Seeking Divine Love?

Bismi llāh, wa l-ḥamdu lillāh, wa ṣ-ṣalātu wa s-salāmu ‘alā rasūli llāh, sayyidinā Muḥammadini bni ‘Abdi llāh, wa ‘alā ālihī wa ṣaḥbihī wa man wālāh. Wa ba‘d:

Many people ask: how can I attain the love of Allah and closeness to Him?

Allah Himself answers this question in numerous places in the Qur’ān when describing the attributes of those whom He loves.

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱسْتَعِينُوا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ

“O you who believe! Seek help through steadfastness and prayer, for Allah is with the steadfast.” (Qur’ān 2:153)

وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ

“Yet be ever God-fearing, and know that God is with the God-fearing.” (Qur’ān 2:194)

وَأَحْسِنُوٓا۟ ۛ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ

“But do good, for Allah indeed loves those who do good.” (Qur’ān 2:195)

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلتَّوَّٰبِينَ وَيُحِبُّ ٱلْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ

“Allah indeed loves those who turn to Him, and He loves those who keep themselves clean.” (Qur’ān 2:222)

قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ ٱللَّهَ فَٱتَّبِعُونِى يُحْبِبْكُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

“Say (O Prophet), ‘If you love Allah, follow me, and Allah will love you and forgive you your sins; Allah is most forgiving, most merciful.’” (Qur’ān 3:31)

بَلَىٰ مَنْ أَوْفَىٰ بِعَهْدِهِۦ وَٱتَّقَىٰ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ

“Rather, whoever fulfils his covenant and fears Allah, [know that] Allah, indeed, loves the God-fearing.” (Qur’ān 3:76)

وَٱللَّهُ يُحِبُّ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ

“Allah loves those who are steadfast.” (Qur’ān 3:146)

فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُتَوَكِّلِينَ

“Then, when you have decided on a course of action, put your trust in Allah: Allah indeed loves those who put their trust in Him.” (Qur’ān 3:159)

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَن يَرْتَدَّ مِنكُمْ عَن دِينِهِۦ فَسَوْفَ يَأْتِى ٱللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ يُحِبُّهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَهُۥٓ أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَى ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ يُجَـٰهِدُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا يَخَافُونَ لَوْمَةَ لَآئِمٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ

“O you who believe! If any of you go back on your faith, Allah will soon replace you with people He loves and who love Him, people who are humble towards the believers, hard on the unbelievers, and
who strive in Allah’s way without fearing anyone’s reproach. Such is Allah’s favour. He grants it to whomever He wills. Allah has endless bounty and knowledge.” (Qur’ān 5:54)

وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

“For Allah is assuredly with the believers.” (Qur’ān 8:19)

وَٱللَّهُ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُطَّهِّرِينَ

“Allah loves those who seek to purify themselves.” (Qur’ān 9:108)

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوا۟ وَّٱلَّذِينَ هُم مُّحْسِنُونَ

“Indeed, God is with those who are God-fearing and who excel in doing good.” (Qur’ān 16:128)

وَأَقْسِطُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُقْسِطِينَ

“And be even-handed: Allah indeed loves those who are even-handed.” (Qur’ān 49:9)

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُقَٰتِلُونَ فِى سَبِيلِهِۦ صَفًّا كَأَنَّهُم بُنْيَٰنٌ مَّرْصُوصٌ

Allah truly loves those who fight in solid lines for His cause, like a well-compacted wall.” (Qur’ān 61:4)

He also describes for us that which distance one from His love.

وَٱللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْفَسَادَ

“Allah does not like corruption.” (Qur’ān 2:205)

وَٱللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ كَفَّارٍ أَثِيمٍ

“Allah does not love the ungrateful sinner.” (Qur’ān 2:276)

قُلْ أَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلرَّسُولَ فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ

“Say, ‘Obey Allah and the Messenger,’ but if they turn away, [know that] Allah does not love the unbelievers.” (Qur’ān 3:32)

وَٱللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

“Allah does not love evildoers.” (Qur’ān 3:140)

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ مَن كَانَ مُخْتَالًا فَخُورًا ۝ ٱلَّذِينَ يَبْخَلُونَ وَيَأْمُرُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ بِٱلْبُخْلِ وَيَكْتُمُونَ مَآ ءَاتَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ ۗ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ عَذَابًا مُّهِينًا ۝ وَٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ رِئَآءَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَلَا بِٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ ۗ وَمَن يَكُنِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ لَهُۥ قَرِينًا فَسَآءَ قَرِينًا ۝

“Allah indeed does not like arrogant, boastful people, who are miserly and order other people to be the same, hiding the bounty Allah has given them. We have prepared a humiliating torment for such ungrateful people. [Nor does He like those] who spend their wealth to show off, who do not believe in Him or the Last Day. Whoever has Satan as his companion has an evil companion!” (Qur’ān 4:36-38)

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ مَن كَانَ خَوَّانًا أَثِيمًا

“Allah indeed does not love anyone given to treachery and sin.” (Qur’ān 4:107)

لَّا يُحِبُّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْجَهْرَ بِٱلسُّوٓءِ مِنَ ٱلْقَوْلِ إِلَّا مَن ظُلِمَ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ سَمِيعًا عَلِيمًا

“Allah does not like bad words to be made public unless someone has been wronged: He is all hearing and all knowing.” (Qur’ān 4:148)

وَٱللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ

“Allah does not love those who corrupt.” (Qur’ān 5:64)

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تُحَرِّمُوا۟ طَيِّبَٰتِ مَآ أَحَلَّ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَلَا تَعْتَدُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُعْتَدِينَ ۝ وَكُلُوا۟ مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ حَلَٰلًا طَيِّبًا وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنتُم بِهِۦ مُؤْمِنُونَ

“O you who believe! Do not forbid the good things Allah has made lawful to you – do not exceed the limits: Allah indeed does not love those who exceed the limits – but eat the lawful and good things that Allah provides for you. And fear Allah, in whom you believe.” (Qur’ān 5:87-88)

يَٰبَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ خُذُوا۟ زِينَتَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ وَكُلُوا۟ وَٱشْرَبُوا۟ وَلَا تُسْرِفُوٓا۟ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُسْرِفِينَ

“Children of Adam, dress well whenever you are at worship, and eat and drink [as We have permitted] but do not be extravagant: indeed, He does not like extravagant people.” (Qur’ān 7:31)

ٱدْعُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ تَضَرُّعًا وَخُفْيَةً إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُعْتَدِينَ وَلَا تُفْسِدُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلَٰحِهَا وَٱدْعُوهُ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا إِنَّ رَحْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ مِّنَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ

“Call on your Lord humbly and privately – He indeed does not like those who transgress His bounds: do not corrupt the earth after it has been set right – call on Him fearing and hoping. The mercy of Allah is close to those who do good.” (Qur’ān 7:55-56)

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْخَآئِنِينَ

“Allah indeed does not love the treacherous.” (Qur’ān 8:58)

إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُسْتَكْبِرِينَ

“He indeed does not love the arrogant.” (Qur’ān 16:23)

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ خَوَّانٍ كَفُورٍ

“Allah indeed does not love the unfaithful or the ungrateful.” (Qur’ān 22:38)

لَا تَفْرَحْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْفَرِحِينَ

“Do not gloat, for Allah indeed does not like people who gloat.” (Qur’ān 28:76)

وَلَا تُصَعِّرْ خَدَّكَ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَمْشِ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مَرَحًا إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ

“Do not turn your nose up at people, nor walk about the place arrogantly, for Allah indeed does not love anyone who is arrogant or boastful.” (Qur’ān 31:18)

وَٱللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ ۝ ٱلَّذِينَ يَبْخَلُونَ وَيَأْمُرُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ بِٱلْبُخْلِ

“Allah does not love the conceited, the boastful, those who are miserly, and who tell other people to be miserly.” (Qur’ān 57:23-24)

Furthermore, there is a ḥadīth qudsī in which Allah informs His slaves the of road to His Love and Closeness:

مَنْ عَادَى لِي وَلِيًّا فَقْد آذَنْتهُ بِالْحَرْبِ، وَمَا تَقَرَّبَ إلَيَّ عَبْدِي بِشَيْءٍ أَحَبَّ إلَيَّ مِمَّا افْتَرَضْتُهُ عَلَيْهِ، وَلَا يَزَالُ عَبْدِي يَتَقَرَّبُ إلَيَّ بِالنَّوَافِلِ حَتَّى أُحِبَّهُ، فَإِذَا أَحْبَبْتُهُ كُنْت سَمْعَهُ الَّذِي يَسْمَعُ بِهِ، وَبَصَرَهُ الَّذِي يُبْصِرُ بِهِ، وَيَدَهُ الَّتِي يَبْطِشُ بِهَا، وَرِجْلَهُ الَّتِي يَمْشِي بِهَا، وَلَئِنْ سَأَلَنِي لَأُعْطِيَنَّهُ، وَلَئِنْ اسْتَعَاذَنِي لَأُعِيذَنَّهُ

“Whoever shows enmity to a waliyy (close servant) of Mine, I declare war upon. My servant draws close to Me by nothing more beloved to Me than what I have made obligatory upon him. And My servant continues to draw close to Me by voluntary works until I love him. Then, when I love him, I become the hearing by which he hears; the seeing by which he sees; the hands by which he strikes; and the legs by which he walks. Were he to ask Me, I would indeed grant him. And were he to seek refuge in Me, I would indeed grant him refuge.” (Narrated by al-Bukhārī)

As such, the path to attaining Allah's Love and Closeness entails:

• First and foremost, fulfilling all of the obligations (farā’iḍ) He has ordained for us and refraining from that which He has prohibited (muḥarramāt) for us.
• Further adding on to the above by performing voluntary acts of obedience and virtue (nawāfil) for Him (it's foolish to prioritise the nawāfil over the farā’iḍ – that's just like placing salt, pepper, and sauce onto chips which are still frozen).
• Striving to attain the character traits of those whom Allah loves as described in His book. This entails constantly turning to Him in repentance, keeping oneself clean, following the sunnah, being patient, relying upon Allah, and so on.
• Striving to purify oneself of the character traits which Allah dislikes as described in His book. This entails purging one's heart of arrogance, boastfulness, treachery, ungratefulness, evil-doing and so on.

In simpler terms, it's by following the sharī‘ah, prioritising what it prioritises.

And what is the result? I become the hearing by which he hears; the seeing by which he sees; the hands by which he strikes; and the legs by which he walks. That is, Allah becomes the protector of our limbs and organs, such that our limbs and organs will only do that which is well-pleasing and beloved unto Him; our limbs and organs are protected from sin and all that which is unbecoming. Not only that: Were he to ask Me, I would indeed grant him. And were he to seek refuge in Me, I would indeed grant him refuge. How amazing! Allāhu akbar!

May Allah make us from His awliyā’ and people of His obedience.