In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Since Valentine’s day is approaching, it would be a necessary reminder to myself first and foremost and the Ummah sallahu alayhi wa salam to cover the concepts of love, the heart, valentine’s day and marriage beidnillah. Love…what is it? Love is a feeling that Allah subhanahu wa taala has blessed each and every one of us. Love in Islam is vast and is not restricted to one form only, which is love between a male and a female. There is love for Allah subhanahu wa taala, the Messenger of Allaah salla allahu alayhi wa salam, the Companions radi allahu anhuma, good people, Islam, family, friends and other forms of love. Therefore, one should not restrict the love to one form. A person may be loved for something and at the same time may be hated for something.The firmest handhold of faith is to love for the sake of Allah subhanahu wa taala and to hate for the sake of Allah subhanahu wa taala, to befriend those that love Allah and to renounce His enemies. The HeartThis is a vital organ in the body of mankind. From it, one develops emotions of love, anger, happiness, and many others. However these feelings are determined Halal or Haram by the actions that emanate from them. For example, when someone is angry and ends up speaking in foul language or hits a brother. His actions have rendered his anger Haraam. For the Prophet salla allahu alayhi wa salam did not forbid anger itself but what has been forbidden is when we act upon the anger unjustly. To stop anger: Suleiman ibn Suraad radia allahu anhu relates, that he was sitting with the Prophet salla allahu alayhi wa salam when two people fell out and exchanged hot words. The face of one of them became red, and his veins of his neck became swollen. The Prophet salla allahu alayhi wa salam said: "If he could repeat a phrase of which I know, he will get rid of the condition of which he is in. If he said, “a’udubillahii minashaytaani rajeem” (I seek refuge with Allah against Shaytaan, the rejected one) then that which he is experiencing would have gone away from him". [Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim] In the same way, love is not wrong if it is for Allah or for family etc. But this love becomes Haraam when it targeted at a boyfriend or girlfriend, a partner outside wedlock, a ‘fling’ with no repercussions. It is mentioned in the Musnad of Imam Ahmad on the authority of Anas radi allahu anhu that the Prophet salla allahu alayhi wa salam said, “The belief of a slave will not be straight until his heart is straight.” This emphasises that the bodily actions will not be in accordance with Islam until the heart is. For whatever becomes a bodily action is the output of the heart. Therefore, if the heart is in accordance with Islam, one’s belief and bodily actions will be too and a core which is filled with affection for Allah subhanahu wa taala will always want to obey Him and never disobey Him. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal rahimahu Allah mentions: “If his heart is sound and there is nothing in it but love of Allah subhanahu wa taala and love of what Allah loves and fear of Allah subhanahu wa taala and fear of falling into that which He dislikes, then all of the actions of the limbs will be right, and there will arise from that his avoidance of all forbidden things and his guarding himself against ambiguities in case he should fall into things which are forbidden. If the heart is corrupt and it is overcome by following desires and his seeking what he loves even if Allah subhanahu wa taala dislikes it, then all of the limbs; movements will be corrupt and will give rise to every act of disobedience and (engagement in every) ambiguous matter according to the extent of his following the hearts’ desire... For this reason it is said that the heart is the king of the limbs and organs and the other limbs and organs are its troops.” It is for this reason the Prophet salalallahu alayhi wa salam would say in his supplication, “O Allah, I ask You for a sound heart.” Types of Love |
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December 2018
OverviewThis is where I will post my articles. I will do an article each month in sha Allah |