Presenter
Is love lawful or unlawful in Islām? He intends, apparently, the love between a man and woman before marriage.
Shaykh ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz bn ʿAbdillāh bn Bāz
Loving for Allāh and hating for Allāh is an act of nearness and obedience among the Muslims. For him to love his brother for Allāh and hate him for Allāh [when necessary], this is an act of obedience. He loves the Muslims for Allāh and he hates the disbelievers for Allāh.
Allāh, the Majestic and Most High said in His Noble Book (what means):
﴾You (O Muhammad ﷺ) will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad ﷺ)﴿ [al-Mujādilah:22]
So it is upon the believer to hate the enemies of Allāh and free himself from them.
And He, the Exalted said (what means):
﴾Indeed there has been an excellent example for you in Ibrahim (Abraham) and those with him, when they said to their people: “Verily, we are free from you and whatever you worship besides Allah, we have rejected you, and there has started between us and you, hostility and hatred for ever, until you believe in Allah Alone,”﴿ [al-Mumtaḥanah:4]
So the Muslim hates for Allāh and he antagonizes for Allāh.
And likewise, he loves for Allāh. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Seven individuals will be shaded by Allāh in His Shade, on a day when there will be no shade except His Shade.” He mentioned among them: “Two men who loved each other for Allāh. They come together on it [i.e the love] and they separate on it.”
And he ﷺ said in an authentic ḥadīth: “[There are] three qualities, whoever possesses them will find through them the sweetness of faith:
That Allāh and His Messenger are the more beloved to him than anything else.
And that he loves a man, and he does not love him except for Allāh…”
And he, may blessings and peace be upon him, also said: “Allāh will say on the day of resurrection: Where are those who have mutual love for My Majesty? Today, I will share them beneath My Shade, a day when there is no shade except My Shade.”
So if a man proposes to a woman whom he loves for Allāh, due to her religion, there is no problem if he proposes to her because he loves her for Allāh, due to her religion, and her steadfastness, there is no problem in that.
And this is from what is appropriate for the believer; for him to make inquiries about a good woman, so that he can propose to her.
