Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Love For The Sake of Allah

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

After the grave of our deceased friend (may Allah have mercy on him) was covered and talqin (instructing the deceased) ended and people started to leave, a group of us who stayed behind, gathered around the grave to make du'a led by one of the brothers, an Imam of masjid. He began with a few striking words that should make everyone stop and asked himself/herself -- "Do I really love this person for the sake of Allah?". The Imam said: "If you really love this brother, make sincere du'a for him now."

In this life we utter various words to indicate our love for someone ("I love you, I love you for the sake of Allah, ...), but do we really know what love is? How many of those people we claim we love who are now deceased (perhaps your mother, your father, your brother/sister, your best friend...) that we make du'a for them on daily basis? This is the real test of our love for them and for the sake of Allah.

Abu Hurairah (radhiAllahu anhu) reported: The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, "Seven are (the persons) whom Allah will give Shade of His Thrown on the Day when there would be no shade other than His Throne's Shade: A just ruler; a youth who grew up worshipping Allah; a man whose heart is attached to mosques; two persons who love and meet each other and depart from each other for the sake of Allah; a man whom an extremely beautiful woman seduces (for illicit relation), but he (rejects this offer by saying): `I fear Allah'; a man who gives in charity and conceals it (to such an extent) that the left hand does not know what the right has given; and a person who remembers Allah in solitude and his eyes well up".
[Bukhari and Muslim].

Sayyiduna Anas (radhiAllahu anhu)) relates that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, 'Anyone who possesses three attributes will experience the sweetness of faith (iman): that he loves Allah and His Messenger more than anything else; that he loves someone for the sake of Allah alone; and that he hates the idea of reverting to disbelief, after Allah has released him from it, as much as he would hate being thrown into fire.' [Bukhari and Muslim]

Loving for the sake of Allah means one loves an individual simply because of the connection he holds with Allah; either because he worships Allah and is doing something to further the deen of Allah, or, even more praiseworthy, merely because he is from the creation of Allah. There is no worldly motive behind this love such as a favor done by him, and is not subject to any fluctuation. As such, it is not increased by the character and kindness of the one loved and not decreased by his shortcomings.

Abu Karima al-Miqdad ibn Ma'dikarib (radhiAllahu anhu) relates that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, 'When a man loves his brother, he should inform him that he loves him.' (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi)

As such, it is a Prophetic recommendation to inform the person one loves for the sake of Allah of this love, since this will increase their mutual love and strengthen the bond of brotherhood. It is also good to disclose that this love is for Allah's sake alone, and not because of any worldly gain or motive.

Anas ibn Malik said: A man passed the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم who was in the company of some people, so a man from those with him said, 'Indeed I love that person for Allah's sake.' So the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said, ' Have you informed him?' He said, 'No.' He (the Messenger of allah) said,' Go to him and inform him.' So he went and informed him, so he replied, 'May the One for whose sake you have loved me love you.' Then he returned and the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم asked him and he told him what he had said. So the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said, 'You will be with the one whom you have loved and there will be for you the reward that you hoped for.'[Abu Dawud, Ahmad, al-Haakim, and others]

In light of this practice of the Companion (radhiAllahu anhu), if one is informed by someone that they love one for the sake of Allah (uhibbuka fi-Allah), one should respond by saying, 'ahabbakalladhi ahbabtani lahu,' meaning may Allah Most high, for the sake of Whom you have love for me, love you. It is a way of reciprocating them for their love and making Du'a for them, Insha Allah.

The Du'a for those you love does not end at their death but should continue until your death, and inshaAllah those people who said they love you will make du'a for you until they die, and their children will continue to do same.

"None of you are true believers until you love for your brother what you love for yourself."

It was narrated from ‘Asim al-Ahwal that ‘Abdullah ibn Sarjis said: I saw the Prophet (peace an blessings of Allah be upon him) and I ate bread and meat with him – or he said: thareed. He (the narrator) said: I said to him: Did the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) pray for forgiveness for you? He said: Yes, and for you. Then he recited this verse:
فَٱعْلَمْ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّـهُ وَٱسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنۢبِكَ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ ۗ وَٱللَّـهُ يَعْلَمُ مُتَقَلَّبَكُمْ وَمَثْوَىٰكُمْ ﴿١٩

So know, [O Muhammad], that there is no deity except Allah and ask forgiveness for your sin and for the believing men and believing women. And Allah knows of your movement and your resting place. (19)
[Qur'an, Muhammad 47:19]

رَبَّنَا ٱغْفِرْ لِى وَلِوَٰلِدَىَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ ٱلْحِسَابُ ﴿٤١

Our Lord! Forgive me, and my parents, and all the believers, on the Day on which the Reckoning will be established. [Qur'an, Ibrahim 14:41]

رب اغفر لي ولوالدي وللمؤمنين والمؤمنات والمسلمين والمسلمات الأحياء منهم والأموات إلى يوم الدين

Our Lord, forgive me, and my parents, and the believing men and women and the Muslim men and women, from the living and the dead until the Day of Judgment.

Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakum Allahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

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