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Inner Peace in Islam 11
Allah is Al Wadud because He is actively showing us that He loves us through the manifestations of all His names and His attributes. His affection is with us through all of our trials, tribulations, triumphs, and blessings. Every day we are surrounded by reminders of our Creator and His love for us.
Yes,
Allah's love is unconditional. The Quran describes Allah as having
compassionate love for all of his creatures, especially humans. Some say that
Allah's love is different from the love that parents have for their children
because Allah's love is unconditional and continues without fail.
His
love is unconditional!
Without
discrediting them, it's important to note that they're still human and not
perfect. No human can truly unconditionally keep their door open for you 24/7.
But Allah swt can, and He continues to do so. That's why He's Al-Wadud.
Prophet
Muhammad taught us about some of the ways God shows His love for us that might
not be otherwise apparent.
He
told us that God declares His love to the angels and that the love does not
stay with the angels but descends to earth.
When
God loves someone, he calls to the angel Gabriel saying, ‘Oh Gabriel, I love so
and so, (the name of a person) so love him.’ Then Gabriel will call to the
angels in the heavens, ‘God loves so and so, so love him.’ And the angels will
love that person and God will place acceptance on earth for that believer.
(Al-Bukhari
and Muslim)
Hadith
Qudsi
Prophet
Muhammad explains more about God’s love when he tells us what God explained to
him about His love for us.
Allah said:
And the most beloved thing with which My slave comes nearer to Me is what I have enjoined upon him, and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing voluntary prayers and extra deeds apart from what is obligatory, until I love him, (so much so that) I become his hearing with which he hears, and his sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he strikes, and his legs with which he walks; and if he asks Me something, I will surely give (it to) him, and if he seeks refuge with Me I will surely protect him.
(Al-Bukhari)
How to gain
the love of Allah
Ibn Qayyim lists 10 things we can do to gain the love of Allah:
1) Recitation
of the Qur’an with reflection and with understanding.
2) Performing
voluntary deeds.
3) Remember
Allah in every situation – with our hearts, actions and deeds.
4) Preferring
the love of Allah over what we love.
5) Reflecting
on Allah’s Names and Attributes.
6) Witnessing
His favors and blessings, both hidden and open.
7) To be
humble and submissive before Allah.
8) To seclude
oneself in worship.
9) Keeping
company with those who are truthful in their love of Allah.
10) Staying
away from all that comes between the heart and Allah.
Ibn al-Qayyim
al-Jawzīyah, Madārij al-sālikīn
