“Love” in the Quran and Sunnah

imagesMany people are unaware of the value of Love in Islam. Love is a beautiful emotion that brings joy to the heart. Here are some Quranic verses and hadiths about “Love”:

LOVE

(Warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion; a person’s adoration of God)

…It is righteousness…to spend of your wealth…out of love for Him. (Holy Quran 2:177)

لَّيۡسَ ٱلۡبِرَّ أَن تُوَلُّواْ وُجُوهَكُمۡ قِبَلَ ٱلۡمَشۡرِقِ وَٱلۡمَغۡرِبِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱلۡبِرَّ مَنۡ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأَخِرِ وَٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕڪَةِ وَٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ وَٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ وَءَاتَى ٱلۡمَالَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِۦ

Comment: The fuel for our good deeds is our love of our Creator.

Yet there are people who make others as God’s equals, loving them as only God should be loved. But those who have faith love God more than all else… (Quran 2:165)

…وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَندَادً۬ا يُحِبُّونَہُمۡ كَحُبِّ ٱللَّهِ‌ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ أَشَدُّ حُبًّ۬ا لِّلَّهِ‌ۗ

Comment: We love God more than all else because He gave us everything we have!

And among His Signs is this: that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that ye may dwell in tranquility with them, and He has put love and mercy between your (hearts): verily in that are Signs for those who reflect. (Quran 30:21)

وَمِنۡ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦۤ أَنۡ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنۡ أَنفُسِكُمۡ أَزۡوَٲجً۬ا لِّتَسۡكُنُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيۡنَڪُم مَّوَدَّةً۬ وَرَحۡمَةً‌ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٲلِكَ لَأَيَـٰتٍ۬ لِّقَوۡمٍ۬ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ

Comment: The love we have for our spouses is a sign of Allah.

None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself. (Bukhari, Muslim)

Comment: We must love our brothers and sisters as we love our own selves.

Allah will ask on the Day of Judgment: “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)

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “There are people from the servants of God who are neither prophets nor martyrs, (but) the prophets and martyrs will envy them on the Day of Resurrection. . .They are those who love one another for the spirit of God. . .I swear by God, their faces will glow and they will be (sitting) in (pulpits of) light. They will have no fear (on the day) when the people will have fear, and they will not grieve when the people will grieve.” He then recited the verse: “Behold! Verily for the friends of God, there is no fear, nor shall they grieve.” (Quran, 10:62)

(Recorded in Sunan of Abu Dawood, Hadith 1563)

Comment: Allah (swt) wants us to love one another.

The similitude of believers in regard to mutual love, affection, and fellow-feeling is that of one body; when any limb of it aches, the whole body aches, because of sleeplessness and fever. (Muslim)

…By Him in whose hand stands my life! You shall never enter paradise unless you believe; and you will not believe unless you love one another. Shall I tell you wherewith you would love one another? Extend your greetings freely among yourselves. (Tirmidhi)


Whenever the Prophet saw Fatimah (his daughter) he would welcome her, and rising from his seat would kiss her, and then taking her by the hand would seat her in his own seat.
(Bukhari)

Comment: Love is shown through our actions.

Narrates Aisha (r) , “I was never more jealous of any one of the Prophet’s wives than I was of Khadijah although I never saw her (because she had passed away). The Prophet remembered her much, and many a time he would slay a sheep, and cut it into pieces, and send the same to the friends of Khadijah; and many a time would I tell him, ‘It is as though there never was a woman in the world except Khadijah!’ whereupon the Prophet would say
(commenting on her virtues), ‘Verily, she is such-and-such an I had children from her.’”
(Bukhari, Muslim)

Comment: True love never dies.

The Prophet advised a companion, “Son, if you are able, keep your heart from morning till night and from night till morning free from malice towards anyone…O my son! This is one of my laws, and he, who loves my laws verily, loves me.” (Bukhari,Tirmidthi)

Comment: Never feel hatred or ill will towards anyone. This is the advice of our Prophet.

O Lord, grant me your love. Grant me that I love those who love you. Grant me, that I might do the deeds that win your love. Make your love dearer to me than the love of myself, my family and wealth. (Tirmidthi)

Comment: We must aspire to love God more than anyone or anything else.

Take each other by the hand: all grudges shall go off from you. Give presents to each other, as this will increase love among you, and will take away the deepest hatred. (Muslim)

Give gifts to each other, and you will love each other.
(Bukhari)

Comment: The Prophet (pbuh) gave advice on how to increase love amongst each other.

A man once asked the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): “When will the Hour (of the Day of Judgment) be established?” The Prophet replied: “What have you prepared for it?” The man said: “I haven’t prepared for it very much (by way) of prayers or fasting or charitable giving, but I love God and His Apostle.” The Prophet then said: “You will be with those you love.” (Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidthi)

Comment: Love those whom you want to be with in the next world!

You will not enter paradise until you have faith; and you will not complete your faith until you love one another.
(Muslim)

If one of you loves his brother, let him inform him that he loves him. (Ahmad #16303)

Comment: It is a part of true faith in God to love one another and to communicate this love through words and actions.


The Prophet Muhammad said, “O God, grant me life as a poor man, cause me to die as a poor man and resurrect me in the company of the poor.” His wife asked him why he said that, and he replied: “Because (the poor) will enter Paradise (before) the rich. Do not turn away a poor man…even if all you can give is half a date. If you love the poor and bring them near you, God will bring you near Him on the Day of Resurrection.”
(At-Tirmidthi)

Comment: Love the poor if you want God to love you.

4 Comments

  1. Amirun

    Assala mu alikum.

    Dear brothers and sisters.

    You can only be a happy muslim when you follow the 5 pillars of islam.

    Also try to follow prophet mohamed swallahialihewasaala sunna as you can and trust Allah 🙂

    Reply
    1. Sheima (Post author)

      Wa alaikum as salam, jazakAllah khair for your great comment.

      Reply
  2. Abubakar Muhammad Lamba

    Comment…Barakallah

    Reply
  3. dr muhammad nisar

    Masha Allah
    Allah amal karnay ki toufiq day.

    Reply

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