This note is a summary of Qadi Iyad’s Ash-Shifa, Part Two, Chapter Two, Section Five entitled ‘On the Meaning and Reality of Love for the Prophet.’ This section of the text explores the different interpretations and understandings of love for the Prophet, highlighting the varied perceptions scholars historically had about it.
Sufyan’s perspective reflects a deeply inherent belief: “Love consists of following the Messenger of Allah.” This view echoes the divine instruction: “Say: if you love Allah, then follow me.” (Quran 3:31)
Another scholar describes love for the Prophet as a triumvirate of beliefs and actions: believing in his victory, safeguarding his Sunna, obeying it, and fearing opposition to him.
Furthermore, various scholars attempt to encapsulate the essence of love with different definitions:
- Love as constant remembrance of the beloved.
- Love as a preference given to the beloved.
- Love as a yearning for the beloved.
- Love as the heart aligning with the master’s desires, loving what he loves and despising what he despises.
- Love as the heart’s inclination to harmonize with the beloved.
Most of these definitions focus on the manifestations or outcomes of love rather than its true essence. True love is an inclination toward what one finds agreeable and harmonious, which can be due to:
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Pleasure in Perfection: This encompasses love for naturally agreeable things like beautiful forms, melodious sounds, and delicious food and drink.
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Intellectual and Emotional Recognition: A love driven by noble inner qualities, apparent in virtuous individuals, scholars, and those of commendable behavior, whose lives inspire admiration and, sometimes, intense partisanship.
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Benefit and Blessing: This love arises from recognizing the benefits and blessings one gains from the beloved, to which the self naturally gravitates.
Understanding these components can deepen the comprehension of love in relation to the Prophet. Each aspect of love finds resonance concerning him:
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The beauty and outward grace of his personality and character need no further elaboration, as they have been well-documented.
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His community gains immeasurable benefit and blessing, acknowledged by his divine qualities: compassion, mercy, guidance, and earnest efforts to save them from damnation. The Quran describes him as “merciful, compassionate to the believers” (9:128), “a mercy to the worlds” (21:107), and “a bringer of good news, a warner and a caller to Allah by His permission” (33:45-46). His role is integral: he recites signs, purifies, teaches the Book and Wisdom, and guides to the Straight Path (62:2, 5:16).
The Prophet’s goodness and favor surpass all worldly measures, as he embodies the medium to divine guidance, rescuing from error and leading to success and honor. He serves as the believers’ intercessor, advocating for them and guiding them to eternal life and boundless bliss.
Recognizing the Prophet’s unparalleled goodness and universal beauty makes love for him an inevitable obligation in the Shari‘a, as affirmed by authentic traditions.
Reflect upon how an individual might love someone for a singular act of generosity or saving them from temporary harm. Consequently, how profound should the love be for someone who offers endless bliss and eternal reprieve from the punishment of al-Jahim? Kings are loved for righteous deeds, rulers for their fairness, and distant individuals for their wisdom or noble character. Thus, someone who embodies all these virtues in perfect harmony deserves even more love and attachment.
The Prophet’s magnetic presence is encapsulated in ‘Ali’s words: “Whoever saw him suddenly was in awe of him. Whoever mixed with him loved him.” Furthermore, one of the Companions found it difficult to look away from him due to their deep love.
Sources
- Qadi ‘Iyad ibn Musa al-Yahsubi. Muhammad Messenger of Allah Ash-Shifa of Qadi ‘Iyad. Edited by Abdalhaqq Bewley and Idris Mears. Translated by Aisha Bewley. Revised Edition 2011. Norwich UK: Madinah Press, 2021.