Love & Hate

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

In Swahih al-Bukhari, it is recorded on the authority of Sayyidatina ‘Aishah bint Abu Bakr (r.a.), that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “Souls are like conscripted soldiers; those whom they recognise, they get along with, and those whom they do not recognise, they will not get along with.”  And so, someone asked why it is so when we are supposed to love everyone and not hate. 

Mawlana Wahshi Kirmani (q.s.) wrote: 

“Every heart that is not aflame is no heart;

A frozen heart is nothing but a handful of clay.

O God!  Give me a breast that sets ablaze,

And in that breast a heart and that heart consumed with fire.” 

The following is taken from another source, author unknown.  In Islam, the concept of love is one of the most important concepts.  This fact manifests itself in Islamic philosophy, theology, mysticism and ethics; indeed, in some aspects, it plays the crucial role.  For example, in defining the Islamic point of view on the relation between God and universe in general, and between God and Mankind in particular, love has the most significant and profound place.  Love is so central in Islam that it is seen as “the firmest handhold of faith” and “faith is nothing but love for the sake of God and hate for the sake of God.” 

Sayyidina ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (r.a.) reported that Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) said, “The strongest faith is to be sincere for the sake of Allah, to hate for the sake of Allah, to love for the sake of Allah, and to discard for the sake of Allah.”  There is a tendency among some people to think that there should be no hate at all.  These people assume that excellence and nobility of character and “being sociable” consist of having all men one's friends.  Certainly, Islam recommends Muslims to love people and optimise compassionate and sincere relationship with them, even if they do not believe in Islam or in God.  However, it is not feasible for a person who has principles in his life and has devoted his life to realise sacred values to be indifferent to evil and oppressive deeds of wrongdoers and make friendship with everybody.  Such a person certainly will have some enemies, whether he likes it or not.  There are always good people in the society and bad people.  Good and bad are two opposite poles.  Attraction towards the good is not possible without repulsion from the bad. 

When two human beings attract each other and their hearts wish for them to be friends and companions with one another, we should look for a reason for that.  The reason is nothing other than similarity and resemblance.  Unless there is a similarity between these two persons, they cannot attract one another and move towards friendship with each other, as saying goes, birds of same feather flock together.