Being a true slave of Allah should be the ultimate goal of each Muslim individual on this planet. What we see in today’s world is people being enslaved knowingly or unknowingly to different aspects of the duniya. We become so engrossed in following our dreams, whims and fancies that we forget the purpose of our being, the very reason of our existence and the role we serve as to our Lord.

Let us question and ask ourselves if we are really enslaved by Allah or merely by the creation of Allah. If your answer is that you’re not entirely sure about enslavement to other things but you do love Allah, then read on. Here is a short know-how on the types of love a heart can possess in itself.

According to Shaykh Ibn Taymiyah, the lowest degree of love which one can experience is ‘alaqah or attachment. An individual experiences ‘alaqah when it feels attached to someone or something. One might feel like they can’t live without that person or thing. The next type of love one feels is called the sabahah or infatuation, during which one pours out the heart and starts crossing boundaries. After that comes gharama or passion, during which the love stations itself in the heart and refuses to part. And after that comes the ardent love known as ashaq. Finally,comes the stage of experiencing the highest degree of love, tatayyum or total enthralment. Enthralment by someone or something implies enslavement to that love in all aspects and terms.

Now judge yourself and ask which stage of love are you in and for whom/what? Is it for Allah the Almighty or is it for one of His creations?

We can rightly say that love of the highest degree for anything except Allah is nothing but corrupt, false and fake love. In the following verse from Surah Al Tawbah, Allah says:

Say, [O Muhammad], “If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your relatives, wealth which you have obtained, commerce wherein you fear decline, and dwellings with which you are pleased are more beloved to you than Allah and His Messenger and jihad in His cause, then wait until Allah executes His command. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.” [Sûrah Al Tawbah 9: 24]

The love which we have for our brethren shouldn't surpass the love and obedience we have for Allah (swt). Whatever love we have towards someone or something, it should be for the sake of Allah and whatever hatred we have towards someone or something, it should be for the sake of Allah.

It is more important for us to gain Allah’s pleasure rather than the pleasure of His creation. It is evident from the following verse from Surah Al Tawbah:


The highest form of love, total enthrallment is associated with complete obedience, faith and trust which can befit the one and only Lord, the Lord of the universe, Allah azzawajal.

With such a kind of love comes sufficiency and inner peace. And Allah says to us in Surah Al Anfal :


Being a true slave of Allah isn’t an easy task with shaitaan constantly trying to lure us into disobeying Him. But, if the love we have for Allah surpasses the love we have for anything else in this world, then it’s not difficult to crush Shaitaan’s will and dominate them with our own halal ones.

Let us all take up the project of clearing our hearts from the fake love and instilling Allah’s rightful love in our hearts. Let us all start working for our own progress and relieve ourselves from the burden of fake love.

Shaykh Ibn Taymiyah has rightly said that the heart cannot be sound, or succeed, or find joy, or be happy, or feel pleasure, or be good, or be at peace, or find tranquillity, except by worshipping its lord, loving Him and returning to Him. After all,