Thus, one’s yearning for Him, love for Him and intimacy with...

Thus, one’s yearning for Him, love for Him and intimacy with Him, is a path which leads one to Allah. Fear and awe of Him is another path leading to Him. Humility toward Him ( khushu’ ) is yet a third path to Him. Entertaining hope in Him and invoking Him is also another path arriving at Him. Accordingly, one should make his way to Allah through different paths, not confining himself to one single path.

This is because each of the above mentioned paths has its own kind of aroma, taste, perfection, and fruition in one’s journey toward Allah which is not be found in other paths. As a result, Islam presents a pluralistic basis for the establishment of relation with Allah, the Exalted. However, this is a very wide topic in itself which we do not intend to discuss at the moment.

Love of Allah The best of these elements, the most powerful, and the most efficient of them in binding one to Allah and strengthening his relation with Him is the ‘love of Allah’ ( hubb allah ). Among the different forms of relation with Allah, there is no form more powerful and effective than ‘love’ in consolidating the relation of a servant with Allah. A comparison between the elements which make up the relation with Allah has appeared in a number of Islamic traditions.

Some of them are as follows: It is narrated that Allah, the Exalted, revealed to Prophet Dawud (‘a) saying, “O Dawud!

My remembrance ( dhikr ) is for those who remember Me ( dhakirin ), My paradise is for the obedient ones ( muti’in ), My love ( hubb ) is for those who yearn for Me ( mushtaqin ); while I am specifically for the lovers ( muhibbin ).”[^3] Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) says: “Love is better than fear ( khawf ).”[^4] Muhammad bin Ya’qub al-Kulayni reports from Imam as-Sadiq (‘a), “There are three types of worshippers ( ‘ubbad ); a people who worship Allah, the All-mighty, the Majestic, out of fear; this is the worship of the slaves.

A people who worship Allah, the Blessed, the Exalted, for reward; this is the worship of the merchants.