Understanding True Love -- You Will Think of the Hereafter of the One You Love

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

Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

A person’s real life, the eternal life of the Hereafter, begins after death, for this world is no more than a temporary residence in which all people are tried.

The believers, who are conscious of this reality, demonstrate their love for one another by preparing for the Hereafter. As much they desire to attain Allah’s good pleasure, mercy, and Paradise, they also desire their loved ones to share the same blessings and beauties as themselves.

Knowing that one could face eternity in Hell, they behave in a manner designed to lead others toward the true path. Whenever they see a mistake in the behavior of the people they love, they immediately will do their best to help the them alter that behavior so that they will gain Allah’s good pleasure. They invite one another to what is good and beautiful, and withdraw from what Allah has proclaimed to be bad and unlawful. Their eagerness and sincere love for one another is one of their best characteristics.

Allah informs us of the believers’ understanding of the strengthened love,

وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ ۚ يَأْمُرُ‌ونَ بِٱلْمَعْرُ‌وفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ‌ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَو‌ٰةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَو‌ٰةَ وَيُطِيعُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَ‌سُولَهُۥٓ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ سَيَرْ‌حَمُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ ﴿٧١

The believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and establish prayer and give zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger. Those - Allah will have mercy upon them. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.

[Qur'an, at-Tawba 9:71]

ٱللَّهُ وَلِىُّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ يُخْرِ‌جُهُم مِّنَ ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ‌ ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُ‌وٓا۟ أَوْلِيَآؤُهُمُ ٱلطَّـٰغُوتُ يُخْرِ‌جُونَهُم مِّنَ ٱلنُّورِ‌ إِلَى ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ ۗ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ‌ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ ﴿٢٥٧

Allah is the protector of those who believe. He brings them out of the darkness and into the light. But those who do not believe have false deities as protectors. They take them from the light into the darkness. Those are the Companions of the Fire, remaining in it timelessly, forever.

[Qur'an, al-Baqarah 2:257]

We will not find benefit in people who only tell us what we want to hear. We need nasiha (sincere advice), in all its forms, whether it comes from a comforting pillow, or a hard wall, or a rusty dagger. As difficult as it may be, we need to hear when we need to change. And we all know, we never make it easy for them to do us the favor (of advising). It takes a true kind of love to tell you, you are messing up.

أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّةِ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْطَانٍ وَهَامَّةٍ، وَمِنْ كُلِّ عَيْنٍ لاَمَّةٍ ‏

O Allah! I seek refuge with Your Perfect Words from every devil and from poisonous pests and from every evil, harmful, envious eye.

أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّةِ مِنْ غَضَبِهِ وَعِقَابِهِ وَشَرِّ عِبَادِهِ وَمِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِينِ وَأَنْ يَحْضُرُونِ

I seek refuge with the complete words of Allah from His anger and His punishment and the evil of His slaves, and from the evil suggestions of the Satan and from their being present (at death).

اللهم فاطر السماوات والأرض عالم الغيب والشهادة، رب كل شيء ومليكه أشهد أن لا إله إلا أنت، أعوذ بك من شر نفسي وشر الشيطان وشركه‏

O Allah! Creator of the heavens and the earth! Knower of the hidden and the exposed! Lord of everything and every one. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshiped but You. I seek Your Protection from the evil of my own self from the evil of Satan and from the evil of Shirk to which he calls.

May Allah grant us righteous families and righteous companions. May Allah grant us the ability to perfect our character, just as He perfected our form. May Allah make our hearts tender. May Allah gather us with our loved ones in the highest Paradise.

Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.

And Allah knows best and He alone grant success.

Wassalaam