Do you really love the Supreme Bestower?

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The Love of Allah

Allah says in the Qur’an:

“And those who believe have intense love for Allah.” (2:165)

“Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your kindred, the wealth you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you have delight … are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger, and striving hard His cause, then wait until Allah brings about His Decision (torment). And Allah guides not the people who are faasiqoon (rebellious, disobedient).” (9:24)

It is reported on the authority of Anas b. Malik that the Messenger of Allaah said: None of you is a believer till I am dearer to him than his child, his father and the whole of mankind. (Muslim)

Types of Love

1. Specific Love

   a.    Halal: love towards Allah, Prophet, Qur’an, etc.
   b.    Haram: Love developed through MSN.

2. General Love

   a.    Natural: Love for food when hungry, etc.
   b.    Mercy: Love for child, parents, siblings, spouse, etc
   c.    Friendship: Business, school, etc.

If we want to meet Allah, we need our hearts and souls to prepare for the meeting of Allah. We need to do righteous deeds.

How to Acquire Allah’s Love

1. Obedience to Allah: Obey the orders and laws of love. We should not treat the orders as a burden. The orders make our life easy and peaceful.
2. Obedience to Prophets: It should be done through actions. Obey and follow the sunnah (soorah, seerah and sareerah). Follow the footsteps of Prophet (saw).
3. Recitation of Qur’an: Narrated Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari: The Prophet said, “The example of him (a believer) who recites the Qur’an is like that of a citron which tastes good and smells good. And he (a believer) who does not recite the Qur’an is like a date which is good in taste but has no smell. And the example of a dissolute wicked person who recites the Qur’an is like the Raihana (sweet basil) which smells good but tastes bitter. And the example of a dissolute wicked person who does not recite the Qur’an is like the colocynth which tastes bitter and has no smell.” (Bukhari)
4.  Voluntary Prayers: Prophet (saw) said: “Allah will build a house in jannah for whoever is diligent in observing 12 sunnah rakats.” (Tirmidhi)
5. Dhikr of Allah: “Allah the Most High says, ” I am with my slave when he thinks of ME and I am with him when he mentions Me. For if he mentions Me to himself, I mention him to Myself; and if he mentions ME in a gathering, I mention him in a superior gathering. If he approaches ME by a hands width, I approach him by an arms length; and if he approaches Me with an arms length, I approach him by two arm’s length. And if he comes to Me walking, I hasten to him swiftly.” (Bukhari)
6. Visiting Muslim brother for the sake of Allah: Abu Huraira reported Allaah’s Prophet (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) as saying: “A person visited his brother in another town and Allaah deputed an Angel to wait for him on his way and when he came to him he said: Where do you intend to go? He said: I intend to go to my brother in this town. He said: Have you done any favour to him (the repayment of which you intend to get)? He said: No, excepting this that I love Mm for the sake of Allaah, the Exalted and Glorious. Thereupon he said: I am a messenger to you from, Allaah: (to inform you) that Allaah loves you as you love him (for His sake)” (Muslim)

   Prophet (saw) said: “If a man loves his brother, let him tell that he loves him.” (Tirmidhi)

7. Being tested and showing patience: Allah loves those who show patience when afflicted with a calamity. Allah tests only those whom Allah loves.

   Allah says in the Qur’an:

   “O ye who believe! Seek help with patient perseverance and prayer: for Allah is with those who patiently persevere.” (2:153)

   “Be sure We shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods, lives and the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere.” (2:155)

   Prophet (SAW) said: “The greatest reward comes from the greatest trial. When Allah loves people, He tests them, and whoever accepts it gains the pleasure of Allah and whoever complains earns His wrath.” (Saheeh)

8. Qiyam ul Layl: Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (SAW) said: ‘In the last third of every night our Rabb (Cherisher and Sustainer) (Allah (SWT)) descends to the lowermost heaven and says; “Who is calling Me, so that I may answer him? Who is asking Me so that may I grant him? Who is seeking forgiveness from Me so that I may forgive him?.”‘ (Bukhari)
9. Gathering Knowledge: Allah loves those who acquire knowledge. The angels keep asking for forgiveness who seek knowledge.

   Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, ” Allah makes the way to Jannah easy for him who treads the path in search of knowledge.”(Muslim).

   The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, “Allah, His angels, the dwellers of the heaven and the earth, and even the ant in its hole and the fish (in water) supplicate in favour of those who teach people knowledge.” (At-Tirmidhi)

10. Ponders about the creation of Allah: Allah loves those who ponder about the creation of Allah.
11. Repentance: Allah loves those who repent.

    “O son of Adam, as long as you call on Me and ask of Me, I will forgive what you have done, and I will forgive what you have done, and I do not mind. O son of Adam, even if your sins reached the clouds and you asked My forgiveness, I will forgive you. O son of Adam, if you came to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and you met Me without giving Me partners, I will give you a similar amount of forgiveness.” (Tirmidhi)

    Prophet Mohammad (saw) informed his followers of this reality, saying, “If you do not commit sins and turn to Allah, seeking his forgiveness, He would have replaced you with another people who would sin, ask Allah’s forgiveness and He would forgive them.” (Muslim)

12. Purify: Allah loves those who are in a state of Wodhu at all times.

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, “If Allah loves a person, He calls Gabriel saying, ‘Allah loves so and-so; O Gabriel! Love him.’ Gabriel would love him and make an announcement amongst the inhabitants of the Heaven. ‘Allah loves so-and-so, therefore you should love him also,’ and so all the inhabitants of the Heaven would love him, and then he is granted the pleasure of the people on the earth.” (Bukhari)

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah RA said, “The Messenger of Allah SAW said, ‘Allah says, “Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I will love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it. I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him.” (Bukhari)

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