“Tell him you Love Him: The Hadith on loving for the Sake of Allah”

Hadith:

“Loving for the Sake of Allah…”

**

The following is a narration from Anas Ibn Malik (RA) from the Prophet (SAW) regarding the etiquette of loving one’s brother for the sake of Allah:

عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ رضي الله عنه: أَنَّ رَجُلًا كَانَ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَمَرَّ بِهِ رَجُلٌ، فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! إِنِّي لَأُحِبُّ هَذَا. فَقَالَ لَهُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: أَعْلَمْتَهُ ؟ قَالَ: لَا. قَالَ: أَعْلِمْهُ. قَالَ: فَلَحِقَهُ فَقَالَ: إِنِّي أُحِبُّكَ فِي اللَّهِ. فَقَالَ: أَحَبَّكَ الَّذِي أَحْبَبْتَنِي لَهُ

“From Anas ibn Malik (RA) that a man was with the Prophet (SAW) when another man passed by and he said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, I love this man.’ The Prophet (SAW) said to him: ‘Have you told him?’ He said: ‘No.’ He said: ‘Tell him.’ So he caught up with him and said: ‘I love you for the sake of Allah!’ He said: ‘May the one for Whose sake you love me also love you!’…”[1]

In another narration, the Prophet (SAW) is reported to have said:

وعَنِ الْمِقْدَامِ بْنِ مَعْدِي كَرِبَ رضي الله عنه قال: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : ( إِذَا أَحَبَّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَخَاهُ فَلْيُعْلِمْهُ إِيَّاهُ

“From al-Miqdam ibn Ma’di (RA) who said: The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: ‘If one of you loves his brother, let him tell him’.”[2]

• Imam al-Munawi comments in Fayd al-Qadir as follows:

“…‘so let him tell him that he loves him for the sake of Allah’ means, it is recommended (nadban) for him to tell him by saying, ‘I love you for the sake of Allah’, i.e., not for any other reason such as kindness or other such reason. This is because it ensures closeness remains and makes love stronger. And by it love further increase and multiplies and brings people together. In this way, the Muslims become united and troubles and grudges are dispelled. This is one of the great features of Islam…”[3]

)فليخبره أنه يحبه لله ( فليخبره بمحبته له ندبا، بأن يقول له إني أحبك لله أي: لا لغيره من إحسان أو غيره، فإنه أبقى للألفة، وأثبت للمودة، وبه يتزايد الحب ويتضاعف، وتجتمع الكلمة، وينتظم الشمل بين المسلمين، وتزول المفاسد والضغائن. وهذا من محاسن الشريعة

Notes:

• It is a highly recommended act to declare love to one’s brother for the sake of Allah.
• The Prophet encouraged the spread of sincere brotherly feeling.
• The effects of increasing this declaration of love include:

[1] gaining reward from Allah and His pleasure.

[2] elimination of grudges between persons.

[3] reinforcing love between persons.

[4] building unity among Muslims.

[5] showing the magnificent etiquette of Islam.

• Imam Ghazali (ra) extensively discusses about “loyalty in love”[4] to one’ fellow brother in the Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din.[5] He comments that, “lasting affection  is that which is for the sake of God. That which has some other object passes away with the passing of that object.”[6]
• True love for another then is grounded through the Love of Allah.

s.z.c.

---

[1] Abu Dawud, Sunan (#5125).

[2] Tirmidhi, Sunan (#2392).

[3] al-Munawi, Fayd al-Qadir, vol.1, p.319.

[4] See al-Ghazali, The Duties of Brotherhod in Islam (tr. M. Holland), Second Quarter, p.73.

[5] Ibid., pp.21-92.

[6] Ibid., p.73:

المودة الدائمة هي التي تكون في الله و ما يكون لغرض يزول بزوال ذلك الغرض…