What is the Love for Allāh is the cause of divine love ?

 Love for Allāh’s lovers is the cause of divine love

The servant, following the divine commands, performs all kinds of worship: he offers prayer, keeps fast, performs hajj and pays zakāt. In short, he fulfils all his obligations. These act s have t wofold significance: on the one hand, he is implement ing the divine commands; on the other hand, he earns the reward for these acts. The range and scope of these rewards include a place in Paradise for him. But the highest and the most cherished prize is the pleasure of Allāh. To secure this prize, he spends every moment of his life in divine love. And he does not restrict his remembrance of Allāh only to a specific schedule or timetable but it straddles his entire life. No matter where he is, or what he is doing, he never forget s the Lord. The focus of his love or enmity is Allāh alone. The following tradition is about such lovers of Allāh:

 It is narrated by Mu‘ādh bin Jabal that he heard the Messenger of Allāh saying:

 Allāh the Exalted and Almighty said: ‘My love has been made obligatory for those two persons who love each other on My count and spend time together for My sake, and see each other for My sake and give money to each other generously for My sake.

( This sahīh (sound) hadīth narrated by Mālik bin Anas in alMuwattā, b. of sha‘ar (hair) ch.5 (2:954#16), and Ibn ‘Abdul-Barr said its chain is good. Ahmad bin Hambal also transmitted it in his Musnad (5:233); Hākim in alMustadrak (4:169), who graded it sahīh, and also confirmed by Dhahabī; Baghawī in Sharh-us-sunnah, (13:49-50#3463); Khatīb T abrīzī in Mishkāt-ul-masābīh, b. of ādāb (good manners) ch.16 (3:75#5011)

 Now a petitioner loves the holy Prophet, members of the Prophet’s family, the Companions, the saints and the righteous people simply because the basis of his love is the love of Allāh. By loving these people, he himself in return is loved by Allāh. Thus all these forms are various links in the chain of love, which is ultimately the love of Allāh, and these expressions and acts of love eventually draw him closer to Allāh and he acquires a favoured status. Thus the petitioner’s act of love is regarded by Allāh as a virtuous as well as a favourite act and it is graded higher than other virt uous act s mainly because in this act the Lord Himself is one of the participants and it is uncertain whether the other acts will find divine acceptance or not. But love of the saints and the favourites of Allāh is an act, which transforms the petit ioner into Allāh’s beloved. In this way its acceptance is guaranteed.

Love for the sake of Allāh results in higher grades

Love of the servant s of Allāh brings one not only nearer to Him but also helps one in securing higher grades.  It is narrated by ‘Umar bin al-Khattāb that the Prophet said:

 Among Allāh’s servants there are some who are neither prophets nor martyrs but on the Day of Judgement the prophets and the martyrs will envy their grades. The Companions asked: ‘O Messenger of Allāh, tell us, who are those people?’ He replied: ‘those are the people who love one another on Allāh’s count. They are neither related to one another nor do they have any property to exchange. I swear on Allāh that they will have faces of light, they will be on pulpits of light. They will not have any fear when others will be afraid, they will not have any grief when others will be aggrieved.’ Then he recited the verse: Beware! No doubt, there is no fear for the friends of Allāh nor shall they be sad and sorrowful. [Qur’ān (Yūnus, Jonah) 10:62.]

Abū Dāwūd, Sunan, b. of ijārah (wages) 3:288 (#3527);  

 The tradition has clearly established the fact that people who love one another simply because they love Allāh deserve high rewards and grades on the Day of Judgement and they will receive these precious gifts through the mediation of Allāh’s favourites because their love of these intimate friends is based fundamentally on their love of Allāh from which basic source it draws its st rength and influence.

Love of Allāh’s friends is the cause of Allāh’s love

Love of holy men and saints is an act which earns the servant not only the love of Allāh but also draws him closer to Him. It is reported by Abū Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allāh  said:

                             If two persons love each other on

Allāh’s count, and if one of them is in the east and the other in the west, Allāh will bring them together on the Day of Resurrection and He will say: ‘this is the man you loved on my count. Bayhaqī, Shu‘ab-ul-īmān, (6:492#9022); Khatīb Tabrīzī, Mishkāt-ul-masābīh, b. of ādāb (good manners) ch.16 (3:77#5024); ‘Alī al-Hindī, Kanz-ul-‘ummāl (9:4#24646