Love: The core of Islamic Ethics
Harun Yahya
Islamic ethics is the code of morals that a believer follows in their daily life. That is the total code of conduct that shapes his life and guides him through this world into the Hereafter, which is the true abode for a believer for all eternity.
Islamic ethics make a person be the kind of servant that Allah wants him to be; he lives by these morals, conducts himself by these morals and wants to die upon these morals.
As Muslims, we definitely need the guidance of ethical and moral values, which Allah provides for us in the Qur'an. And these values apply to the believer twenty-four hours a day. Some wrongly believe that religion is merely a set of mystical rituals that must be fulfilled and once those rituals are over, they can go back to their lives. However, Allah makes it clear in the Qur'an that religion and life are inextricably intertwined; that is, religion pervades in every aspect of a muslim’s life as it is related in Surat Al-Anam, verse 162: “Say: My salat and my rites, my living and my dying, are for Allah alone, the Lord of all the worlds.”
That is why a true Muslim always feels the spiritual influence and exuberance that his faith inspires in every aspect of his life. Whether a housewife, a businessman, a celebrity or a scientist, they feel the spiritual state of being a servant of Allah and the humility it brings forth.
This state of mind is essentially because of love, which makes up the core of the Islamic morality. Love is the main theme of Islam and the soul of the Qur'an. The sole purpose why Allah created this world and the universe is love. The trial we go through in this world is a trial about love. It is the trial by which, hearts full of love are separated from rusty hearts full of anger and hatred. Indeed, this world is a place where we learn how to love. Before entering Heaven, which is the abode of infinite love, it is the school where we are educated about love, passion, compassion and mercy for others.
Love is one of the blessings Allah creates in this world that most satisfies and pleases us, both in this world and the Hereafter. Every individual who looks for love and wants to experience it in the truest sense of the word must grasp the importance of this feeling. Without love, it is impossible to duly experience friendship, confidentiality, loyalty, and trust. What will endow such a love on people is only “faith”. A profound love of Allah and fear of Allah and the resoluteness in living by the morality of the Qur'an makes people feel genuine love for another. Without faith, love would be based on vain worldly values such as money, social status, or physical appearance, all of which are matters vulnerable to time and conditions. Any deficiency in one of these worldly values causes the disappearance of the feeling, which is assumed to be love.
When the source of love is a deep faith in Allah, the gates open to a kind of blessing which would last until the end of one’s life. From Surah Maryam verse 96, we understand that Allah creates the love as a blessing for believers:
“As for those who have iman and do right actions, the All-Merciful will bestow His love on them.” (Surah Maryam, 96)
Allah does not want people to suffer. In Surat an-Nisa verse 147, Allah says: “Why should Allah punish you if you are thankful and have faith?” Allah is All-Thankful, All-Knowing.
The attributes that please Allah the most are love, being thankful to Him, compassion and being self-sacrificing. Love that stems from being a sincere believer, wisdom and faith is also the ultimate goal of faith. Satan wants to prevent people to have faith in Allah; for this reason, he strives to make people forget about love and does all he can to solidify hate. He tempts people to all kinds of evil acts which displease Allah.
In many verses of the Qur'an it is related that it is Allah Who inspires love into the hearts of the faithful. (Surah Maryam, 13; Surah Maryam, 96, Surah Rum, 21)
Human nature is inclined to be loving, forgiving and to act in a mature manner. Once someone grasps the value of love as a precious blessing, they can’t abandon it. They can’t let themselves be led astray by the momentary influences of anger and hate. Muslims should conduct themselves in line with a morality based on love at every moment of their lives. Love is the essence of what are the Islamic ethics we see depicted in the Qur'an.
Adnan Oktar's piece in Islam Today Magazine:
