Through meditation and authentic narration we find out that man is the first and foremost creature.  According to the teachings of Islam, the whole universe has been created for man to get to know his Lord, the Most Merciful, and His Beautiful Names and Attributes. Therefore, if man firmly believes that he has a Great Creator, a Bountiful Lord, and a Wise Director, Who has created him in the very best appearance, honored him greatly, preferred him to most of His creatures and bestowed upon him His Divine Favors such as existence, sustenance, and guidance.

Such knowledge leads man to love his Creator and Educator, because man believes by his mind, and loves by his heart. Is man anything except a mind to comprehend and a heart to love? It was narrated that “The wisest among you are those who love Allah most.”

It was narrated that whosoever does not have love, does not have faith. This is because true faith and love are inseparable, just like the soul and body, for what is the value of the body without a soul? And what is the value of faith without love? If it is true that mind for man is like a stirring wheel that leads a car towards its right way and right end; and it is also true that a heart for man is like an engine that makes a car move at all. what is the benefit of a driving wheel without an engine? It is inertness and death. Also what is the benefit of an engine without a driving wheel? It is doom and destruction.

Love is the nourishment for hearts, and the food for souls. It is also life if a person is deprived whereof, he will die. It is light that if a person looses, he will be in absolute darkness. It is a cure if a person is destitute whereof, diseases will befall him. It is an enjoyment whosoever does not attain, his life will be full of worries and pains. Therefore, it was narrated by Anas Ibn Malik that the Prophet (PBUH) said: “Three things - if they are found in a person, he will find by them the sweetness and the taste of belief: that Allah and His messenger be the most beloved to him more than any thing else, that he loves one for none but Allah, and that he hates to go back to disbelieve, after Allah has rescued him from it, as he hates to be cast into fire.”[1]

If man knows his Lord, he will love Him, and if he loves Him, he will seek His cordiality by adhering to His order and doing good deeds for His sake. By then he will find the sweetness of belief, after he had tasted the hell of disbelief. The chief concern of a man – who knows this knowledge and tastes of this sweetness – will be drawing near to the Beloved. In an authentic Hadith, the Prophet (PBUH) narrated that Allah said: “My servant is still drawing near unto Me by supererogatory worships until I love him, and if I love him, I will be his hearing by which he hears, and his sight by which he sees, and his hand by which he holds, and his leg by which he walks. And if he asks Me, I will give him (what he asks); and if he seeks refuge with Me, I will give him My refuge.”

So many are those who claim that they love Allah and His messenger, but you will never find in their deeds anything that proves this claim. They claim that they have waded into seas of love, while they did not even got wet. If men were judged according to their claim, then a heart-free man would claim that he feels as yearning as a grieved man. Therefore, claimers are required to prove their claim, Allah says: “Say: ‘If you do love Allah, follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins.” [III ; 31]

You disobey Allah while you pretend loving Him, this is, by my life, an ugly claim.

If your love were true, you would obey Him; for a loving one obeys him whom he loves.

Allah refutes those who claim that they are Allah’s sons and lovers, He All Mighty says: “Say: ‘Why then does He punish you for your sins? Nay, you are but men – of the men He has created.” [V ; 18]

From the above verse, the Imam Ash-Shafi’i deduced that Allah does not punish His beloved ones.

Love for Allah is a basis, and one of its branches is love for the Prophet (PBUH), for no one, other than Allah, has more favour upon us in our guidance and happiness except our Prophet (PBUH).

“Now has come unto you a Messenger from amongst yourselves, it grieves him that you should perish, ardently anxious is he over you, to the believers is he most kind and merciful.” [IX ; 128]

Therefore, love for the Prophet is joined with the love of Allah, the All Mighty, in most of the verses of the Quran and the Tradition of the Prophet. Allah says: “Say: ‘If it be that your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your mates, or your kindred; the wealth that you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline; or the dwellings in which you delight – are dearer to you than Allah, or His Apostle, or the striving in His cause, – then wait until Allah brings about His decision, and Allah guides not the rebellious.” [IX ; 24]

In an authentic Hadith reported by Imam Muslim: “None of you believes (completely) until I be dearer to him than his family, his property, and all mankind.”

However, pleasing Allah is pleasing His Messenger (PBUH), and pleasing the Messenger (PBUH) is pleasing Allah. Allah, the All Mighty says: “But it is more fitting that they should please him – Allah and His Messenger – if they are believers.” [IX ; 62]

Allah says: “they should please him” but not: “they should please them”.

Also obedience to the Messenger of Allah is obedience to Allah, the All Mighty, for Allah says: “He who obeys the Messenger, obeys Allah.” [IV ; 80]

One of the Prophet’s opponents said: “I have never seen any one loves another as much as Muhammad’s Companions love him.”

The following are two examples of this love:

Thaupan[2], the Messenger’s Servant, loved him greatly, and he could not bear being away from him. One night he came to him (PBUH) with a change on his face, weakness in his body, and grief on his face; so the Prophet (PBUH) asked him: “O Thaupan! What’s the matter with you?” He said: “O Messenger of Allah! I am not sick nor I am harmed, but when I do not see you, I miss you and I become alienated until I meet you. If I do not come and look at you, I think I shall pass away. Then I remember the Hereafter, so I am afraid that I do not see you there, because I know that you will be with the Prophets…” The prophet did not answer him, but Allah the All Mighty answered him and reassured him saying, “All who obey Allah and the Messenger are in the company of those in whom is the Grace of Allah – of the prophets, the sincere, the witnesses, and the righteous; Ah! What a beautiful fellowship! Such is the bounty from Allah, and sufficient is it that Allah knows all.” [IV ; 69-70]

Another example is a woman of the Ansar, from Banu Dinar, who heard a rumor that Muhammad (PBUH) was killed in Auhud; so she felt pain and went to discover the reality. She went to the battlefield and saw her father, her son, her husband, and her brother, yet, she did not care for them and did not stop to see them, but she proceeded searching for the Prophet (PBUH) asking every one she saw: “What has the Prophet done?” They answered her: “He is right ahead”, until she got to the Prophet and felt at ease for his being safe. Then she held a part of his cloth and said: “O Messenger of Allah! Every disaster other than you is trivial. Nothing matters as long as you are safe and well.”

What a great woman! If women were as such, they would be preferred to men.

Love for Allah is a basis, and one of its branches is love for the Messenger’s venerable Companions, who supported him and followed Divine Light which was revealed to him, who truly strived with him, who sacrificed every thing for the sake of spreading the Truth, whom Allah was pleased with, and whom the Prophet (PBUH) described saying: “they are scholars and wise men; out of their knowledge they are about to be Prophets …”[3]

The Prophet (PBUH) ordered us not to indulge in speaking bad things about them. He (PBUH) said: “If my Companions are mentioned, then keep silent.”[4]. He (PBUH) also said: “Do not curse my Companions, for if anyone of you spent as much gold as the mountain of Uhud, it would not be equal to a Mud or even a half Mud spent by one of them; they are like stars,  whomever of them you follow, you will be rightly guided.”[5]

Those companions – by their belief, their firmness, their braveries, and their loyalty to the Prophet (PBUH) – could in no time enlighten human conscience with the truth of Monotheism and eliminate for ever the paganism of the past ages. What great sacrifices they made! What a grand hardship they endured! And what a magnificent victories they won!

Love for Allah is a basis, and one of its branches is love for believers - that love that integrates hearts, unifies lines, builds societies, and makes miracles. The Prophet (PBUH) likened Muslim Society – in their harmony, sympathy, and mercy towards one another – to one body, if any of its organs complains, the whole body will be afflicted by sleeplessness and fever. They are like a tight structure whose parts fasten one another. They are warmhearted and advisers to each other, even if their houses are so far. While hypocrites cheat and envy one another, even if their houses are nearby.

Therefore, we should not be surprised if the Prophet (PBUH) considered love for believers a sufficient indication of the soundness and the truthfulness of belief. Moreover, he (PBUH) considered love for believers a condition for being a believer, he said: “By Him in Whose Hand my soul is! You will never enter Paradise until you believe; and you will never believe until you love one another.”[6]

Imam Muslim narrated in his Sahih that Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari [7] (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (PBUH) said: “O people! Hearken, comprehend, and know that Allah has servants who are neither Prophets nor martyrs, yet Prophets and martyrs envy them because of their ranks and nearness to Allah.” Then an Arab said in surprise: “O Messenger of Allah! You say some people are neither prophets nor martyrs, and prophets and martyrs envy them for their status and nearness to Allah! Describe them for us.” The Prophet was delighted for this question, and said: “They are of different peoples and conflicting tribes, there is no kinship among them. They love and are honest to one another for the sake of Allah. On the Day of Judgment, Allah will make for them platforms of Light on which they will sit. He will make their faces bright, their clothes bright. People will fear on the Day of Judgment, but they will not fear. They are Allah’s friends, on whom there is no fear, nor shall they grieve…”

In a Divine Hadith, Allah, the Almighty, says: “My love will be granted to those who love one another for the sake of Me, those who sit with one another for the sake of Me, those who visit one another for the sake of Me, and those who spend freely to one another for the sake of Me..”[8]

In another Divine Hadith Allah says: “Those who love one another for My Sake will be on platforms of Light; Prophets and martyrs envy them.”[9]

Muslim narrated in his Sahih that Anas Ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said: “None of you believes (truly) until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself” and in another nrration: “…and until he hates for him what he hates for himself.” The phrase “None of you” indicates all Muslims at all times and all places, for there is another narration which says: “No one” or “No servant”. The word “brother” means the brother in Islam in general, as it was mentioned in another narration: “for his Muslim brother”.

Hence, Muslims – whatever their peoples, their countries, their languages, and their colours might be – are but one family. Allah says: “Believers are but brothers”. The word “Brothers”, which means brotherhood of kinship, indicates that brotherhood of belief is the highest degree of brotherhood. Also the word “are but” indicates that true brotherhood is confined to believers, and every other relation that is not based on belief, then it is based on interest, and it lasts as long as this interest is existing, but whenever it vanishes, this relation will come to an end. In a narration by An-Nasa’i: “None of you  believes (completely) until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself of good.” The phrase “of good” is an indispensable condition, because the one who loves something prohibited for himself, then it is not out of belief that he loves this thing for his brother. Hence, the word “good” means the lawful good which includes all matters that are relating to the Hereafter, like good beneficial works, righteous deeds, sincere worship, and  good goals. It includes only laudable matters that are relating to the present world, like: an abundance of lawful sustenance, righteous offspring, a long life, and safety from adversities.

It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) was in devotional seclusion in the Mosque of the Prophet (PBUH). A man came and saluted him, and then sat down. Ibn Abbas said to him: “O so-and-so! I see you are sad and depressed!” He said: “Yes, O cousin of the Prophet (PBUH)! I am indebted to so-and-so for a right of allegiance, and I swear by the sanctity of the one who is in this grave (i.e. the Messenger of Allah) that I cannot discharge it. Ibn Abbas said: shall I talk to him for you? He said: if you would like. Then Ibn Abbas put on his shoes and went out the Mosque. So a man told him: “Have you forgotten that you are in devotional seclusion?! He said with tears in his eyes: “No, but I heard him who is in this grave – and who died recently – say: “Indeed if I walk with a brother of mine for his need is better for me than being in devotional seclusion in this mosque for a month.”[10]

The fruits of love among Muslims are: sympathy, cooperation, solidarity, unity, and self-denial. Allah ordered believers to cooperate with each other, but he confined this cooperation with being in righteousness and piety not in sin and enmity. Allah says: “Help you one another in righteousness and piety, but help you not one another in sin and enmity.” [V ; 2]

Interpreters of the Quran said: cooperation in righteousness means cooperation in the rightness of the present world. And cooperation in piety means cooperation on the rightness of the Hereafter. It was narrated in a Prophetic supplication: “O Allah! Make right for me my religion, which is the pillar of my matters, and make right for me my life in which I live.”[11]

Some of the aspects of cooperation are: discussion among Muslims for the righteousness of their present life and the Hereafter, participation in giving opinions, manifestation of facts, diagnosis of problems, searching for solutions, and overcoming obstacles, for individualism, isolationism, negativism, and escaping from solving problems, are not traits of true believers.

“O you who believe! When you hold secret counsel, do it not for iniquity and hostility, and disobedience to the Prophet; but do it for righteousness and piety, and fear Allah to Whom you shall be brought back.” [LVIII ; 9]

Therefore, Consultation (Shoura) is considered as an aspect of intellectual cooperation. Allah ordered His Prophet (PBUH) to practice it: “And consult them in affairs” [III ; 159] and He described believers with it: “Who conduct their affairs by mutual Consultation” [XLII ; 38]

Some of the aspects of cooperation are: alleviating hardship, relieving from troubles, and concealing defects; for as it is narrated by Muslim that Abu Huraira quoted the Prophet (PBUH) as saying: “Whosoever alleviate a suffering of a believer out of the sufferings of the world, Allah will alleviate a suffering of him out of the sufferings of the Day of Resurrection; whosoever relieves one who eases someone in distress, Allah will ease him in the present world and the Hereafter; and whosoever conceals (the faults) of a Muslim, Allah will conceal his faults in the present world and in the Hereafter. Allah helps His servant so long as the servant helps his brother.”

Alleviating hardships means: relieving and removing it. And hardship means: grief and distress which overtake someone and cause him pain and distress. Here the role of a Muslim comes to help his brother in relieving him from his hardship. So if his brother’s hardship is due to poverty and neediness, he helps him until he fulfills his need, whether by his money or by good efforts. Also, if his brother’s hardship is due to his need to a loan for eliminating an urgent requirement, he loans him. If his brother’s hardship is because of his need to a good mediation, he mediates for him. If his brother’s hardship is due to his need to get married, he endeavors to enable him to get married. If his hardship is due to his need for a job, he tries to find a suitable job for him. If his hardship is due to his need to medication from a psychological or physiological disease, he endeavors to find him a suitable remedy in order to relieve him from hardship…. The same thing applies to concealment of faults, facilitation, and assistance.

Love for Allah is a basis; and one of its branches is to deal with people in justice and fairness, no matter what their denominations and sects might be, to have mercy upon them and to help them in their religious and worldly affairs, because all creatures are Allah’s dependents, and the most beloved to Allah are the most beneficial to His dependants. The Prophet (PBUH) denies for a man to be a Muslim if he cheats any person, he said: “He who cheats does not belong to us”[12]

Love for Allah is a basis, and one of its branches is to treat all creatures gently and to be merciful with them. The Prophet (PBUH) said: “May Allah damn him who mutilates an animal.”[13] The Prophet (PBUH) also prohibited that one kills any animal by imprisonment till death, and he prohibited instigation of fights among animals, or using a living body as a target. Imam Al-Bukhari narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said: “A woman entered The Fire because of a cat that she tied; she did not feed it nor did she let it eat from the earth’s foodstuffs.”

It was also narrated in As-sahihain (Sahih Al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim) that the Prophet (PBUH) said: “Wile a dog was walking around a well and was about to die because of thirst, a prostitute woman of the children of Israel saw it; so she put off her shoe and filled it with water then gave it to the dog to drink. So Allah forgave her because of that.”

Allah the All Mighty says: “Not if you had spent all that is in the earth, could you have produced affection among their hearts, but Allah has done it.” [VIII; 63]

What is this love and affliction like? What are its conditions and motives? And what are its fruits and consequences?

These things are clarified through the story of Omair Ibn Wahb Aj-Jumahi, who was rescued from death in the battle of Badr, and his son Wahb was captured by Muslims…. One day, he sat near Al-Kaa’ba with Safwan Ibn Umaiah, the master of Quraish and the leader of Polytheists, where they were remembering Badr. Then Omair said to Safwan: I swear by the Lord of Ka’aba that if I were not   in debt that I have no money to pay back, and if I did not dependants who I am afraid to get lost, I would go to Muhammad and kill him in order to terminate his matter and rid you of him.” Safwan said: “O Omair! I’ll pay back all you debts for you no matter how much they are; as for your family, I will join them to mine as long as we are alive; and I have enough money to expend on all of them and I can guarantee for them a pleasant life. So go and do what you want!” Hence, Omair ordered that his sword be sharpened and that poison be put on it, then he asked for his camel which was prepared and given to him. He headed for Medina full of hatred and evil towards the holy Prophet, Muhammad (PBUH). When he arrived at Medina, he went towards the Mosque seeking the Prophet (PBUH), but Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) saw him near the door of the Mosque, so he came towards him, seized him by the collar, and put his sword’s holder around his neck then took him to the Prophet (PBUH) and said: “O Messenger of Allah! This is the enemy of Allah Omair Ibn Wahb; he came here seeking evil.” When the Prophet (PBUH) saw him, he said to Omar: “ O Omar! Let him go.” And Omar so did. Then the Prophet said: “Keep away from him.” So he kept away from him. the Prophet (PBUH) went towards Omair and said: “O Omair! Come near to me!” So he came near to him. Then the holy Prophet (PBUH) said: “O Omair! Why did you come here?” He said: “I came to ask you to set a certain captive free.” Then he asked him: “What about this sword which you hang to your neck?” He said: “Fie on these swords; were they of any benefit on Badr?!” The Prophet (PBUH) said: “Did not you say to Safwan in the yard of Al-Ka’aba near the Stone: ‘If I were not in debt and had a family, I would go to kill Muhammad’ and did not Safwan Ibn Umaiia take upon himself your debts and family in order to kill me?” “But Allah prevents you from that?!” Omair was astonished and said: “I testify that you are the Messenger of Allah, because nobody knew about my conversation with Safwan except he and I; and I swear by Allah that I am sure that no one told you about it except Allah. So I thank Allah because He brought me to you in order to guide me to Islam.” Then the Prophet (PBUH) said: “Teach your brother his religion (of Islam), enable him to read, and teach him the Quran, then set his captive free.” And they so did.”[14]

The moral of this story is what Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) said after Omair had believed in Allah and His Messenger and embraced Islam: “When he entered upon the Prophet (PBUH), a pig was more beloved to me than Omair was; but when he went out, he became more beloved to me than some of my children. Let us think of Allah’s words: “And remember with gratitude Allah’s Favor on you, for you were enemies and He joined your hearts in love, so that by His grace, you became brethren.” [III ; 103]

When we believe in the same truth, endeavour to the same objective, follow one path, and when we have sublime human values, and acquire the pristine morals which are far beyond time and place, unity among us will be inevitable, love will be sincere, cooperation will be fruitful, our mission as Allah’s Vicegerents on earth will be fulfilled, and humanity will reach its Zenith.