Love For Allah and His Messenger

Love of Allaah and His Messenger

By Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah

When the ahaadeeth about loving the Messenger of Allaah is looked at in a shallow way, it seems to imply that merely loving the Messenger will enter one into Paradise.  This is not so, as there are action attached to that love.

The hadeeth of Anas bin Maalik that 'a desert Arab said to Allaah's Messenger , sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam,: When will the Last Hour be? The Messenger of Allaah replied: "what have you prepared for it?" He said: Love of Allaah and His Messenger. The Prophet , sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said: "you will be with those who you love." [Saheeh Muslim Eng. Trans. no.6378]

This hadeeth when looked at in a shallow way, and without consideration of it's various wordings and other ahaadeeth and aayaat pertaining to the subject, could leave one with the erroneous impression that merely loving Allaah and His Messenger, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, guarantees entry into paradise. This is not the case. For sure love of Allaah and His Messenger is a condition for our Islaam and it is a condition for the acceptance of our actions, but mere love on it's own does not guarantee entry into paradise – although such a one would eventually enter Paradise after having been in the Hellfire unless Allaah Wills otherwise.

Firstly: just by considering the wording of the above hadeeth we know that true Love of Allaah and His Messenger, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, lies in loving them and following their commands and staying away from their prohibitions. Hence when the desert Arab said: 'Love of Allaah and His Messenger' he implicitly stated that he was doing this.

Secondly: Other narrations show that what the Arab meant was that although he had performed the obligatory duties, he had not done much in the way of optional actions.

Thirdly: yet other narrations show that the Messenger, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, did not merely suffice with the desert Arabs saying 'Love of Allaah and his Messenger' but he went on to say: "you shall be with those you love, and you shall reap what you earned, and it is upon Allaah to reward you for what you have gathered." [Fath al-Baaree of ibn Hajr 10/686 hadeeth no's 6168+ Book of Manners Chpt: The Signs of Loving Allaah. Ibn Hajr attributes this hadeeth to Abu Nu'aym.] Meaning that he would still be judged for his actions.

So here are other ahaadeeth that prove what I say:
When the man was asked what he had prepared for it he replied: "I have made no significant preparation for it with prayer, fasting, and charity except that I love Allaah and His Messenger" He said: "you shall be with those you love." [Saheeh Muslim no. 6382]
In another narration it is mentioned that he did not mention anything great in reply to the question. [ibid. no. 6379]
In the same narration he said: 'I have not prepared much that would merit self-commendation' [ibid. no. 6379]
Therefore Imaam an-Nawawee states [Sharh Saheeh Muslim 16/152+],

"This hadeeth contains the excellence of loving Allaah and His Messenger, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, and the righteous and the People of Goodness – the dead and the living. And from the excellence of loving Allaah and His Messenger is complying with their command and staying away from their prohibitions, and following the Adaab of the Sharee'ah…

His saying, 'I have made no significant preparation for it'…meaning other than the obligatory duties i.e. I have not prepared a great deal of optional prayers, fasts and giving in charity."

And Allaah the Most High knows best and He guides to that which is correct.

[Taken from Majmoo'ul Fataawaa (10/422)]