likely to be lasting and established. There are people
who love Allah and His Messenger a in a complete
sense naturally. However, most are deficient. They
require work to develop love—purposeful, intellectual
work.
Maulana Ashraf `Ali al-Thanawi argued the
second type of love is greater than the first.
This is because we are not rewarded for that
which comes without choice or effort, just
as we are not responsible for that which
comes naturally, without intent. We
are only responsible for our choices.
Just as there are actions of the body
we choose, there are also actions of
the heart that are chosen. This is
an important point.
Take the commonly known
example of looking at something
impermissible. The first glance
which occurs without intent or
foreknowledge is forgiven. We are
not held accountable for it. The second
glance is purposeful and accountable. If one leaves it out
of fear of Allah, one is rewarded. Similarly, the love which
occurs purposefully and with effort brings a greater reward.
Rather than being distressed that one does not find the
appropriate love of Allah occurring naturally, one should
take purposeful steps to develop a chosen love. Today, the
ummah’s love for Allah and His Messenger a has grown
weak because we have little concern for it. In fact, even
more tragic is when one lacks concern so much so that no
steps are taken to develop the missing love or protect oneself
in the Hereafter.
We must choose to love Allah and His Messenger a as the
first step. We must choose to develop a connection with
Allah.
Choosing to Love Allah
There are ways to develop love for Allah. Here, I will pass
on to you a powerful method given to us by our predecessors.
Naturally occurring love is about affinity or kinship.
One may find love within them for virtually anything.
Sometimes this occurs without thought or even knowing
the actual qualities of a person. Sometimes, it is just a
feeling or a love about imagined qualities. However, even
these superficial, emotional loves of created objects can be
converted to a chosen, intellectual love of the Creator.
Affinity occurs because of an appreciation for beauty, benefit,
and perfection in something. In reality, these qualities
are found in the most perfect sense with Allah. The rest
of creation is merely a reflection of it. In other words, the
example of us loving something other than Allah is like
the person who having seen the beauty of the sunlight on
a wall falls in love with the reflected light. He appears to be
a lover of the wall’s light, but really, he is a lover of the sun.
Once he realizes this, he will reflect on his mistake and turn
towards the source with a more perfect love. The love of
the wall’s light was emotional, while the love of the source
was chosen.
In this way, turn your love from the reflection (whomever
or whatever it may be) to its source—Allah. Even when
we love the traits of a creation, we are in fact in love with
the Creator. Develop your love of Allah by changing your
emotional love to a chosen love—one without intent to
one with intent, one without reward to one with reward,
and one that is short-lived to one that is eternal. Doing this
consciously is a simple and powerful way to develop love
for Allah.
Finally, when you seek out Allah, remember He seeks you.
The Prophet a said Allah said, “Whoever comes to me a
handspan, I come to him an arm span. Whoever comes to
me an arm span, I come to him two arm spans. Whoever
comes to Me walking, I come to him running.” Always keep
in mind that Allah is seeking you. If He did not want us to
come to Him, He would not have allowed us to even take
the first step. Our discussion here and your reading it with
concern is proof of it.
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