The Qur’anic Ayaat on Love – Part 1: Love Towards Allah

Sheikh Falaah ibn Ismaa’eel al-Mundakar, one of the Salafi shuyookh of Kuwait and a professor of ‘Aqeedah at Kuwait University, authored a book entitled “The Essential Beliefs Regarding Love: the Love of Allah – a Theological Study”. He devoted one of its chapters to the Qur’anic ayaat regarding loving Allah. This chapter begins by first discussing the characteristics of those who truly love Allah, then moves on to Allah’s descriptions of those whom He loves, and concludes with a discussion of the descriptions of those whom He does not love. What follows is the first section:

ذكر الآيات الواردة في المحبة الخاصة

The ayaat specifically regarding Love

من أهم الآيات التي جاءت في هذه المحبة هي قوله تعالى : {قُلْ إِن كَانَ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَاؤُكُمْ وَإِخْوَانُكُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُكُمْ وَعَشِيرَ‌تُكُمْ وَأَمْوَالٌ اقْتَرَ‌فْتُمُوهَا وَتِجَارَ‌ةٌ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَاكِنُ تَرْ‌ضَوْنَهَا أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكُم مِّنَ اللَّـهِ وَرَ‌سُولِهِ وَجِهَادٍ فِي سَبِيلِهِ فَتَرَ‌بَّصُوا حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِيَ اللَّـهُ بِأَمْرِ‌هِ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ} [التوبة 24] . ـ

○ Among the most important ayaat on the subject of this love is Allah’s statement:

قُلْ إِن كَانَ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَاؤُكُمْ وَإِخْوَانُكُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُكُمْ وَعَشِيرَ‌تُكُمْ وَأَمْوَالٌ اقْتَرَ‌فْتُمُوهَا وَتِجَارَ‌ةٌ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَاكِنُ تَرْ‌ضَوْنَهَا أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكُم مِّنَ اللَّـهِ وَرَ‌سُولِهِ وَجِهَادٍ فِي سَبِيلِهِ فَتَرَ‌بَّصُوا حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِيَ اللَّـهُ بِأَمْرِ‌هِ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ

Say, [O Muhammad], “If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your relatives, wealth which you have obtained, commerce wherein you fear decline, and dwellings with which you are pleased are more beloved to you than Allah and His Messenger and jihaad in His cause, then wait until Allah executes His command. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.” [9:24]

ففي هذه الآية وعيد شديد من الله تعالى لمن كان أهله وماله أحب إليه من الله ورسوله والجهاد في سبيله . ـ

For this ayah contains a severe threat from Allah to whoever holds their family and their wealth as more beloved to them than Allah, His messenger and jihaad in His path.

والوعيد في كتاب الله وفي سنة رسول الله ﷺ لا يكون إلا على ترك فرض أو ارتكاب محرم من المحرمات ، فالآية تدل بذلك على وجوب محبة الله تعالى ووجوب ما تقتضيه هذه المحبة من محبة رسوله ﷺ والجهاد في سبيله حباً يفوق حب الأهل والمال والوالد . ـ

And a threat does not occur in the Book of Allah or in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) except for the abandonment of an obligation or the perpetration of one of the forbidden acts. So this ayah thereby proves the obligatory nature of loving Allah, as well as the obligatory nature of what that love entails of love for His messenger (ﷺ) and for jihaad in His path – with a love that surpasses one’s love for family, wealth and offspring.

“There is no good in much of their private conversation, except…”: Tafsir al-Sa’di

Allah says in surah al-Nisaa’:

لَّا خَيْرَ فِي كَثِيرٍ مِّن نَّجْوَاهُمْ إِلَّا مَنْ أَمَرَ بِصَدَقَةٍ أَوْ مَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ إِصْلَاحٍ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ ۚ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ ابْتِغَاءَ مَرْضَاتِ اللَّهِ فَسَوْفَ نُؤْتِيهِ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا

There is no good in much of their private conversation, except for those who enjoin sadaqah or that which is right or reconciliation between people. And whoever does that seeking means to the approval of Allah – then We are going to give him a great reward. [4:114]

In his well-known book of tafsir, sheikh ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Naasir al-Sa’di mentioned the above ayah and then wrote:

أي: لا خير في كثير مما يتناجى به الناس ويتخاطبون، وإذا لم يكن فيه خير، فإما لا فائدة فيه كفضول الكلام المباح، وإما شر ومضرة محضة كالكلام المحرم بجميع أنواعه. ـ

Meaning: There is no good in much of what is exchanged secretly among the people or what they speak about together. So if it there is no good in it, then either it contains no benefit – such as idle curiosity which is neither good nor bad – , or it is evil and plainly harmful – such as any form of forbidden talk.

ثم استثنى تعالى فقال: { إِلَّا مَنْ أَمَرَ بِصَدَقَةٍ ْ} من مال أو علم أو أي نفع كان، بل لعله يدخل فيه العبادات القاصرة كالتسبيح والتحميد ونحوه . ـ

Then Allah provided an exception, for He said:

إِلَّا مَنْ أَمَرَ بِصَدَقَةٍ

except for those who enjoin sadaqah …

which could be wealth or knowledge or any other thing of benefit. In fact, even acts of individual devotion – such as making tasbeeh, praising Allah, etc. – could be included in this.

كما قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: “إن بكل تسبيحة صدقة، وكل تكبيرة صدقة، وكل تهليلة صدقة، وأمر بالمعروف صدقة، ونهي عن المنكر صدقة، وفي بضع أحدكم صدقة” الحديث. ـ

This is just as the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Verily, every tasbeeh is a sadaqah [charity], and every takbeer is a sadaqah, and every tahleel [saying laa ilaaha illAllaah] is a sadaqah, and enjoining the good is sadaqah, and forbidding evil is a sadaqah, and in a person’s sexual intercourse there is a sadaqah,” until the end of the hadeeth.

The Seven Oft-Repeated Verses: Tafsir al-Shinqitee

Sheikh Muhammad al-Ameen al-Shinqitee wrote the following valuable discussion in his tafsir of surah al-Hijr:

قوله تعالى : ولقد آتيناك سبعا من المثاني والقرآن العظيم ، ذكر – جل وعلا – في هذه الآية الكريمة أنه أتى نبيه – صلى الله عليه وسلم – سبعا من المثاني والقرآن العظيم ، ولم يبين هنا المراد بذلك . ـ

Allah’s statement:

وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَاكَ سَبْعًا مِّنَ الْمَثَانِي وَالْقُرْ‌آنَ الْعَظِيمَ

And We have certainly given you, [O Muhammad], seven of the often repeated [verses] and the great Qur’an. [15:87]

In this noble ayah, He mentioned that He have His prophet (ﷺ) seven of the oft-repeated (verses) and the great Qur’an, but He did not clarify the intended meaning of this here.

وقد قدمنا في ترجمة هذا الكتاب المبارك : أن الآية الكريمة إن كان لها بيان في كتاب الله غير واف بالمقصود ، أننا نتمم ذلك البيان من السنة ، فنبين الكتاب بالسنة من حيث إنها بيان للقرآن المبين باسم الفاعل . فإذا علمت ذلك ; فاعلم أن النبي – صلى الله عليه وسلم – بين في الحديث الصحيح : أن المراد بالسبع المثاني والقرآن العظيم في هذه الآية الكريمة : هو فاتحة الكتاب . ففاتحة الكتاب مبينة للمراد بالسبع المثاني والقرآن العظيم ، وإنما بينت ذلك [ ص: 315 ] بإيضاح النبي – صلى الله عليه وسلم – لذلك في الحديث الصحيح . ـ

And we have already mentioned in the interpretation of this Blessed Book that if a noble ayah has an explanation in the Book of Allah which is not sufficient in terms of conveying the intended meaning, then we complete that explanation by means of the sunnah, so we explain the the Qur’an with the sunnah since it is an explanation of the clear Qur’an by the doer himself [i.e. by the Prophet Muahmmad].

Oaths are a magnification of the Creator: Imam al-Sa’di

In one section of his explanation of sheikh Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhaab’s famous Kitaab al-Tawheed, sheikh ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Naasir al-Sa’di wrote the following regarding oaths:

أصل اليمين إنما شرعت تأكيدا للأمر المحلوف عليه، وتعظيما للخالق، ولهذا وحب أن لا يحلف إلا لله، وكان الحلف بغيره من الشرك. ـ

The basis of oaths is that they were legislated as an affirmation of an issue which is being sworn to and as a magnification of the Creator. So for that reason, it is incumbent that one does not swear by anything but Allah, and swearing by other than Him is from shirk.

ومن تمام هذا التعظيم أن لا يحلف بالله إلا صادقا. ومن تمام هذا التعظيم أن يحترم اسمه العظيم عن كثرة الحلف ، فالكذب وكثرة الحلف تنافي التعظيم الذي هو روح التوحيد. ـ

And from the completion of this magnification is that one does not swear by Allah in any other way than truthfully. And from the completion of this magnification is that one venerates His magnificent name by not being prolific in swearing. For lying and a proliferation of swearing negates the magnification which is the essence of al-tawheed.

Tafsir of Surah al-Fatihah: Tafsir al-Shinqitee

Sheikh Muhammad al-Ameen al-Shinqitee wrote the following explanation in his book of tafsir, Adhwaa’ al-Bayaan, regarding surah al-Fatihah. The entire theme of al-Shinqitee’s tafsir was to specifically focus on explaining the Qur’an by means of the Qur’an, and his explanation of surah al-Fatihah here is no different. Due to this focused approach, this explanation contains some benefits not frequently emphasized in other works of tafsir, and acts as a valuable addition and complement to the broader tafsir literature.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

سورة الفاتحة

In the name of Allah, al-Rahman al-Raheem

Surah al-Fatihah

قوله تعالى : ( الحمد لله رب العالمين ) . لم يذكر لحمده هنا ظرفا مكانيا ولا زمانيا ، وذكر في سورة الروم أن من ظروفه المكانية السماوات والأرض في قوله : ( وله الحمد في السماوات والأرض ) وذكر في سورة القصص أن من ظروفه الزمانية : الدنيا والآخرة في قوله : ( وهو الله لا إله إلا هو له الحمد في الأولى والآخرة ) ، وقال في أول سورة سبأ : ( وله الحمد في الآخرة وهو الحكيم الخبير ) ، والألف واللام في ( الحمد ) لاستغراق جميع المحامد . وهو ثناء أثنى به تعالى على نفسه وفي ضمنه أمر عباده أن يثنوا عليه به . ـ

○ Allah’s statement:

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّـهِ رَ‌بِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

[All] praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds [1:1]

Here there are no mention of accompanying circumstances of place or time to go with His praise, but in surah al-Room He mentioned that the heavens and the earth are among the accompanying circumstances of place for it. This was in His statement:

وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ

And to Him is the praise in the heavens and the earth [30:18]

And in surah al-Qasas He mentioned that this worldly life and the hereafter are among the accompanying circumstances of time for it. This was in His statement:

وَهُوَ اللَّـهُ لَا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ فِي الْأُولَىٰ وَالْآخِرَ‌ةِ

And He is Allah – there is no deity worthy of worship except Him. To Him is the praise in the first and the last [28:70]

And in the beginning of surah Saba’ He said:

وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ فِي الْآخِرَ‌ةِ ۚ وَهُوَ الْحَكِيمُ الْخَبِيرُ‌

To Him is the praise in the Hereafter, and He is the Most Wise, the Intimately Acquainted [34:1]

And the definite article of alif and lam in al-Hamd [the praise] causes it to encompass all praises, and that is commendation which He has lauded upon Himself, and this entails Him commanding His slaves to laud Him with with that phrase as well.

Those who come to Allah with a Pure Heart: Tafsir al-Qurtubi

In surah al-Shu’araa’, the prophet Ibrahim made a du’aa in which he described the Day of Judgement by saying:

يَوْمَ لَا يَنفَعُ مَالٌ وَلَا بَنُونَ * إِلَّا مَنْ أَتَى اللَّـهَ بِقَلْبٍ سَلِيمٍ

The Day wherein neither wealth nor sons will avail, * Except him who brings to Allah a qalb saleem [pure heart] (26:88-89)

Commenting on this in his book of tafsir, Imam al-Qurtubi wrote the following:

قوله تعالى : يوم لا ينفع مال ولا بنون ( يوم ) بدل من ( يوم ) الأول . أي يوم لا ينفع مال ولا بنون أحدا . والمراد بقوله : ” ولا بنون ” الأعوان ; لأن الابن إذا لم ينفع فغيره متى ينفع ؟ وقيل : ذكر البنين لأنه جرى ذكر والد إبراهيم ، أي لم ينفعه إبراهيم . ـ

Allah’s statement:

يَوْمَ لَا يَنفَعُ مَالٌ وَلَا بَنُونَ

The Day wherein neither wealth nor sons will avail

– meaning, a day on which neither wealth nor sons will benefit anyone. And the intended meaning of his statement, “nor sons” is helpers, because if sons do not help you, then who else will? And some say, “he mentioned sons here because it comes along with mentioning Ibrahim’s father” – i.e. Ibrahim will not benefit him.

 إلا من أتى الله بقلب سليم هو استثناء من الكافرين ; أي لا ينفعه ماله ولا بنوه . وقيل : هو استثناء من غير الجنس ، أي لكن من أتى الله بقلب سليم ينفعه لسلامة قلبه . ـ

إِلَّا مَنْ أَتَى اللَّـهَ بِقَلْبٍ سَلِيمٍ

Except him who brings to Allah a qalb saleem [pure heart]

This is an exclusion of the disbelievers, i.e. their wealth and sons will not benefit them. But others say it is an exclusion without any exception, i.e. (on that day neither wealth nor sons will benefit) however whoever comes to Allah with a qalb saleem [pure heart] will benefit from the purity of his heart.

وخص القلب بالذكر ; لأنه الذي إذا سلم سلمت الجوارح ، وإذا فسد فسدت سائر الجوارح . وقد تقدم في أول ( البقرة ) . ـ

And the heart is mentioned specifically here because it is that which, if it is pure then one’s limbs are pure, but if it is corrupted then the rest of one’s limbs are corrupted. And this has already been mentioned in the beginning of surah al-Baqarah.

The Two Types of those who Believe in the Qur’an: Imam al-Sa’di

In his explanation of Sheikh al-Islaam ibn Taymiyah’s famous book of creed al-‘Aqeedah al-Waasitiyyah, Imam ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Naasir al-Sa’di brought forth the following beneficial discussion:

واعلم أن المؤمنين بالقرآن على قسمين: كاملين، وناقصين. ـ

You should know that those who believe in the Qur’an fall into two categories – 1) those that are complete and 2) those that are deficient.

أما الكاملون: فإنهم أقبلوا على القرآن فتفهموا معانيه، ثم آمنوا بها واعتقدوها كلها، وتخلقوا بأخَلاقها، وعملوا بما دل عليه امتثالًا لأوامره واجتنابًا لنواهيه، ولم يفرقوا بين نصوصه كحال أهل البدع الذين آمنوا ببعض دون بعض. ـ

As for the complete ones, then they devote themselves to the Qur’an, so they understand its meanings and subsequently believe in them and cling to all of them; they are shaped by its manners, and they act according to what it indicates, conforming to its commands and avoiding its prohibitions. They do not make any differentiation between its texts as is the case of the people of innovation who believe in one part while not believing in another.

وأما الناقصون: فهم قسمان: قسم مبتدعون، وقسم فاسقون ظالمون. ـ

And as for the deficient ones, then they fall into two sub-categories: A) the category of innovators, and B) the category of wrong-doing disobedient ones.

A Clarification regarding the Questioning on the Day of Judgement: Imam al-Shinqitee

In his book dedicated to clarifying difficult passages of the Qur’an and removing doubts concerning them, Imam Muhammad al-Ameen al-Shinqitee wrote the following in his section on surah al-A’araaf:

قال تعالى : < فَلَنَسْأَلَنَّ الَّذِينَ أُرْ‌سِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَنَسْأَلَنَّ الْمُرْ‌سَلِينَ > الاية . ـ

Allah said:

فَلَنَسْأَلَنَّ الَّذِينَ أُرْ‌سِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَنَسْأَلَنَّ الْمُرْ‌سَلِينَ

Then We will surely question those to whom [a message] was sent, and We will surely question the messengers. [7:6]

هذه الآية الكريمة تدل على أن الله يسأل جميع الناس يوم القيامة . ونظيرها قولة تعالى : < وَرَ‌بِّكَ لَنَسْأَلَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ * عَمَّا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ > ، وقوله : < وَقِفُوهُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُم مَّسْئُولُونَ > ، وقوله : < وَيَوْمَ يُنَادِيهِمْ فَيَقُولُ مَاذَا أَجَبْتُمُ الْمُرْ‌سَلِينَ > . ـ

This noble ayah indicates that Allah will question all of mankind on Yawm al-Qiyaamah. And its parallel is Allah’s statement:

فَوَرَ‌بِّكَ لَنَسْأَلَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ * عَمَّا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

So by your Lord, We will surely question them all * About what they used to do. [15:92-93]

And His statement:

وَقِفُوهُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُم مَّسْئُولُونَ

And stop them; indeed, they are to be questioned. [37:24]

And His statement:

وَيَوْمَ يُنَادِيهِمْ فَيَقُولُ مَاذَا أَجَبْتُمُ الْمُرْ‌سَلِينَ

And [mention] the Day He will call them and say, “What did you answer the messengers?” [28:65]

وقد جاءت في آيات أخر تدل على خلاف ذلك  ، كقوله : <  فَيَوْمَئِذٍ لَّا يُسْأَلُ عَن ذَنبِهِ إِنسٌ وَلَا جَانٌّ > ، وكقوله : < وَلَا يُسْأَلُ عَن ذُنُوبِهِمُ الْمُجْرِ‌مُونَ > . ـ

And it has come in other ayaat that which indicates the contrary to that, such as His statement:

فَيَوْمَئِذٍ لَّا يُسْأَلُ عَن ذَنبِهِ إِنسٌ وَلَا جَانٌّ

Then on that Day none will be asked about his sin among men or jinn. [55:39]

And such as His statement:

وَلَا يُسْأَلُ عَن ذُنُوبِهِمُ الْمُجْرِ‌مُونَ

But the criminals, about their sins, will not be asked. [28:78]

والجواب عن هذا من ثلاثة أوجة : ـ

The answer to this comes from three angles: