THE LOVE OF ALLAH A CONNECTION WITH ALLAH

IN THE QURAAN Sharif, Allah Ta'ala declares loudly and openly that, "...However the believers have a much greater love for Allah..." (2:165)

When expressing our love for Allah Ta'ala, we must use the term "greater love" alongside the word "beloved". In other words, Allah is our Beloved, whom we love with deep and ardent devotion. If these two essential elements—deep love and ardent devotion—are absent in our relationship with Allah, we will struggle to offer Him total obedience. This is because if we love our own hearts, desires, and passions more than we love Allah, we will not hesitate to transgress His commands—especially when obedience to Allah seems to challenge our personal desires.

Imagine a beautiful and admirable woman passing in front of us. Our heart is tempted to look at her.

If we love Allah more than our own heart, we will displease our heart in order to please Allah Ta'ala by refraining from looking at her.
If, however, we love our heart more than we love Allah, we will give in to our desire and cast an envious glance, thus committing a sin—choosing the pleasure of the heart over the obedience of Allah.

In reality, our love for Allah Ta'ala must prevail over all else—our loved ones, our families, our lives, and even our own hearts.

Rasulullah (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) made a beautiful du'a asking Allah for this kind of love:

"O Allah! Make Your love dearer to me than my life, my family, and fresh water."

In other words, just as fresh water is intensely desired by a thirsty person, let my love for You be even greater than that thirst!

Hadhrat Hajee Imdaadullah Muhajir Makki (Rahimahullah) expressed this same concept in poetic form, reciting the following verses while standing near the Ghilaaf of the Ka'bah:

"Just as a thirsty person desires water,

Let my thirst for You, O Allah, be greater!"

A thirsty person experiences great pleasure and satisfaction when fresh water quenches his thirst and soothes his dry and burning throat. Similarly, those who are deeply in love with Allah find immense joy and fulfillment when they pronounce His blessed name.

Shaykh Jalaaluddin Rumi (Rahimahullah) beautifully described this feeling in his Mathnawi:

"When my tongue pronounces the name of Allah,
Every hair of my body turns into an ocean of honey."

THE LOVE OF ALLAH LEADS TO OBEDIENCE.

Sheikh JalaaluddinRumi (Rahimahullah) narrated:

Once, Sultan Mahmud gathered his 63 ministers and commanded them to crush the most precious stone in his treasury. All of them refused, saying they could never bring themselves to destroy such a valuable gem. Then, the Sultan turned to Ayaaz, his grand Wazier, and ordered him to do the same. Without hesitation, Ayaaz obeyed, and in the blink of an eye, the jewel shattered into a thousand pieces.Seeing this, the ministers were astonished and exasperated. They could not understand why Ayaaz had destroyed such a precious stone. The Sultan then addressed Ayaaz:

"O Ayaaz! You are truly audacious and ungrateful! Now, answer these ministers and explain why you have broken this jewel."Ayaaz turned to the ministers and posed a question:
"Which is more important—the decree of the king or the precious stone?"

Similarly, the command of Allah Ta'ala takes precedence over everything, even our own desires and emotions. Let our hearts be broken if they must be—but let us never break the command of Allah.

Our lustful desires, which seem so beautiful and pleasing to the eye, are like that precious stone. However, we must have the courage to crush them and uphold the laws of Allah,Who has commanded us to:

Control our gaze—not to look at non-mahram women or handsome young men, despite the temptation.
EstablishSalah five times a day, even when we are busy with daily activities.
Observe the fast of Ramadhan, despite the heat.
Pay Zakaat when it is due.
Submit completely to His divine will.

Shaykh Rumi (Rahimahullah) states in his Mathnawi:

"The day a person attains the love of Allah, he will crush all the obstacles in his path. The love of Allah makes him crush even mountains."

There are people who constantly complain: "This is difficult for me" or "That is difficult for me."
However, these difficulties persist only when the love of Allah is absent from the heart. The day Allah’s presence fills our hearts, even mountains of hardships will be reduced to dust.

"The love of Allah crushes mountains,The love of Allah creates waves and tides.Then, what are our hearts incomparison?"

If a person’s heart is immersed in Allah’s love, he will free himself from the grip of his nafs(passions). His desires will be controlled and subjugated, and he will obey Allah without hesitation.

THE HEART—SEAT OF ALLAH’S LOVE

A person can never build a close relationship with Allah unless his heart is completely detached from the material and perishable world.

There is only one heart—it must be given either to Allah or to this temporary world.

"Do not give your heart to those bodies that will one day perish and decay.
He who gave you youth could have, if He had willed, taken it away during childhood.

Give your heart only to Him,He alone is worthy of it.He placed your heart in your chest for Himself."

Allah Ta'ala is infinitely precious, and when we dedicate our hearts to Him, we make our hearts precious as well. Islam does not ask us to completely renounce the material world; rather, we are required to keep the world outside and Allah within our hearts. Only then will we realize that this great spiritual treasure is more valuable than all the continents of the world.

Shaykh Rumi (Rahimahullah) beautifully said:

"O my heart! Is sugar sweet?

Or rather, is it not the Creator of sugar who is the sweetest?"

A person who has attained Allah’s love will always remain intoxicated with divine joy. Even if sorrow and despair surround him, his heart will remain at peace. His life on earth will be pleasant, and he will endure hardships with contentment and serenity. He will lead a Hayaat-e-Tayyibah—a pure and wholesome life. A waterproof watch does not get damaged by water. Likewise, the hearts of those who love Allah are immune to sorrow and sadness.

HOW TO ACQUIRE THE LOVE OF ALLAH?

To attain Allah’s love, we must adopt the following practices:

1. Engage in Zikrullah (Remembrance of Allah).

2. Stay in the company of the pious (Suhbat-e-Saaliheen).

3. Reflect and meditate on the creation of Allah (Muraaqabah).

ZIKRULLAH

Zikr is such an important act of worship that every Muslim should consider an obligation. A Muslim should never leave it. It is truly surprising that we view eating as a necessity but not Zikr. In fact we must constantly engage in Zikrullah.Just as our body needsfood, our soul needs Zikr. Neglecting Zikr is like starving our soul.

Performing Zikr with punctuality, deep attention, and complete devotion is an easy way to protect ourselves from sins. If the nafs (passions) and Shaitaan overpower us and we commit a sin, we will immediately feel a dimming of light in our hearts.A heartdevoid of Zikr will be filled with worries, remorse, and unease, compelling us to repent. Without sincere repentance (Tawbah), we will never feel at peace.

The daily recitation of"Allah, Allah" opens the doors of our hearts. The Amaanat (divine deposit) of Allah’s love, which was placed in our hearts at the time of creation, will begin to resurface, and we will perceive its fragrance, through the opening of our hearts.

"O Allah, open our hearts through Your Zikr!"

DAILY AZKAAR

1. Recitation of the Qur'an -Read as much as possible, but regularly. If one does not know how to recite with Tajweed, it is obligatory to learn it.

2. Pronouncing the Name of "Allah" 300 times daily.It is Waajib (necessary) to say "Jal-jalaaluhu" at least once, as follows: "Allah Jal-jalaaluhu."

3. Recite the Kalimah Tayyibah

لَا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ

Laa ilaaha illal laahu

100 times a day. After every ten recitations, complete it with:

مُحَمَّدٌ رَّسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ

Muhammadur Rasulullah (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam)

4. Recite any formula of repentance (Istighfar) from the Qur’an or Ahaadith 100 times a day. Example:

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللّٰهَ

Astaghfirullah

5. Send Durud Sharifon Rasulullah (Sallallaahu'Alaihi Wasallam) 100 times a day by reciting any authentic Durud from the Ahaadith.

The same Zikr program is recommended for our sisters. However, instead of pronouncing the word "Allah" 300 times a day, they should reciteSubhaanallah 300 times a day.

Note: If someone has a Sheikh (spiritual guide), he/she should follow the specific Zikr program prescribed by his/her Sheikh.

THE COMPANY OF THE PIOUS (AHLULLAH)

Allah Ta'ala says in the Qur’an:

"O you who believe! Fear Allah and stay with the truthful."(9:119)

In this verse, "stay with"refers to being in the company of the pious. This verse clearly indicates that the protection of Imaan (faith) is attained through Taqwa (piety and fear of Allah), as Taqwa is mentioned after Imaan. The protection of Taqwa, in turn, is achieved through the company of pious people. Therefore, staying in the company of the pious is obligatory for the existence and perfection of piety. Similarly, piety is necessary for the existence and perfection of Imaan. Substances closely related to the essence are indispensable. Hence, to protect and perfectImaan, staying in the company of pious people is indispensable. Therefore, simply accepting faith without striving and engaging in righteous actions is notsufficient.

THE BENEFITS OF SUHBAT (PIOUS COMPANIONSHIP)

There is a great need to stay in pious company. The nafs(soul) of the Sahabah-e-Kiraam (Radiyallahuanhum) were not purified solely by 'Ilm (Islamic knowledge). To purify the soul (Ruh), obtain Ma'rifat (recognition of Allah) and the love of Allah Paak, Islamic knowledge alone is insufficient. Just as a guide is necessary to navigate any path, it has always been Allah's (Aa'datullah) custom to purify the soul through the companionship of a pious guide (Shaykh). The Sahabah (Radiyallahuanhum) had the great honour of benefiting from the company of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu'AlaihiWasallam), who provided complete spiritual training. This indicates that even the Sahabahcould not purify themselves without the guidance and company of the Prophet (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam). Allah Paak mentions this purification in the Qur'an: Wayuzakkeehim ("And He purifies them..."). This shows that purification was granted through the company of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam). Allah Paak says this about their purification, Wayuzakkeehim "And he purifies them..." that is to say, SayyidinaRasulullah (Sallallaahu'Alaihi Wasallam) purified these noble Sahabah (Radiyallahuanhum‎). He purified their hearts. Today also, the successors of the noble Sahabah (Radiyallahuanhum‎) are in the process of accomplishing this task. Today the Auliya (spiritual guides) continue to carry out this mission of purifying hearts.Thus, how can we, the non-Sahabah, obtain spiritual exaltation without staying in the company of people who have been spiritually guided?

How, then, can we, the Dunyadaar(those whose hearts are attached to the material world), expect to obtain the love of Allah without being in the company of those who havealready found Him and are immersed in that love?

It is essential for each of us to establish a bond (bait) with a Shaykh, to choose him as our guide. Even if we do not become his disciple, let us at least make him our advisor in matters of Deen. When one submits to a change of conduct under the guidance of a Shaykh, by Allah's grace, it becomes easier to follow the Sunnah and Shari'ah and avoid sins. Our hearts will then be filled with the love of Allah, and love for Him will eclipse our attachment to the material world.

MEDITATION ON THE CREATION OF ALLAH

We should reflect on the creation of the heavens, the earth, the sun, and the moon, and the benefits they provide. This will increase our gratitude towards Allah.

Consider the movement of boats on water—Who gives water, a substance so liquid and so fluid, the property to carry such heavy loads from East to West and from North to Southacross vast distances without harming anything??

Who makes water fall from the sky drop by drop, in such a way that it doesn’t cause destruction? If it always fell in the form of a flood, nothing would have survived, man, animal or other things. Who is the Creator of such phenomenaif not Allah?

Each day, morning and evening, Allah showers us with favours and blessings like food, water, and sleepand many other forms of comfort. Every time, we enjoy these gifts, we should pause and reflect,"This is the favour of Allah upon us." This practice of reflection (Muraaqabah) will help us recognize the truth and increase our Ma'rifat. Through meditation on these signs of Allah, our paths will become clearer, bringing us closer to Allah Ta'ala.

Let us reflect on the creation of the heavens, the earth, the sun, and the moon, and the benefits they provide us.

SIGNS OF A CONNECTION WITH ALLAH

How does one know that Allah loves him? The sign is that Allah places such a connection (attachment) in his heart, due to which Zikr (remembrance) and obedience to Allah become easy. This ease is a sign that one has been accepted as a lover of Allah. His heart will be filled with the love of Allah, and he will feel a special warmth and closeness to Allah Ta'ala.

CONCLUSION

To benefit from all that has been said,Mujaahadah (effort) and strict spiritual discipline are essential. What efforts should we make?

Performing the Zikr of Allah regularly and punctually, controlling one's gaze, avoiding bad thoughts in one's mind and heart, and staying away from all harmful things and places that tempt us to commit sins—these efforts are required of all who have chosen the path that leads to Allah Paak!

"When love for Allah is complete, Salaat becomes the most sublime moment of life." — Al-Ghazali

[English version of "L'amourd'Allah Une connection avec Allah" – Al Haadi – Vol. 3 No. 3]