The qualities of people whom Allah likes most and those who are closer to Him are numerous in Allah’s Book and His Prophet’s Sunnah (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him).
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, I thank Him for the perfection of His kindness and the generosity of His forgiveness. I praise Him as acknowledgment to His favors and thank to His grants. And prayers and peace of Allah be upon the Messenger who had been sent as mercy to the worlds and had been declared as ‘the master of the messengers’, our prophet and model and guide and teacher, who taught us every good thing, and the man of guidance and piousness, Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him).
There are various types of Muslims for whom Allah loves and bestows His delight. As a result, imagine the delight and pleasure those cherished will have when they meet Him! You might emulate the attributes of those who attain Allah’s delight and receive His favour by following their example. Indeed, every believer’s ultimate goal, as well as the goal of every Muslim and the purpose of every worshipper, is love and satisfaction.
We would know who deserves Allah’s love and are loved by Him and His angels, as well as having granted the pleasure of the people on earth, if we looked into Allah’s Book and pondered His verses and the Sunnah of His Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him). According to Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) stated, “If Allah loves a person, He calls upon Jibreel and says, ‘Allah loves so and so; O Jibreel!’ Love him.’ Jibreel would adore him and deliver a proclamation to the Heaven’s people. “Because Allah loves so-and-so, you should love him as well,” and all the dwellers of Heaven would love him, and he would be accepted by the people on Earth.” [Reported by Al-Bukhari]
The Holy Quran talks about the people whom Allah loves in many Ayahs.
1. Tawbah (Repentance)
“For Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly (in repentance)” (Surah Al Baqarah 2:222)
Allah loves the repentant slave who returns to Him over and over, knowing that He is the All-Forgiving, Most-Forgiving, Acceptor of Repentance, and Pardoner. No matter how many times one commits a sin or how serious the sin is, one should always return to Allah.
Abu Hurayrah narrated that he heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) saying, “If somebody commits a sin and then says, ‘O my Lord! I have sinned, please forgive me!’ and his Lord says, ‘My slave has known that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for it, I therefore have forgiven my slave (his sins).’ Then he remains without committing any sin for a while and then again commits another sin and says, ‘O my Lord, I have committed another sin, please forgive me,’ and Allah says, ‘My slave has known that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for it, I therefore have forgiven my slave (his sin).’ Then he remains without Committing any another sin for a while and then commits another sin (for the third time) and says, ‘O my Lord, I have committed another sin, please forgive me,’ and Allah says, ‘My slave has known that he has a Lord Who forgives sins and punishes for it, I therefore have forgiven My slave (his sin), he can do whatever he likes.’” (Bukhari)
Following a negative deed, one should seek forgiveness and undertake good deeds in order to erase the evil deed. It is important to keep repenting to Allah.
“Every son of Adam commits sin, and the best of those who commit sin are those who repent,” the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) remarked, narrated by Anas. (Ibn Majah)
The people of knowledge have mentioned the following as conditions for the soundness of repentance:
- To do it sincerely for the sake of Allah (the Exalted the Glorious).
- To feel regret for the past sins.
- To immediately abstain from doing the sin, repentance would never be accepted if it is accompanied with the continuation of doing the sin.
- To intend not to do the sin again in the future.
- To repent before it is too late (i.e. before the rising of the sun from the west and before death).
F. If the evil doing was a violation to the rights of people (e.g. wrongly taking people’s properties), the rights should be returned back. On the other hand; if the evil doing was backbiting or defamation or its like, it should be renounced and the sinful person should pray for those whom he wronged and he should defend their reputation in the gatherings in which he defamed them.
2. Taharah (Purification)
He Almighty says: {In it are men who love to clean and to purify themselves. And Allâh loves those who make themselves clean and pure} [Surat At-Tawbah 9:108]
Allah said: “Surely Allah loves those who turn much (to Him), and He loves those who purify themselves”. (Quran:222)
Those who purify themselves are those who purify their bodies as Allah has ordered in a way that this physical purity opens to the spiritual and moral purity for the intention of getting close to Allah, He, the Most Exalted says: “Allah would not place a burden on you, but He would purify you and would perfect His grace upon you, that you may give thanks” (5:6). In addition, Islam stressed on purifying the body, clothes and everything that is related to man’s private life in his land and home, from the unclean impurity.
On the other hand, Allah directs man to the spiritual purity through the act of giving that is represented by charity that the pious pays as “Zakat” and “Sadakat” almsgiving, and other financial obligations. Allah says: “Take alms out of their property, you would cleanse them and purify them thereby”.( 9:103) taking into consideration that the almsgiving through which the spirituality of giving is represented, purifies one’s soul from the dirtiness of stinginess and from egoism that only cares about one’s stifling needs and private interests.
3. Following the Prophet’s Sunnah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
Righteous people emulate the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in all aspects of their lives, including food, drink, clothing, appearance, worship, social interactions, and family matters. Actually, anyone who reads the biography of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) will find teachings on how to correctly deal with life’s pleasures, sorrows, joys, and sorrow. Some of the Prophet’s associates (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) questioned his (the Prophet’s) wives about the deeds he conducted in secret, according to Anas (may Allah be pleased with him). Someone among them (among his pals) declared: “I will not marry ladies,” “I will not consume meat,” and “I will not lie down in bed.” “What has happened to these people that they say such and so, although I observe prayer and sleep as well; I observe fast and suspend it; and I marry women as well!” he (the Holy Prophet) exclaimed. And whomever rejects my Sunnah has no relationship with me.” [Reported by Muslim]
«ما بال أقوام قالوا كذا وكذا لكني أصلي وأنام وأصوم وأفطر وأتزوج النساء فمن رغب عن سنتي فليس مني»
The following of Allah’s Prophet’s Sunnah (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) is evidence of having Allah’s love, as He Almighty says: “If you (really) love Allâh, then follow me (i.e. adopt Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur’ân and the Sunnah), Allâh will love you and pardon your sins,” say (O Muhammad, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) to mankind. And Allâh is Most Merciful and Forgiving.” [3:31] Surat Al-Imran
4- Loving meeting Allah Almighty.
Whoever desires to meet Allah, Allah want to meet him as well. In fact, as the time of a believer’s death comes, he receives the joyful tidings of Allah’s delight with him and His blessings upon him, and nothing is dearer to him than what is in front of him at that time. As a result, he enjoys meeting Allah, and Allah enjoys meeting him as well. When the time comes for a disbeliever to die, he learns the terrible news of Allah’s punishment and retribution, and nothing is more repulsive to him than what is ahead of him. As a result, he despises meeting Allah, and Allah despises meeting him as well. The Hadith transmitted on the authority of ‘Ubada ibn As-Samit claims that the Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever loves to see Allah, Allah (also) delights to meet him.” “But we dislike dying,” ‘A’ishah, or some of the Prophet’s wives, stated. “It is not like this,” he explained, “but it means that as the time of a believer’s death approaches, he receives the joyful tidings of Allah’s delight with him and His blessings upon him, and nothing is dearer to him at that time than what is in front of him.” He therefore loves meeting Allah, and Allah (too) loves meeting him. But when the time of the death of a disbeliever approaches, he receives the evil news of Allah’s torment and His requital, whereupon nothing is more hateful to him than what is before him. Therefore, he hates meeting Allah, and Allah too, hates meeting him.” [Reported by Al-Bukhari]
5- Loving each other for the sake of Allah
Those who love each other for Allah’s sake will be summoned by their Lord (who knows them best) and will get His satisfaction, benefits, and generosity. When no other shade exists, He will shade them with His. According to Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him), Allah’s Messenger (prayers and peace be upon him) said: “On the Day of Judgment, Allah will say: ‘Where are those who love each other for My sake?’ When there is no shade but Mine today, I will shade them in My shade.'[Reported by Muslim]
