Shirk in love By sisters Fatima and Qamar Here flashing a question on your computer/mobile screen, do you love Allah subhaanahu wa ta`ala more than anyone else???…please, before going ahead do read it….Jazaak Allahu Khayran… Loving for the sake of Allaah is a sign of the perfection of faith, but loving something alongside Allaah is the essence of shirk. In today’s presentation, my focus will be on the; SHIRK IN LOVE. Alhamdulillah, Allah has given our husbands, wives, children and families as a blessing to us, so that we may show thanks to Him. It is our duty to provide and care for them, to show them love and mercy. However, when our love for these people begins to take us away from the remembrance of Allah and fulfilling our duty to Him, then we have indeed committed Shirk in love. Loving Our Husbands Today, it is not a big deal for a Muslim woman to be married to a so-called Muslim husband who doesn’t pray, and he knows it is an obligation he owns to Allah, but he chooses to reject this pillar of Islam thinking that the love he has for Allah in his heart is enough, and we know that failing to pray takes you out of the fold of Islam. But knowing this, she still stays married to him and if you ask her why, she’ll tell you, it’s because I love him. Astagfirullah! Allah has clearly told us in the Holy Qur’aan in the Interpretation of the meaning: “And give not (Muslim women) in marriage to idolaters until they believe” [Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:221] “They (Muslim women) are not lawful for them (the disbelievers) nor are they (the disbelievers) lawful to them” [Surah Al- Mumtahinah, 60:10] So how can we do this, when it has clearly been related to us not to marry anything but a Muslim man? This without doubt shows that our love for Allah comes secondary to our love for his creation. We need to have fear of Allah. Learn about His rights over us, learn about his beautiful names and attributes and worship Him like he deserves. “And amongst mankind are those who take [for worship] others besides Allah, as equals [with Allah]: They love them as they should love Allah. And those who believe love Allah more [than anything else]. If only the wrongdoers could see, behold, they would see the punishment” [Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:165] WE AS NEED EDUCATED OURSELVES; OUR LOVE FOR THE CREATION OF ALLAH WILL LEAD US NO WHERE BUT TO THE HELL FIRE, unless we put Allah first. Loving Our Wealth Shirk in love not only includes loving our families more than Allah, but also our wealth. How many Muslim men today will close their businesses in order to go pray the congregational salaat or the Friday prayer, especially if the mosque is not even far? But no, they will fear that they might lose customers while they were always praying, worshiping Allah. “He who became the slave of the Dinar or the Dirham will perish and be destroyed.” [Hadith Bukhari] Brothers, this wealth that you have, is from no one but Allah; so why not give thanks and give Allah his rights: Take from your wealth and pay your zakaat and fear not any reduction in your wealth for Allah is the provider. Allah tells us in the Qur’an (interpretation of the meaning): “Men whom neither trade nor sale (business) diverts from the remembrance of Allaah” [Surah al-Noor, 24:37] Do you not want to be one of these men, WHOM NEITHER TRADE OR SALE WILL EVER DIVERT FROM REMEMBERING THEIR LORD? Please reflect on this brothers. Loving Our Children For the sisters, Alhamdulillah, when Allah has blessed us with beautiful children. We can be so consumed in our daily chores, in feeding them, cleaning them, running after them all day every day, and before we know it, we’ve missed the Zuhr Salaat, we are so exhausted, that all we want to do is put our feet up before they wake up, and before we know it, its ‘Asr salaat, and we are rushing to prepare the food before our husbands come home. We all sit together and eat NOT PRAYING EVEN ONE SALAAT…and what do we say at the back of our minds, I’ll make up for it at ‘Isha. Sisters, yes, it may be difficult, but when it’s time to give Allah His rights, our children must never come in the way of doing this. In fact, Allah told us in Qur’an (interpretation of the meaning): “O you who believe! Let not your properties or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allaah” [Surah Al-Munaafiqoon, 63:9]. Surely, our love for Allah should always come first! Having said this, it does not in any way mean that we cannot love them, or love beautiful things such as silver, gold, branded beautiful horses, cattle and well-tilled land, our businesses. We can love these things as long as we do not give preference over our love for Allah. We don’t want to be like the Mushrikeen, who love their idols alongside Allah. And this in itself is pure shirk. We can only protect ourselves from falling into shirk by educating ourselves about Allah. For how can we love Him like He deserves unless we truly know Him. Insha’Allah, I will leave you with this beautiful Hadith: Anas reported The Prophet [peacebe upon him] said, “Whoever possesses the following three qualities will taste the sweetness of Eman (faith): One to whom Allaah and His Messenger become dearer than anything else, whoever loves his brother (or sister) solely for Allaah’s sake, and whoever hates to revert to disbelief just as he loathes to be thrown into the Fire.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
Posted on: Wed, 12 Mar 2014 07:04:25 +0000