Scholarly Perspectives on Hating for the Sake of Allah SWT…
Allah SWT says, “…but Allah has endeared to you the faith and has made it pleasing in your hearts and has made hateful to you disbelief, defiance and disobedience. Those are the guided.” [Al-Hujurat 49:7]
Although a basic part of ‘aqeedah, many of us who were raised in the West do not even have an ounce of hatred for kufr in our hearts and are rather inclined towards it and the kafirs that espouse it. Even now, we know many individuals that are Muslim but show no sign of hatred whatsoever for either the kufr or the kafir wielding it. Yet this is something so heavy and severe in the eyes of Allah SWT that He mentions it in the following terms in Surah Maryam:
And they say: “The Most Beneficent (Allah) has begotten a son, and the pagan Arabs say that He has begotten daughters.” Indeed you have brought forth (said) a terrible evil thing whereby the heavens are almost torn, and the earth is split asunder, and the mountains fall in ruins,That they ascribe a son (or offspring or children) to the Most Beneficent. [Surah Maryam, 88-91]
Shirk in the eyes of Allah SWT is more severe then incest, rape, pedophilia, murder and yet we are indifferent to those who practice it and surround ourselves in our networks, whether professional, social or virtual, with those who openly declare there disobedience and rejection of the Almighty. Is this the same way we would associate with any members of the above listed indecencies? Yet those are committed against humanity and this is committed against Allah SWT Himself.
Ibrahim AS, one of the most merciful and gentle of Prophets addresses his people in the following terms:
There has already been for you an excellent pattern (example) in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people, “Indeed, we are disassociated from you and from whatever you worship other than Allah . We have denied you, and there has appeared between us and you animosity and hatred forever until you believe in Allah alone” except for the saying of Abraham to his father, “I will surely ask forgiveness for you, but I have not [power to do] for you anything against Allah. Our Lord, upon You we have relied, and to You we have returned, and to You is the destination [Al-Mumtahina 60:4]
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“Love for the sake of Allah is the love you have for a believer because of the Religion of Allah, and his obedience to [Allah's] orders, not for any wordly interest or relationship. And hate is its opposite, and it is to hate the sinner because of his sin in proportion to his sin, and hate the Kuffar (Disbelievers) and dissociate from them (Baraa Minhum)”.
Source
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Sh. Yasir Qadhi in his 18 part Kitab al-Tawheed lecture set (which is available here) gave the example of Abu Talib. The Prophet (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wasallam) loved him a natural love but hated him shar’ee. Allahu A’lam.
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The love and hate being discussed is the Shar’ee love and hate, not the natural.
Since as you know love can be divided into Shar’ee love and Natural love. The Shar’ee love is the love of the believer to all what Allah and his Messenger love, and that what they love should be more beloved to ones self than anything else. As for the natural love: it is for the believer (or anyone else) to love what he is inclined to by nature.
A believer would favor and love what Allah and his Messenger love over what he is inclined to by nature. So while a believer naturally hates hunger, he loves to fast and would struggle to fast because he gives preference to his Shar’ee love and because the love of Allah and his Messenger to fasting.
Similarily, even though he might hate death, he loves Shahada, and even though he loves to hold the money he makes, he loves to give Sadaqa more because that is what is favored by Allah and his Messenger.
[Paraphrased from a post by Shaykh Abu Khaled Waleed Al Minasee].
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Prophet Muhammad [Salah Allah 'Alaihi wa Salam] said: “Whoever possesses the following three qualities will taste the sweetness of faith:
1. The one to whom Allah and His Apostle become dearer than anything else.
2. Who loves a person and he loves him only for Allah’s sake.
3. Who hates to revert to disbelief (Atheism) after Allah has brought (saved) him out from it, as he hates to be thrown in fire.” [Bukhari]
Notice the second point says, that he loves a person, he loves that individual. So the love, my dear brother is to that believing individual, and your hate is to that disbelieving individual.
Shaykh Ibn Jibreen [May Allah preserve him] writes about point # 2:
“We say: And he should hate the individual, and he hates him only for Allah’s sake, even if he was the closest relative. The companions may Allah be pleased with them, hated their brothers, and they hated their fathers, and hated there grandchildren, and hated their children, when they were not from amongst the allies of Allah”.
Source
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Shaykh Saleh Al-Fawzan [Explanation of Al-Aqidah Al-Tahawiya]:
“You hate the individual for the sake of Allah, not because of wronging you. Rather, you hate him, because he is an enemy of Allah, and this is the Religion of Abraham [‘Alaihi Al Salat wa Al-Salam]: Loving for the sake of Allah, and hating for the sake of Allah”
[then he quotes the verse]
“And scholars have mentioned that people in the matter of love are of three categories:
First: Those who are loved an absolute love, with no hatred with it. These are the Angels, the Prophets ‘Alaihi Al Salat wa Al-Salam, the pure believers like the companions … Also the Salaf, and Ahl Al-Sunnah wa Al-Jama’ah, because of the purity of their creed, and what they are on of Truth, and their obedience of Allah and his Messenger.
Second: Those who are hated an absolute hate with no love, and they are the disbelievers and the enemies of Allah.
The Third group: Those who you have for [them] both love and hate, and this is the sinning believer. He is loved from one way, and hated from one way. You love him because of what he has of goodness and obedience, and hate him because of what he has of disobedience and defiance, that is how the Muslim must distinguish”.
He then said:
والمحبة بابها باب عظيم ينبغي التنبه له ومعرفته؛ لأن عليه مداراً عظيماً في العقيدة وأمور الدين، فالإنسان لا يمشي إمعة، لا يدري من يحب ومن يبغض، بل يجعل المحبة والبغضاء ميزاناً يفرق بين أولياء الله وأولياء الشيطان، ولا يجعله ميزاناً دنيوياً وهوى، فمن وافقه على دنياه وهواه وأعطاه شيئاً من الدنيا أحبه، ولو كان من أكفر الناس وأفسقهم، وإن لم يعطه شيئاً أبغضه، ولو كان من أصلح الصالحين، فهذا لا يجوز.
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It is not permissible to take kaafirs as close friends, or to mix with them and feel friendly towards them, or to live amongst them and take them as friends, or to love them, or to prefer them over the believers and so on. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“You (O Muhammad) will not find any people who believe in Allaah and the Last Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allaah and His Messenger (Muhammad), even though they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred (people). For such He has written Faith in their hearts, and strengthened them with Rooh (proofs, light and true guidance) from Himself. And He will admit them to Gardens (Paradise) under which rivers flow, to dwell therein (forever). Allaah is pleased with them, and they with Him. They are the party of Allaah. Verily, it is the party of Allaah that will be the successful”
[al-Mujaadilah 58:22]
But we are obliged to treat them fairly and justly, and not wrong them or commit acts of aggression against them with no shar’i reason. It is permissible to interact with them by buying, selling, lending, etc. It is narrated in saheeh reports that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) borrowed a weapon from Safwaan ibn Umayyah, and that he bought food from the Jews.
Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 3/31.
Hating them in our hearts does not mean that we should oppress or mistreat them under any circumstances, because Allaah said to His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), describing what his attitude should be towards the People of the Book“and I am commanded to do justice among you. Allaah is our Lord and your Lord. For us our deeds and for you your deeds.
Sheikh Muhammad Salih Munajjid
