The benefits of loving someone for the sake of Allah are immeasurable. First, it strengthens our bond with Allah and draws us closer to Him. One of the cornerstones of our religion is to love and worship Allah via our interactions with others, and when we love someone only for the sake of Allah, we are fulfilling this. Our hearts are purified, and this love strengthens our faith. And second, a path to Paradise is to love someone for the sake of Allah. It is narrated on the authority of Anas b. Malik that the Prophet (May peace and blessings be upon him) observed:
“None amongst you believes (truly) until he loves for his brother” – or he said “for his neighbor” – “that which he loves for himself.” [1]
Rewards of Loving Someone For The Sake Of Allah
When we love someone only for Allah’s sake, we show Allah how much we adore Him and fulfill an essential need of our religion. The benefits of loving someone out of devotion to Allah include the following:
Allah’s love and pleasure
Allah loves those who love others for His sake. Abu Huraira reported that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said:
“When Allah loves a servant, He calls Gabriel and says: Verily, I so and so; you should also love him, and then Gabriel begins to love him. Then he makes an announcement in Heaven saying: Allah loves so and so and you also love him, and then the inhabitants of the Heaven (the Angels) also begin to love him and then there is conferred honor upon him in the earth; and when Allah is angry with any servant He calls Gabriel and says: I am angry with such and such and you also become angry with him, and then Gabriel also becomes angry and then makes an announcement amongst the inhabitants of Heaven: Verily Allah is angry with so-and-so, so you also become angry with him, and thus they also become angry with him. Then he becomes the object of wrath on the earth also.” [2]
By loving someone for Allah’s sake, we seek His love and pleasure, and Allah rewards us for this by showering us with His blessings and mercy.
Forgiveness and expiation of sins
Loving someone for the sake of Allah can also lead to the forgiveness of our sins. Narrated Abu-Umamah: The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
“If anyone loves for Allah’s sake, hates for Allah’s sake, gives for Allah’s sake and withholds for Allah’s sake, he will have perfect faith.” [3]
We are carrying out a noble act that can atone for our misdeeds and secure Allah’s pardon when we love others for the sake of Him.
Increased blessings in our relationships
When we love someone for the sake of Allah, our relationships with them become filled with blessings and barakah. Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
“Seven (people) will be shaded by Allah by His Shade on the Day of Resurrection when there will be no shade except His Shade. (They will be), a just ruler, a young man who has been brought up in the worship of Allah, a man who remembers Allah in seclusion and his eyes are then flooded with tears, a man whose heart is attached to mosques (offers his compulsory congregational prayers in the mosque), two men who love each other for Allah’s Sake, a man who is called by a charming lady of noble birth to commit illegal sexual intercourse with her. He says, ‘I am afraid of Allah,’ and (finally), a man who gives in charity so secretly that his left-hand does not know what his right hand has given.” [4]
By loving someone for the sake of Allah, we are inviting His blessings into our relationships, which can protect us from the harm of Satan and strengthen our bonds with others.
Elevated status in Paradise
The benefits of loving someone for Allah’s sake go beyond this world. Allah will exalt individuals who loved others for His sake in Paradise as compensation in the Hereafter. Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:
“Verily. Allah would say on the Day of Resurrection: Where are those who have a mutual love for My Glory’s sake? Today I shall shelter them in My shadow when there is no other shadow but the shadow of Mine.” [5]
By loving people for the sake of Allah, we are performing a noble deed that can help us atone for our misdeeds and gain Allah’s forgiveness.
How Can We Love Someone for The Sake of Allah?
Loving someone for the sake of Allah is not always easy, but it is a noble goal worth striving for. Here are some ways to develop and strengthen your love for others for the sake of Allah:
Understand the concept of loving for the sake of Allah
To love someone wholly for Allah’s pleasure, without considering one’s interests or needs, is to love someone for the sake of Allah. It entails loving someone because Allah also loves them and because they are one of His fellow creations. Comprehending this idea is the first step in creating this kind of love. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:
“Anyone who loves his brother in Allah and for Allah should say, ‘I love you for Allah,’ and they will both enter the Garden. The one who has a love for someone in Allah has a degree over the one he loves because of his love.” [6]
Seek knowledge about the people you love
Love is something that gets easier the more you get to know someone. Spend some time getting to know the individuals in your life—their problems, pleasures, goals, and successes. It will be simpler to love someone for Allah’s sake if you try to comprehend their viewpoints and past experiences.
Show kindness and compassion
Being likable and sympathetic to others is one of the finest ways to demonstrate your love for them, for Allah’s sake. Narrated `Aisha:
“A group of Jews entered upon the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, “As-Samu-Alaikum.” (i.e., death be upon you). I understood it and said, “Wa-Alaikum As-Samu wal-la’n. (death and the curse of Allah be Upon you).” Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “Be calm, O `Aisha! Allah loves that one, should be kind and lenient in all matters.” I said, “O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! Haven’t you heard what they (the Jews) have said?” Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “I have (already) said (to them) “And upon you!” [7]
We embody Allah’s nature and express our love for Him by being kind and compassionate to others.
Help others for the sake of Allah
Helping needy people is one of the best ways to show affection for Allah’s sake. This might be as straightforward as lending a sympathetic ear, delivering valuable help, or speaking kindly and encouraging words. Helping others satisfies a vital need of our faith and shows how much we adore Allah. Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah said:
“Whoever relieves a Muslim of a burden from the burdens of the world, Allah will relieve him of a burden from the burdens on the Day of Judgement. And whoever helps ease a difficulty in the world, Allah will grant him ease from a difficulty in the world and in the Hereafter. And whoever covers (the faults of) a Muslim, Allah will cover (his faults) for him in the world and the Hereafter. And Allah is engaged in helping the worshipper as long as the worshipper is engaged in helping his brother.” [8]
Pray for the people you love
Praying for them is one of the most effective methods to show affection for Allah’s sake. Make dua for the individuals in your life, pleading with Allah to provide them blessings, protection, and guidance along the right path. We show our affection for people and our dependence on Allah for their well-being by offering dua for them.
Conclusion
In conclusion, loving someone for the sake of Allah is a lovely and satisfying experience that draws us nearer to Allah, earns us His blessings and forgiveness, and enables us to reach Paradise. It is a love anchored in our relationship with the divine and goes beyond relationships’ physical and emotional components. May Allah bestow upon us the capacity to love for His sake, to be loved by Him and His creation, and to love ourselves. Ameen.
Loving Someone for The Sake of Allah Is Rewarding is part of an amazing series of content. For more, you are very much encouraged to follow our whole series Time to Revive where we discuss the forgotten sunnah or Prophet Muhammad Peace be Upon Him and try to revive them by considering most of the perspectives of the modern world. Reading them and making them a habit is now your choice.
By Jowairia Shahid
References
- Sahih Muslim 45a: Book 1, Hadith 77
- Sahih Muslim 2637a: Book 45, Hadith 201
- Sunan Abi Dawud 4681: Book 42, Hadith 86
- Sahih al-Bukhari 6806: Book 86, Hadith 35
- Sahih Muslim 2566: Book 45, Hadith 46
- Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 546: Book 30, Hadith 9
- Sahih al-Bukhari 6024: Book 78, Hadith 55
- Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1930: Book 27, Hadith 36
