Aslam

LOVE AND ATTACHMENT

Know, O dear readers, that love of God is the last stage and the highest in rank. There is no higher stage after acquisition of love God. Before it, there are the stages of repentance, patience and renunciation. These are preliminaries to love of God.
Though it is difficult to enter the region of love, it is possible for human mind to be filled up with God's love as a result of firm faith. To believe in God's love is difficult, even some learned men thought it impossible. They say that it means to be engaged in divine worship. They say that Love grows for a being of equal status and hence God's love is impossible.

PROOF OF SHARIAT ABOUT LOVE OF GOD

Know O readers, that all the Ulemas or learned men are unanimous that love of God and His Apostle is compulsory. If there is no existence of such love, how is it compulsory ? To obey injunctions is the fruit of love but the birth of the tree of love is necessary before getting fruit. God says : He loves them and they love Him — 5 : 54. God says : Those who are believers love God much. These verses say that love of God is possible. The Prophet in many traditions made love of God a condition of faith.

(1) Abu Razia Ukaili once asked the Prophet : O Messenger of God, what is faith ? He said : The meaning of faith is your love for God and His Apostle more than your love for every other thing.

(2) In another tradition, the Prophet said that no man can be a believer until God and His Apostle become dearer to him than his family members, riches and all mankind (in another narration than his own life.)

(3) Why should it not be when God said in the following verse : Say, are your parents, your children, your brethren, your

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wives, your relatives, the property you have acquired, the business the loss of which you fear and the houses which give pleasure to you dearer to you than God and His' Apostle and Jihad in the way of God — 9 : 24? It was said by way of warning.

(4) The Prophet said: Love God for the provision He gave you . Love me also as God loves me.

(5) It is reported that a man said to the Prophet: I love you.
The Prophet said : Then be prepared for poverty. The man said : I love God. The Prophet said : Then be prepared for disasters.

(6) Hazrat Omar said : Once Mosab-bin-Omair came to the Prophet being covered with sheep cloth. The Prophet said : Look to the man God has illumined his heart. I see that his parents maintained him with good food and drink. Love of God and His Apostle attracted towards what you see in him.