In this section of the supplication, reference is made to two terms that have had huge impact on the spread of the faith:
1. Love; and
2. The migration of God’s lovers to Ethiopia.
The editor of the commentary Al-Minar, who is distinguished among Arab
Scholars, in describing the meaning of enmity(hatred) and love, on page 2 of his seventh volume of his commentary, under the fifty eighth verse of the Surah Maidah(Qur’an 5:58), writes:
Enmity is a kind of hatred whose effects are shown in one’s words and actions. And affection is a sort of love whose effects are manifested in one’s words and actions.
When one’s heart becomes inflicted with hatred towards another individual, he separates himself from the offender and tries not to communicate with him and not to give him a chance to interfere with his personal life. The manifestations of hatred are easily observable in one’s actions and words towards the other partner.
And when one’s heart becomes filled with love towards the beloved, he puts forth lots of energy to sustain his relation with his beloved. This love forces the lover to obey the loved one. This is a proven fact since there is no love without apparent consequences.
There are significant Quranic verses and narrations in Islam on positive love and acceptable hatred. These verses and narrations are offered under the two headings of “Tawalla” (showing love) and “Tabarra” (manifesting hatred).
In those Quranic verses and narrations it is announced that anybody who does not show “Tawalla” and “Tabarra” is not considered a muslim. A true believer should wholeheartedly show love and affection towards Allah, His Apostle, and to the believers. At the same time, he should show his hatred towards God’s enemies, the enemies of the Prophet(s.a.w) and those of the believers in general.
The fact that in the Holy Qur’an the reward for the Prophethood is put in people’s love towards the Prophet’s household coveys the idea that we should, at all times, love the Prophet’s Household(a.s). It is to our interest to love them since in this way we may adopt their ways and manners of life.
قُلْ لَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِي الْقُرْبَى [1]
“Say: I do not ask for you any reward for it, but love for my near relatives.”
قُلْ مَا سَأَلْتُكُمْ مِنْ أَجْرٍ فَهُوَ لَكُمْ إِنْ أَجْرِيَ إِلَّا عَلَى اللَّهِ [2]
“Say: Whatever reward I have asked of you, that is only for yourselves; my reward is only with Allah.”
Indeed, a positive love towards the positive beloved has a miraculous impact on one’s thinking, spiritual and practical patterns of life. The positive love towards the positive loved one makes Salman out of a fire-worshipper, Abu Zar out of an illiterate person, Balal out of a Blackman from Ethiopia, Khadijah out of a woman of the Age of Ignorance, Ammar out of a slave, and a heavenly man out of a terrestrial man.[3]
When we delve into the sacred verse of the Holy Qur’an, which are the description of God’s sacred names and attributes and the ethics of the Prophets and Imams, we will fall in love with Allah, His Prophets and Imams and will develop hatred towards their foes. This love and affection will lead us towards Allah and that hatred will lead us away from Allah’s enemies and will make us ready to fight against those foes.
[1] Quran 42:23.
[2] Quran 34:47.
[3] Ostad Motahhari, in his erudite book called the Attraction and Repulsion of Imam Ali(s), in the first section, presents a detailed discussion on Love and its positive results. We did not present that diswssion here, however. For Further information, you may refer to that source. In the book called "Vela'ha and Velayatha", there is a chapter on Love. The writer reveals the necessity for love towards the Prophet's Household in this useful discussion.
source : The Book: Diar Aashiqan by prof, Hussain Ansarian
