Love for Allah’s Sake

عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه مرفوعًا: «أن رجلا زَارَ أخًا له في قرية أخرى، فأَرْصَدَ الله تعالى على مَدْرَجَتِهِ مَلَكًا، فلما أتى عليه، قال: أين تريد؟ قال: أريد أخًا لي في هذه القرية، قال: هل لك عليه من نعمةٍ تَرُبُّهَا عليه؟ قال: لا، غيرَ أني أَحْبَبْتُهُ في الله تعالى ، قال: فإني رسولُ الله إليك بأنَّ الله قد أَحَبَّكَ كما أَحْبَبْتَهُ فيه».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) recounts that a man from the past nations set out to visit a brother in faith in another town. Allah, the Exalted, sent an angel to watch over him and protect him on the way. The angel asked him where he was going. The man said that he was going to visit a brother in religion in that town. So the angel asked if that was his slave, son, dependent, or someone whom he benefits from or whom he owes a favor. The man replied in the negative, saying that he only loved that person for the sake of Allah and wished to gain the pleasure of Allah by visiting him. Thereupon, the angel told him that he was a messenger from Allah to tell him that Allah loves him just as he loves his brother for the sake of Allah.

بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، سليم بن عيد الهلالي، الدمام، دار ابن الجوزي، الطبعة: الأولى، 1415هـ. تطريز رياض الصالحين، فيصل بن عبد العزيز المبارك، المحقق: عبد العزيز بن عبد الله آل حمد، دار العاصمة للنشر والتوزيع، الرياض، الطبعة: الأولى، 1423هـ - 2002م. رياض الصالحين من كلام سيد المرسلين، أبو زكريا محيي الدين النووي، تحقيق ماهر الفحل، دار ابن كثير، دمشق، بيروت، الطبعة: الأولى، 1428هـ. رياض الصالحين من كلام سيد المرسلين، أبو زكريا محيي الدين النووي، تحقيق: عصام هادي، وزارة الأوقاف والشؤون الإسلامية القطرية، دار الريان، بيروت، الطبعة: الرابعة، 1428هـ. شرح رياض الصالحين، محمد بن صالح العثيمين، دار الوطن، الرياض، 1426هـ. صحيح مسلم، مسلم بن الحجاج القشيري النيسابوري، تحقيق محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، دار إحياء التراث العربي، بيروت، 1423هـ.

عَنْ أَنَسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قالَ: «لاَ يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ، حَتَّى يُحِبَّ لِأَخِيهِ مَا يُحِبُّ لِنَفْسِهِ».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out that no Muslim attains complete Imān until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself, among the acts of worship and types of goodness in terms of the religion and the life of this world, and hates for his brother what he hates for himself. If he sees a deficiency in the religious commitment of his brother, he strives to reform it, and if he finds goodness in him, he guides and helps him and renders sincere advice to him as regards his religious and worldly matters.

• It is obligatory for a person to love for his brother what he loves for himself, as the negation of Imān from someone who does not love for his brother what he loves for himself indicates the obligation of doing that.
• The bond of brotherhood for the sake of Allah is superior to biological brotherhood, and so its right is more worthy of fulfillment.
• Anything that contradicts this love is prohibited, including words and deeds like cheating, backbiting, envy, and transgression against the life, property, or honor of a Muslim.
• We should use some words of motivation, as he said: "for his brother".
• Al-Kirmāni (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: It is also part of Imān that a person should dislike bad things for his brother as he dislikes them for himself. He did not mention it because the love of something entails dislike for its opposite. So, this was needless to say.

صحيح البخاري (1/ 12) (13). صحيح مسلم (1/ 67) (45). التحفة الربانية في شرح الأربعين حديثًا النووية، مطبعة دار نشر الثقافة، الإسكندرية، الطبعة: الأولى، 1380 هـ. شرح الأربعين النووية، للشيخ ابن عثيمين، دار الثريا للنشر. فتح القوي المتين في شرح الأربعين وتتمة الخمسين، دار ابن القيم، الدمام المملكة العربية السعودية، الطبعة: الأولى، 1424هـ/2003م. الفوائد المستنبطة من الأربعين النووية، للشيخ عبد الرحمن البراك، دار التوحيد للنشر، الرياض. الأحاديث الأربعون النووية وعليها الشرح الموجز المفيد، لعبد الله بن صالح المحسن، نشر: الجامعة الإسلامية، المدينة المنورة، الطبعة: الثالثة، 404هـ/1984م.

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «سَبْعَةٌ يُظِلُّهُمُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فِي ظِلِّهِ يَوْمَ لاَ ظِلَّ إِلَّا ظِلُّهُ: إِمَامٌ عَدْلٌ، وَشَابٌّ نَشَأَ فِي عِبَادَةِ اللَّهِ، وَرَجُلٌ قَلْبُهُ مُعَلَّقٌ فِي المَسَاجِدِ، وَرَجُلاَنِ تَحَابَّا فِي اللَّهِ، اجْتَمَعَا عَلَيْهِ وَتَفَرَّقَا عَلَيْهِ، وَرَجُلٌ دَعَتْهُ امْرَأَةٌ ذَاتُ مَنْصِبٍ وَجَمَالٍ فَقَالَ: إِنِّي أَخَافُ اللَّهَ، وَرَجُلٌ تَصَدَّقَ بِصَدَقَةٍ فَأَخْفَاهَا حَتَّى لاَ تَعْلَمَ شِمَالُهُ مَا تُنْفِقُ يَمِينُهُ، وَرَجُلٌ ذَكَرَ اللَّهَ خَالِيًا، فَفَاضَتْ عَيْنَاهُ».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave glad tidings to seven categories of the believers whom Allah Almighty will shade in the shade of His Throne on a Day when there will be no shade but His: First: A leader who is upright in himself and not a defiant sinner, and fair among his subjects and not oppressive. This includes the one holding the highest authority and extends to anyone in authority with any of the Muslims' affairs and acts justly in it. Second: A young person who grew up in the worship of Allah, dedicating his youth and energy to this cause until he passes away in that state. Third: A man whose heart is attached to the mosque. Even when he leaves, his great love for it brings him back. His frequent attendance at the mosque keeps his heart spiritually connected to it, even if he happens to be physically outside it for some reason. Fourth: Two men who sincerely loved each other for the sake of Allah, maintaining their religious affection without letting any worldly matter sever their relationship, whether they physically met or not, until death separated them. Fifth: A man who was invited by a woman of noble lineage, status, wealth, and beauty to commit immorality with her, but he refused and said to her: Indeed, I fear Allah. Sixth: A man who gave charity, whether small or large, sincerely without seeking to show off; rather, he hid it to the extent that his left hand did not know what his right hand gave. Seventh: A man who remembered Allah in his heart through reflection or with his tongue through Dhikr (remembrance of Allah) while in solitude, and his eyes shed tears out of fear and reverence for Allah Almighty.

• The merit of the seven mentioned categories and encouraging to follow their example.
• Ibn Hajar said about his statement "in His Shade": It is said that it means: the shade of His Throne as indicated by the Hadīth of Salmān that was narrated by Sa‘īd ibn Mansūr with a good Isnād: "There are seven whom Allah will shade in the shade of His Throne".
• Ibn Hajar said: The best explanation of the just person is that he is the one who follows the command of Allah by placing everything in its proper place, without excess or negligence. He is mentioned first due to the general benefit that comes from him.
• The merit of waiting for prayer after prayer.
• An-Nawawi said: It encourages loving one another for the sake of Allah and highlights its great merit.
• Status and beauty are specifically mentioned due to people's strong desire for them, their eagerness to attain them, and their difficulty in obtaining them.
• The best way to give charity is to do it secretly, as it is further from showing off. However, it is also permissible to give charity and Zakah publicly if it is free from ostentation, with the intention of encouraging others to spend, setting an example for others, and manifesting the rituals of Islam.
• These seven persons attained that bliss only by their sincerity to Allah Almighty and by opposing their whims.
• His statement: "There are seven whom Allah will shade": the limitation to this number is not intended. In fact, there are other categories not mentioned in the Hadīth whom Allah will shade in the shade of His Throne.
• Ibn Hajar said: The mention of men in this Hadīth does not imply exclusivity; rather, women share the same reward as men in the deeds mentioned, unless the reference to the just Imam means supreme leadership; otherwise, a woman may also be included when she has children and treats them justly. As for the trait of adherence to the mosque, it is not applicable to women in the same way, because a woman's prayer at her home is better than in the mosque. Beyond that, women can share in the virtues, even in the case of the man who was invited by the woman. It is conceivable that a woman could be invited by a handsome king, for example, and she refrains out of fear of Allah Almighty despite her needs.

صحيح البخاري (2/ 111) (1423). صحيح مسلم (2/ 715) (1031). إرشاد الساري لشرح صحيح البخاري (3/ 24).