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Love God through your actions, not sayings Date: 21/12/2001 A.D Shawal 6, 1422 H By: Sayyed Muhammad Hussein Fadlullah (ra) One of the teachings of the Islamic doctrine that tells us how to demonstrate our belief in the oneness of God is by loving Allah and asking Him to love us. We love God, and except God to love us… Our relationship with God should be based on love. Even when we fear Allah we are not afraid of Him as we are afraid of tyrants. For Allah does not persecute or wrong anyone. We are afraid of Allah as we are afraid to lose the love of someone whom we love. In that case, we would try not to do anything that might offend him and we would rather do everything that he likes, to ensure that this love will go on and will keep getting stronger. Thus, we fear Allah by not disobeying Him, for we are afraid to lose His love, and consequently His compassion and forgiveness. Allah has told us in the Holy Quran about how to love Him. He said: “Yet of mankind are some who take unto themselves objects of worship which they set as rivals to Allah, loving them with a love like (that which is the due) of Allah only). Those who believe are stauncher in their love for Allah -Oh, that those who do evil had but known, (on the day) when they behold the doom, that power belong wholly to Allah”. They take other people as equal to Allah, and obey them. But those should know that Allah alone is worth this kind of love. After all, we might love people because of their beauty, knowledge strength or because they were good to us. If we turn to Allah, we find out that He is the one Who created us, and gave us life, beauty, strength and graces… He is the source of all strength, beauty, wealth…etc, and those who are strong or beautiful and the like have gained their attributes from Allah. Therefore, if we want to love other people because of certain traits that they possess, we should love God more for He is the One Who created them and gave them these traits. Therefore, praise belongs to Allah alone, and we love other people because they are nearer to Allah, we love the prophets, because they are the beloved messengers of Allah. Thus, love is for Allah alone, and any love for others is associated with the love of Allah But how do we love God? Loving God could only be manifested by obeying Him and His Messenger. For the Messenger’s instructions are those of God; Aren’t we commanded in the Quran to take what the Messenger gives us, and refrain from what he prohibits us. If you abide by this rule then you love Allah, for if you love someone you would obey him. Let us now read some of the texts that teach us how to love Allah, and who are those that Allah loves and those that He does not. When Jesus Christ (p.) was asked about what could be done to make Allah love us, He said” hate this world, you will be loved by Allah”. But Jesus (p.) did not mean that we ought to leave the world and stop earning our living. What he meant was that we should not let this world be our only concern in such a way that happiness in this world is the only happiness and misery in this world is the only misery. Allah told Muhammad (p.) while he was ascending to the sky that Allah loves all those who love Him and love each other and depend on Him. He also told His Messenger that Allah’s love has no end or goal. Moreover, Imam As-Sadiq (a.s.) said that Allah said: “There is no way that My servants (can show their love to Me, better, than performing the duties I ordained. The Messenger also told us that Allah loves those who are prudent and forgiving when they are angered. Imam Al Baqir, on his part, warned us that we cannot love Allah unless we hate and confront His enemies. He also said: “Who always mentions death –will be loved by Allah” For he remembers always that he is going to meet Allah. The Messenger told one of the believers who asked about how to become one of these loved by Allah and His Messenger that he should love what Allah and His Messenger love and hate what they hate. Allah loves those who “spend of your substance in the cause of Allah, and make not your own hands contribute to your destruction, but do good; For Allah loves those who do good” .Be good to people and learn the joy of giving. Allah loves those who like to give.He also “Loves those that true to Him in repentance and purity themselves” If you sin remember to turn to Allah for forgiveness, for He loves those who repent and promise never to go back to disobeying Him. He also loves those who fight for His cause and do not become weak if they meet hardships. “And with how many a prophet have there been a number of devoted men who fought (beside him). They quailed not for aught that befell them in the way of Allah, nor did they weaken, nor were they brought low. Allah loves the steadfast”. Allah also loves those who endure whatever happens to them and who are always patient. He also loves those who are merciful and good hearted. He says to His Messenger in the Holy Quran “It was by the mercy of Allah that thou was lenient with them(O Muhammad), for if thou had been stern and fierce of heart, they would have dispersed from round about thee. So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult with them upon the conduct of affairs. And when thou art resolved, then put they trust in Allah. Lo! Allah loves those who put their trust(in Him). By putting your trust in Allah, Allah means that you have to do all that you can to ensure that you will reach good results, and then if you become wary of the future, you should depend on Allah and put your trust in Him. Thus, putting your trust in Allah does not mean, that you sit at home and wish that everything you want will be sent to you. It is to be a hard worker, who does everything possible and then trusts that Allah will reward his work with the best results. Allah also loves the Just“But if thou judge, judge between them with equity. Lo! Allah loves the equitable”. And justice is absolute; it should be applied on all, even one’s parents “O ye who believed! Be ye staunch in Justice, witnesses for Allah even though it be against yourselves or(your) parents or (your) kindred, whether(the case be of) a rich man or a poor man, for Allah is nearer unto both(than you are). So follow not passion lest ye lapse(from truth) and if ye lapse or fall away, then lo! Allah is ever Informed of what ye do” even if it were with you enemies“O ye who believe! Be steadfast witnesses for Allah in equity, and let not hatred of any people seduce you that ye deal not justly. Deal justly, that is nearer to your duty. Observe your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is Informed of what ye do”.Allah also loves those who uphold their unity“Lo! Allah loves those who battle for His cause in ranks as if they were a solid structure”. He wants the nation to freeze all its differences and be unified in any battle it fights against its enemies. Imam Zein al-Abideen(a.s.) says: “Allah loves all those who have sorrow in their hearts” because of their sins; “And every thankful worshipper”. Allah loves those who do good especially those who give charity in secret. Those whom Allah does not love are the aggressors “Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you, but begin not hostilities. Lo! Allah loves not aggressors”. He loves not those who engage in usury “Allah hath blighted usury and made almsgiving fruitful. Allah loves not the impious and guilty”. But He loves those who give in charity “The likeness of those who spend their wealth in Allah’s way is as the likeness of a grain which growth seven ears, in every ear a hundred grains. Allah gives increase manifold to which He will. Allah is All-Embracing, All-knowing”.He does not love the wrong doers“And as for those who believe and do good works, He will pay them their wages in full. Allah loves not wrongdoers”. The wrong doers are anyone who behaves with others or even with himself in a way that offends their rights. Imam Ali (a.s.) said: There are three kinds of wrongdoing: One that is forgivable, one that it is not forgivable and the third kind is the one that could not be left unpunished (as though nothing happened) the ones that is forgiven are the trivial wrong doings that one hurts himself with. The one that is not forgiven is ascribing partners to Allah; while the third kind is the wrong doing of others. Imam Ali says: “Never try to wrong do anyone who does not have anybody to support him except Allah”. Allah also does not love the treacherous “And plead not on behalf of(people) who deceive themselves. Lo! Allah loves not one who is treacherous and sinful”. And the boastful “Allah loves not such as are proud and boastful”. Our prophet Muhammad (p.) says: “Allah loves most those who do good to others”. Thus Allah wants us to be faithful to Him and to love Him by obeying Him and refrain from committing sins. Furthermore, our love for Him should be manifested by loving fellow men and benefiting them, when Christ (p.) says that Allah has made me blessed wherever I go, he meant that wherever I went I benefited people. Let us use our energy and potentials in this life, we should not let it die with us, but we should give it to those who need it. Let us work “soon will Allah observe your work and His Messenger and the believers”. http://english.bayynat.org.lb/Miscellaneous/Miscellaneous_LoveGod.htm