The Message Of Love In Islam

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐎𝐟 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐈𝐧 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐦

Mohamad Mostafa Nassar

Twitter@NassarMohamadMR

The motivation to write this post was based on few biased anti-Islamic websites that propagated “The word “Love” is not mentioned in the Quran!” and that Islam is the religion that promotes hatred, killing, etc. Someone has truly said, “Your eyes will see what you want to see.”

Well, without going into any further details the post below will summarize one of the core tenets of Islam and prove that it encourages mankind to love each other. All references below are from The Quran and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

With this you should be able to conclude how Muslims are instructed to co-exist peacefully with everyone around. The citations below are all-inclusive and none of these are limited to Muslims. In other words one cannot be a good Muslim if he does not have a good character and live peacefully with Non-Muslims.

Message #1 : Allah loves those who love one another

Since Allah, the Creator, has designed humans Islam uses the carrot and the stick approach wherever required. The carrot helps mankind to do good stuff in order to get certain rewards whereas the virtual stick ensures that they abstain themselves from doing anything that is disliked by Allah. The following quote from The Prophet (pbuh) is unambiguous and deserves, in our opinion, to be on top.

You will not enter paradise until you have faith; and you will not complete your faith till you love one another. ~ Tirmidhi 2688

In addition Muslims are advised to provide for others what they would personally love for themselves. It could be any materialistic stuff or even supplicate dua (pray) for others that they would ask for themselves. The Prophet (pbuh) said,

None of you has believed until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself. ~ Nasai 47/55

Message #2 : Allah loves who love others just for His sake

The messengers, the prophets and the martyrs have a high rank in the eyes of Allah. That’s because they lived and died for His sake by restraining their worldly desires, and by following the commandments diligently as it was prescribed.

The following hadith says that if one wants to be admired by the prophets and the martyrs, on the day of resurrection, then we must love one another just for Allah’s sake, irrespective if we like the person or not. So if two people meet, smile at each other, exchange greetings and part ways then Allah will gather them, on the day of resurrection, and make them stand on podiums of light. Thus The Prophet (pbuh) said,

Those who love each other for the sake of My Majesty shall be upon podiums of light, and they will be admired by the Prophets and the martyrs. ~ Tirmidhi 2390

One of the seven people who will be under the shade of Allah, on the day of resurrection, will be those who loved one another just for Allah’s sake in this world.

Message #3 : Allah loves those who feed the needy

Several Islamic literature talks about this aspect. Muslims are highly encouraged to take care of the weak (needy, sick, old), feed the poor and the less deprived. Here’s one citation from the Quran and one from the teachings of The Prophet (pbuh):

Out of love for Allah, they feed the poor, the orphan, and the captive… (saying) “We feed you only for Allah’s pleasure and desire neither a return nor thanks from you. ~ Quran 76:8-9

A man asked The Prophet (pbuh) “What is the best thing in Islam?”
The Prophet (pbuh) said, “To feed (the poor) and greet those whom you know and those whom you do not know.” ~ Bukhari 79/10

Message #4 : Allah loves those who do good deeds.

A Muslim can only enter paradise if he lived life based on the framework set by Allah and The Prophet (pbuh). The premise being one has to be modest, caring, loving, compassionate, kind, just, and have a forgiving attitude et al. See our post on The Character of a Muslim. The verse below indicates the same:

Those who spend in prosperity, spend in adversity, suppress anger and pardon people, indeed Allah loves those who do good. ~ Quran 3:134

On anger management, it is well known that arguments can lead to anger and that may turn out into a fight. Since anger has its own side effects, Islam has categorically advised Muslims to restrain themselves from getting into arguments and suggested to suppress anger, The Prophet (pbuh) said,

I guarantee a house in heaven for one who gives up arguing, even if he’s right. ~ Abu Dawud 1/630

Message #5: Allah loves those who act justly and are kind

Justice is one of the core principles of Islam. And being kind and showing mercy/kindness to others, including animal kingdom, is loved by Allah. It is narrated by one of the hadith:

A prostitute saw a dog moving around a well on a hot day and hanging out its tongue because of thirst. She drew water for it in her shoe and she was pardoned (for this act of hers). ~ Muslim 39/211

Further on this topic, there are many narrations from the Quran and from the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) that suggests kindness and justice is one of the core elements of an Islamic faith. Even non-Muslims living under Caliphate rule got justice under Muslim rulers.

Allah loves those who act justly ~ Quran 5:42 | 60:8

The Quran says,

O you who believe! Be firm in establishing justice, and be witnesses for Allah, even if it is against yourselves, or your parents, and relative, be he rich or poor. Allah is closer to each of them. So do not follow your passions in enforcing justice. If you distort your speech (lie) or turn away, then indeed Allah is Well-Informed of what you do. ~ Quran 4:135

The Prophet (pbuh) said,

Allah is kind and loves kindness, and He rewards for kindness in a way that He does not reward for harshness or for anything else. ~ Muslim 45/99

On kindness and woman, elsewhere the Quran states,

You are forbidden to inherit women against their will, and you should not treat them with harshness, … And live with them in kindness. ~ Quran 4:19

Message #6: Allah loves those who are good to His Creation

Love thy neighbor. The Quran states:

… be good to your neighbor and the neighbor who is farther away… ~ Quran 4:36

Take that verse further and here’s what The Prophet (pbuh) said,

He is not a Muslim who eats his fill while his neighbor is hungry. ~ Al Bayhaqi 19049

Allah encourages people to compete in doing good deeds, which in essence means loving each other selflessly.

Compete in doing good deeds ~ Quran 5:48

The Prophet (pbuh) commanded to treat women kindly. More on the status of woman here.

O People! I command you to treat women kindly. ~ Bukhari 331 | Muslim 1468

Allah loves those who love and care for His Creation, including animal kingdom. The Prophet (pbuh) said,

O Allah’s Messenger! “Is there a reward for us in serving animals?” He (pbuh) replied, “Yes. there is a reward for serving any animate (birds, animals et al).” ~ Bukhari 42/11

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐦 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐡 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬.

Allah loves those who keep themselves pure and clean. ~ Quran 2:222
Allah loves those who are pious. ~ Quran 3:76
Allah loves those who put their trust (in Him). ~ Quran 3:159
Allah loves those who are firm and steadfast. ~ Quran 3:146
Allah loves those who do good ~ Quran 2:195 | 3:148 | 5:13 & 93
Allah loves those who are patient ~ Quran 3:146
Allah commands justice and good conduct… ~ Quran 16:90

Then there are several other verses with two negative words which make positive statements. With these it can be easily derived whom Allah loves.

Allah does not like those who make mischief. ~ Quran 2:205
Allah does not like the transgressors. ~ Quran 5:87
Allah does not like the treacherous. ~ Quran 8:58 | 4:107
Allah does not like any arrogant boaster. ~ Quran 4:36 | 31:18 | 57:23
Allah does not like the evildoers ~ Quran 3:57 | 3:140 | 42:40
Allah does not like those who waste by extravagance ~ Quran 7:31
Allah does not like those who are proud ~ Quran 16:23

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐭 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝,

A man asked the Prophet (pbuh) “When will the Hour be established O Allah’s Messenger (pbuh)?” The Prophet (pbuh) said, “What have you prepared for it?” The man said, “I haven’t prepared for it much of prayers or fast or alms, but I love Allah and His Apostle.” The Prophet (pbuh) said, “You will be with those whom you love.” ~ Bukhari 78/197

Instead of making this post more lengthy, we will end with the following verse from the Quran that commands Muslims to deal negativity in the society with a positive approach. In essence it suggests that if someone does something wrong or evil then instead of rebuking the person and ridiculing him, one must deal with love. Also read The Prophet’s way of correcting people’s mistake.

The good deed & the evil deed cannot be equal. Repel (evil) by that (deed) which is better; Then verily! the one whom between you and him is enmity (will become) as though he was a devoted friend. ~ Quran 41:34

Love in The Glorious Qur’an-Love in the Quran?