Love

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Are we allowed to perform Istikhara if we absolutely love something and we believe it is a right choice? If it is allowed, is there a benefit if we have already made a decision?

Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 3 weeks ago

Istekhara is seeking guidance from Allah (SWT) in any matter which is permissible in principle and we are unable to decide about it.

If you have already decided an action, there is no point in Istekhara after you have decided.

'Loving something does not mean that it is good for us. Millions of people suffered a lot from things which they loved sometime then discovered later that love was based on mirage not facts. Sensible persons do not rely on love only but on intellect and factual reasons. If you are not sure whether your love is based on facts or emotions, you can go for Istekhara to be guided.

Wassalam.

71879

Husband . Love . Respect . Marriage

I just got married and I understand that respecting your husband and showing love and affection is very important. What can I do if I have tried but have not received love and respect in return?

Rebecca Masterton, Dr Rebecca Masterton graduated with a BA in Japanese Language and Literature; an MA in Comparative East Asian and African Literature and a PhD in Islamic literature of West Africa. She has been... Answered 1 month ago

Did your husband get into the marriage willingly or unwillingly? If he was pressured into the marriage and was not naturally inclined towards it, then this will have a major impact on whether he wants to show love and affection. Also, what was his upbringing? Was he raised in a household that does not show love or affection? Was he neglected emotionally as a child? Also, what are his family's ideas on marriage? Is it just a formality where everybody plays their role? Is your marriage based upon friendship? I.e. are both of you friends and allies? Do you have conversations with each other? Are you from different cultures and have different understandings about Islam? Have you spoken to him about how you notice that he does not demonstrate love or affection, and asked him why that is?

96168

Love . Parents . Family . Meaning . God (Allah) . Friendship

What does it mean to be in love with Allah? Can the love of Allah be understood in the same way as being in love with our parents or friends or family? And how can one fall in love with Allah?

Zoheir Ali Esmail, Shaykh Zoheir Ali Esmail has a Bsc in Accounting and Finance from the LSE in London, and an MA in Islamic Studies from Middlesex University. He studied Arabic at Damascus University and holds a PhD... Answered 2 months ago

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. To love Allah is to prefer Him to all else in your life and to be attached to him more than your attachment to other things. Love is a connection that matters to you and as such the love of God can be compared to other types of love. Indeed, Allah compares His love to other types of love in the Qur'an (see 9:24 for example). We are naturally in love with God, but that is sometimes confused by our attachments to other types of love. To develop the love of God, some sacrifice is required. The ordinances of our religion help develop that love and among those ordinances is reflecting on the bounties that Allah has bestowed on us, both continually and at various points in our life. It is natural to love those who are good to us, then what about He who is the source of every good in our lives?

May you always be successful

92279

Love . God (Allah)

Why does God love us and why does He love to create?

Allah, The Most Merciful, Most Compassionate, created us to shower on us His Mercy and bounties. He is showering on us countless bounties and protecting us from countless harms. His Sympathy on us is more than ten times of the sympathy of the mother on her child acceding to Hadeeth.

He wants us to appreciate and thank Him for His bounties so that He grants us more bounties. لئن شكرتم لأزيدنكم

We are required to admit and confess our sins and seek forgiveness so that He foregives us.

Wassalam.

86023

Love . Woman . Marriage . Divorce

I fell in love with a married woman and we planned and executed a strategy that got her divorced so that we could marry each other. Is our marriage valid?

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. As long as the marriage contract was pronounced correctly with all of its conditions and the divorce was also performed correctly the marriage is valid even if this was not the most ethical path.

May you always be successful.

81212

Love . Dunya . Spirituality

What are some specific things we can do to remove the love of the Dunya from our hearts and increase our spirituality besides avoiding Haram?

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. The heart is a battleground for two types of love. Love of God and love of the world. In order to remove the love of the world from the heart, the heart has to be filled with the love of God and this is the main purpose of self-purification and refinement and is the crux of spirituality in Islam. In one narration Imam al-Sadiq (as) says: "Is religion other than love."

It is achieved through battling the ego, with knowledge, faith and action. Through knowing the self and not succumbing to the desires of the lower self. By remaining patient in trials and tribulations and increasing one's hope and closeness to God. By realizing all of the ideals of Islam, its ethics and its practices.

May you always be successful

77622

Adhan . Love . Sunni-Shi'a

Why do Shia include the mention of Imam Ali (AS) in the Adhan? Is that done out of necessity or simply out of love?

1. The name of Ameerul Mo'mineen Ali (AS) was mentioned in the Athaan during the time of the Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) as you can find it is Sunni books like Assalaafah Fi Akhbar al-Khilafah by al-Maraaghi, page 24. After the announcement of Ghadeer when the Prophet asked all companions to give allegiance to Ali, the first Athaan given by Bilâl was with Ashhadu Anna Ali Ameerul Mo'mineen.

Some opponents of Ali objected on that and complained to the Prophet saying : the sin of black woman (Bilâl) has added on Athaan. The Prophet rejected their complain and asked them : Then what did we announce ?

Clearly, the witness the Ali is Ameerul Mo'mineen is the soul of Ghadeer announcement and the spirit of Islam being the divine successor of the Prophet (SAWA).

2. This status of Ali is mentioned in many Sunni books like Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, volume of Fadha'il Ali Ibn Abi Talib, page 342 who narrated Hadeeth of Jaabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansaari, from the Prophet Muhammad (SAWA): I saw on the gate of Paradise a writing : LAA ELAAHA ILLALLAH, MUHAMMAD IS RASOOLULLAH, ALI IS BROTHER OF RASOOLULLAH.

3. A man came to the Prophet (SAWA) and said: I saw and heard Salman (al-Farisi) mentioning is Athaan after the witness of Risalah, a witness of Wilayah to Ali. The Prophet replied him: What you heard (from Salman) is good.

( عنوان الصحيفة Onwan al-Saheefah, page 81.

4. We have authentic Hadeeth from the Prophet (SAWA) : When you mention me with Prophet hood, mention Ali as Ameerul Mo'mineen.

Al-Ehtijaj 158

5. Mentioning the name of Ali (AS) in Athaan is not matter of love because we love Fatimah and all the Infallible Imams, but we do not mention their name in Athaan, but it is a matter of following the orders of the Prophet to all Muslims to follow Ali.

6. All our great scholars say that mentioning Ali as Ameerul Mo'mineen in Athaan and Eqamah is recommended. We do have few Ulama who said that it is obligatory as a sign of faith but our present Maraaji' of Taqleed say it is Mustahab (recommended).

7. Those who claim mentioning the name of Ali in Athaan is Bid'ah are very far from the authentic evidence or they might be influenced by the books of others who are away from Ahlul Bayt (AS).

Wassalam.

Adhan . Love . Sunni-Shi'a

Why do Shia include the mention of Imam Ali (AS) in the Adhan? Is that done out of necessity or simply out of love?

Abbas Di Palma, Shaykh Abbas Di Palma holds a BA and an MA degree in Islamic Studies, and certifications from the Language Institute of Damascus University. He has also studied traditional Islamic sciences in... Answer updated 8 months ago

as salam alaikum

many believers that mentions Ali's name during the adhan, do it out of love and later scholars usually says that it is mustahab. However it was not part of the original Adhan and if it is said thinking that it was part of the original Adhan it is almost unanimously considered as an act of innovation (bid'ah).

With prayers for your success.

73739

Love . Engagement

I understand that one can talk to their fiancé provided there are no lustful intentions. Is this correct? If so, is saying words such as 'I love you' allowed?

Seyed Ali Shobayri, Seyed Ali Shobayri is of mixed Iranian and Scottish descent who found the path of the Ahlul Bayt (a) by his own research. He holds a BA in Islamic Studies from Middlesex University through the... Answer updated 9 months ago

Bismillah,

Asalamu Alaykom,

You may say this if you are both mahram to each other. Being Halal to each other is established by reading the nikah or a mutah formula with the correct conditions. After this, sharing affectionate words is permitted.

May Allah grant you success

Love . Engagement

I understand that one can talk to their fiancé provided there are no lustful intentions. Is this correct? If so, is saying words such as 'I love you' allowed?

No, it is not allowed to tell your fiance: I love you, simply because there is no religious frame (Aqd) between you like Nikah or Mut'ah. Your fiance remains non Mahram to you until you have such Aqd recited between you with its conditions like the permission of the father of virgin girl.

Wassalam.

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Love . God (Allah)

How does Allah (swt) love us even though He is not emotional?

Bismaillah,

Asalamu Alaykom,

Allah swt does not go through emotional states like humans do. If He did, then he would be comparable to his creation which is impossible. Therefore, scholars interpret Allah's love and pleasure as his reward to us, and his anger, as his punishment and chastisement as found in narrations. We can also see the love of Allah for us in his actions by the blessings he has given us and through creation.

Please read the following tradition from Kitab Al-Tawhid of Sheikh Saduq which may help you understand this matter more:

A man asked Abu `Abd Allah al-Sadiq (AS) whether Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, feels pleasure or anger. Thus, he (AS) replied, "Yes; however, it is not like the pleasure or anger found in created beings. Unlike human beings, pleasure and anger do not change Allah from one emotional state to another. Human beings are operated and composed. Things can affect human beings, while things cannot affect our Creator. He is One in Essence and Concept. Thus, His Pleasure is His Reward, and His Anger is His Punishment, without anything interfering with Him so as to ridicule Him and transform Him from one sate to another. Emotional changes are an attribute of the crated, the helpless, and the needy. While He, the Blessed and Exalted, is the Supreme and the Honorable, who has no need from any of His Creation although all of His Creation is in need of Him. Verily, He created everything without any need to create or innovate."

May Allah grant you success

62835

Love . God (Allah)

What are the necessary conditions for having real love of Allah?

as salam alaikum

In the Qur'an it is mentioned that Allah tells the Prophet, peace be upon him and his family, to say to the people: "Say:- If you love Allah follow me-" (3:31).

To preserve the sunnah of the Prophet, peace be upon him and his family, and observe all divine orders is one of the main conditions for having real love of Allah.

With prayers for your success.