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LOVE IN ISLAM

According to Google, love/ləv/ Noun: An intense feeling of deep affection” “their love for their country.”

Also according to Google, is·lam/isˈläm/ Noun: The religion of the Muslims, a monotheistic faith regarded as revealed through Muhammad as the Prophet of Allah.

So what is Love in Islam? Well if we combine the definition of love and Islam together, we get exactly that, in a literal sense. Love in Islam can pertain to many aspects. It could be: • love in your family • love of your friends • love of your passion, belongings • love of prophets

• • •

love of teachers, elders love of Islam love of Allah

Since in a few upcoming weeks, it will be Islamic Awareness Week/Month, the theme for this year (2012) is LOVE. So I want to explore love in Islam in this issue. They say that Islam is a journey and that Love is the mercy and forgiveness that Allah (SWT) has granted us. It is one of the most powerful emotions that we have been gifted. I know when the subject of Love comes up, many Muslims immediately think about dating and marriage and all that comes with it, but love can be so many other things. There is that love that a mother expresses to her newborn baby, that love that teachers express to their student's passions. The love that hijabees express to their hijabs. The most important kind of Love though, is the one that we express towards Allah (swt). We were put on this Earth for one purpose, that is to worship Allah and be as good as we are in faith, as we are in life. We have to remember that this world is only temporary and will one day be reduced to nothing. We're living in a mirage, a giant game show that is being given to us by Allah (swt). Our task is to compete and pass this test so we may obtain the reward in the end. If we fail, Hell awaits, and if we pass then Heaven awaits.

Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wasallam) said: “The world is a prison for a believer and Paradise for a non-believer.” [Muslim] A believer is ever mindful of Allah (subhana wa ta’ala). Therefore, he/she is not free to do what they please.

They cannot wait to get to Jannah where they will have no restrictions of any kind, no suffering, no sacrifice, and no separation from their loved ones. That is why this world feels like a prison to them. Those believers who are even more cognizant of Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) are in even more pain because of their separation from Him. An ashiq/lover always yearns to join his Beloved (subhana wa ta’ala). This is the sole thought occupying his or her mind.

You are the true innermost desire of my heart, Love of You is the deepest thought in my mind.

Whenever I glance at the world around me, I find that today there was naught but You, And that tomorrow holds naught but You. When an ashiq looks around, he finds the heedless people of the world trapped in their desires. To him the world seems like a cage.

On the other hand, a person who is not mindful of Allah, does whatever they feel like, or whatever they think they can get away with. There are indeed many things that can be enjoyed in this world. A person who is not looking forward to meeting their Lord, would spend their every moment trying to maximize their enjoyment here, short-lived though it is.

Thus, the non-believer can find this world to be a Paradise. But the believer knows that no happiness here is everlasting and that they are always in danger of falling into the hands of Shaytaan. They, therefore, long to get out of the exam that this world is and into the safety of the grave.

Allah (swt) loves us much more than anything in the universe, he loves us more than our parents. He created us after all, and he doesn't want us to perish, so he is trying to make this

life and the test easier for us. Our teacher told us a story that when Hazrat Maryam was pregnant, she wanted a date. She told Allah (swt), but Allah (swt) doesn't give you something without seeing you try to obtain it. So Hazrat Maryam went to the bottom of a date palm and tried to shake a date off. Now date trees are really hard to move, much less shake, but she was trying and so Allah (swt) gave her dates. See how much he loves us? If we take on step towards Allah (swt), he will come to us running, but he sees that we are trying. So this month we should all try even harder to find that inexplicable love for Allah and to try to love Islam even more. We should deepen our love with Allah (swt) every day, but since it is awareness month we should try even even harder. Remember, even when nobody is there there for you, Allah (swt) is always there for you!