Differences in the Islamic World Are Not Obstacles to Muslims' Loving One Another

It is perfectly natural for there to be different cultures, traditions and understandings in the Islamic world. The important thing is for these differences to be brought together within a unity of belief and pluralist solidarity. Differences of ideas, opinions and practice are regarded as normal in all societies. But Islamic moral values require that, despite all their differences, Muslims must not forget that they are brothers. No matter what their race, language, nation or sect, all Muslims are brothers. Therefore, differences within the Islamic world must be regarded as sources of wealth. They must not turn into causes of division and conflict that lead Muslims to fall out with one another, distract them from the main issues and prevent them from adopting urgent and essential measures.

Believers constitute a great spiritual force with the strength that comes from loving one another for Allah’s approval. As revealed in the words of one verse, "… But those who were sure that they were going to meet Allah said, ‘How many times a small force has triumphed over a much greater one by Allah’s permission! Allah is with the steadfast.” (Surat al-Baqara, 249), even if those with faith in their hearts are few in number, spiritually, they acquire great will and enthusiasm with which to overcome great difficulties and obstacles. They earn Allah’s help and support through the moral virtues they display. As Allah reveals in the verse, "… You shall be uppermost if you are [truly] faithful.." (Surat al-Imr’an, 139), believers constitute a spiritual force that nobody can break, and nobody can set them against one another.

In our time, Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) Will Be Instrumental in Muslims Loving One Another and Being United, and Everyone Will Love Him Because He Has the Most Piety of All People Living 

Our prophet (saas) reveals in the hadiths that since there will be a decline in love, tolerance, affection and compassion in the time preceding the appearance of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh), and people will turn away from the moral values of the Qur’an. This state of affairs will only be put right through Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh). One of the main characteristics of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will be that “the profound love and affection he feels for Allah and His manifestations.” He will be instrumental in people loving one another very much throughout  the world.

To that end, Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will call people to peace, toleration, union and unity and to eradicate all causes of enmity, hatred and rage with his every word and deed. Through Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh), people will acquire a new perspective and learn and live by “true love.” 

Indeed, the hadiths say that the intense love and affection that Allah creates in Hazrat Mahdi’s (pbuh) soul will affect every corner of the world, that this will be a most auspicious period and that everyone will feel a great love for Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh):

Through the bounty of the faith of time (Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)) PEOPLE’S HEARTS WILL BE FULL OF MUTUAL LOVE AND UNITY. (Bihar-ul Envar, Vol. 53, p. 187; Mikyaal al-makaarem, Vol. 1, p. 52)

(In the time of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)) LOVE AND AFECTION WILL PREVAIL ACROSS EVERY PART OF THE WORLD. (İkbal'ul-a'mal p. 507; Bihar-ul Envar, Vol. 21, p. 312)

In this way, IN THE SAME WAY THAT THE INHABITANTS OF THE EARTH AND SKY ARE PLEASED WITH HIM (HAZRAT MAHDI (PBUH)), SO THE BIRDS IN THE AIR, WILD ANIMALS IN THE FORESTS AND EVEN THE FISH IN THE SEA WILL BE CONTENT WITH HIM. There will be none from the Ummah of Muhammed (saas) who is not content with him. Indeed, a herald will call out, “Does nobody have any need?,” and the answer he is given will be “We have no needs.” (Allame Muhammed b. Rasul al-Hüseyni al-Barzanji of Medina, Pamuk Press, Istanbul, 2002, p. 163)

… AT THAT TIME, THE PEOPLE OF THE EARTH AND SKY, ALL WILD ANIMALS, BIRDS AND EVEN THE FISH IN THE SEA WILL REJOICE AT HIS (HAZRAT MAHDIS’ (PBUH) CALIPHATE (SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP) … (El Kavlu’l Muhtasar Fi Alamatil Mehdiyy-il Muntazar, p. 31)

Believers also love what Allah loves; friends of Allah are also friends of believers; believers approve of whomsoever Allah approves of; they also love those servants whom Allah loves and who love Him. Pure believers on the path of Allah are among those servants whom Allah loves most. For that reason, believers love one another and are very considerate of one another. Many verses of the Qur’an refer to believers’ mutual love, devotion, compassion and consideration. One such verse reads:

“Hold fast to the rope of Allah all together, and do not separate. Remember Allah’s blessing to you when you were enemies and He joined your hearts together so that you became brothers by His blessing. You were on the very brink of a pit of the Fire and He rescued you from it. In this way Allah makes His Signs clear to you, so that hopefully you will be guided.” (Surat al-Imr’an Suresi, 103)

Mr. Adnan Oktar Explains: “Love Is a Light Given by Allah”

There are no limits to love. One cannot say, “...let us love only a little.” We must love at the highest level possible because love is a true delight and a great blessing. We love as a manifestation. We do not love separately from Allah. If we seek to love something separately from Allah, then that is polytheism. If one loves as a manifestation of Allah, then Allah will bestow the true flavor of love. Love has a beauty that rocks the soul, and you will then receive that. But if you engage in polytheism, then that burns away, and you walk around as mere flesh and blood, and nothing ultimately comes of flesh and blood. But the other way, you see the manifestation of Allah’s name of Jamal, and you experience the profound passion, beauty, flavor and delight of that love. Allah will allow you to experience that. But if you say, no, I will love in my own way… then if you notice, such people can never love at all. They are ignorant of love. That is the reason why people cannot know love. Allah does not bestow love on their hearts. They can take no delight or flavor from love. They try to make themselves love, but they cannot manage it. They just produce a replica. They try to replicate it in films and in the theater and in novels but you cannot have love from a replica, no matter how much you try. Love is a light bestowed by Allah. It is a special force and power. Sugar has a taste. But if Allah does not bestow that taste on somewhere, then he will never know that taste, no matter how much sugar he eats. He may say that sugar is delicious, just like honey. But he does not know that taste. Why does he say it is like honey? Pure affectation, to appear to be liking it. Allah gives Muslims a special delight in love, one that is unique to them, to those who love as a manifestation of Allah...” (From Mr. Adnan Oktar`s interview on A9 TV, Samsun AKS TV and TV Kayseri, 2011 on 18 May

Bediüzzaman Said Nursi Wisely Described How the Bond of Love among Believers Must Be Very Strong:

… Because in the same way that a person’s one hand will not compete with the other hand, one eye will not criticize the other, the tongue will not object to the ear, and the heart will see now fault in the soul. They may make good one anothers defects, hide each others fault, help with one anothers needs and help with one anothers duties; otherwise the life of the human body will be extinguished, the soul will flee and the body will fall apart. In the same way that the cogwheels in a factory do not compete with one another or try to surpass one another, or try to lower one anothers enthusiasm by seeing and criticizing one anothers flaws. They may perhaps assist one anothers movements in their general aims and proceed toward the aim behind their creation with a genuine solidarity and union. But if the slightest speck of aggression or cruelty arises, that will upset the factory and mean that it produces nothing. And the owner of the factory will then tear it down... (Risale-i Nur Collection, 21^st Gleam, p. 668-669)