“Numerous instances in the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet, pbuh, enforce the imperative impact and influence of the work of the heart in general, home to pure and genuine Iman, and emotions of love and tenderness in particular as an essential quality guarding human relations and keeping them sound and balanced.”
Even beyond the realm of human ties and relations, love is said to bound the Servant-God relationship, the God-Prophet Relationship, and love for one’s Deen (religion), that is Islam- Love is encouraged as one crucial quality encompassing so a set of emotions that guardian all sorts of worldly and divine aspects matters, the absence of which renders life, human dealings, and even one’s relation with his Lord, void and intrinsically lacking.
“My love is established for those who love one another for My sake; and My love is established for those who spend money for My sake; and My love is established for those who visit one another for My sake. (In fact) those who love one another for the sake of Allah will be at pulpits of light in the shade of Allah’s Throne on a day when there is no shade but His shade.”
– Ubada bin As-Samit
narrated Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) as saying, quoting his Lord (SWT).
– – (This Qudusi Hadith is sound through all its channels and reported in Musnad Ahmad).
On a deeper note, Love is one human quality that facilitates many Divine Commands Muslims are obliged to hold fast to, such as especial good manners with parents, even when they’re quite old, Love for One’s Lord, Brotherhood and Brotherly Love amongst Muslims, Wife-Husband relationship, tender Mother/Father-Child relationship, and many more human and human-divine bonds and relations, which, without love, cannot really be achieved efficiently.
In Islam, love carries sort of a broad and rich meaning, that includes man-woman love and condones it, but protects it in a manner that safeguards both partners’ dignity and feelings.
Islam celebrates Love, eagerly, making it a sharp human quality that facilitates many acts of worship and commanding actions.
Otherwise, and outside the boundaries of Islam, love is indeed celebrated, on some day called in many non-Muslim societies St. Valentine’s Day.
Now, take the time to reflect on the above, beyond the so many jabbering about whether celebrating the Valentines’s Day is Halal or Haram, how do you see love? How do you celebrate it and how do you think it should be celebrated? Through red gifts or living up to its standards and impacts all through the year and the course of life of each one of us?
Wassalaam,
Maha Youssuf
The Muslim Tribune Editor
maha@muslimtribune.org
Posted on: February 29, 2012
