In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
When you say "I love you", what does that mean? I love you because you are my family, I love you because you are beautiful, or I love you because you help me out? How many people actually love simply for the sake of Allah?
Love for the sake of Allah brings rewards which the minds can’t even grasp, but unfortunately it has become a a lost trait among many Muslims.
Allah Almighty says about the brotherly love of the people of the Ansaar:
وَٱلَّذِينَ تَبَوَّءُو ٱلدَّارَ وَٱلْإِيمَـٰنَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ يُحِبُّونَ مَنْ هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ فِى صُدُورِهِمْ حَاجَةً مِّمَّآ أُوتُوا۟ وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ ۚ وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِۦ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ ﴿٩
And [also for] those who were settled in al-Madinah and [adopted] the faith before them. They love those who emigrated to them and find not any want in their breasts of what the emigrants were given but give [them] preference over themselves, even though they are in privation. And whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul - it is those who will be the successful. (9)
[Qur'an, Al-Hashr 59:9]
What does “loving for the sake of Allah” really mean?
Loving someone for the sake of Allah comes in two ways: in your heart and with your deeds. You love someone for the sake of Allah in your heart because of their position with Allah, and this starts with loving the prophets and messengers and everyone who follows them. You should have this love in your heart for other Muslims. Outwardly means that you support that person in the good deeds they do, and you respect and defend them according to their good deeds.
This means you don’t love them because you know them very well, or because they brought you a direct benefit or because they have a nice appearance: you love and support them because of their efforts to please Allah.
Four huge rewards to gain by loving for the sake of Allah
1. Taste the sweetness of faith.
This is invaluable in this world. The Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said: There are three qualities whoever has them, will taste the sweetness of iman:
--to love Allah and His Messenger more than anyone else;
--to love a slave (of Allah) only for (the sake of) Allah;
--and to abhor returning to infidelity after Allah has saved him from it as he would abhor to be thrown into the fire (of Hell). [Bukhari, Muslim]
We have to realize that of everything you can have in this world, a taste of the sweetness of iman is the most precious.
2. Enjoy the shade of Allah.
Moving to the Day of Judgment, the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that Allah will ask on this day: Where are those who loved each other for the sake of My glory? Today, on a day when there is no shade but Mine, I shall shade them with My shade. [Muslim]
You will only understand your intense need of this Shade when you are there. You can work for it now, by loving someone for the sake of Allah.
3. The Prophets and martyrs will envy you.
The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: Allah, the Exalted, has said: For those who love one another for the sake of My Glory, there will be seats of light (on the Day of Resurrection), and they will be envied by the Prophets and martyrs. [At-Tirmidhi]
Imagine yourself sitting on seats of light and the best of the best envying you because you made it a priority to love others for the sake of Allah.
4. You will have a high rank with Allah.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: A man set out to visit a brother (in faith) in another town and Allah sent an angel on his way. When the man met the angel, the latter asked him: Where do you intend to go? He said: I intend to visit my brother in this town. The angel said: Have you done any favor to him? He said: No, I have no desire except to visit him because I love him for the sake of Allah, the Exalted, and Glorious. Thereupon the angel said: I am a messenger to you from Allah (to inform you) that Allah loves you as you love him (for His sake). [Muslim]
Isn’t this breath taking? By loving someone for the sake of Allah, you gain the love of the Highest and which love is better than His?
How to love someone for the sake of Allah
1. Be patient with the person and strive for a clean heart.
In your relationship with other believers don’t try to seek the negative side of each word or gesture, be fast in accepting apologies and don’t be selfish. A common issue is the more ‘religious’ some people get, their hatred for others increases. Try to seek the good side in others and always try to find a good explanation or interpretation of certain behavior or the speech of the other.
وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ ۚ يَأْمُرُونَ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَيُطِيعُونَ ٱللَّـهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥٓ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ سَيَرْحَمُهُمُ ٱللَّـهُ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّـهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ ﴿٧١[Qur'an At-Tawba 9:71]
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. (71)
2. Be a person on whom others can rely in times of need, and don't wait to help until they ask.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: The believers, in their mutual friendship, mercy and affection, are like one body: if any part of it complains, the rest of the body will also stay awake in pain. [Bukhari, Muslim]
You might know this hadith, but try to truly reflect on it. Do you truly feel the pain of other believers, does it affect you? As this is a sign of your actual love for another.
There was an example of a man who loaned his friend money and walked back home crying. When his wife asked him why he was crying and if it was because he needed the money himself he said: No I am crying at my brother in faith’s state of affairs. How could I not have known what he was going through? If I had, I would have offered my help before he was compelled to ask for it.
He was crying because he had seen his friend sighing, and even though he had seen something was wrong, he had never bothered to ask. This brother was crying because he hadn’t been there to prevent his brother in Islam from going through the pain of having to ask for a loan.
3. You are happy with their success, and not being envious. Allah censures the envious one.
... أَمْ يَحْسُدُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ عَلَىٰ مَآ ءَاتَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ
Or do they envy men for what Allah has given them from His bounty...
[Qur’an, An-Nisa 4:54]
4. Don't ask anything of his wealth and properties. Don't hope to benefit from his name and fame. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), said: A believer is a brother to another believer. He does not seek advantage over him and does not inflict trouble on him.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: I am the God fearing men of my followers are free from inflicting troubles.
4. Pray for him in his life time and even after his death.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: If a man prays for his friend in his absence, the angels say: Similar prayer is for you.
5. Tell them you love them for Allah’s sake.
The Prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: If any of you loves his brother then he should inform him. [At-Tirmidhi]
It increases love. If he knows that you love him, he will surely love you. When you come to know that he also loves you, your love for him will increase. Love will increase from both sides. The existence of love among the believers is the object of Shari'a and religion.
Revive this sunnah by telling the ones you love for His sake by saying:
أحبك في الله
– Uhibbuka fil-llaahi (or to a female: uhibukki fil-llaahi), which means: I love you for the sake of Allah.
The plural is:
أحبكم في الله
– Uhibbukum fil-llaahi ( to a group of men or a mix of men and women) or
أحبكنّ في الله
– Uhibbukunna fil-llaahi (to a group women).
When someone tells you they love you for the sake of Allah, you can respond by:
أَحَبَّكَ الَّذِي أَحْبَبْتَنِي لَهُ
– Ahabbak-alladhee ahbabtanee lah (for a male) or Ahabakk-illadhee ahhabtinee lah (for a female), which means: may the One for whom you have loved me, love you, in return.
[Above phrases as narrated in Abu Dawood]
Call or send a message and say the above to someone you love for the sake of Allah.
And I start with you all, for your eagerness to read about Islam and your efforts to please Allah: Uhibbukum fil-llaah – I love you for the sake of Allah.
May Allah help us love one another for His sake and grant us the sweetness of faith and shade us with His shade when there is no other shade except His shade.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
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