Dear Brothers and Sisters!
One day, the Messenger of Allah (saw) took the hand of Muadh ibn Jabal and said to him, “O Muadh! I love you.” Muadh (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, “And I love you too, O Messenger of Allah!”[1] Following this, our Prophet (saw) advised him, “O Muadh! I advise you not to neglect saying this supplication after every prayer: ‘O Allah! Help me to remember You, to thank You, and to worship You in the best manner!”[2]

In Islam, respecting Allah, remembering Him, thanking Him, loving Him, loving for His sake and disliking for His sake are among the duties of servitude. In essence, everything done for the sake of Allah is an act of worship. As our beloved Prophet (saw) said, “The most virtuous of deeds is to love for the sake of Allah and to hate for the sake of Allah.”[3]

Human beings, as social creatures, have spiritual emotions such as love, anger and affection. For those who believe in Allah and follow His Messenger, the love of Allah and seeking His pleasure should come before all else. In the Quran it is stated: “Say: If you love Allah, then follow me, and Allah will love you and forgive your sins. Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.”[4]

Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: “The faith of the one who loves for the sake of Allah, hates for the sake of Allah, gives for the sake of Allah, and withholds for the sake of Allah is perfected.”[5]

In love, the priority must undoubtedly be Allah the Almighty and His Messenger. In a hadith, the Prophet (saw) said: “There are three qualities, whoever possesses them will taste the sweetness of faith: to love Allah and His Messenger more than anyone else; to love someone only for the sake of Allah; and to hate to return to disbelief after Allah has saved him from it, just as he would hate to be thrown into fire.”[6]

Dear Jama’ah!
It has been given as glad tidings that those who love one another for the sake of Allah, who come together and part ways with that love, will be among the seven fortunate groups who will be honoured under the shade of Allah’s Throne on the Day of Judgment. However, loving Allah and His Messenger is not just an empty claim; it requires living in accordance with their commands and prohibitions. Love is necessarily a mutual activity. The act of loving returns as being loved. Faith is one-directional, turning from the servant to the Creator, while love is mutual: from Allah to the servant and from the servant to Allah. Our Prophet (saw), with immense compassion, desires for us to be completed, to reach perfection and for that he teaches us a profound truth: the reality that “true faith cannot be attained unless one loves.”

Dear Brothers and Sisters!
Human nature carries a feeling to love what is perfect. Once a person comprehends this perfection, they begin to feel love for Allah (swt), who possesses the attributes of Infinite Perfection and Beauty. After Allah and His Messenger, those most deserving of our love are our parents, through whom we came into this world, our siblings who are part of them, our spouses with whom we share the joys and sorrows of life and our children who are potential sources of ongoing good deeds after our death. Therefore, we should love them and express our love for them. For just as loving is important, so is making those we love feel it. It is essential to be balanced and moderate both in love and in hatred. The Prophet (saw) said: “Love the one you love in moderation, for perhaps one day he may become someone you dislike. Dislike the one you dislike in moderation, for perhaps one day he may become someone you love.”[7] In doing so, he commanded us to be moderate in both friendship and hate. Neither love nor hatred should be based on personal emotions alone. Friendships should not be based on benefit, nor enmities on mere hatred. A believer seeks Allah’s pleasure in both love and hatred. They love for the sake of Allah and, when they dislike, they do not exceed limits or abandon justice. As our Prophet (saw) warned, our love should not blind or deafen us; it should not be driven by selfish desires but guided by divine principles. Let us strengthen our love with sincere intentions and limit our dislike with justice and wisdom.

May Allah (swt) make us among those who are measured in their love, just in their enmity, loyal in their friendships and always mindful of His pleasure in every state and relationship. Ameen.

[1] Nesâî, Sehiv, 60

[2] Ebû Dâvûd, Vitir, 26

[3] Ebû Dâvûd, Sünnet, 2

[4] Surah Âl-i İmrân, 3:31

[5] Tirmizî, Kıyâme, 60

[6] Buhârî, Îmân 9

[7] Tirmizî, Birr, 60 

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