In this blessed month of Rabi'ulawwal and in honour of our beloved Prophet (saw), I found an old presentation which I delivered at a conference a few years ago. The following 3 entries are excerpts of that long paper:Of Acquiring Love
Anyone who hopes of acquiring this Love for Allah, the Almighty by his own means continues to only dream. We all need guides in our life – and those guides become the essence of our journey – just as when Galadriel gave to Frodo the light of Earendil in The Lord of the Rings, saying:
“May it be a light for you in dark places, when all other lights go out”
Before Allah, the Almighty revealed His ultimate guidance in the form of the Qur’an, he chose the man first – in the form of our beloved Prophet (saw). Without the man to explain, to teach, to exemplify – it may not effectively serve the purpose intended. To reach this station of mahabbah, we must find that key – as the perfection of our faith depends on it:
“Say (O Muhammad, to mankind): If you do love Allah, then follow me! Allah will love you and forgive you your sins; for Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful” … ‘ali-‘Imran 3:31
“Whosoever obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah” … an-Nisa’ 4:80
“None of you is a believer until I become dearer to him than his father, his children and all mankind” (Bukhari)
Love for the Prophet Muhammad (saw) is a measure of one’s faith. Love of the Prophet (saw) is love of all the beauty and nobility of character, truthfulness, justness, humility and inner strength of which man is capable and which the Prophet (saw) as the perfect man (al-insan al-kamil) possessed in the utmost degree. Love of the Prophet (saw) also means to acknowledge, cherish and glorify all the potential of goodness and greatness that Allah has created within Man.
It also means the love of humanity, not just in regard to its potential of perfection, but also despite its general inability to realize that potential through all kinds of imperfections and weaknesses from which it suffers. Thus, the love of the Prophet (saw) on the one hand puts us on the road to reach that perfection yet it also helps us to accept our imperfect humanity and in this way to live in peace with ourselves as repentant servants of Allah, hopeful of His Mercy upon us.
These are two interconnecting sides of faith: one is divine and consists of recognizing Allah and being at peace with Him, whilst the other is in recognizing one’s own self and being at peace with oneself. If one is unable to love and obey the Prophet (saw) - a physical man like himself, he will never be able to fathom Reality through his false perception of his love for his Lord.
The love of the Prophet (saw) represents the human side of faith – as a man, the Prophet represents a believer’s own true self. His love for the Prophet (saw) hence means that he has recognized his own true self and is at peace with himself, which in turn means that he has recognized his Lord and made peace with Him by absolutely surrendering to Him.
If anyone ever doubts the Prophet’s (saw) love for us, rest assured he is in manifest error, for Allah, the Almighty has declared:
“Now has come unto you a Messenger from amongst yourselves: it grieves him that you should perish: ardently anxious is he over you (for your good): to the Believers, he is most kind and merciful” … at-Taubah 9:128
And the Prophet’s (saw) love is not limited to the believers, but to all creations.
“We have not sent you (O Muhammad!) but as a mercy to all the worlds” … al-Anbiya’ 21:107
It also means the love of humanity, not just in regard to its potential of perfection, but also despite its general inability to realize that potential through all kinds of imperfections and weaknesses from which it suffers. Thus, the love of the Prophet (saw) on the one hand puts us on the road to reach that perfection yet it also helps us to accept our imperfect humanity and in this way to live in peace with ourselves as repentant servants of Allah, hopeful of His Mercy upon us.
These are two interconnecting sides of faith: one is divine and consists of recognizing Allah and being at peace with Him, whilst the other is in recognizing one’s own self and being at peace with oneself. If one is unable to love and obey the Prophet (saw) - a physical man like himself, he will never be able to fathom Reality through his false perception of his love for his Lord.
The love of the Prophet (saw) represents the human side of faith – as a man, the Prophet represents a believer’s own true self. His love for the Prophet (saw) hence means that he has recognized his own true self and is at peace with himself, which in turn means that he has recognized his Lord and made peace with Him by absolutely surrendering to Him.
If anyone ever doubts the Prophet’s (saw) love for us, rest assured he is in manifest error, for Allah, the Almighty has declared:
“Now has come unto you a Messenger from amongst yourselves: it grieves him that you should perish: ardently anxious is he over you (for your good): to the Believers, he is most kind and merciful” … at-Taubah 9:128
And the Prophet’s (saw) love is not limited to the believers, but to all creations.
“We have not sent you (O Muhammad!) but as a mercy to all the worlds” … al-Anbiya’ 21:107
The famed Persian poet, Hafiz of Shiraz, said:
“Even after all this time
The sun never says to the earth:
‘You owe Me!’
Look what happens with
A love like that:
It lights up the Whole Sky.”
“Even after all this time
The sun never says to the earth:
‘You owe Me!’
Look what happens with
A love like that:
It lights up the Whole Sky.”
1 comment:
Hmm.
Love of Allah, love of the Prophet (SAW), Love of family and love of self.
A very interesting arrangement of things, but one which rests on profound thought and true understanding of how a Muslim should prioritise in order to achieve true faith.
Also a well written piece.
Post a Comment