~ Sharing Is Caring ~

“those who have faith (i. e. are Muslims) are stronger in their love for Allah.”

CONCEPT OF LOVE

The first thing that is needed is to actually conceptualize what love really is. We all know that love has many manifestations, degrees, and types. The way a child loves his or her parents is not the same as the way a woman may love her husband, and likewise, the way a person may love chocolate, per se, is not the same way a person would love his or her Lord (or at least we hope not).

However, in all of these types of love there is a common and key theme, that of sacrifice and fulfillment. The more we love something, the more we are willing to sacrifice for it, and the more we will strive to fulfill the every command and wish of our beloved.

Indeed, sacrifice and fulfillment are from amongst the essential components that make up love, along with longing and cherishing. And this is why we should see that love, along with hope and fear, is a pillar of our worship. Our worship will not be complete or acceptable until it encompasses the right amounts of love, hope, and fear.

ASSOCIATION OF LOVE WITH RAMADAN

It is an individual’s love for his/her child and family that will make them wake up in the late hours of the night to prepare a nice meal for suhur (the pre-dawn meal). In the same vein, it is an individual’s love for his community that will drive him to take time off of work to ensure his fellow Muslims have sufficient food for iftar (the meal at sunset). And it is our love for Allah, as Muslims, which drives us to sacrifice the two pinnacles of desire, food and marital relations, for no other reason than the pleasure of our very Creator.

Our love for Allah (glorified and praised is He) does not stop here but, rather, merely just begins. One of the key pillars of loving Allah lies in following the Prophet Mohammad, peace be upon him, and an exemplary role model he is.

Source:
“Ramadhân: The Month of Love” – Abu ‘Abdir-Rahman Mohammad Navaid Aziz