Ummah of Nabi (S.A.W.). We therefore, witness millions of Muslims annually making the arduous journey to Makkah and thousands, nay millions of animals sacrificed for the pleasure of Allah. Indeed the love for Allah is like no other love. Sayyidina Ebrahim Alayhis Salaam was true to his word when he said,

“Verily, my Salaah (prayer), my sacrifice, my living, and my dying is for Allah, the Sustainer of the Aalamin (mankind, Jinn and all that exists).

Hazrat Ebrahim (Alayhis Salaam) truly demonstrated what our Nabi Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam said, “You are not a true believer until I i.e. Rasul Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam is more beloved (to you) than your parents, children, and all people.    

More beloved than one’s own soul should be Allah and His Rasul (S.A.W.). Hadrat Zuhri reports, “Someone whose dependability is unquestionable mentioned to me that whenever Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) made wudu or spat, the Sahabah would race to get his saliva (and leftover wudu water) to rub it on their faces and bodies. “Why do you do this?” asked Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam). “Because we seek blessings from it,” came the reply. Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) then told them, “Whoever loves to be loved by Allah and by His Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) should always speak the truth, return trusts and should never harm his neighbour.”                                                                                                             (Baihaqi)

 Before slaughtering the Qurbaani animal one should reflect whether one’s love for Allah is sincere and true. Answers to the following questions will help us establish whether we are in reality the true lovers of Allah.

FOR MALES

 (1)     Do I keep my beard as prescribed by the Shariah or do I trim it or shave it  altogether?

(2)     Do I keep any garment flowing below my ankles?

(3)     Do I ensure that my earnings are absolutely Halaal without the slightest trace of, let

        alone Haraam, but even anything doubtful.

(4)     Does my desire for fame make me succumb to lies, gheebah, slandering, cheating etc.?

(5)     Does greed for worldly riches make me oblivious of how I earn my wealth? Do I

        throw caution to the wind and invest in such avenues that have been declared

        doubtful by some Ulama or do I cling to the opposing view of some other Ulama?

        (Remember it is best to exercise caution and abstain from the doubtful as the

        spiritual consequences of indulging could be catastrophic).

(6)   Do I read all my Salaah with Jamaat in the Masjid?

(7)   Do I have concern for the Spiritual and physical well-being of fellow human beings?

(8)   Do I engage daily in Quran Tilaawat and Zikr?

(9)   Am I sincere and faithful to my wife or do I secretly admire other females?

(10) Do I give preference to my hobby of fishing, golf etc. over my Salaah with

        Jamaat or the effort of Deen?

FOR FEMALES

(1)     Do I ensure that I feed my family only that which is Halaal and Tayyib? Or do I

        feed them the doubtful?

(2)     Do I dress Islamically or do I want to keep up with the trendy fashions?

(3)     Do I occupy my troublesome children by switching on the T.V. or some video film?

(4)     Do I nag my husband for material things that causes him to bring Haraam earning home?

(5)     Do I prefer a career and hence fling my children at the feet of some nanny?

(6)     Am I regular with my Salaah or do I give preference to my favourite T.V. show?

(7)     Do I prevent my husband from maintaining family ties or do I justify my restraining

        him from seeing his mother by classifying her as an evil woman from whom not

        only I should stay away but also her own son should keep a distance, otherwise the

        marriage will irretrievably  breakdown?

(8)   Am I regular with my acts of worship?

(9)   Do I encourage my husband and children to participate in Deeni activities or am I so

        possessive that I do not want them out of my sights?

(10) Am I faithful to my husband or do I enjoy the company of strangers and lewd books, magazines, etc?

 During the process of Qurbani, that is beloved in the Sight of Allah, let us also slaughter all our vile and base desires, and enjoy some of the perpetual blessings and benefits of true love as manifested by Sayyidina Ebrahim (Alayhis Salaam).

 May Allah grant us His true love. (Ameen)