The Definition of Love
The Definition of Love : The meaning of love evokes many thoughts and feelings regardless of age. It is a unique feeling experienced differently by each individual. Some may say love is when you can trust a person and confide in them and have faith that they will always have your back. To others love may be an intense feeling of affection towards a person in any given moment and the minute they are no longer a part of your life, your heart starts to ache.
When reading romance novels or seeing those couples that are ‘couple goals’, love seems so innocent and magical. We follow the lives of celebrities and watch their every move and claim to love them. We meet someone for the first time and all of a sudden we are posting pictures about how we love them. In the era that we live in ‘love’ is thrown around haphazardly as if it holds no meaning and that is why heartbreak is one of the leading causes of teenage suicides. You may be wondering how can love be all that bad yet Quraan and Ahadeeth enumerate about love.
Love is not bad and it can be very magical because after all love is the most powerful human emotion from which all our other emotions stem. But love is not about having this great high-school romance or fawning over celebrities who don’t even know you exist.
- Love is when Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) does not punish us immediately for our sins and gives us time to make Taubah.
- Love was when Abu Bakr Siddeeq (Radhiallahu ‘Anhu) did not disturb the sleep of Rasullulah (Sallallahu Alaihi Sasallam) even when the extremities of pain from a snake bite were unbearable.
- Love was when Umar Farouk (RA) had his sword in hand to kill the beloved of Allah but was so awe stricken by the Kalaam of Allah Ta’alah that he accepted Islam.
- Love was when the Sahabah Kiraam (Radhiallahu ‘Anhum) gave their lives for Allah and His Nabi.
- Love was Bilal (Radhiallahu ‘Anhu) on his deathbed, experiencing the pangs of death, surrounded by his family weeping and instead he cried out ‘’ tomorrow I meet Muhammad and his companions.’’
- Love was when Yusuf (Alaihis Salam) made Dua to Allah to rather imprison him because he was afraid of disobeying Allah.
- Love is when Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) says :
‘And among His signs is this, that He created for you wives from among yourselves, that you may find tranquillity in them. He has put between you affection and mercy. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who reflect’ (30:21)
Having this type of pure love is the type of love that is magical not the ones we find in fairy tales because that is not love, it is a mere illusion of what love is. During our difficult times we may question if there is anybody there for us, and in those moments just remember you have love and not just any type of love we have the love of our Creator. So turn to Him and feel the love and mercy that He will shower upon you.
When you are tempted with the wrong kind of love remember that it will bring heartbreak and instead turn to the love for your Creator. Take lesson from the people who possessed the true meaning of love i.e. the Ambiyaa and Sahabah and Allah will send your way a love filled with tranquility, mercy, happiness and peace.
May Allah Azzawajal shower us all with this magical kind of love and remove all those things from our lives which He does not love. Aameen.
