I love you. What does that mean?

I love you because you are my family, I love you because you
are beautiful, or I love you because you help me out? How many people actually love simply for
the sake of Allah?
Love for the sake of Allah brings rewards your mind cant even grasp, but unfortunately it has
become a a lost trait among many Muslims. So lets find out what it means to love someone for
the sake of Allah and get motivated by a selection of amazing ahadeeth to start loving others in
this blessed way inshaaAllah!
In this weeks central ayah Allah says about the brotherly love of the people of the Ansaar: . . .
And those who, before them, had homes (in Al-Madinah) and had adopted the Faith, love those
who emigrate to them . . . [Quran, 59:9]

What does loving for the sake of Allah really

mean?
Loving someone for the sake of Allah comes in two ways: in your heart and with your deeds. You
love someone for the sake of Allah in your heart because of their position with Allah, and this
starts with loving the prophets and messengers and everyone who follows them. You should
have this love in your heart for other Muslims. Outwardly means that you support that person in
the good deeds they do, and you respect and defend them according to their good deeds.
This means you dont love them because you know them very well, or because they brought you
a direct benefit or because they have a nice appearance: you love and support them because of
their efforts to please Allah!

4 huge rewards to gain

1. Taste the sweetness of faith.
To start with an invaluable reward in this world, the Prophet sallallaahu alayhi wa
sallam said: There are three qualities whoever has them, will taste the sweetness of emaan: to
love Allah and His Messenger more than anyone else; to love a slave (of Allah) only for (the sake
of) Allah; and to abhor returning to infidelity after Allah has saved him from it as he would abhor
to be thrown into the fire (of Hell). [Al-Bukhari, Muslim] We have to realize that of everything you
can have in this world, a taste of the sweetness of emaan is the most precious.
2. Enjoy the shade of Allah.
Moving to the Day of Judgement, the Prophet said that Allah will ask on this day: Where are
those who loved each other for the sake of My glory? Today, on a day when there is no shade but
Mine, I shall shade them with My shade. [Muslim] You will only understand your intense need of

this shade, when you are there and by just loving someone for the sake of Allah you can work for
it now!
3. The Prophets and martyrs will envy you.
The Messenger of Allah said: Allah, the Exalted, has said: For those who love one another for the
sake of My Glory, there will be seats of light (on the Day of Resurrection), and they will be envied
by the Prophets and martyrs. [At-Tirmidhee] Imagine yourself sitting on seats of light and the best
of the best envying you because you made it a priority to love others for the sake of Allah!
4. You will have a high rank with Him.
The Prophet said: A man set out to visit a brother (in faith) in another town and Allah sent an
angel on his way. When the man met the angel, the latter asked him: Where do you intend to go?
He said: I intend to visit my brother in this town. The angel said: Have you done any favour to
him? He said: No, I have no desire except to visit him because I love him for the sake of Allah,
the Exalted, and Glorious. Thereupon the angel said: I am a messenger to you from Allah (to
inform you) that Allah loves you as you love him (for His sake).[Muslim] Isnt this breath taking?
By loving someone for the sake of Allah, you gain the love of the Highest and which love is better
than His?

How to love someone for the sake of Allah

1. Be patient with others and strive for a clean heart. In your relationship with other believers
dont try to seek the negative side of each word or gesture, be fast in accepting apologies and
dont be selfish. A common issue is the more religious some people get, their hatred for others
increases. Try to seek the good side in others and always try to find a good explanation or
interpretation of certain behaviour or the speech of the other.
2. Be a person on whom others can rely in times of need. The Prophet said: The believers, in
their mutual friendship, mercy and affection, are like one body: if any part of it complains, the rest
of the body will also stay awake in pain. [ Al-Bukhari, Muslim ] You might know this hadith, but try
to truly reflect on it. Do you truly feel the pain of other believers, does it affect you? As this is a
sign of your actual love for another!
There was an example of a man who loaned his friend money and walked back home crying.
When his wife asked him why he was crying and if it was because he needed the money himself
he said: No I am crying at my brother in faiths state of affairs. How could I not have known what
he was going through? If I had, I would have offered my help before he was compelled to ask for
it.

He was crying because he had seen his friend sighing, and even though he had seen something
was wrong, he had never bothered to ask. This brother was crying because he hadnt been there
to prevent his brother in Islam from going through the pain of having to ask for a loan.
3. Tell others you love them for Allahs sake.
The Prophet salallahu alayhi wa sallam said: If any of you loves his brother then he should
inform him. [At-Tirmidhee]
Action point: revive the sunnah by telling the ones you love for His sake by saying:
Uhibbuka fil-llaahi ( or to a female: uhibukki fil-llaahi), which means: I love you for the
sake of Allah.
The plural is: Uhibbukum fil-llaahi ( to a group of men or a mix of men and women) or
Uhibbukunna fil-llaahi (to a group women).
When someone tells you they love you for the sake of Allah, you can respond by:
Ahabbak-alladhee ahbabtanee lah (for a male) or Ahabakk-illadhee ahhabtinee lah (for a
female), which means: may the One for whom you have loved me, love you, in return. [ Above
phrases as narrated in Abu Dawood]
So lets ask Allah azza wa jall to help you love others for His sake and get into action now: call or
send a message and say the above to someone you love for the sake of Allah.
And I start with you all, for your eagerness to read about Islam and learn to understand the
Quran: Uhibbukum fil-llaah I love you for the sake of Allah!
Praying you will benefit,