Allah Almighty says: {Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and those who are with him are firm against the disbelievers and compassionate among themselves} [Surat al-Fat'h: 29] till the end of the Surah. Allah Almighty also says: {As for those who were settled in the city [of Madinah] and embraced Islam before them, they love those who migrated to them} [Surat al-Hashr: 9]
1) Mutual love among the believers is a sign of true faith and one of the implications of brotherhood for Allah’s sake.
2) The most perfect of the believers in terms of faith are those who are most loved by others and most helpful to them.
375/1- Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “There are three qualities whoever has them will taste the sweetness of faith: that Allah and His Messenger are more beloved to him than any other; that he loves a person only for the sake of Allah; and that he hates to return to disbelief after Allah has saved him from it just as he hates to be thrown into fire.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) Love for the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) is related to and stemming from love for Allah Almighty, since the Hadīth says: “Allah and His Messenger,” not “Allah then His Messenger”.
2) The sweetness of faith is relished when one enjoys doing acts of obedience and likes doing them, and prefers them over the inclinations of his soul.
376/2- Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Seven people Allah will give them His Shade on the Day when there will be no shade but His Shade (i.e. on the Day of Resurrection): They are: a just ruler; a youth who grew up worshiping Allah; a man whose heart is attached to the mosques, two men who love each other for the sake of Allah, they meet each other and depart from each other for His sake; a man whom an extremely beautiful woman tries to seduce but he (rejects this offer and) says: ‘I fear Allah’; a man who gives in charity and conceals it (to such an extent) that his left hand does not know what his right has given; and a man who remembers Allah in solitude and his eyes flow with tears.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
The word seven here does not literally mean that they are seven persons only, but it refers to seven categories of people, each category includes many people whose number is known to Allah Almighty alone.
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They departed from each other for His sake: they were physically separated because of traveling or death.
1) Nothing of this worldly affairs interrupts the love of those who love one another for the sake of Allah, and nothing separates them except death.
2) The true sense of loving someone for the sake of Allah is that such love should not be founded on a worldly interest, which once it ends or diminishes, love fades away.
377/3- He also reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: Allah Almighty will say on the Day of Judgment: “Where are those who loved each other for My glory? Today, I will shelter them under My shade the day when there is no shade but My shade.” [Narrated by Muslim]
1) The Hadīth highlights the virtue of loving one another for the sake of Allah and urges the believers to love one another for His sake.
2) The reward is of the same kind as the deed, so whoever prefers love for Allah over his desires and offers acts of obedience diligently, Allah will favor him on the Day of Judgment and will shelter him under His shade.
378/4- He also reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “By the One in Whose Hand my soul is, you will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I tell you of something that, if you do it, you will love one another? Spread the greeting of peace among yourselves.” [Narrated by Muslim]
1) A person’s faith is not complete until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself of good things.
2) One of the reasons for fostering love among Muslims is for a Muslim to offer the greeting of peace to his fellow Muslims often; he greets with it whoever he meets of Muslims, whether he knows them or not.
3) A Muslim should seek to pursue every means that generates affection and love among Muslims.
4) Offering the greeting of peace is exclusive to Muslims, because the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “among yourselves.” Thus, it is impermissible to extend it to the disbelievers.
379/5 - He also reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “A man set out to visit a brother (in faith) in another town and Allah sent an angel on his way... ” Where the angel said at the end: “I am a messenger to you from Allah (to inform you) that Allah loves you as you love him (for His sake).” [Narrated by Muslim] It was cited in the previous chapter.
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1) Whoever loves the people of faith, Allah loves him.
2) The greatest fortune a slave may attain is to be loved by Allah Almighty. One can attain this great fortune when he loves Allah Almighty through following His Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and complying with his way, not loving Him by mere claims. {Say, “If you love Allah then follow me; Allah will love you...}
380/6- Al-Barā’ ibn ‘Āzib (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said about the Ansār: “Only a believer loves them, and only a hypocrite hates them. Whoever loves them, Allah loves him, and whoever hates them, Allah hates him.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) Loving the Ansār is part of faith, and hating them is one of the branches of hypocrisy and ingratitude. They are the ones who supported the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and the immigrants, may Allah be pleased with them all.
2) Loving the allies of Allah Almighty and supporting them is a reason for attaining the love of Allah Almighty.
Imam Al-Tahāwi (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: “We love the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him). We do not exaggerate in our love for any of them, nor do we disown any of them. We hate whoever hates them and speaks ill of them. We say only good things about them. Loving them is part of religion, faith, and good doing, whereas hating them is disbelief, hypocrisy, and transgression.”
381/7- Mu‘ādth (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) say: “Allah, Glorified and Exalted, said: ‘Those who love one another for the sake of My Glory will have pulpits of light, and the prophets and martyrs will admire them and wish to share with them such an honor.’” [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi; who classified it as Hasan Sahīh (sound authentic)]
Prophets and martyrs will admire them: they will wish to have the same rank and honor as theirs, without wishing that those people should lose such rank and honor though, and this is what is known as Ghibtah (malice-free envy).
1) Those who love one another for the sake of Allah’s glory occupy a great rank and an honorable position. They are guided by light in the worldly life and will have pulpits of light on the Day of Judgment.
2) Vying for doing good deeds is the way of the faithful believers.
382/8- Abu Idrīs al-Khawlāni (may Allah have mercy upon him) reported: “I once entered the Damascus Mosque. I saw a young man who had shining teeth, and people were with him. When they differed over anything, they would refer it to him and would adopt his opinion. I asked who he was and I was told that he was Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him). On the next day, I went early to the mosque, but found that he had arrived earlier than me and was praying. I waited until he completed his prayer and then went up to him from the front. I greeted him and said: ‘By Allah, I love you for the sake of Allah.’ He asked: ‘By Allah?’ I replied: ‘Yes, by Allah.’ He then asked me again: ‘By Allah?’ I replied: ‘Yes, by Allah.’ Then he took hold of the waist edge of my cloak, drew me close to himself and said, ‘Rejoice, for I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) saying: “Allah Almighty said: ‘My love is certainly due to those who love one another for My sake, sit with one another for My sake, visit one another for My sake, cooperate and give one another for My sake.”’” This is an authentic Hadīth narrated by Mālik in Al-Muwatta’ with an authentic chain of narration.
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Who had shining teeth: with a cheerful face and an ever present smile.
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1) It is recommended for someone who loves another to tell him that, saying to him: I love you for the sake of Allah.
2) It is out of courtesy that when someone has to ask another for something, he should approach him from the front so that he would not startle him.
3) People must have a scholar who would edify them on the Qur’an and Sunnah, to whom they should refer and act upon his Fatwa.
4) The Hadīth underlines the great virtue of loving one another for Allah’s sake, which entails that people would visit one another, give one another and cooperate with one another. All these acts serve as bonds that reinforce their love for Allah’s sake.
383/9 - Abu Karīmah Al-Miqdām ibn Ma‘dīyakrib (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “When a man loves his brother (in faith), he should tell him that he loves him.” [Narrated by Abu Dāwūd and Al-Tirmidhi, who classified it as Hasan (sound)]
1) When one loves his brother, he should tell him as this is part of the guidance of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).
2) To inform whom you love that you love him for the sake of Allah is a reason for fortifying the bond of brotherhood and fostering friendliness and affection.
384/10- Mu‘ādh (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) held his hand and said: “O Mu‘ādh, by Allah, I truly love you. I advise you, O Mu‘ādh, never fail to say after each prayer: Allahumma a‘inni ‘ala dhikrika wa shukrika wa husni ‘ibādatik (O Allah, help me remember You, thank You, and worship You in an excellent manner.” [A Sahīh (authentic) Hadīth narrated by Abu Dāwūd and Al-Nasā’i with an authentic Isnād]]
After each prayer: This means that the invocation mentioned in the Hadīth should be recited after finishing the prayer and before making Taslīm.
1) To say to someone whom you love: ‘I love you’ is a directive of the Sunnah.
2) Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) occupies an excellent position in Islam, as the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) singled him out with this sincere advice owing to his love for him.
3) It is recommended to adhere to saying this invocation before making Taslīm that ends the prayer.
Scholars said that when the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) says that something should be done or said ‘after the prayer,’ we should look at the context. If it belongs to praising and remembering Allah like Tasbīh, Tahmīd, and Takbīr, then ‘after the prayer’ here means after ending the prayer with Taslīm. But, if it is an invocation, like what is mentioned in the cited Hadīth of Mu‘ādh, then it is to be said before ending the prayer with Taslīm.
The erudite scholar Ibn Al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy upon him) said:
“Generally speaking... there is no doubt that most of his invocations that he used to recite and which he taught to Al-Siddīq were recited inside the prayer. As for the Hadīth of Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal where he said: ‘Do not forget to say after every prayer...’ 'after' means at the end of the prayer before making Taslīm... or after Taslīm, as in his saying: You should make Tasbīh, Takbīr and Tahmīd after every prayer...”
He added: “'after the prayer' may mean before Taslīm of after it.”
(Zād al-Ma‘ād fi Hady Khayr al-‘Ibād)
385/11- Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that a man was with the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) when another man passed by him. He said, “O Messenger of Allah, I love this man.” The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Have you told him?” He said, “No.” He said: “Tell him.” So he caught up with him and said, “I love you for Allah’s sake.” He said, “May He (Allah) love you, for the sake of whom you love me.”
1) Telling someone about your love for them strengthens the ties between you and increases intimacy.
2) When someone is informed by his brother that he loves him, he should respond by saying to him, “May Allah love you, for the sake of whom you love me.”
3) The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) guided his Ummah to all that is good, including teaching them how to love one another and how such love could increase. So, why are some Muslims today negligent about the guidance of their Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) in this regard?