Supreme Love

Supreme Love

Opening

Introduction

What is the first thing many young men and women, or let's say young boy, young girl, the moment they hit puberty, what is it that they try to look for? You guys have any idea? I want to hear answers. What are they looking for exactly? When they become 13, 14, one particular desire, one particular quality they are trying to acquire in that time, what is it, Jamaa? Attention? I heard attention. Someone said love? Yes? Say it again? Identity? Shopping? Is that what I heard? Well, one of the main things they are looking for, really, is looking for safety.

Suddenly now they are on their own. When they were 10, 9, 8, younger, a little bit older, their parents took care of everything for them. They took care of their homework, they took care of their laundry, their food, their sustenance, and everything.

Even when they cried, their parents were there for them. They disciplined them. They created structure for them.

The moment they hit 13, 14, now it's the time to start launching themselves independently. And in a world that had a lot of confusion, they didn't know who to trust. Even their parents become now completely strangers for them.

As a matter of fact, so many young men and women today, they look at their parents as being, you know, obstacles in the way of becoming who they wanted to be. They're looking for safety. They want to see the path that is easy for them to follow.

One of the main aspects of safety people look for, which is one of the great human needs, is love. Why is that? Because when someone loves you, you know that they will sacrifice everything for you. When you know that you love somebody, that means you feel safe with them.

You can be whoever you are. And they wouldn't judge you. Whatever that happens in their life, they're looking for love.

That's why at 14, 15, they start looking to having this first crush. And now they want to fill that void. And this is a human level.

Human Love vs Supreme Love

On a human level, that is okay. We always fall into these things. Subhanallah, if you look at those who are married today, if I ask them, you know, to raise their hands, probably maybe one or two people would raise their hands if I asked if you've ever, if you've married your first love.

Why? Because our first love used to be maybe, you know, the girl, the boy, the next door maybe. Or in the other classroom. On a Sunday school, Islamic school, whatever that is.

Probably maybe that was the first love, the first crush. But most people right now, they're married and they have kids and they love each other even though they were not the first love they ever had in their lives. What's the secret behind that? That means that love is a mystery really.

And it works in an amazing way. In a human level, if there is anything in this world that causes nonsense to make all sense, it's actually, it's love. Because when we're in love, we're willing to accept whatever, even if it doesn't make any sense.

Now, when it comes to the supreme love, that's the love for Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and Allah's love for us. Many people, again when they hit 15, 14, 15, 16, with the confusion in this world, they're still looking for love. What kind of love is this right now? The love that transcends above any human desire.

You want to feel and know that Allah azza wa jal loves you no matter what. Allah want me to worship Him, but I'm falling short. Allah want me to do this, but I'm not feeling the courage to do it.

Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala wants this for me, but why He's keep challenging with these things? I'm trying to worship and I have all these trials.

I thought I did well in Ramadan. Why Allah is testing me with all these things? Now we start wondering what kind of love is that? Even though Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says in the Qur'an about the believers:

"[Allah] loves them, and they love Him."

He loves them and they love Him. So if I love Allah azza wa jal, why am I getting that love from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala in the same equal way? I put my life, my sacrifice there. Why am I not getting that what I'm asking from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala? The answer to this actually is in details, later coming inshallah, but in short, just like in the human love, ask those who are in love, those who are in love right now.

They will tell you, hey, there's no such thing as romance without finance. What does that mean? You want to love me? Prove it. Show it to me. Basically there is an evidence for this. There is a lot of work that needs to be done in order to gain that love. The same thing, when it comes to the supreme love from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, then you're going to have to prove it.

Proving Your Love to Allah

Allah azza wa jal says in the Qur'an:

"Say, [O Muhammad], if you should love Allah, then follow me, so Allah will love you and forgive you your sins."

Say, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala saying to the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, ya Muhammad إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ الله If you truly love Allah azza wajal, then فَاتَّبِعُونِي then prove it follow me, follow the example of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam يُحْبِبْكُمُ الله Allah in return will love you, and وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ will forgive you. That means if you love Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala then you're going to have to prove it, you're going to have to walk the talk.

Supreme love of Allah azza wa jal is not going to be easy, you're going to have to prove it. And I want to share with you inshaAllah with a few things in regard to the meaning of this absolute and ultimate love of Allah azza wa jal subhanahu wa ta'ala. Now what do people look for in having a loving relationship? Again whether it's a human level or otherwise, they're looking for a trusting relationship because when you love somebody that's it, you trust them in everything.

Trust in Love

And that's what people need when they love Allah azza wa jal, they're looking for trust. They want to put their trust in Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala but then that trust is being challenged. Challenged with what? With now what we see around us.

Because we thought that you know we love each other. You know when people they go in a loving relationship and they start having some issues and they complain about all the things that happen, the bickering that is happening, the disappointment we're getting from each other when we don't you know prove that love to be worthy of this and that and so on. What do people say? They say, I thought you loved me.

Okay, but does it mean that you cannot have some friction? You cannot have some challenges? And many, many people they think that love is going to produce you happiness instantly. Especially in our time when we live in the age of instant gratification. When everybody wants to feel happy now, right now.

People they get married and the next thing that you see that they're actually filing for divorce. Allah almusta'an. I've seen in a lot of cases where people they get married and few weeks later, not even months, few weeks later, they're back filing for divorce.

I'm like, what happened? We stopped loving each other, really? That's it? What happened to that love? Was dropped like this on the way while we're trying to enjoy life? So what does it mean exactly? And I keep telling people when it comes to happiness, it's not a goal that you achieve.

Don't set happiness in your relationship as a goal. You'll always be disappointed because happiness is nothing but a reward. A reward for achieving something, that's contentment. So when it comes to the loving of the husband and wife, people they ask me, so whenever I know that I lived happily ever after, I said that would be inshallah 35-40 years later. Like what do you mean by 35-40 years later?

That means 40 years later in the relationship when you look back at all the ups and downs, you will realize you say, wow, what a journey. We've gone through such a magnificent journey. Even now the painful memories, they become joyful memories after 40 years. You look back and you say, remember we fought over this issue, you know, because there was no enough salt or no spice, no enough spice in the food? And you have these things.

But in that moment in time was a big challenge. And now subhanallah it proved that it was actually improving the quality of the relationship.

The Mystery of Al-Qadr

One thing when people they don't understand very well is that the relationship between loving Allah azza wa jal and one of the greatest aspect of our faith which is very mysterious.

That aspect of our faith that is very mysterious is as mysterious as love itself. Can you guess what that is? In our faith that is the most mysterious thing in our faith? What is it? The most mysterious things about believing in Islam and Allah azza wa jal. Think of the six articles of faith.

Which one of them is the most mysterious? Al-Qadr. Predestination. Al-Qadr of Allah azza wa jal.

People see things they wonder, why are these things happening? But I thought I've done good. Why is it happening for these innocent people subhanallah, around us? I mean the wars and the atrocities and so on. So we start having this now challenge in our minds and our hearts.

How could you love Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, that supreme love and ultimate love, without having these doubts in your mind and your heart? How can you accept this, accept the love of Allah azza wa jal no matter what? It sounds like the love of your parents subhanallah. You know teenagers they have a lot of issues with their parents. Why? Like I said, because now they want to become independent.

And then now they're feeling insecure. They're looking for some safety and security here and there. And they're challenged by all these venues.

When it comes to parents' love to their children, it's unconditional. And parents, no matter how much they try to express that to their children, the kids cannot comprehend this very well. Which is okay.

And that also applies to the qadr with Allah azza wa jal. As an imam and as a family counsellor and youth counsellor, they come to me subhanallah, talking about things. And parents, they bring their children.

16, 15, 14 years old, boys or girls. And one of the common themes that I always discuss with them, and I bring it to the attention of the parents, is the youth tells me, you know when we talk, what's the problem? They say, I don't think my parents love me anymore. They say, I don't think they love me anymore.

And when you tell that to the parents, you know your child is saying that you guys, you know, you don't love them anymore. Of course you're taking permission from the child to discuss that with the parents. But then the parents will be shocked and surprised.

Like, really? Subhanallah. All what we've done for them and all what we are doing for them. So we're trying to bring our hard work as the evidence for love.

Our kids are not buying this. Why? Because they still don't get the point that love does not have to always be cozy and romantic. Can be tough love.

That can be tough love. And we've come to the qadr of Allah azza wa jal. We've come to the qadr of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

Part of the supreme love, we don't get it until we live it and later on we figure it out. I want to explain to you the relationship between that supreme love of Allah azza wa jal and understanding al-qadr of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Hopefully it will give us better understanding to accept and love Allah azza wa jal no matter what.

No matter what. Just a simple example. Ibn Qayyim rahimahullah wa ta'ala, he talked about so many examples that no matter how much parents and children, they have issues with each other, kids, they still come back to their parents.

The Example of the Child and Mother

And he brings this as an example when Allah azza wa jal tests people and they run away from Allah azza wa jal. Where would they run? Back to Allah azza wajal.

- Run away back to Allah. Usually when we say fafirru, in the Arabic language we say min or ila. You run away, you run away. But here it says fafirru ila. Run back to. So if you would like to run away from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, you run back to Him subhanahu wa ta'ala.

And he gave the example of a mother who she was actually chasing her young child away from the house

And he gave the example of a mother who she was actually chasing her young child away from the house because maybe the child upsets her for some reason. And he says he was walking in the main street or the alley basically in that small town or village or whatever. And then that child dashed out of the door.

Running away. And his mom is chasing, yelling at him and cursing at him probably. Not even throwing shoes at him.

Then he said there was a very interesting sight. The mother, she got into the house and she closed the door. Like she leaving the child out in the street.

Now the alim, he had that actual curiosity to see how this is going to unfold. So he kept waiting and watching and looking at the kid. And the kid was walking and crying and walking around and feeling agitated and just sitting down somewhere away from home.

And just, you know, keep looking at the people. And then after some time, that child, he realized there is no escape but to come back home. So he came back home.

The door was closed. He didn't dare to knock on the door. He felt so scared. Maybe he felt so guilty. Like many people of us, when we do something like this with Allah, we feel guilty to knock on His door. So what he did, he just kind of like went and he slept on the stairs in front of the house, his house.

And as he was waiting, probably maybe crying, he cried himself out all the way until he fell asleep. Later on, the mother obviously when she cooled down, she felt guilty as well. And she went straight to the door to open to look for her son.

The moment she opened the door, where did she find her son? Sleeping down there. And she looked at him. Suddenly, all that anger just disappeared.

And she melted. She melted completely with love and compassion. And she bent down, grabbed that baby and she just hugged him. And she squeezed him. Probably even crying. Maybe she was saying just, don't do this to me again.

But she was doing this out of love. (وَلِلَّهِ الْمَثَلُ الْأَعْلَى - wa lillahil-mathalul a'laa) - To Allah belongs the best example. Not that we make any resemblance between Allah and His creation (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى - subhanahu wa ta'ala)

But can you imagine, even that tough love, we still return back to Allah and Allah will take us back. No matter what, Allah will still take us back as long as we return back to Him. People, they wonder, why would Allah love the people and then test them? Well, sometimes you're going to have to be tested in order for you to upgrade your level.

The Story of Al-Khidr and Musa

Upgrade your level of love so that 40 years later you realize, Alhamdulillah, MashaAllah, you're doing great. Subhanallah, one of the best examples, one of the greatest examples to show that the relationship between the Qadar of Allah and love of Allah was mentioned in Surah Al-Kahf. Surah Al-Kahf has one of the most mysterious stories that many people and many Mufassirin, they try to explain and a lot of people still cannot comprehend that very well.

Do you know which story I'm talking about? Which story we're talking about? The story of Al-Khidr. Musa Alayhis Salaam and Al-Khidr. When Musa Alayhis Salaam was in front of Bani Israel, one day he was the man Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala spoke to directly and he was asked in front of the crowd, Ya Musa, who has more knowledge than you? Is there anyone on earth has more knowledge than you? Musa, he thought that because he has direct connection with Allah Azza wa Jalla, nobody will be more knowledgeable than him.

He goes, no, I don't think so. And Allah told Musa, who told you that? You go to such and such place, you'll find someone there and you go with him and learn from him. Musa undertook a journey with his disciple, with his student, Yusha ibn Nun, Joshua.

And on the way there, they met Al-Khidr. And that was an exciting story but the point of the story is that when Musa Alayhis Salaam told Al-Khidr, I would love to learn what Allah has taught you. Al-Khidr told him, you can't handle it.

Musa said, no, no, no, try me. He says, I'm telling you, you are not going to be able to handle what I know. Sometimes it's better for us not to know something.

Why? Because if we know it, we'll be disasters. So part of the love of Allah Azza wa Jalla concealing reasons from us. Why? Because we can't handle it.

And what appears to be tough on you, it's actually good for you. As Allah says:

You might dislike something and Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala will put so much khayr for you in there. So Musa insisted and he said to Al-Khidr, no, no, no, try me.

I'll go with you and you'll find me to be patient with you. He said, I'm telling you from now, you're not going to be patient with me. However, whatever I do, don't ask me.

Don't ask me why. Like you're not going to understand the reason. So just keep going with me and keep quiet.

So Musa, he gave him his word. He said, you have my word. I'm not going to say anything.

Now Al-Khidr, as he walking with that special knowledge that Allah has given Al-Khidr, Musa didn't have something that is very unique. They went into the bank of the river and there as they were about to cross the river, they found something to give them a ride for free. So they found the villagers, some villagers, fishermen.

Fishermen, they had a boat and this only the boat that they have for themselves. They asked him if they could give them a ride to the other side. He said, sure, come on in, hop in.

So the three of them hopped in. Al-Khidr, Musa and his disciple. They got into that boat, obviously for free, right? What a gift, Alhamdulillah.

On the way, a bird came perching on the tip of that boat and start taking some water from the river. Al-Khidr points to Musa, did you see what the bird took from the river? He goes, yeah. He goes, how much is that from the river? He goes, nothing.

Like, how much water he's taken out of the river in his beak? He goes, nothing. He says:

Both combined is just like this much the bird has taken from the river and come to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala's knowledge. Like, oh, what I'm going to show you, it's still insignificant, nothing compared to what Allah knows about everything.

Subhanahu wa ta'ala. The deep knowledge, the profound divine knowledge of Allah that transcends beyond our understanding of things. Then the story continues.

As the boat was going on the surface of the water, Al-Khidr, he looks around, the people are not watching, what did he do? He grabbed a piece from that wood and he broke it. He created a hole into that boat that is supposed to be taken to safety to the other side for these people who did him a favor to take him for free. Now Musa, he saw that, he was like, what are you doing? What do you think you're doing?

You're doing this after they did it for free? Al-Khidr reminded Musa right away.

He goes, I told you. I told you you can't be patient with me. So Musa, he remembers. He goes, oh, my mistake. I'm sorry. You know what? You have my word.

That's it. I'm not going to say anything. He said, OK. Just keep going. Now for Musa, that was evil. Wow! People giving you something for free and you just do this to them? That's a reward? But then they kept going on.

And then suddenly they saw a group of kids probably. He met a boy. Al-Khidr grabbed that boy, an innocent boy, and he killed him.

Now even if Musa was aware that he's not supposed to say anything, that was a crime. And for Musa, just like, what did you just do? This is nukrah. That's munkar.

You killed an innocent child for no reason? And that's when Al-Khidr looked at Musa again. He says, didn't I tell you that you're not going to handle it? Now, regardless how much you think of this, and that's why many people in the story, they have so much trouble trying to reconcile with that story. Like the parents, they didn't even know who killed their child.

They didn't even know why their child was killed. They have no clue that this child was just part of a test that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has a plan for. They don't even know that.

All what they know is that they lost a child and they're going to still live their lives in agonies, painful, you know, experience and memories. So Musa was very disturbed by that sight. And Al-Khidr told him, listen, I told you you cannot handle the knowledge that I have.

But then Musa said, that's it. You got my word. If I do it again, that's it. You set yourself free from me. And then they went on together. They visited a village.

They asked for hospitality. They couldn't give them anything. And they said, no, we're not going to give you anything.

So Musa and Al-Khidr, they leave out. And they rested next to a wall that was about to fall. So Al-Khidr tells Musa, let's fix this wall.

And Musa, obviously, he's just like, like in his mind, really? For these people? Why? They didn't give us anything. And we fix the wall for them?

But still, reluctantly and quietly, Musa worked with Al-Khidr fixing that wall. When they were over, when they were done, it seems that Musa a.s. couldn't handle it.

So he told Al-Khidr, he said, if I were you, I would ask for something in return. Al-Khidr told Musa, that's it. Now I'll tell you what happened.

The Divine Wisdom Behind Al-Qadr

And he gave him the answer to these three incidents, which signifies the kind of qadr, that we all live in our life, that shows us that supreme love doesn't necessarily mean always good times. But even if we don't understand, it's for your own good. That means that what you see to be as an evil thing that is happening in your life, it's only a relative issue.

There is no such thing as an absolute evil. No such thing. Because even what you consider evil could have some goodness in it, for your own good.

And here's what Musa a.s. explained, when Al-Khidr accepted Musa a.s. He says, ask for these fishermen and their boat. You know, there was a king, a tyrant. That tyrant was actually going, was going all the way to the other side, and he will be taking that boat from them.

So I wanted to make a hole in that boat, so that when the king sees that, he wouldn't take it, leaving it for them, so they can survive. And now suddenly what Musa saw to be evil, that was good for these fishermen. When the fishermen saw the hole, probably they were very upset.

But then when the boat passed by, and it wasn't taken from them, they would say, oh Alhamdulillah, thank Allah for this man who broke that boat for us. How many times you miss something you were dying to attend, and you say like, Alhamdulillah, I didn't go. Why? Because I don't know what happened, but I just didn't go.

And I'm lucky I didn't. How many times you were eager to attend something, and then somebody tells you, you don't have to go, it was a waste of our time. You say, Alhamdulillah, at least I had something beneficial for myself.

So you realize that some of the Qadr that happens, which might be negative in your mind, but still you will see the reason for it later. You would recognize the meaning of it later. The second form of Al-Qadr.

Some Qadr happens to you that you will never understand why. Like these parents who lost their child. They probably will never understand.

But Al-Khidr told Musa, if this child will grow up, will be evil. And he will drive his parents crazy. So I wondered, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala wanted to replace him with a better chance.

To send him another child. So that's why I took the life of this child. Obviously for us it's just like, but who gave him the authority? Well that's the thing.

Al-Khidr has a supreme knowledge that was given to him from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala enabled him to make that choice. But again, we have no choice over these issues. That's the test from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

What I need to do is submission. And accept that's coming from Allah azza wa jal. Because part of the supreme love is that you submit.

And among the human beings, when they love each other so much so, sometime no matter how brutal that is, they will still submit, because I love you. And I know that you're doing it for us. For good reason.

And the third category is the example of the wall that they fixed. They fixed it. They fixed it.

And there was absolutely no benefit for Musa alayhi as-salam, Al-Khidr, to fix that wall. And the children that he told him that this wall had treasure underneath. And if it fell, will be buried forever.

And it belonged to some orphan kids when they grow up. Allah wants them subhanahu wa ta'ala to pick up that and get it out and live off of that. So, he said, I wanted to fix it for them.

These kids would never know that there was work of Musa al-Khidr. Some of the Qadr happens around us, we have no explanation for. But we know it's happening for a good reason.

No matter what. The supreme love of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is for us to understand that the love of Allah azza wa jal does not always mean that you will always have good times. Sometimes hard times and difficult times is part of that love.

The tough love. The tough love that you need in order for you to expand and also to grow. Subhanallah, the story of that tourist who was actually walking and hiking in a forest and he saw a butterfly that was struggling to come out of its cocoon.

What did he do? He broke the shell. Helping that butterfly to come out faster. When he did that, that butterfly was unable to fly at all.

It was crippled. Why so? Because some of the struggle that the butterfly was going through as it was breaking the shell, it was helping her push all the fluid through these tiny veins to spread the wings so she can fly. Another man, he came to help that butterfly.

What did he do? He crippled her. That fluid was never able to go through the wings to spread them out. So sometimes that struggle that we go through, that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala put her through the test, is for our own good.

That's a supreme love. No matter what, I'm still gonna return back to Allah azza wa jal. And no matter what, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is testing us as means of experience that and testing that love.

May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala make your experience with Allah azza wa jal a beautiful experience of Rabbil Alameen. The last thing, I wanna rephrase the word and mention it again, experience. Because love is indeed an experience.

The Sweetness of Faith

Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says:

"[Three things, if you have, if you possess them, you will savor the sweetness of faith.]"

(Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith 16)

Three things, if you have, if you possess them, you will savor the sweetness of faith. Isn't that so interesting that faith has taste? So how is that? This is what it means to have that sense of peace and love of Allah azza wa jal no matter what. Just like when you go to hajj, that's what they call super rational.

You might not really understand why, but you can tell and you can feel it. Like when you go to hajj, people they come back from hajj, you ask them, how was it? They say, it was amazing. Tell me more.

I cannot say it by words. You have to be there to live it yourself. Same thing when it comes to love. Tell me how it is. I cannot tell you. You have to be in love to experience it.

Same thing when it comes to faith. Tell me how it looks like to be a believer. Tell me how it looks like to love Allah azza wa jal.

I cannot tell you. You have to experience it. And how I do that? You're gonna have to make sure to understand that supreme love, it transcends any human understanding of things.

There's deeper knowledge in the Divine subhanahu wa ta'ala that we need to go back to Allah azza wa jal. There is so much in the Qur'an when Allah speaks about love. He says, subhanahu wa ta'ala:

"[And Allah loves the doers of good.]"

He loves those who are muhsineen, perfect in their good deeds. Those who follow the Prophet salallahu alayhi wa sallam. And those who are truthful.

Go ahead and go to the Qur'an. And look for the title, love. And see who are these people Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala loved.

Experience that and you will see.

Closing

"[Peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.]"

"[Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.]"

"[O Allah, help us to remember You, to thank You, and to worship You in the best manner.]"

"[And may Allah send blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and all his companions.]"