Love as the Cornerstone of Faith and Islam

hamdu Lillahi Rabbil Alameen wa Chateau Allah Ilaha illa Allah when you saw the Hain Russia the NSA then when we now have even Mohamed Rasulullah heart and will MBA even will Celine Allahumma salli wa sallim wa barik ala Abaco and OBE Cara su tickle me, Muhammad in sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. While early he was happy he was selling them to sleep

other than how to be here anymore, or whatever he called them, saw hooky. Tabuk what the law her mindset that I'd be back in Walmart, oh man, I really want to have Sahaba to remain by the tabular, Ina, whatever even BSN it only Dean, my beloved brothers and sisters in Islam, As Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah heeta ilogger a cattle and may Allah reward the organizers, and reward all of you for giving me the honor of addressing you with a few humble thoughts about the theme of this beloved convention, inshallah.

The title of this presentation is, love, an Islamic perspective. I usually avoid saying that Islamic perspective, because any presentation that involves interpretation or views, even though you might be using the Quran and Sunnah as your sources, you cannot claim that this is that only one, it is one perspective. And if we can perhaps get the slides that the brothers or sister can follow and move on to the second slide, where we have a basic outline of this hopefully, brief presentation.

One, the word success appear, appears as a theme of this convention, principles of success.

So I have to have just a few words on it. It could be a topic by itself, but just few words on it.

But then we'll focus. What do you mean by Islamic perspective, on love, and you see six points there, I don't have to repeat them because inshallah we'll be dealing with them systematically, in sha Allah, one by one.

As far as the word success, you can look at it from the way most people see success in the worldly sense, how having a good education, promotion, making more money being respected as a professional. All of these are good. We're not talking about it's the matter

of two qualifiers, that makes it a bad part of EBI, the evil one is that it is within the scope of what is permissible in Islam.

Secondly, the intention should be for the sake of Allah subhanaw taala. This requires some wrestling with our neffs because sometimes our ego comes into the picture, our love of dunya might interfere. Nobody can totally pure, purely doing things 100% For the sake of Allah, so we have to really wrestle with ourselves on that. But I have no problem with this with these two qualifiers.

As promised, a couple of words, just two slides on the term success, but from a different perspective.

It's not visa vie. It's not the opposite of worldly perspective, as mentioned earlier,

but from a Quranic perspective, and when we say the Quranic perspective, then we have to see which term in the Quran is the closest to the English term success.

I searched a little bit and found that at least 1444, zero places in the Quran, the fella, the word the fella, on roughly Hoan appeared there, mostly, of course will be from the same route.

If we were to go all the way yet

To give backing of each of these points, you will be here until sawhorse. So, just put it in point form and they give you a hint that the first few of them all appear in the beginning of Surah Al me known that the 23rd Surah of the Quran

Fela

means further in the matter of Eman are these are the characteristics of

the MFI Hone and be known and move on, but they cannot be known number one Eman

number two devotion and concentration in prayers.

Number three and Allah we maroon abstaining from vain talk. Fourthly, last Zuccotti for everyone, the word Zika. It's not only the payment of Zika, it's mean in the original meaning, in fact, purification. And Zika is one subset of that purification in terms of property. But in fact, the term Zakka is used in the Quran, the exact term. In fact, as purification,

describing the mission of the Prophet sallallahu Sallam will use a key him and purify them from the same root as the term Zakka fifthly Chestatee.

Number six, keeping a man at him that trusts it's not only trust that somebody deposit money with you, or any other article, and you give it back. In fact, trust a man appears in the Quran in a variety of meaning, the most important of which is the oath or the covenant that Allah had with our souls, before even we were created, that we recognize Allah subhanaw taala or, if put it differently, that our pure innate nature that emanates from the Divine breath that Allah putting into us, and Africa Imray. So this is a manner and then of course, all variety of meanings can be attached to that including the amount of being the trustees of Allah, on Earth. And the Quran also

we find that one of the characteristics of those who are successful

are those who remember Allah subhanaw taala.

Even in the middle of the most critical situation and difficult still was Corolla, Catherine, Lala, come to Florida remember Allah much that you may attend this fella.

The Quran reminds us also to keep remembering and recounting the favors of Allah who has given all of this Nam or bounties to us for the Quran, Allah, Allah He, Lala come to all of which by the way, had the the words that all come from the same root in Fela.

What would he do if he severely lacked of your own strive in the path or way of Allah, so that you may attain Fela perseverance and patience or cow was doo doo, doo doo Rebecca mufaddal, sila, Allah come to flee home. So there are a variety of ways in fact, all good deeds would be part of that broad concept of Fela, or success in English. But you see, of course, that the the Islamic meaning is all impressive. More beyond what the English term might connotes. Let's get to the topic itself.

Number one, Allah subhanaw taala describe himself in the Quran as why dude.

The word would or why dude for example, in Surah Al calf also in the Latina Amman Huami Lusardi. Hi, this is Rahul Rahman who would the word would actually is a superlative of love.

superlative of love. It is greater and more intense than love. Many people of course, think of love also, like all kinds of romantic love,

especially between men and women and once they get married.

Yes. There's all kinds of feeling of love.

That is love. What is wood? Wood is when they grow old when the black hair become white hair

When the smart small waist become a better like when the wrinkles appear in the skin,

Is there love still continuing after that, that if it is there, then it is not just it is would a Muhammad

now

to describe Allah subhanaw taala as he described himself actually in the Quran, as well dude. Defy is one word translation. You can say affectionate even though it might give some meaning. I like the translation full

of

loving mercy.

Yeah, it has the element of mercy and love.

But then I noticed something that's rather interesting.

There that the word were dude most compassionate, most loving, full of loving kindness appeared in one place in the Quran in the context of mercy

in Nara P Rahim on Well, dude, so it's connected with Rama.

In another area it is connected with Guess what? Forgiveness? Well, who Allah for Allah dude.

If you look at this stream,

I could have thought but I didn't have time to make some kind of triangular shape, to show that all three elements are interrelated.

Now, if Allah subhanaw taala is loving, then one manifestation of that love is His mercy.

One manifestation of that love also is his willing willingness to forgive us knowing our weaknesses and shortcomings. And you can think of the other way around, it's almost like instead of actually, triangle you can say talk about the circular, you know, shape where all three, as I call it, are interdependent in touch related with one another. Now, when we examine the Quran, in the light of this foundational terms,

we find that there are 10s of if in the Quran that comes from the term white dude or similar ones like the one I refer to insert El Cap, says I do the home run man who would come from what?

However, if you include also the two related attributes of Allah that comes with widowhood, forgiveness, and mercy, then you're really talking about hundreds of eight in the Quran.

If you take even just the term mercy, this is something amazing yet to find in the Quran.

That we all know that Allah subhanaw taala has 99 beautiful attributes

99 beautiful attributes and guess

which one appear most frequently in the Quran considering all derivatives?

Which ones? Mercy.

Even though some attributes of Allah may appear a few times, Alvin talkin al Jabbar al Kawi, Allah Halima min Hakeem.

But there is no comparison hands down. The most oft repeated attribute of Allah in the Quran is the attribute of Rama, hundreds of iron, just go to the concordance of the Quran, column after column after column.

Especially if you add the forgiveness also, you're really countless.

And guess again, which of the attributes of Allah appear in the beginning of the Quran when you open it and also in the beginning of all disorders, except the ninth surah

the attribute of Rama why is it that with the glory of Allah the Quran doesn't begin in the Name of Allah the powerful the knowledgeable, the wise.

R Rahman r Rahim.

Subhan Allah the closeness in which Allah addresses us so it's sort of have the two derivatives Rahman and Rahim there is no time now to elaborate as to what how these are different except to say, ramen is only a name of Allah. I know some people are not aware of that. Man is the only is exclusive to Allah subhanaw taala because it means actually the source of mercy of all mercy.

Rahim It's okay. You can be called the human being as Rahim. But if you want to use Rahman, you should precede it with Abdullah. Abdul Rahman then of course the servant of Rama. Also Abdul Rahim and others with Rahman is actually a more profound Divine Name of Allah. So

now, out of the 114 sodas in the Quran 113 begin with through attributes. So multiply two by 113. That is 200. But 68 No, no.

My math is 224. But again, I think it's in some of the classes in the home in Sulaymaniyah. We're in now who Bismillah R Rahman r Rahim. So this Bismillah R Rahman r Rahim appear also in a surah but in the middle. So, we're not getting in this details, but I just wanted to clarify how profound the notion of Mercy of Allah subhanaw taala is, this is very much relevant in our days, when you find people are making all kinds of theologies and

speculations and this and that, and the act in ways that has nothing to do with the greatest attribute of Allah, mercy,

they might be addressing minds that do not understand

actions, that is not accepted by Allah subhanaw taala. But where is the mercy and that thinking or action that is sorely really missing?

Now

it is not the matter of frequency. Because you said that hundreds of references in the Quran to love and its related attributes.

What is even more important is the,

the way in how Allah subhanaw taala manifested His mercy to humankind.

We don't have to have many words, even. It's not a statistical game, even though in a statistical game, you will win. But that's not the ultimate of it.

The reality that Allah subhanaw taala created the human fi X and it's up when in the best of mold and the symmetry in the creation. Dignified the human not only the Muslim, while a cup carom now many other indeed we integrated or dignified, the children of Adam, no group or religion, followers of any reason can claim the exclusive title of being the children of Adam.

Allah subhanaw taala commanded the angels

to bow down, not bowing down of worship, but bow down of respect as in so that use of also to Adam Alayhis Salam appointed the human as the Khalifa or trustee on Earth. And that's one of the meaning of Amana also, that we carry as believers in Allah.

In fact,

Allah as he says, In the Quran, or suffer Allah can Murphy semi wet, wonderful or deja Mian men, Allah made for your service, meaning all humans, everything and heavens, not just on Earth, and on earth, or from from him. That is a manifestation of love, in a more profound

embodiment.

Now

that's fine and dandy, and I started first by emphasizing the love of Allah subhanaw taala. And how it's manifested in words and action. Before we talk about, about our reciprocal

obligation as Muslims,

and again, as was recited my brother was reciting

Wamena nesma, yet Duffie them in dunya, Allah He and then you have borner home gobbler will live in a shed to help Balilla among people that are those who take besides Allah, or instead of Allah, pupil that they love them as they love Allah but the true believers are more intense, and their love of Allah.

Love Actually is not just a matter of repeating words. I love God. I love Allah. Allah loves me can sing, it's nice, I can sing it.

But what is more important, that love of Allah means to be grateful to Allah

That's Eman, actually,

the Quran contrast between shocks and coffee

that can show that love manual attina documented Hickmott inish good Lila, for shocks, meaning to be grateful to Allah COFRA has variety of meaning. It's not always negative, some are neutral meaning, some are meanings that would not take you away from Islam.

For example, many times the Quran used the word gruff and kufra meaning was not grateful enough. And all of us as humans, of course, we can never be grateful enough to Allah. So we have to be very careful about the usage of terms in the Quran. Depending on their context, contextual

meaning

because cover to cover up in terms of being ungrateful, you're covering up being thankful to Allah, covering up all this now.

But the real tests of love, we find it in the Quran very clearly.

Call in contempt to hipbone Allah, that we are only your qumola

Denuvo

Allah subhanaw taala is commanding the Prophet salallahu Alaihe Salam say meaning O Muhammad Sallallahu sallam, if indeed you love Allah,

follow me, Allah who love you more. And forgive your sense, the responsibility of love is not just

an old and directed, emotional type of feeling without manifestation in our lives.

Then I like to share with you

are humbled thought, that

may sound a bit strange. In fact, the occasion for that is that I was invited to have a dialogue, not debate, very friendly dialogue by a Christian priest and his church in Rochester,

Minnesota,

Minnesota.

And basically, the brother retained that they keep bombarding Muslims. Our religion is based on love for God is love and all of these things.

But

I got the impression from some of the Muslim community there that they think Islam, in contrast, is a religion of, you know, sternness punishment and all of these matters, that Allah doesn't love. But we believe that Allah loves everything. I went back to the Quran, which is our source. After all, we don't have to just ride the wave because some people I think, go back to the Quran and make that seed bring it, it's true roots.

We can look at the love of Allah for a man or humankind as

of two elements.

One element of that love and care applies to all human beings, including those who do not believe in Allah, or defy Allah subhanaw taala that's why I said this might sound very strange to you How come Allah loves people like this.

But if you think of it,

and against evidence from Hadith,

if Allah is obsessed, Harshad Allah with hating those who don't believe in him or disobey,

you can punish them immediately. Yet they disbelieve and they sent yet Allah subhanaw taala give them air to breathe, I'm looking for Tascam just the probe them from the air for a while, they will die.

Steady, provide them the food they eat, provide them with all pleasure to because again, when the Quran is say Allah, made for your benefit everything and heavens and earth, that includes all it's not only for one group or class of people or the other.

And like I say in the Hadith of the Prophet sallallahu Sallam part of the Hadith says

that under heavy squats, you

know, Anna dunya to sell you and Allah He Jana hubba. Oh, merciful Kathira minha shutter button,

that if indeed this life is worth anything in the sight of Allah, even as much as much weight as a wink of a fly, Allah would have deprived the person who rejects him, even a drink of water.

That means his glory

is above all of that above our own attitudes as human, to take revenge against those who still provide them.

But then there is an element, the more important element really is the love of Allah. For those who try hard to be Allah conscious to have that taqwa in them.

But on the other hand, sometimes you might say, how do you separate these two expressions?

Let me try something that might bring it closer.

I did not find for example, a single a in the entire Quran is speaking about evil people. And it says Allah hates for land a person

I might have missed something but could

never found an AI is Allah hates a person.

But Allah use the term carry her hated acts of action. We're lacking carry Hala home bathroom, some of the hypocrites, Allah didn't like their

you know the their action and their betrayal of the Prophet sallallahu sallam. But otherwise, you know, what is the most common expression about evil in the Quran

and bad character? Lay your head.

Look at the significance the depths of it.

Allah, lay your head does not love because you know the word hate

the way most people would think of it as something that is attached to a person that you can't, you can't just separate the that quality from the person as person or they're possibly separable, yes, because love

is not a vague abstract concept that just floating in the air. When you talk about people who are merciful, for example, what does mercy mean? Unless it is embodied in the action of a believer, you get my point.

So it's not separate

and it is it is attached to the person but would have no meaning unless there is a human being there. If there is an evil nature or even action, okay.

It has to have some meaning when you talk about greed, no humans, there must be a human who is has insatiable desire for money and this and that.

So in other words, it is not hate. It is Allah doesn't love. But is it not more politically correct not to use even love? No. It would be totally wrong and untruthful and apologetic? Why?

Where does it appear in the Quran? When Allah says Allah doesn't love

Wallah who lay your head Bova Valley mean? didn't pass a name person or volume in a category that people who are oppressive others wala hula herbal caffeine, those who reject

so the question of love and hate, like I see it has to be related to some human beings. Why is it a softer concept than hating, eating, eating? I'll hate you forever until I die if and after my death and when I'm resurrected, I still it's you know,

it is what Allah hates, is that

trains that trait of being oppressed.

The threat of being denial of truth and all of this other evil and it would be against the integrity of Allah subhanaw taala to say Allah loves everything. Whether you do good or bad, Allah loves don't use ever that the word allah does it love No. If Allah loves justice, it means that he doesn't love injustice, and those of course, who do injustice, but once they correct that, even traits, they come back and Allah will accept them. Were like they say, figuratively with the way arms Okay, wide open. So this is a big difference between the attitudes, then all love and this is something I agree with the title that says the basic faith of Islam is really based on love. Is that why and it begins more

importantly and more profoundly with

The love relationship between the human and the creator. All other love, forms of love or manifestation emanate from that. I call it derived from that love. That includes the love, of course Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu sallam. In fact, I put s also because we love all the prophets as well, because Allah sent them and chose them. We love Musa and ASA, and Ibrahim, all of them. But of course, the greatest manifestation of that love is in the final prophet with the perfect and complete message. We love our families.

Also, because our love of Allah and fulfilling our commitment to him, we love the nations where we live, not for the sake of nationalism, blind nationalism,

or my country right or wrong. No, it is all controlled by what is right, and what is wrong.

And some people may think that loving the country where you were born, is wrong in itself. And again, it's not necessarily if you put it ahead of Islam. If you put date nationalistic ties ahead of the Imani or faith dies, yeah, that could be a problem. But the Prophet sallallahu Sallam when he was driven with persecution from Mecca, and why if he's going to Medina, he says, it looks back at Maccha in the background, it says, By Allah, you are the most beloved country or place

can not say city to me, and had it not been that my people did not force me to leave, I would have not left it. But again, the balance within the ties of Eman there is also the love of creation of Allah. In fact, the Quran evokes us

to love the creation of Allah, when it speaks about animals. It doesn't just talk about functionality of animals because you eat it or get its milk.

But the beauty while a comfy hijama Hina to rihana where he notice are hand selected and the beauty of animals when you take them to butcher when it's fixed about visitation and the plans. It's not only again because we eat it, but to count on Votto Isla thermally He is a smart organic speaker with the variety of colors and beauty in plants, even mountains. Imagine passing by the

the mount of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam say has japa Loon, you're gonna want to help with this mountain. We love it and it loves us. What does it mean that you express your love of the mountain as one said, climbed the mountain, embrace it and starts mushing right and left. Meaning you appreciate the beauty that Allah subhanaw taala the artistic aspects also of the creation of Allah.

So this is all derived forms of love. Finally, the last part,

just glimpses, quick, simple glimpses of the love of the Prophet sallallahu sallam. Again, we said love is connected with mercy and forgiveness that can take hours, but I'll save you that by making just highlights.

You look at the Prophet sallallahu Sallam and his love of his wife's, especially for these are the Allah on to the point that even after she died, he kept mentioning her with honor. Even Aisha Rosa Alana got a little jealous at one time, praises her when he is slaughter, an animal for food. He said send this to the Friends of Khadija,

or because they used to visit us when Khadija was alive manifests His love by helping around the household something that Muslim men are not much used to. And they better do if they want to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet sallallahu Sallam provided that the sister can take advantage and say you do all the work that has to be cooperation. The end it has been said that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam

used to do

you know the house chores, household chores, until as incomes as a father his love of Fatah, Marathi Alana when she comes, he kisses her let her sit by him as a son crying over the grief of his mother, as a nephew loving his uncle, even though he was not a Muslim. I will tell him

In appreciation of his good character, and the favors he did to the Prophet sallallahu sallam, as a grandfather, who let her son and her seen his grandchildren, right over him, and he makes a horse for them, and say, what a wonderful rider and what a wonderful horse underneath you or something to that effect. That's, we can find rich information on the nature of his feeling and caring, caring neighbors, who, irrespective of faith, like his visitation, of a Jewish boy used to serve him when he got sick and visited him. And in fact, he was worried about him, invited him to Islam, and his father was there. And he said, Follow what our cousin mean, the professor salah, told you, as a

gentle teacher, you hear about the story of a man, a Bedouin, who came and passed water in the masjid. Terrible Thing, and everybody was just after him, and it says, Hold it, hold that Leave it, leave it to me, and he goes to him. He says, The massages are not for this kind of thing. It should be clean. It is for Salah to the point that this man saw the contrast. And he said Allahumma Romney, what have Muhammad and Walter Hammerhand see when you have an O Allah have mercy on me and Muhammad, but no one else. Of course the Prophet objected Lacava was, you can't restrict the Mercy of Allah, but looks at the gentleness rather than when somebody does something wrong. He doesn't say so. So

and so that he says my bad acquirement what's wrong with people who do this and that you find his goodness his love also goes to the enemies who spoke against you remember the incident Natasha if the stone him and bleed him, and the angel said if you want we can squeeze them crushed them between these two mount and he says no. alarm will fill economy fair. No Himalayan Amman, Oh ALLAH forgive my pupil, for the not what they're doing. Very similar to another great prophet acla Salam said, another narration I pray to Allah or hope to Allah, that out of the descendents, there will be people who worship Allah subhanaw taala. An opening of makan, many of those who did wrong with

trembling and again was practically

genuine amnesty excluding what you might call dozen or so more criminals, you might say murderers, who will not exempt and some of them even more forgiving, with the intercession of some of his companions. And finally, of course, even in his attitude in Dawa is not to add numbers to Muslims. He says my likeness and people is like someone who lit a fire. And when the fire you know, sparked and became so big, the, you know, This fly is the moth star started rushing itself into the fire. And I'm standing there, try to save many as many people as well as register. So it says this is how I'm holding you from your belts because you don't know what you're doing. You're hurting yourself.

It's not just to add numbers because I've become a big leader. Because genuine concern to the vet that Allah subhanaw taala tell him in the Quran, Allah Allah Cabrera Becker Neff, Secor, a lei Hakuna mumineen and another al South Africa. Are you going to kill yourself in grief because they don't believe that's how we feel towards those who are didn't say let them go to edge. If they don't listen to me, that's not conclusion very quickly. love, mercy and forgiveness are interrelated divine qualities.

Or an aspect of love is to embrace all

the dislike action that are correctable, not the individual themselves that are hated that action. The real test of all is to practice real love, not just talk about it. Shall we all compete for that Muslims and people of other communities or ceremony