Hili linaweza kuwa aina ya shirki, kwa sababu moyo wa mtu, katika baadhi ya hali, humchukulia mpenzi wake kama mshindani wa Allah ~; yeye humpenda kama anavyompenda Allah ~; lakini vipi kuhusu yule ambaye upendo wake kwa mpenzi wake ni mkubwa kuliko upendo wake kwa Allah ~? Aina hii ya mapenzi haisamehewi; ni aina ya shirki, na Allah hasamehe shirki; Yeye ~husamehe wale wanaotubu, akifuta kila aina ya shirki mioyoni mwao (yaani kwa toba safi). Dalili moja ya mapenzi haya ya kishirki ni kwamba mtu mwenye mapenzi makali huipendelea furaha ya mpenzi wake kuliko ya Mola wake. Haki za mpenzi wake zinapogongana na haki za Mola wake, yeye huipa kipaumbele haki ya mpenzi wake! Hii ndiyo hali ya wengi wenye mapenzi haramu kwa wanawake, na mapenzi haramu ya kutazama picha zao au nyuso zao. Weka mapenzi yao ya kimwili upande mmoja wa mizani, na imani yao ya Tauhidi upande wa pili, kisha jaribu kupima kwa haki ipasavyo ili kumridhisha Allah ~ na Mtume Wake. Wengi wa watu hawa hutangaza hadharani kwamba hakuna tena nafasi moyoni mwao isipokuwa kwa mpenzi wao. Wana mapenzi yanayozidi yale ya Muumba wao. Wamemwelekezea mpenzi wao upendo na shauku yao yote, kwa hiyo hawana chochote kilichobaki cha kumwabudu Allah, wakijua kwamba kumwabudu Allah kunahitaji ukamilifu katika mapenzi na unyenyekevu. Dawa ya hali hii iliyoharibu ni kujua kwamba kuathiriwa na ugonjwa huu, unaopingana na imani yake ya Tauhidi, hutokana na ujinga wake na uzembe wa moyo wake katika kumkumbuka Allah ~. Kwanza ni lazima ajifunze Tauhidi ya Allah na dalili zake, kisha atekeleze ibada za nje na za ndani, ambazo zitaujaza moyo wake kwa kumkumbuka Allah ~ daima. Anapaswa kumgeukia Allah ~ kwa unyenyekevu na utii, akitafuta msaada Wake, ili aondoshe ugonjwa huo mbali nao. Hakuna tiba bora zaidi kuliko kuwa mkweli kwa Mwenyezi Mungu ~ katika matendo yote ya mtu. Ndiyo tiba aliyoitaja Mwenyezi Mungu ~ pale aliposema: ({Hivyo ndivyo, ili Tumwepushe na uovu na uzinzi. Hakika yeye alikuwa miongoni mwa waja wetu waliosafishwa.}) Mwenyezi Mungu ~ ametujulisha kwamba alimwepusha Yusuf na uovu na zinaa haramu kwa sababu ya ibada yake safi kwa Mola wake. Pia mtu anapaswa kujua kwamba kufuata Uislamu na akili huwezesha kupata manufaa kwa mtu binafsi, na huondoa au kupunguza vyanzo vyote vya uharibifu. Inajulikana kwamba kukuza shauku ya kutazama wanawake au picha zao kwa haramu hakuna faida ya kidini wala ya kidunia. Badala yake, madhara yake mabaya ni mengi mno kuhesabika, kwa hiyo tunataja tu mambo yafuatayo: Kwanza, moyo hujitolea kabisa kwa mpenzi wake, na hukengeushwa kutoka kumpenda Mola wake ~ au kumkumbuka. Hivyo ni lazima kimoja kati ya hivyo kishinde kingine pale vinapojaribu kukusanyika moyoni mmoja. Pili, moyo huteswa nayo, kwa sababu kila anayependa kitu kingine zaidi ya Mwenyezi Mungu ~ atapewa adhabu kwa hicho. Tatu, moyo huwa mfungwa mikononi mwa aliyeuteka, ambaye anaweza kuutia aibu. Moyo uliolewa hautambui udhalili wake. Nne, moyo hukengeushwa kutoka manufaa yake ya kidini na ya kidunia. Tano, magonjwa yote ya dunia hii na Akhera humiminika kwenye moyo unaotekwa na tamaa. Hakika moyo unapokaribia kutimiza shauku yake, huzidi kumbali na Mola wake, na hivyo huanguka mikononi mwa shetani. Sita, tamaa inapoutawala moyo, akili huharibika kwa wasiwasi wa kishetani unaojitokeza. Saba, ugonjwa huu husababisha uharibifu wa hisia, au angalau baadhi yake. Kwa kweli moyo unapoharibika, macho, masikio na ulimi pia huharibika. Macho hayaoni tena mambo maovu au kasoro za mpenzi. Masikio hayasikilizi madai ya kuacha tabia haramu kama hii, kwa sababu anayejihusisha na jambo hilo haoni kasoro yake; mapenzi yake makali kwa tamaa humwekea pazia machoni pake. Mtu pekee anayeijua ni yule aliyewahi kujihusisha nayo na baadaye akaacha. Ndiyo sababu Maswahaba waliosilimu baada ya maisha ya ushirikina walikuwa bora kuliko wale waliozaliwa katika Uislamu. 'Umar bin Al-Khattab ~ alisema: "Vifungo vya Uislamu vitavunjwa, kimoja baada ya kingine, na wale waliozaliwa katika Uislamu na wasioshuhudia Jahiliyyah (kipindi cha kabla ya Uislamu)." Nane, mapenzi ya shauku ni upendo mkali au wa kupita kiasi; huuteka moyo wa mtu na kuanza kutumia kwa nguvu nguvu zake za kimwili na za kiakili, hadi kujiangamiza kwake kutokee. Hili limeonekana vizuri katika mwenendo wa mapenzi ya shauku: mwanzo wake ni mtamu, katikati yake kuna wasiwasi na hofu tele, na mwisho wake ni kujiangamiza. Katika mwanzo wa mapenzi kama hayo, wanachuoni wamesema kwamba mtu alazimike kuyapinga kwa uwezo wake wote, isipokuwa ikiwa imepangwa kwake kumfikia mpendwa wake kihalali (kwa ndoa). Hata hivyo, akishindwa kupinga nguvu zake, angalau anapaswa kunyamaza na asiyafichue kwa watu wengine, kwa sababu atakuwa amekiuka heshima ya mpendwa, na kujiongezea dhulma juu ya nafsi yake. Kuna magonjwa mengi yanayotokana na mapenzi haya ya kitamaa, ambayo katika baadhi ya visa yamewapeleka watu waliolelewa katika Uislamu kwenye ushirikina. Hakika, Mu'adhdhin mmoja alimwona mwanamke mzuri kutoka juu ya paa na akavutiwa naye sana. Basi akashuka chini na kuomba kuwa mpenzi wake. Yeye akamjibu kwamba yeye ni Mkristo, na kwamba atamwoa ikiwa atakubali kuukubali dini yake. Akakubali, lakini siku hiyo hiyo, alipopanda hatua moja juu ya paa lao, akaanguka na kufa. Wakati baadhi ya Wakristo walipotaka kumgeuza mfungwa Mwislamu asiache dini yake, walimweka mbele ya mwanamke mzuri, naye angepaswa kuvuta usikivu wake, mpaka amchukue moyo wake. Kisha angepaswa kujitoa kwake endapo angeikubali dini yake! Hii ingekuwa katika wakati ambao (Allah atawathibitisha wale walioamini kwa kauli thabiti katika maisha ya dunia na Akhera; na Allah huwapotosha madhalimu, na Allah hufanya atakalo.) 1 Mtu mwenye akili timamu hawezi kujiweka katika tamaa hii ya kimapenzi, kwa sababu huleta matokeo mabaya tu. Yeyote anayeijaza akili yake na matamanio anajidanganya tu na huenda hata akaiharibu, kwa maana kama asingekuwa akitazama uso wa mpendwa wake mara kwa mara, tamaa isingeutawala moyo wake. Mapenzi yenye manufaa zaidi ni mapenzi ya Allah ﷻ, ambayo ni kamili; yale ambayo mioyo yote huzaliwa nayo kwa silika. Hii ndiyo siri ya Shahada ya Imani, kwa sababu Mungu ndiye ambaye mioyo humwabudu kwa mapenzi, utukufu, sifa na unyenyekevu. Hata hivyo, ibada haikubaliwi ikiwa haielekezwi kwa Allah ﷻ peke yake, kwa kuwa ibada ni ukamilifu wa mapenzi pamoja na ukamilifu wa utiifu na unyenyekevu. Dalili ya wajibu huu wa kumpenda Allah ﷻ imetajwa katika Vitabu vyake vyote vya Wahyi, katika ujumbe wa Manabii Wake, na katika mpangilio wa kimaumbile ambao Allah ﷻ aliwajalia waja Wake. Nyoyo za watu kwa asili huvutiwa kumpenda Yule anayewamiminia neema zake, kama Allah ﷻ alivyosema: ({Neema yoyote mnayo, basi ni kutoka kwa Allah. Kisha inapokuguseni dhara, ndiye mnayemlilia msaada.}) 2 Dalili hii pia huonekana wazi pale waja Wake wanapojifunza Majina Yake Mazuri zaidi na Sifa Zake, zinazoonyesha ukamilifu Wake na ukuu Wake. Mapenzi yana vivutio viwili: uzuri na heshima; ambavyo Allah ﷻ anavyo kwa kiwango cha ukamilifu kabisa. Yeye ﷻ ni mwenye uzuri na anapenda uzuri, kwa kuwa uzuri wote ni Wake Yeye ﷻ. Allah ~ alisema (akimwambia Mtume wake Muhammad ﷺ): (Sema: Ikiwa kweli mnampenda Allah, basi nifuateni; Allah atawapenda na kuwasamehe dhambi zenu.) 1 Pia alisema: (Enyi mlioamini! Atakayerudi nyuma miongoni mwenu kutoka katika dini yake (Uislamu), Allah ataleta watu ambao Yeye atawapenda nao watampenda Yeye; wanyenyekevu kwa Waumini, wakali kwa makafiri, wanapigana vita katika njia ya Allah, wala hawaogopi lawama ya wanaolaumu. Hiyo ndiyo Fadhila ya Allah anayowapa amtakaye; Allah ni Mwenye wasaa, Mjuzi. Hakika Walii (mwenye kusaidia au kulinda) wenu si mwingine ila ni Allah, Mtume Wake, na Waumini, wale wanaosimamisha Swala, na kutoa Zaka, na kunyenyekea kwa Allah katika Swala. Na atakayemfanya Allah, Mtume Wake, na walioamini kuwa Walii, basi Kikosi cha Allah ndicho kitakachoshinda.)2 Msingi wa kumfanya mtu kuwa Walii ni mapenzi, kama vile msingi wa uadui ni chuki. Allah ~ ndiye Walii wa wale walioamini, nao ni Wacha-Mungu Wake. Yeye ~ huwapenda, na ni Walii wao kulingana na kiwango cha mapenzi yao kwake J.; Allah ~ amewalaumu wale wanaowafanya wengine kuwa walii badala Yake £; kwani alisema: (Na miongoni mwa watu wako wanaojifanyia wengine badala ya Allah kuwa ni washirika (wa Allah). Wanawapenda kama wanavyompenda Allah. Lakini walioamini wanampenda Allah zaidi (kuliko kitu chochote).) 1 Aliwajulisha kuhusu wale wanaomfanyia washirika (katika ibada), watakapowaambia hao washirika wao watakapokusanyika Motoni: (Wallahi, hakika tulikuwa katika upotovu wa wazi, tulipowafanya ninyi (miungu ya uongo) kuwa sawa (katika ibada) na Mola Mlezi wa viumbe vyote. ) 2 Kwa Tauhidi hii, iliyojengwa juu ya mapenzi ya Allah, Allah ~ alituma Mitume wake wote pamoja na Wahyi Wake, wakibeba Ujumbe uleule tangu Nabii wa kwanza (Adam ~ \) hadi Nabii wa mwisho (Muhammad ﷺ). Kwa ajili yake Allah ~ aliumba mbingu na ardhi, Pepo na Moto; akifanya Pepo kuwa makazi ya milele kwa watu wanaompenda, na Moto kuwa makazi kwa wale wanaomshirikisha. Nabii ﷺ aliapa kwamba imani ya mtu haitakamilika mpaka Nabii ﷺ awe mpendwa kwake kuliko mtoto wake, baba yake na watu wote; basi vipi kuhusu mapenzi ya Mola £? Pia alimwambia 'Umar bin Al-Khattab: "Hapana, mpaka niwe mpendwa kwako kuliko nafsi yako mwenyewe," yaani imani yako haitakamilika mpaka mapenzi yako yafikie kiwango hiki! Ikiwa Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ ana haki zaidi (kwetu) kuliko nafsi zetu wenyewe katika mapenzi na mahitaji yake, je, Mola £ hana haki zaidi ya mapenzi kuliko nafsi zetu wenyewe? Allah ~ alimuumba mwanadamu amwabudu, na akamuumbia kila kitu kilichomo mbinguni na ardhini; je, Mola hana haki ya mapenzi yetu na radhi yetu (zinazoonyeshwa kwa shukrani yetu ya dhati, heshima na ibada yetu kwake Yeye Peke Yake)? Yeye ~ ni Mwingi wa Ukarimu; humpa Mja Wake hata kabla hajamwomba chochote. Yeye ~ huthamini juhudi ndogo ya Mja Wake, na husamehe makosa mengi, akiyafutilia mbali. Kila kilichomo mbinguni na ardhini humwomba kila siku, naye ~ husikiliza maombi ya kila mmoja. Yeye ~ hachanganyikiwi na maombi mengi kutoka kwa Waja Wake wote, wala hakasiriki kwa wale wanaomwomba kwa msisitizo mkubwa. Badala yake, Yeye ~ hufurahishwa zaidi na wale wanaomwomba mahitaji yao mara kwa mara, hata hupenda kuombwa! Kwa nini watu hawampendi Yule peke yake anayewaletea mema (kwa kuzidisha wema wa muumini mara kumi) na kuondoa maovu yao? Yeye ~ hujibu dua, huondoa msiba, husamehe dhambi na hulipa mema! Ukamilifu wa mapenzi hudhihirika katika furaha, shangwe na raha ya nafsi; na hakika alama hizi za mapenzi kamili ni za kusifiwa, ikiwa zinapelekea kwenye raha kuu ya milele, yaani ile ya Akhera na neema zake! Allah ~ amesema: (Lakini nyinyi mnapendelea maisha ya dunia hii, ilhali Akhera ni bora zaidi na ya kudumu.) 1 Wachawi walimwambia Firauni, walipokwisha kuamini: ("Basi amua unachotaka kuamua, kwani wewe unaweza kuamua tu juu ya maisha haya ya dunia. Hakika sisi tumeamini Mola wetu Mlezi, ili Yeye atusamehe makosa yetu, na uchawi ambao ulitulazimisha kuufanya; na Allah ni bora (kwa thawabu, ukilinganisha na thawabu yako) na ni wa kudumu zaidi.")1 Allah ~ aliumba wanadamu na majini ili awape raha hii ya milele katika ulimwengu wa Akhera; na neema na raha bora kabisa ya Akhera ni ya kumtazama Uso wa Allah ~ na kusikia moja kwa moja Maneno Yake, na kuwa karibu Naye ~. Mtume ~ amesema: "Allah ~ ataondoa pazia, na kati ya vitu vyote alivyopewa, hakuna kitakachokuwa kipendwa kwao kama kumwona Mola wao Mlezi, Mwenye Nguvu, Mtukufu."2 Na katika Hadithi nyingine: "Alipojidhihirisha kwao na wakamwona, walisahau neema zote walizokuwa wakizifurahia." Mtume ~ alisema katika moja ya dua zake: "Ninakuomba raha ya kutazama Uso wako Mtukufu, kwa shauku ya kukutana nawe."3 Aina ya pili ya raha ni ile ya kulaumiwa, ambayo ni kinyume cha raha ya Akhera. Ni raha ya wale wanaowafanya masanamu washindani wa Allah; wanawapenda na kunufaika kwa pamoja duniani, kama watakavyojaribu kumweleza Mola wao Mlezi Siku ya Hukumu: ("Ee Mola wetu Mlezi! Sisi tulinufaika kwa pamoja, lakini sasa tumefika muda wetu uliowekwa ambao Wewe ulituwekea" Yeye atasema: "Moto ndio makao yenu; mtadumu humo milele, isipokuwa Allah akitaka. Hakika Mola wako Mlezi ni Mwenye hekima, Mjuzi wa kila kitu.") Hivyo ndivyo tunavyowafanya wadhalimu kuwa washirika wa kila mmoja, kwa sababu ya yale waliyokuwa wakiyachuma.) 1 Furaha ya wenye dhambi, wadhalimu na wanaovuka mipaka iko hapa duniani tu, lakini ni hatua ya taratibu kuelekea maangamizi yao. Allah ~ amesema: ( Tutawakamata kidogo kidogo kwa adhabu kwa njia ambazo hawazitambui; kwani ninawapa muda; hakika mpango wangu una nguvu.) 2 Baadhi ya wanazuoni wameongeza katika tafsiri ya Aya hiyo kwamba kila wanapofanya dhambi, Allah ~ huwaumbia baraka, ( mpaka katikati ya starehe zao kwa yale waliyopewa, ghafla tukawachukua (kwa adhabu), na wakatumbukia katika maangamizi pamoja na majuto makubwa na huzuni. Basi, mzizi wa watu waliodhulumu ulikatwa; sifa zote ni za Allah, Mola Mlezi wa walimwengu.)3 Allah ~ amesema kuhusu watu wa starehe za namna hii: (Je, wanadhani kwamba kwa mali na watoto tunaowapa, tunawaharakishia mema? Hapana kabisa, lakini hawana ufahamu.) 4 Pia amesema kuhusu wao: ( Basi usiwastaajabishe mali zao na watoto wao (ewe Muhammad ﷺ); kwa hakika mpango wa Allah ni kuwaadhibu kwa vitu hivyo katika maisha ya dunia hii, na kwamba nafsi zao zitatoka (kufa) wakiwa makafiri.) ' Aina ya tatu ya furaha ni ile ambayo haifaulu kuwa furaha ya Akhera wala haizalishi adhabu yoyote; ni ile aliyoikusudia Mtume ﷺ katika Hadith: "Kila kitu ambacho mtu hujiburudisha nacho ni batili, isipokuwa: kurusha kwake mshale kwa upinde wake, kumfundisha farasi wake, na kucheza kwake na mke wake; kwani hayo yanahusu yaliyo haki." 2 Mapenzi haya hayalaumiwi; ni miongoni mwa aina za mapenzi yanayosifiwa, kama vile mapenzi kwa Mtume ﷺ. Lakini tunachokusudia hapa ni mapenzi yale yanayoutawala moyo wa mpenzi; yule anayeelekeza fikra na kumbukumbu zake zote kwa mpendwa wake. Kila Mwislamu ana moyoni mwake upendo kwa Allah na Mtume Wake, ambao ni lazima kwake ili aingie katika Uislamu; lakini kiwango cha upendo huu kinatofautiana kutoka mtu mmoja hadi mwingine, na ni Allah peke yake anayekijua. Ni upendo huu unaopunguza uzito wa wajibu wa kidini; unageuza matendo ya ubakhili kuwa ya ukarimu; unaweka ushujaa moyoni mwa mwoga; unautakasa akili na kuidhibiti nafsi; unaling'arisha uso na kuufurahisha moyo. Vivyo hivyo, kupenda Neno la Allah~ (Qur'an) ni dalili ya kuwa na upendo kwa Allah. Ikiwa mtu anataka kuona kiwango cha upendo wake kwa Allah, aangalie jinsi unavyoipenda Qur'an moyoni mwako; furaha yako katika kuisikiliza, ikilinganishwa na furaha ya watu wengine katika kusikiliza muziki. Inajulikana kwamba yeyote anayempenda mpendwa wake, maneno na mazungumzo ya mpendwa huyo huwa ya thamani zaidi kwake kuliko kitu kingine chochote. 'Uthman bin Affan~ alisema: "Ikiwa nyoyo zetu zingetakaswa, kamwe zisingeshiba Neno la Allah." Siku moja, Mtume ﷺ alimwambia Abdullah bin Mas'ud~: "Nisomee Qur'an." Akajibu: "Nikusomee, ilhali ilishushwa kwako wewe?" Mtume ﷺ akasema: "Napenda kuisikia kutoka kwa wengine." Basi akasoma Surat An-Nisa' (Wanawake) mpaka alipofika Aya (Na. 41): {Basi itakuwaje wakati Tutakapoleta shahidi kutoka kila umma, na Tukakuleta wewe (Ee Muhammad) kuwa shahidi juu ya watu hawa.} Ndipo Mtume ﷺ akamwambia: "Simama!" Hapo akaona macho ya Mtume ﷺ yakimwagika machozi. Kuhusu mapenzi ya mke/wake, hakuna lawama katika hilo. Ni baraka ambayo Allah~ amewapa waja Wake; kwani Yeye~ amesema: {Miongoni mwa Ishara Zake ni kwamba amekuumbieni wake katika nafsi zenu, mpate kutulia kwao, na amewawekea baina yenu mapenzi na rehema; hakika katika hayo mna ishara kwa watu wanaotafakari.} Yeye~ amewafanya wanawake kuwa mahali pa kupumzika kwa moyo wa mwanamume, na amethibitisha mapenzi ya dhati na upendo baina yao, ambayo ni mapenzi yaliyoambatana na rehema. Allah ~ amesema, baada ya kutaja yaliyo halali kwa wanaume kuhusu wanawake na yasiyo halali: ( Allah anataka kukubainishia (yaliyo halali na yasiyo halali) kwenu, na kukuonyesha njia za wale waliokuwa kabla yenu, na kukubali toba yenu; kwa kuwa Allah ni Mjuzi, Mwenye hekima. Allah anataka kukubali toba yenu, lakini wale wanaofuata matamanio yao, wanataka mpotoke sana (mbali na Njia iliyo sahihi). Allah anataka kukupunguzieni mzigo, kwa kuwa mwanadamu aliumbwa dhaifu (yaani hawezi kuvumilia kuacha tendo la ndoa na wanawake))2 Jabir bin Abdullah 4, ameripoti kwamba Mtume ﷺ alimwona mwanamke, hivyo akamwendea mkewe, Zaynab, ili kutimiza hamu yake naye. Kisha akawaendea Masahaba wake na kuwaambia: 'Mwanamke hujongea na kurudi katika umbo la shetani, basi mmoja wenu akimwona mwanamke, amwendee mkewe, kwani hilo litaondoa kile alichokihisi moyoni mwake.' "3 Kuna mafunzo mengi ya kujifunza kutokana na Hadith hii: kwanza, inashauriwa mtu ajisumbue na jambo analolitamani kwa kitu cha aina hiyo hiyo; ameamriwa kuutibu moyo wa tamaa kwa mwanamke yeyote kwa dawa bora kabisa, nayo ni kutimiza hamu yake ya kimwili na mke. Mtume ﷺ amesema kwamba hakuna kilicho bora zaidi kwa wapendanao wawili kuliko ndoa. Kumwoa mwanamke anayempenda ni dawa bora ya tamaa, ambayo Allah ~ aliifanya halali kwa wanadamu. Dawa hii ilitumiwa na Nabii Dawud %!\\; kwani alimwoa mwanamke aliyempenda sana. Kuhusu habari ya Zaynab, binti wa Jahsh: mumewe Zayd 4 alikuwa ameamua kumtaliki, ingawa yeye hakukubali. Yeye 4 alimshauri Mtume ﷺ, ambaye alimwambia amweke. Hata hivyo, Mtume ﷺ alifahamu kwamba bila shaka wangetalikiana, na akaficha siri ya mpango wake wa kumwoa mara tu alipokuwa ametengana na Zayd, kwa sababu ﷺ alikuwa na wasiwasi watu wangesema: "Mtume ﷺ amemwoa mke wa mwanawe." (Kwani ﷺ alikuwa amemchukua Zayd kuwa mwana kabla ya kuanza kwa Utume wake.) Mwenyezi Mungu ~ alitaka kuweka sheria ya jumla kwa manufaa ya waja Wake; hivyo Zayd 4e alipomtaliki Zaynab na kipindi chake cha 'Iddah cha 2 kikamalizika, Mwenyezi Mungu ~ alimtuma Mtume ~ kumposa. Zayd 4e alisimama akiwa ameelekeza mgongo wake kwenye mlango. Mtume ~ alimwita kutoka nyuma ya mlango: "Ee Zaynab, Mjumbe wa Mwenyezi Mungu anakuposa." Yeye akasema: "Siwezi kuamua hadi niombe ushauri kwa Mwenyezi Mungu ~ (kwa sala)." Akasali, na Mwenyezi Mungu ~ mwenyewe alichukua jukumu na kuhitimisha mkataba wao wa ndoa juu ya 'Arshi Yake; kwa Wahyi: {Basi Zayd alipokwisha kumtaliki, tulikuozesha yeye kwako.} Zaynab alikuwa akijivunia ndoa yake na Mtume ~ mbele ya wake wengine wa Mtume, akisema: "Familia zenu ndizo zilizofanya ndoa zenu, lakini yangu ilifanywa na Mwenyezi Mungu kutoka juu ya mbingu saba." Hakuna shaka kwamba wanawake walikuwa wapenzi kwa Mtume ~, kama alivyosema: "Manukato na wanawake vimefanywa kuwa vipendwa kwangu, lakini faraja yangu imewekwa katika Sala." Mtume ~ alimwombea msamaha mtumwa aliyekuwa akimpenda kwa shauku mke wake wa zamani, ambaye alikataa kurudi kwake baada ya kuachiwa huru. Ibn 'Abbas ~ alisema: "Mume wa Barira alikuwa mtumwa aitwaye Mughith; ni kana kwamba ninamwona sasa, akimfuata Barira na kulia huku machozi yakimtiririka hadi kwenye ndevu zake. Ndipo Mtume akamwambia Barira: 'Kwa nini husirudi kwake?' Akasema: 'Ee Mjumbe wa Mwenyezi Mungu! Je, unaniamuru kufanya hivyo?' Akasema: 'Hapana, mimi ninamwombea tu.' Akasema: 'Sina haja naye.' Mtume akamwambia 'Abbas: 'Ee 'Abbas! Je, hushangai mapenzi ya Mughith kwa Barira, na chuki ya Barira kwa Mughith?'" Mtume ~ alikuwa akigawa muda wake sawasawa kati ya wake zake, na alikuwa akisema: "Ee Mwenyezi Mungu! Huu ndio mgawanyo wangu kwa kile ninachokimiliki, basi usinilaumu kwa kile nisichokimiliki." (yaani mapenzi). Kwani Mwenyezi Mungu ~ amesema: {Wala hamtaweza kuwatendea wake zenu haki hata mkitamani sana}, na hili linahusu mapenzi na tendo la ndoa. Mtu aliye katika mapenzi anapaswa kuonyesha subira na kujizuia, na anapaswa kupendelea kuonyesha upendo, khofu na furaha kwa ajili ya Allah ~; hivyo atakuwa miongoni mwa wale ambao Allah ~ amesema kuwahusu: ({ Lakini yule aliyeogopa kusimama mbele ya Mola wake, na kujizuia na matamanio ya nafsi na hawaa, basi bila shaka Pepo ndiyo makazi yake })2 ({ Lakini kwa yule anayeogopa kusimama mbele ya Mola wake, zitakuwepo bustani mbili })3 Tunamwomba Allah ~, Mola wa Kiti Kitukufu, atufanye miongoni mwa wale wanaopendelea mapenzi yao kwa Allah kuliko matamanio yao wenyewe, na kwa hayo wakitafuta kupata Radhi Zake peke yake.

This can become an aspect of polytheism, because a person's heart, in some cases, adopts the lover as a rival to Allah ~ ; he loves him as he loves Allah ~ ; but what about the one whose love for his lover is greater than his love of Allah ~ ? This type of love is not to be forgiven; it is a type of polytheism, and Allah does not forgive polytheism; He ~forgives those who repent, w1pmg away all aspects of polytheism in their hearts (i.e. for pure repentance). One sign of this polytheistic love is that the passionate person prefers the pleasure of his lover to that of his Lord. When the rights of his lover are in conflict with the rights of his Lord, he gives precedence to the right of his lover! This is the case of many of those who have an illegal passion for women, and an illegal passion for looking at their pictures or faces. Put their lustful passion on one side of the scales and put their Faith of Monotheism on the other, and then try to make a just measurement that would please Allah ~ and His Messenger. Many of these people declare publicly that there is no longer a place in their heart; except for their lover. They have a predilection for their lover that is stronger than for their Creator. They have devoted all their love and passion for their lover and so have none left to worship Allah, knowing that worshipping Allah requires the perfection in one ' s love and submission. The cure for this crippling condition is to know that the affliction by this ailment, which opposes one's Faith of Monotheism, comes from one' s ignorance and one ' s heart 's carelessness about remembering Allah ~- One first has to learn Allah's Monotheism and its Signs, then he should perform both the outward and inward acts of worship, which would occupy his/her heart in the constant remembrance of Allah ~ - He/she should tum to Allah ~ in humiliation and submission, to seek His Help, in order to turn that ailment away from him/her. There is no cure better than being sincere to Allah ~. in all one's actions. It is the cure mentioned by Allah~. when He said: (That happened, so We might avert from him all evil and lust. He was one of Our Chosen (Guided) Servants.) Allah ~ informed us that He turned Yusuf away 1 from the evil and illegal sexual intercourse because of his sincere worship of his Lord. One should also learn that following Islam and intellect enable the achievement of benefits for the individual, and remove or reduce all causes of corruption. It is known that developing a passion for unlawful gazing at women or their pictures has neither religious nor worldly benefit. Rather, its evil consequences are too many to be counted, so we list but the following aspects: First, the heart is completely devoted to its lover, and distracted from loving its Lord ~ or remembering Him. So is inevitable that one would overcome the other when they try to gather in the same heart. Second, the heart would be tortured with it, because whoever loves something besides Allah ~ . would be punished by it. Third, the heart becomes a prisoner in the hands of its captor who could subject it to disgrace. An intoxicated heart becomes unaware of its humiliation. Fourth, the heart is distracted from its religious and worldly benefits. Fifth, all the ailments of this world and the Hereafter come rushing towards the heart, which is besotted by lust. Indeed, as the heart gets closer to satisfy its passion, it becomes distant from its Lord, and so it falls in the hands of the devil. Sixth, when lust takes control of the heart, the mind becomes corrupted with emerging devilish whisperings. Seventh, this ailment leads to the corruption of the senses, or at least some of them. In fact when the heart is corrupted, the eyes, the ears and the tongue also become corrupted. The eyes no longer see the evil aspects or shortcomings of the lover. The ears do not listen to the demands of giving up such an illegal habit, because the one who is involved in an activity does not see his defect; his ardent love for lust places a screen over his eyes. The only person, who is aware of it, is the one who was once involved in it and later gave it up. It is for this reason that the Companions who embraced Islam after a life in polytheism were better than those who were born in Islam. 'Umar bin Al-Khattab ~ said: "The bonds of Islam are violated, one after the other, by those who were born in Islam and never witnessed Jahiliyah (the pre-Islamic era)." Eighth, passion is ardent or excessive love; it takes control of a man's heart and starts to vigorously use both his animal and mental powers, until his self-destruction occurs. This has well observed in the course of passion: its beginning is sweet, its middle is full of worry and anxiety, and its end is self-destruction. In the beginning of such passion, the scholars have said that a person should resist it to his best capability, if it had not been decreed for him to reach his lover legally (through marriage). However, if he fails to resist its power, he should at least keep silent about, and not reveal it to other people, because he would be violating the sanctity of the lover, and add more injustice upon himself. There are many ailments generated by this lustful passion, which in some cases has led people, who were brought up in Islam, into polytheism. Indeed, a Caller to prayer (Mu 'addhin) once saw a beautiful woman from the roof and was infatuated by her. So he went down and asked to be her lover. She replied that she was a Christian, and that she would marry him if he accepted to embrace her religion. He accepted, however on the same day, when he climbed a step on their roof, he fell and died. When some Christians wanted to tum a Muslim prisoner away from his religion, they exposed him to a beautiful woman, and she would then have to attract his attention, until she took control of his heart. Then she would have to offer herself to him if he embraced her religion! This would be in such moment that (Allah will keep firm those who believe, with the Word that stands firm in this world and in the Hereafter; and Allah will cause to go astray those who are wrong-doers, and Allah does what He wills.) 1 A reasonabl e person would not subject himself to this kind of passionate desire, because it simply leads to evil consequences. Whoever occupies his mind with lust is merely deceiving himself and may even destroy it, as had he not been constantly gazing at the face of his beloved, lust would not have dominated his heart. The most beneficial love is that of Allah ~ which is absolute; that which all hearts are instinctively born with. This is the secret of the Testimony of Faith, because God is the One Whom hearts worship with love, glorification, praise and submission. Yet worship is not accepted if it is not directed to Allah ~' Alone, as worship is the perfection of love together with the perfection of submission and humiliation. The proof of this obligation to love Allah ~ was mentioned in all of His Revelations, the Message of His Prophets, and the natural order endowed by Allah ~ in His Servants. People's hearts are naturally attracted to love the One Who bestows His Blessings upon them, as Allah ~ has said: ( Whatever of blessings and good things you have, it is from Allah. Then, when harm touches you, unto Him you cry aloud for help.) 2 This proof is also evident once His Servants learn His Best Names and Attributes, which designate His Perfection and Supremacy. Love has two attractors: beauty and honour; which Allah ~ possesses to a degree of absolute perfection. He ~ is graceful and loves grace, as all grace belongs to Him J.;. Allah ~ said (addressing His Messenger, Muhammad ~ ): ( Say: If you really love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love and forgive you your sins.) 1 He ~ also said: ( 0 You who believe! Whoever from among you turns back from his religion (Islam), Allah will bring a people whom He will love and they will love Him; humble towards the believers, stern towards the disbelievers, fighting in the way of Allah, and never afraid of the blame of the blamers. That is the Grace of Allah which He bestows on whom He wills: Allah is All-Sufficient for His Creatures' Needs, All-Knower. Verily, your Wali (helper or protector) is none other than Allah, His Messenger, and the believers, those who perform Sa/at, and give Zakat, and bow down with obedience to Allah in prayer. Whosoever takes Allah, His Messenger, and those who have believed as Protectors, then the Party of Allah will be the victorious.)2 The basis of taking someone as a protector is love, just as the basis of enmity is hatred. Allah ~ is the Wa!T of those who believe, and they are His Pious People. He ~ loves them, and He is their WalI according to the level of their love for Him J.;. Allah ~ has censured those who take others as protectors besides Him £; for He ~ said: ( And of mankind are some who take others besides Allah as rivals (to Allah). They love them as they love Allah. But those who believe, love Allah more (than anything else). ) 1 He ~ informed us about those who take others as rivals to Him (in worship) , when they say to these rivals as they gather in Hell: ( By Allah, we were truly in manifest error, when we held you (false gods) as equals (in worship) with the Lord of the 'Alamin. ) 2 With this Monotheism, based on the love of Allah, Allah ~ sent all His Messengers with His Revelations, bearing the same Message from the First Prophet (Adam ~ \) to the Last Prophet (Muhammad :i); as it was for its sake that Allah ~ created the heavens and the earth, Paradise and Hell; making Paradise (as a permanent abode) for the people who love Him, and Hell (as one) for those who associate rivals to Him. The Prophet :i swore that a person's faith is not complete until the Prophet :i becomes dearer to him than his child, his father and all people; so what about the love of the Lord £ ? He ~ also said to 'Umar bin Al -Khattab: "No, until I am dearer to you than your own self' i.e . your faith is not complete until your Jove reaches this standard! If the Messenger of Allah is more deserving (to us) than our own selves , in love and its requirements , then is th e Lord £ not more entitled to love than our own selves? Allah ~ created man to worship Him, and created for him everything in the heavens and the earth; is the Lord not entitled to our love and pleasure (shown by our dedicated appreciation, awe and worship of Him, Alone)? He ~ is the Most-Generous; He gives to His Servant even before His Servant asks Him for anything. He ~ appreciates the little effort from His Servant, and forgives so many misdeeds, expiating them . Everything that exists in the heavens and the earth asks of Him daily, and He ~ listens to the requests of everyone. He ~ is never confused by all the numerous requests from all His Servants, and He never gets annoyed by those who make most insistant supplications. Instead, He ~ is more pleased with those who repeatedly ask Him of their needs , and He even dislikes not being asked! Why do people not love the only One Who brings them good deeds (by multiplying a believer's good deed by ten) and removing their bad deeds. He ~ answers invocations, removes misfortunes, forgives sins and rewards good deeds! The perfection of love is manifested in the delight, joy and happiness of the self; and certainly these signs of perfect love are praiseworthy, if they lead to the greatest eternal delight, namely that of the Hereafter and its blessings! Allah ~ said: (Nay, you prefer the life of this world, although the Hereafter is better and more lasting.) 1 The sorcerers said to Pharaoh, when they believed: ( "So decree whatever you desire to decree, for you can only decree regarding this life of the world. Verily, we have believed in Our Lord, that He may forgive us our faults, and the magic to which you did compel us; and Allah is better (as regards reward, in comparison to your reward) and more lasting.")1 Allah ~ created mankind and jinn so as to grant them this eternal delight in the world of the Hereafter; and the best ever blessing and delight of the Hereafter is that of looking at the Face of Allah ~ and listening directly to His Words, and being close to Him ~. The Prophet ~ said: "Allah ~ would lift the veil , and of all the things given to them nothing would be dearer to them than the sight of their Lord, the Mighty and the Glorious."2 And in another Hadith: "When He ~ appeared to them and they saw Him, they forgot about all the blessings which they were enjoying." The Prophet ~ said in one of his supplications: "I ask You for the pleasure to look at Your Generous Face, with the desire to meet You. " 3 The second type of delight is a reprehensible one, which is opposite to the delight of the Hereafter. It is the delight of those who take idols as rivals to Allah; they love them and benefit from one another in this world, as they will try to explain to their Lord, on the Day of Judgment: ("Our Lord! We benefited from one another, but now we have reached our appointed term which you did appoint for us" He will say: "The Fire is your dwelling place; you will dwell therein forever, except as Allah may will. Certainly, your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing." Thus, We do make the wrong-doers supporters of one another, because of that which they used to earn.) 1 The delight of sinners, wrong-doers and transgressors is only here, on earth, yet it is but a gradual lead to their destruction; Allah ~ said: ( We shall gradually seize them with punishment in ways they perceive not; for I respite them; certainly my plan is strong.) 2 Some scholars added to the interpretation of the above Verse that whenever the transgressors commit a sin, Allah ~ creates a blessing for them, ( until in the midst of their enjoyment in that which they were given, all of a sudden, We took them (in punishment), and they were plunged into destruction with deep regrets and sorrows. So, the root of the people who did wrong was cut off; all Praise and Thanks are Allah's, the Lord of the 'Alamin.)3 Allah ~ has said about people of such delight: (Do they think that in wealth and children We extend to them, We are hastening to them with good things? No indeed, but they have no awareness.) 4 He ~ also said about them: ( So do not let their wealth and children impress you (0 Muhammad :j;); in reality Allah's Plan is to punish them with these things in the life of this world, and that their souls shall depart (die) while they are disbelievers.) ' The third type of delight is one which does not succeed as a delight of the Hereafter nor generate any punishment; it is the one which was meant by the Prophet ~' in the Hadith: "Everything with which a man amuses himself is vain, except for: his shooting with his bow, his training of his horse, and his playing with his wife; for they pertain to what is right. " 2 This love is not censured; it is one of the types of love that is praiseworthy, as well as love for the Prophet :j;. However, what we mean here is that love which occupies the heart of the one who loves; the one who devotes his/her thought and remembrance to his/her beloved one. Every Muslim has in his heart a love for Allah and His Messenger which is necessary for him/her to enter Islam; yet the degree of this love varies from one to another, and is known only to Allah ~ - It is this love which reduces the pressure of the religious obligations; it makes the niggardly acts become generous ones; it puts bravery in the heart of the coward; it purifies the mind and tames the self; it lightens up the face and delights the heart. Likewise, loving the Word of Allah~ (the Qur'an) is a sign of having love of Allah. If one wants to see the degree of one's love for Allah, look at the way you love the Qur' an in your heart; your delight in listening to it, as compared to other people's delight in listening to music. It is known that whoever loves a beloved, his/her words and speech become dearer to him/her than anything else. 'Uthman bin Affan ~ said: "If our hearts were purified, they would never have enough of the Word of Allah." One day, the Prophet ~ told Abdullah bin Mas'ud ~ : "Recite the Qur'an to me." He replied: "Shall I recite it to you, eventhough it was revealed to you?" The Prophet ~ said: "I like to hear it from others." So he ~ recited Surat An-Nisa' (The Women), till he reached the Verse (N° 41): ( How (will it be) then when We bring from each nation a witness, and We bring you (0 Muhammad) as a witness against these people.) Then the Prophet~ told him: "Stop!" Whereupon he saw the eyes of the Prophet ~ overflowing with tears." 1 As for the love of one's spouse(s), there is no blame in this. It is a blessing that Allah~ has bestowed upon His Servants; for He ~ said: (Among His Signs is that He created for you wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them, and He has put between you affection and mercy, in that are indeed signs for a people who reflect.) 1 He ~ has made women as a resting place for a man's heart, and established sincere love and affection between them, which is love with mercy. Allah ~ has said, after mentioning what is lawful for men of women and what is not: ( Allah wishes to make clear (what is lawful and what is unlawful) to you, and to show you the ways of those before you, and accept your repentance; for Allah is All-Knower, All-Wise. Allah wishes to accept your repentance, but those who follow their lusts, wish that you (believers) should deviate tremendously away (from the right Path). Allah wishes to lighten the burden for you, for man was created weak (i.e. cannot be patient to leave sexual intercourse with women))2 Jabir bin Abdullah 4, reported that the Prophet :Ji saw a woman, and so he approached his wife, Zaynab, to fulfil his desire with her. He then went to his Companions and told them : 'A woman advances and returns in the shape of a devil , so when one of you sees a woman, he should approach his wife, for that would repel whatever he felt in his heart. " '3 There are many lessons to be learned from this Hadith: first, it is advised to distract oneself from something coveted with something of the same nature it is commanded to heal the passion for any woman with the best cure, and that is to fulfil one's sexual desire with the wife. The Prophet ~ said that there is nothing better for two lovers than marriage 1• Marrying a beloved woman is the best cure for passion, which Allah ~ made legal for mankind. This cure was used by Prophet Dawud %!\\; for he married a woman whom he loved very much. As for the story of Zaynab, daughter of Jahsh: her husband Zayd 4, had decided to divorce her, although she did not agree. He 4, consulted the Prophet ~ who told him to keep her. However the Prophet~ learnt that they inevitably were going to divorce, and kept secret the plan that he was going to marry her once she had become separated from Zayd, because he ~ was worried that people might say: "The Prophet ti married the wife of his son." (As he ~ had adopted Zayd as a son before the start of his Mission as a Prophet). Allah ~ wanted to legislate a general legislation for the benefits of His Servants; so when Zayd 4e, divorced Zaynab and her 'Jddah 2 period expired, Allah ~ sent the Prophet ~ to propose to her. Zayd 4e, stood with his back to the door. The Prophet called her from behind the door: "O Zaynab, the Messenger of Allah is proposing to you." She said: "I cannot decide until I ask Allah ~ (in prayer). " She performed a prayer, and Allah ~ took charge Himself and concluded their marriage contract above Hi s Throne; with the Revelation: (So when Zayd had divorced her, We gave her to you in marriage.) Zaynab used to boast of her 1 marriage to the Prophet ~ before the other wives of the Prophet, saying: "Your families conducted your marriage, but mine was conducted by Allah from above the seven heavens." There is no doubt that women were made dear to the Prophet ~. as he said: "Perfume and women have been made dear to me, but my comfort has been provided by Salah (prayer)."2 The Prophet ~ interceded for a slave who was passionately in love with ex-wife, who had refused to return to him, once she was manumitted. lbn 'Abbas~ said: "Barira's husband was a slave called Mughith; it is as if I am seeing him now , going behind Barira and weeping with his tears flowing down his beard. The Prophet then said to Barira: 'Why don't you return to him?' She said: 'O Messenger of Allah! Do you order me to do so?' He ~ said: 'No, I am only interceding for him.' She said: 'I am not in need of him.' The Prophet said to 'Abbas: 'O 'Abbas! Are you not astonished by the love of Mughith for Barira, and the hatred of Barira for Mughith?'"3 The Prophet ~ used to equally divide his time with his wives, and used to say: "O Allah! this is my division, for what I own, so do not blame me for what I do not own." (i.e. love). For Allah ~ said: (You will never do perfect justice between your wives, even if it is your ardent desire) 1, which is regarding love and sexual intercourse. A person who is in love should show patience and restraint, and should prefer to show love, fear and pleasure for Allah ~ ; thus he/she would come under the category of those about whom Allah ~ said: ( But As for him who feared standing before his Lord, and restrained himself from impure evil desires and lusts, verily Paradise will be his abode .)2 ( But for him who fears the standing before his Lord, there will be two gardens .)3 We ask Allah ~ ' the Lord of the Supreme Throne, to make us among those who prefer their love for Allah to that of their own desires, and seek therewith to attain His Pleasure, Alone.