Signs of Loving the Believers
There are many matters that are considered signs of loving the Muslims. Some of these are as follows.
(1) Leaving the land of disbelief and moving towards the lands of the Muslims
Migration means leaving the land of the disbelievers and moving to the areas of Muslims for the safety and protection of one’s religion. This migration, which is driven by this great purpose, will remain obligatory until the Day of Judgment.
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, expressed disassociation and displeasure towards every person who resides among the polytheists. Therefore, it is forbidden for a Muslim to live in the land of disbelievers, except when he does not have the strength to migrate or if there is a religious necessity for him to stay in the land of disbelief, such as calling to Allah or preaching the religion.
Allah Almighty said:
﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَفَّاهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنفُسِهِمْ قَالُوا فِيمَ كُنتُمْ ۖ قَالُوا كُنَّا مُسْتَضْعَفِينَ فِي الْأَرْضِ ۚ قَالُوا أَلَمْ تَكُنْ أَرْضُ اللَّهِ وَاسِعَةً فَتُهَاجِرُوا فِيهَا ۚ فَأُولَٰئِكَ مَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ ۖ وَسَاءَتْ مَصِيرًا . إِلَّا الْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ وَالنِّسَاءِ وَالْوِلْدَانِ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ حِيلَةً وَلَا يَهْتَدُونَ سَبِيلًا . فَأُولَٰئِكَ عَسَى اللَّهُ أَن يَعْفُوَ عَنْهُمْ ۚ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَفُوًّا غَفُورًا .﴾
Translation: (Indeed, those who wronged themselves when the angels took their souls, they asked them, “In what condition were you?” They said, “We were oppressed in the land.” The angels said, “Was not the earth of Allah spacious that you could have migrated therein?” For those, their refuge is Hell – and evil it is as a destination. Except for the weak among men, women, and children who cannot devise a plan nor are they directed to a way – For those, Allah may pardon them, and Allah is Pardoning and Forgiving.)
(2) Good Cooperation with Muslims
Helping Muslims and assisting them with life, wealth, and language in their religious and worldly needs is also a sign of love.
Allah Almighty said:
وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ
Translation: (And believing men and believing women are allies of one another.)
And He said:
﴿وَإِنِ اسْتَنصَرُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ فَعَلَيْكُمُ النَّصْرُ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُم مِّيثَاقٌ﴾
Translation: (And if they seek your help in religion, it is obligatory for you to help them except against a people with whom you have a treaty.)
(3) Being sorrowful over the distress of Muslims and happy over their happiness
This is also a strong sign of mutual love and affection. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
مثل المسلمين فى توادهم وتراحمهم وتعاطفهم مثل الجسد الواحد إذا اشتكىٰ منه عضو تداعىٰ له سائر الجسد بالسهر والحمىٰ
Translation: (In terms of mutual affection, love, friendship, and compassion, the example of Muslims is like that of a body; when one part of it is in pain, the whole body becomes feverish and stays awake, expressing that pain.)
In another hadith, the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
A believer is like a building, each brick strengthening the other. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم illustrated this by interlocking the fingers of one hand with the fingers of the other hand.
(4) Spirit of Benevolence
Kindness towards Muslims, wishing all kinds of good for them, and avoiding all kinds of deceit and trickery is also a sign of love for them.
The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
لا يؤمن أحدكم حتىٰ يحب لأخيه ما يحب لنفسه
Translation: (None of you can be a believer until he loves for his (Muslim) brother what he loves for himself.)
He also said:
المسلم أخو المسلم لا يحقره ولا يخذله ولا يسلمه بحسب امرئ من الشر أن يحقر أخاه المسلم كل المسلم على المسلم حرام دمه وماله وعرضه
Translation: (A Muslim is the brother of another Muslim; he neither belittles him, nor humiliates him, nor leaves him to suffer hardships. It is enough evil for a person to belittle his Muslim brother. The blood, wealth, and honor of every Muslim are sacred to another Muslim.)
In another hadith, he said:
لا تباغضوا ولا تدابروا ولا يبع بعضكم علىٰ بيع بعض وكونوا عباد الله إخوانا
Translation: (Do not harbor hatred among yourselves, do not be enemies to one another, do not try to spoil each other’s trade, and do not try to establish your own trade over another’s trade. O servants of Allah! Become brothers among yourselves.)
(5) Atmosphere of Honor and Respect
In a Muslim society, a Muslim respecting and honoring another Muslim, as well as avoiding humiliation, insult, and fault-finding, is a clear sign of love.
Allah Almighty has said:
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا يَسْخَرْ قَوْمٌ مِّن قَوْمٍ عَسَىٰ أَن يَكُونُوا خَيْرًا مِّنْهُمْ وَلَا نِسَاءٌ مِّن نِّسَاءٍ عَسَىٰ أَن يَكُنَّ خَيْرًا مِّنْهُنَّ ۖ وَلَا تَلْمِزُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ وَلَا تَنَابَزُوا بِالْأَلْقَابِ ۖ بِئْسَ الِاسْمُ الْفُسُوقُ بَعْدَ الْإِيمَانِ ۚ وَمَن لَّمْ يَتُبْ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ . يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا كَثِيرًا مِّنَ الظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ ۖ وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا وَلَا يَغْتَب بَّعْضُكُم بَعْضًا ۚ أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَن يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ رَّحِيمٌ﴾ .
Translation: (O believers! Let no people ridicule another people; it may be that they are better than them, nor let women ridicule other women; it may be that they are better than them. And do not defame one another, nor call each other by offensive nicknames. After faith, calling someone by a bad name is a sin, and those who do not repent are wrongdoers. O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion, for some suspicion is a sin. And do not spy or backbite one another. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Accepting of Repentance, Merciful.)
(6) Loyalty in all circumstances
One requirement of love and friendship with Muslims is to stand by them in every situation, whether in hardship or ease, severity or leniency. Supporting only in times of ease and leniency and abandoning them in times of hardship and difficulty is the way of hypocrites. As Allah Almighty has said:
﴿الَّذِينَ يَتَرَبَّصُونَ بِكُمْ فَإِن كَانَ لَكُمْ فَتْحٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ قَالُوا أَلَمْ نَكُن مَّعَكُمْ وَإِن كَانَ لِلْكَافِرِينَ نَصِيبٌ قَالُوا أَلَمْ نَسْتَحْوِذْ عَلَيْكُمْ وَنَمْنَعْكُم مِّنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ﴾
Translation: (Those who watch you closely, if victory comes to you from Allah, they say, “Were we not with you?” And if the disbelievers gain success, they say to them, “Did we not overpower you?” And they save you not from the Muslims. So Allah will judge between you on the Day of Resurrection, and Allah will never give the disbelievers victory over the believers.)
(7) Continuity of Visits and Meetings
Muslims visiting each other, desiring to meet, and enjoying sitting together is a sign of mutual love.
In a Hadith Qudsi, Allah Almighty said:
وجبت محبتي للمتزاورين في.. وفي حديث آخر .. ان رجلا زار اخاله فى الله فا رصد الله على مد رجته ملكا ، فساله اين تريد ؟ قال ازوز اخالي فى الله . قال هل لك عليه من نعمة تربها عليه ؟ لا، غير اني احببته فى الله قال فاني رسول الله اليك بان الله قد احبك كما احببته فيه
Translation: (For those who visit each other solely for My pleasure, My love becomes obligatory.)
In another Hadith, the Prophet ﷺ said: (A person who sets out to visit his brother solely for the pleasure of Allah Almighty, Allah places an angel on his path who waits for him. When the person arrives, the angel asks, “Where do you want to go?” The person replies, “I am going to meet my brother for the pleasure of Allah.” The angel asks, “Does your brother owe you any favor for which you are seeking repayment?” He answers, “No, I only love him for the sake of Allah.” Then the angel says, “I am a representative sent by Allah to tell you that just as you loved your brother for the pleasure of Allah, Allah has begun to love you.”)
(8) Respecting Mutual Rights
Respecting rights also leads to an increase in love; therefore, one Muslim does not place a bid over another Muslim’s purchase, nor does he outbid him. He does not send a proposal for engagement when another has already proposed. In short, whoever takes the lead in a permissible matter, the other does not interfere. The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
(Be careful! No person should make a deal over his brother’s deal, nor send a marriage proposal when his brother has already sent one.)
In another narration, it is stated (and do not set your price over the price set by him.)
(9) Compassionate Behavior Towards the Weak
This compassionate good treatment is also a sign of mutual love. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
ليس منا من لم يرحم صغيرنا ويوقر كبيرنا
Translation: (He who does not show mercy to our young ones and respect to our elders is not one of us.)
In another hadith, the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
هل تنصرون وترزقون إلا بضعفائكم
Translation: (You are given provision and helped only because of your weak ones.)
Allah Almighty said:
﴿وَاصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ ۖ وَلَا تَعْدُ عَيْنَاكَ عَنْهُمْ تُرِيدُ زِينَةَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا﴾
Translation: (And those who call upon their Lord morning and evening, seeking His pleasure, endure patiently with them, and do not let your eyes pass beyond them, desiring the adornments of the worldly life.)
(10) Prayer for Good
A Muslim praying for other Muslims and seeking forgiveness for them is also a sign of mutual love. Allah Almighty has said:
﴿وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنبِكَ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ﴾
Translation: (Ask forgiveness for your sins and for the believing men and women.)
And Allah Almighty has mentioned the same prayer of the believers at another place:
﴿رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالْإِيمَانِ﴾
Translation: (Our Lord! Forgive us and also forgive our brothers who preceded us in faith.)
Note: (Some people may develop a misunderstanding from a verse of the Holy Quran, which needs to be clarified.) That verse is:
﴿لَّا يَنْهَاكُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَلَمْ يُخْرِجُوكُم مِّن دِيَارِكُمْ أَن تَبَرُّوهُمْ وَتُقْسِطُوا إِلَيْهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ﴾
Translation: (Allah does not forbid you from dealing kindly and justly with those who have not fought you because of religion nor driven you out of your homes. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly.)
Some people, based on this verse, might mistakenly say that it commands establishing friendship and love with certain disbelievers.
However, this meaning is incorrect. The meaning of this verse is that among the disbelievers, if a person refrains from harming Muslims, neither should Muslims fight them nor expel them from their homes; rather, Muslims should deal with them with justice and kindness in worldly matters, showing reciprocity and good conduct, but not establish heartfelt love and friendship with them.
So, the command here is for kindness and good treatment, not friendship and love. Another example of this is:
﴿وَإِن جَاهَدَاكَ عَلَىٰ أَن تُشْرِكَ بِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَا ۖ وَصَاحِبْهُمَا فِي الدُّنْيَا مَعْرُوفًا ۖ وَاتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ مَنْ أَنَابَ إِلَيَّ ۚ ثُمَّ إِلَيَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ﴾
Translation: (And if they strive to make you associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge, do not obey them. But accompany them in [this] world with appropriate kindness, and follow the way of those who turn back to Me.)
Asma’ (may Allah be pleased with her) sought permission from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم regarding maintaining ties with her mother, who was a disbeliever. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
(Maintain ties with your mother.) Although Allah Almighty has said in the Holy Quran:
﴿لَّا تَجِدُ قَوْمًا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ يُوَادُّونَ مَنْ حَادَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلَوْ كَانُوا آبَاءَهُمْ أَوْ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ﴾
Translation: (You will not find a people who believe in Allah and the Last Day having affection for those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers or their sons.)
From this, it is understood that worldly reciprocity and maintaining ties is one thing, and heartfelt love and friendship is a completely different matter.
Indeed, this reciprocity and good treatment includes an aspect of inviting disbelievers towards Islam and is one of the methods of Dawah (invitation to Islam), whereas love and friendship is entirely different; love and friendship imply that the disbeliever is correct in their disbelief and we are pleased with it, because such a person does not invite that disbeliever to Islam.
Here it should be clearly understood that the prohibition of friendship and love with disbelievers does not mean that worldly dealings with them are also forbidden. No, worldly dealings can be done, for example: lawful trade, importing goods and beneficial products from them, and benefiting from their inventions, etc.
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم once hired a disbeliever named Ibn Uraiqit Al-Laithi as a guide on a journey for a wage. Also, it is established that some Jews lent money to Muslims.
Muslims have always imported various products and goods from disbelievers; this is a purchase in exchange for a price, and there is no favor upon us in this, because Allah has made love and friendship with believers obligatory and enmity and hatred towards disbelievers obligatory.
Accordingly, Allah Almighty has said:
﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَهَاجَرُوا وَجَاهَدُوا بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَالَّذِينَ آوَوا وَّنَصَرُوا أُولَٰئِكَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ﴾
Translation: (Those who have believed and emigrated and fought in the cause of Allah with their wealth and lives and those who gave shelter and aided them – they are allies of one another.)
At another place, He said:
﴿وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ ۚ إِلَّا تَفْعَلُوهُ تَكُن فِتْنَةٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَفَسَادٌ كَبِيرٌ﴾
Translation: (And those who disbelieved are allies of one another. So if you do not do so, there will be fitnah on earth and great corruption.)
Regarding this verse, Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes:
If you do not keep away from the polytheists and do not love the believers, then there will be discord among people, such that the mixing and imitation of Muslims with disbelievers will become inevitable, resulting in widespread corruption among people.
I say that in our time, all this has become apparent (and Allah is the One whose help is sought).
