There is a famous poem in Arabic where the poet says that you claim to love Allah and you express Allah’s love but at the same time you disobey him. By Allah, this is a very strange thing indeed! If your love for Allah was true, you would obey him because one who claims love for another, always follows him, obeys him and that is amongst people. You express your love for Allah, the Creator, and yet at the same time you quite blatantly disobey Him and also claim that you love Him.
Thus, the love of Allah عز وجل and His Rasool صلى الله عليه وسلم is not as simple as saying ‘I love Allah, I love His messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم’ rather the proof of that love is in our actions. Whenever we are tested by Allah, are we inclined towards the akhirah (hereafter) or towards the dunya (worldly life)? When the test comes, are we inclined towards Allah and His messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم and their ways or the dunya?
[This short excerpt is based on a lecture delivered by Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq on 21st February 1999, Perfection of Iman. For a more comprehensive understanding of this topic please refer to that lecture].
I can honestly say that I do truly love Allah swt and His Messenger SAW, to ERR is human – I live in hope that my mishaps are forgiven my The Almighty, ameen. Also that I do learn from my errors/mistakes and never repeat them.
Indeed it is err to human but we should try and follow in the footsteps of the sahabah. The Shaykh elaborates further in this speech that the sahaabah رضى الله عنهم displayed true love. To them, parents, children, brothers, the wealth of the dunya was nothing; if it meant the ridha of Allah and His Rasool صلى الله عليه وسلم. The Shaykh then mentions a very clear verse of the Quran that speaks about this test – about proving this love for Allah and His messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم.