Author: Sayyed Musleh Uddin
The Love of Muhammad Mustafa [PBUH] (Part Two)
The Concept and Ruling of Love:
The word “love” is sometimes defined as “love is against grudge.” Some believe that love refers to a particular sentiment; that is, if someone says, “I love such,” it means “my heart is full of love for him.” This implies that one’s emotions and affection have penetrated deep into the heart of his or her existential essence, that is, “his heart.” Love can be the light that dispels the darkness of the heart and manifests as explicit emotions within the individual. This kind of love is not superficial; it originates from the depth of existence and influences one’s perception and behavior. The love of the Prophet (PBUH) can be cultivated when we remember him in our speech and praise him.
Ibn Qayyem (MABH) says about love:
“Love cannot be described in a more clear, comprehensive, and understandable way than by the word love itself. Because love, at the same time, resides in the hearts of lovers, is reflected in one’s behavior and characteristics, and as the existence of the individual becomes apparent, it is difficult to interpret; this can be a detailed topic. Hence, it turns out that love is one category, and its presence in the heart is another. Many people are filled with love, but if they are asked about the essence of love, they cannot provide a proper description or express its nuances.”
The question arises: Can one quantify “how much you love someone” and specify what kind of love it is? The answer is that it is difficult to define and describe love. Furthermore, can one provide a permanent reason for loving someone? This, too, is challenging because sometimes love is sudden, and the heart is drawn to a person impulsively. Conversely, one may live with someone for a long time, feeling a steady affection, yet over time, they may also feel a heaviness in their heart and fear toward that person. In a hadith, the Prophet (PBUH) said: “The hearts of humans are between two fingers of Allah Almighty; He turns them as He wills.”
Thus, there are profound secrets in the emergence and transformations of love that reveal the greatness of Allah in the creation of humanity.
“ما بين غمضة عين و إنتباهتها” Translation: “Allah Almighty changes a person’s state from one moment to another in the blink of an eye.”
Sometimes, there are loved ones who lose their heartfelt affection due to a word or a glance, prompting hatred instead of love. Therefore, the definition of love is not limited to fixed words and expressions. However, scholars have provided numerous definitions for love, including:
1. Qazi Ayaz states: “The essence of love is the desire for what aligns with human nature. This desire can arise from understanding and the pleasure the heart experiences, or it may be rooted in the kindness and goodness that one has shown to another, conquering their heart. By understanding this, we realize that all the reasons for love are manifested in the blessed Prophet (PBUH), who embodies the qualities that draw individuals toward him.”
Love is the desire for qualities that the beloved embodies. Whenever the beloved aligns with a person, shows interest in them, or influences them positively, these are signs of love for the beloved. However, upon deeper reflection, we find that these factors do not define love itself but rather describe its effects.
2. Imam Nawawi says: “The foundation of love is the desire for what is compatible with the lover. This desire sometimes arises from external beauty, such as the beloved’s appearance and voice, other times through reason, such as love for righteous individuals and scholars, and sometimes due to the goodness and kindness the beloved has shown while avoiding harm. All these beauties and virtues are manifested in the blessed being of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). His perfection and greatness, virtues, and benevolence toward all Muslims are evident in guiding them to the right path, the permanence of blessings, and the distance from Hell.”
Thus, love for the Holy Prophet (PBUH) increases, and all forms of love are directed toward that noble personality. The highest levels of love, along with its greatest expressions, are reserved for his infallible character.
Because the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) deserves to be loved both outwardly and inwardly at every moment and in every place, one of the most important factors in loving the Prophet (PBUH) is the deep connection between love for the master of the two worlds and love for Allah Almighty. There is no love in the world that is superior or more complete than the love of servants for their Lord, and nothing in the universe is as worthy of being loved in every aspect as the love for Allah Almighty. All forms of love are, in fact, subordinate to the love of Allah Almighty; therefore, the Prophet (PBUH) is loved by everyone and is followed.
We will discuss the love for the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and emphasize that we should connect our love with him. This connection is realized from various aspects:
1. The Intellectual Aspect: In this way, we acquire sufficient information about the life and Sunnah of the Prophet and strive to disseminate the valuable hadiths and instructions of the Prophet (PBUH) while observing religious obligations and recommendations.
2. The Heartfelt Aspect: This aspect involves cultivating beautiful emotions and passionate feelings, fostering a profound love for the Prophet (PBUH), such that our heart and being are connected to everything that comprises the essence of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
3. The Aspect of the Limbs and Organs: Love is expressed through this aspect by following the Sunnah of the Prophet.
It should be noted that we cannot claim that love solely means following and obedience; what becomes of the feelings of the heart? Conversely, we cannot assert that love is only the feelings of the heart; where, then, does sincere obedience fit in? We also cannot categorize love as only these two aspects and dismiss knowledge and understanding of the life and guidance of the Prophet. For this reason, our love for the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) must originate from our outward and inward selves and be connected to our intellect, thoughts, limbs, and actions. Only then will our love be sincere, manifesting in both external and internal aspects. If this love is expressed in all its dimensions, we will be able to fulfill some of the rights that the Prophet has over us.
Continues…
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