Love and hate for the sake of Allaah, by ibn Taymiyyah

Love and hate for the sake of Allaah

Ash shaykhul Islaam  Ibn Taymiyyah Rahimahullaah said in his essay on al uboodiyyah:

The true ‘abd however, is the one who is pleased with what pleases Allaah and His Messenger; who has hatred for what Allaah and His Messenger hate; offers walaa’ to the awaliyaa’ of Allaah and holds enmity towards the enemies of Allaah. This is the person who has fulfilled emaan as in the hadeeth:

“Whoever loves for Allaah; hates for Allaah; gives for Allaah and denies for Allaah has fulfilled emaan”(1)

He (sallallahy alyhi wa sallaam) also said:

“The firmest bond of emaan is love for Allaah and hate for Allaah”(2)

Also recorded in the saheeh, the Prophet (sallallahu alyhi wa sallaam) has said:

” Three (qualities), whoever possess them, will find the sweetness of emaan: that Allaah and His Messenger are more beloved to him besides anyone else, that he loves someone only for the sake of Allaah and that he hates to return to kufr after Allaah has delivered him from it just as he hates to be slung into the fire”(3)

Thus, this person agreed with His Lord in that which He loves and hates. Allaah and His Messenger became the most beloved of all to him and he loved the creation for Allaah, not for any other reason. This was a result of his perfection of love for Allaah, since (also) having love for what ones beloved loves, constitutes perfection of having love for ones beloved.

So if he loves the Prophet of Allaah and the awliyaa of Allaah because of their accomplishment of what al-Haqq loves, not for any other reason, he has then loved them for Allaah and none other.

Allaah has indeed said


“Allâh will bring a people whom He will love and they will love Him; humble towards the believers, stern towards the disbelievers”-Al Maaidah:54

This is why Allaah has said:

“Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم  to mankind): “If you (really) love Allâh then follow me (i.e. accept Islâmic Monotheism, follow the Qur’ân and the Sunnah), Allâh will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” -Aali Imran 3:31

The Messenger (sallallahu alyhi wa sallaam) only commands that which Allaah loves, prohibites that which Allaah hates, he only does that which Allaah loves and informs of that which Allaah loves to ratify.


Hence, whoever loves Allaah, has to follow the messenger; by believing in him in that which he informs, obeying his orders and emulating him in his actions. whoever does this has indeed performed what Allaah loves and consequently, Allaah will love him.


Footnotes

(1) Related by Abu Dawood no.4681, at-Tabaraanee in al-Kabeer no.7613,7737 & 7738 and al-Baghawee no.13/54 with a hasan chain from Aboo Umaamah.

(2) A hasan hadeeth that has a number of chains from several companions. The best of these chains is that related by Imaam at-Tabaraanee in al-Mu’jam al- Kabeer no10357 from ibn Masoud with hasan chain, Allaah willing. I have a seperate treatise on the chains and takhreej of this hadeeth.

(3) Related by al- Bukharee no.16, 21, 6041 & 6491; Muslim no.43; ibn Majah no.4033; an- Nasaa’ee no.8/94-96; at- Tirmidhee no.2626; Ahmad no.3/103, 172, 174, 230, 245, 275 & 288; at- Tayaalisee no.1959 & Mandah in al- Emaan no.281, 282 & 284 from Anas RadhiAllaahu anhu.

Transcribed from Al Uboodiyyah of shaykhul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah Rahimahullaah (Eng. Trans. pg. 115-117)