Whoever guides someone to good has a reward like the one who does it.
Sahih Muslim · 1893
A separate large-type PDF to read, save, and share. Every entry starts on a new card.
↓ Download the complete card edition · تنزيل النسخة الكاملةمَحَبَّةُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى
Explore what love of Allah means, signs of that love and practical ways to nurture it. Each card has Arabic and English together.
Explore 37 cards ↓محبة الله هي قوت القلوب وغذاء الأرواح وقرة العيون، وهي الحياة التي من حرمها فهو من جملة الأموات، والنور الذي من فقده فهو في بحار الظلمات.
Love of Allah nourishes hearts and souls. Ibn al-Qayyim describes it as life, light, healing and delight for the believer.
Ibn al-Qayyim, cited in the supplied book
هي معانقة الطاعة ومباينة المخالفة.
Sahl ibn Abdullah describes love as embracing obedience and keeping away from disobedience.
Sahl ibn Abdullah
الدخول تحت رق المحبوب وعبوديته والحرية من استرقاق ما سواه.
Devotion to Allah frees the heart from being enslaved by everything else.
Attributed saying in the supplied book
المحبة سفر القلب في طلب المحبوب ولهج اللسان بذكره على الدوام. من أحب شيئًا أكثر ذكره.
Love is the heart's journey toward its Beloved and the tongue's frequent remembrance of Him. We speak often of what we love.
Attributed saying; explanation by Ibn al-Qayyim
توحيد المحبوب بخالص الإرادة وصدق الطلب.
Direct your deepest intention and sincere seeking toward Allah alone.
Attributed saying in the supplied book
إذا غرست شجرة المحبة في القلب وسقيت بماء الإخلاص ومتابعة الحبيب أثمرت أنواع الثمار.
When love is planted in the heart and watered by sincerity and following the Prophet ﷺ, it bears lasting fruit.
Attributed saying in the supplied book
قُلْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ.
Say: If you love Allah, follow me; Allah will love you and forgive your sins. Following the Messenger ﷺ is the Qur'anic measure of this claim.
Qur'an 3:31; commentary attributed to Ibn al-Qayyim
من علامات محبة الله حب لقاء الله تعالى في جنانه العاليات ورضوانه الأكبر.
One sign of love for Allah is longing to meet Him and attain His pleasure in Paradise.
Azhar Ahmad Mahmud, supplied compilation
المتحابون في جلالي لهم منابر من نور يغبطهم النبيون والشهداء.
Love for Allah includes loving those He loves. Those who love one another for His sake are promised pulpits of light in this report.
Al-Tirmidhi, as cited in the supplied compilation
من علامات محبة الله أن لا تعصيه تعالى في أمره ونهيه.
Love is shown by taking Allah's commands and prohibitions seriously.
Azhar Ahmad Mahmud, supplied compilation
حبه لكلامه تعالى وتلاوته والأنس بمناجاته وذكره.
A sign of love is affection for Allah's words: reading the Qur'an, remembering Him and finding comfort in prayer.
Azhar Ahmad Mahmud; accounts of Amir ibn Abd Qays and Muslim ibn Yasar
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَنْ يَرْتَدَّ مِنْكُمْ عَنْ دِينِهِ فَسَوْفَ يَأْتِي اللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ يُحِبُّهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَهُ أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ يُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَلَا يَخَافُونَ لَوْمَةَ لَائِمٍ ذَلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ
Believers, if any of you turn away from your religion, Allah will bring a people whom He loves and who love Him: humble towards believers, strong towards disbelievers, striving in Allah’s cause and unafraid of anyone’s reproach. This is Allah’s bounty, which He gives to whom He wills. Allah is boundless in bounty and all-knowing.
Qur’an 5:54
وما تقرب إلي عبدي بشيء أحب إلي مما افترضته عليه وما زال عبدي يتقرب إلي بالنوافل حتى أحبه.
Allah loves the prescribed duties most; continued voluntary worship is a path to His love. The hadith promises His help and response.
Sahih al-Bukhari, hadith of the wali
فمن أحبه الله رزقه محبته وطاعته والاشتغال بذكره فأوجب له ذلك القرب منه.
Ibn Rajab says that when Allah loves a servant, He grants them love, obedience and remembrance, bringing them closer to Him.
Ibn Rajab, cited in the supplied book
قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: «إذا أحب الله العبد نادى جبريل: إن الله يحب فلانًا فأحببه. فيحبه جبريل، فينادي جبريل في أهل السماء: إن الله يحب فلانًا فأحبوه. فيحبه أهل السماء، ثم يوضع له القبول في الأرض».
The Prophet ﷺ said: “When Allah loves a servant, He calls Jibril: ‘Allah loves this person, so love him.’ Jibril then loves him and calls to the inhabitants of heaven: ‘Allah loves this person, so love him.’ The inhabitants of heaven love him, and acceptance is then granted to him on earth.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 3209
من فاته الله فلو حصلت له الجنة بحذافيرها لكان مغبونًا.
Ibn Rajab stresses that nearness to Allah is the believer's greatest treasure, beyond worldly gain.
Ibn Rajab, cited in the supplied book
أجابوا منادى الشوق إذ نادى بهم حي على الفلاح، وبذلوا نفوسهم في طلب الوصول إلى محبوبهم.
Ibn al-Qayyim pictures devoted believers answering the call to success and persevering until they reach their Lord.
Ibn al-Qayyim, cited in the supplied book
يُحِبُّهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَهُ.
Ibn al-Jawzi reflects on Allah's words, 'He loves them and they love Him,' and on the reality of love expressed in obedience.
Qur'an 5:54; Ibn al-Jawzi
لا تقبل هذه الدعوى إلا ببينة: قُلْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ.
Ibn al-Qayyim says that the claim of love is tested by following the Prophet ﷺ in deeds, words and character.
Ibn al-Qayyim; Qur'an 3:31
قراءة القرآن بالتدبر والتفهم لمعانيه.
Read the Qur'an with reflection and try to understand its meanings.
A means of love in the supplied compilation
التقرب إلى الله بالنوافل بعد الفرائض.
After fulfilling the obligatory duties, draw near to Allah through voluntary acts of worship.
A means of love in the supplied compilation
دوام ذكره تعالى على كل حال باللسان والقلب والعمل.
Remember Allah consistently with the tongue, heart and deeds.
A means of love in the supplied compilation
إيثار محابه على محابك عند غلبة الهوى.
When desires compete, give priority to what Allah loves.
A means of love in the supplied compilation
مطالعة القلب لأسمائه وصفاته ومعرفتها؛ فمن عرف الله تعالى بأسمائه وصفاته وأفعاله أحبه.
Learn and reflect on Allah's names, attributes and actions; knowing Him deepens love for Him.
A means of love in the supplied compilation
مشاهدة بره وإحسانه وآلائه ونعمه الباطنة والظاهرة.
Notice Allah's kindness and the blessings seen and unseen in your life.
A means of love in the supplied compilation
انكسار القلب بكليته بين يدي الله تعالى.
Stand before Allah with a humble, dependent heart.
A means of love in the supplied compilation
الخلوة به في وقت النزول الإلهي لمناجاته وتلاوة كلامه ثم ختم ذلك بالاستغفار والتوبة.
Spend quiet time in night prayer, recite His words, speak to Him and end with repentance and seeking forgiveness.
A means of love in the supplied compilation
مجالسة المحبين الصادقين والتقاط أطايب ثمرات كلامهم.
Spend time with sincere people who love Allah and benefit from their best counsel.
A means of love in the supplied compilation
مباعدة كل سبب يحول بين القلب وبين الله عز وجل.
Keep away from habits and distractions that put distance between the heart and Allah.
A means of love in the supplied compilation
المحب لا يجد مع حب الله عز وجل للدنيا لذة ولا يغفل عن ذكر الله طرفة.
Fath al-Mawsili describes the lover of Allah as finding deep delight in remembrance rather than being absorbed in worldly pleasure.
Fath al-Mawsili
ما يكاد يمل القربة إلى الله تعالى محب لله عز وجل.
Muhammad ibn al-Nadr says one who loves Allah hardly grows tired of drawing near to Him.
Muhammad ibn al-Nadr al-Harithi
المحب لله طائر القلب كثير الذكر متسبب إلى رضوانه بكل سبيل يقدر عليها.
The lover of Allah remembers Him often and seeks His pleasure through every good means available.
Attributed saying in the supplied book
من كان بالله وأسمائه وصفاته ودينه أعرف كان له أحب وكانت لذته بالوصول إليه ومجاورته والنظر إلى وجهه أتم.
Ibn al-Qayyim connects deeper knowledge of Allah with deeper love and the lasting joy of nearness to Him in the Hereafter.
Ibn al-Qayyim, cited in the supplied book
ثلاث من كن فيه وجد حلاوة الإيمان: أن يكون الله ورسوله أحب إليه مما سواهما، وأن يحب المرء لا يحبه إلا لله، وأن يكره أن يعود في الكفر كما يكره أن يقذف في النار.
Three qualities bring the sweetness of faith: loving Allah and His Messenger above all, loving someone for Allah's sake, and detesting a return to disbelief.
Al-Bukhari and Muslim
إذا استغنى الناس بالدنيا فاستغن أنت بالله وإذا فرحوا بالدنيا فافرح أنت بالله.
Ibn al-Qayyim urges the believer to find joy, companionship and dignity in drawing near to Allah.
Ibn al-Qayyim, cited in the supplied book
فبعزتك لأغوينهم أجمعين إلا عبادك منهم المخلصين.
The Qur'an recounts that Satan cannot claim authority over Allah's sincere servants who believe and trust Him.
Qur'an 38:82–83; 16:99–100; commentary attributed to Ibn al-Qayyim
قيل لبعض العارفين: إنا لنوسوس في صلاتنا. قال: بأي شيء؟ قالوا: بالدنيا.
An early teacher asked what distracts people in prayer; the answer, worldly concerns, reminds us to return the heart to Allah.
Attributed anecdote in the supplied book
Adapted from the Arabic compilation “Mahabbat Allah wa ʿAlāmātuhā” attributed to Azhar Ahmad Mahmud and supplied by the site owner. The English renders the meaning. The statements of scholars are reflections; Qur’an and hadith citations are identified separately.