salahdin
Junior Member
بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Love of Allah
Author: Salih al Munajjid
Ñ Favouring Allaah over one's desires, especially when the desires are intense. There
are two indicators of this in the slave: One is when he does what pleases Allaah, even if
it entails doing what he dislikes, and the other is when he hates what Allaah hates,
even if this entails shunning something he loves. One should struggle against himself
in this matter in order to reach the exalted rank of love. Imaam Ibn Al-Qayyim, may
Allaah have mercy upon him, said: “Allaah tests the slave by making him crave to fulfil
his desires in order that he may then struggle and sacrifice to overcome this for the sake
of his beloved (i.e., Allaah) which then becomes a means preventing him from following
his desires.” One only gives up something that he desires for something that is more
desirable or dearer to him.
Why are the righteous higher in rank than the angels? The answer is because the
angels do not have any desires, nor do they follow their lusts; they are by their nature
obedient to Allaah; they praise and glorify Him, never becoming burdened or tired by
it; but as for man, he has to struggle against his lusts and desires which may divert
him and make him give up his mentioning and obedience of Allaah. So, when man
disobeys himself and resists his desires, he becomes better and higher in rank than the
angels. It is for the very same reason that some women of this world are superior to
those of Paradise - due to their voluntary sacrifice and struggle.
Ñ Thinking about the kindness and bounties of Allaah. People by their nature love
those who are kind to them and hate those who are evil or cause them harm. It is an
undeniable fact that there is none kinder than Allaah; this is proved by the fact that
the slave of Allaah alternates from one favour of Allaah to another - for the entire
duration of his life. Being able to breathe is just one example of His great favours, but
man does not give it its due importance; some people have calculated how many
breaths man makes in a single day and found that it is an average of twenty four
thousand! If this is only one favour, then what about all the other favours of Allaah?
Allaah says:
وإن تعدوا نعمة الله لا تحصوها
which means: “…And if you should count the favour [i.e., blessings] of Allaah, youcould not enumerate them…” [Ibraaheem: 34] This is not to mention the harm that
Allaah protects man from, as He says:
له معقبات من بين يديه ومن خلفه يحفظونه من أمر الله
which means: “For him [i.e., each person] are successive [angels] before and behind
him who protect him by the decree of Allaah…” [Ar-Ra’d: 11] Allaah grants His
favours despite the shortcomings of man. Allaah tolerates man's evil and provides for
him regardless of that; indeed it is enough that Allaah provides for those who
attribute a son to Him.
