Question:
Assalamu ‘alaykum.
Can you please explain to me the topic of shirk in love in detail? Please explain to me what Allah means in these two ayahs: Qur’an 2:165 and Qur’an 9:24. If loving anything or anyone more than Allah is shirk, then doesn’t that mean the vast majority of Muslims will go to hell for eternity? If I love an anime character more than Allah, would it be shirk?
Answer:
Wa ‘alaykum assalam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh.
I pray you are well.
Loving others is not a sin, and it is not shirk. The former verse is explained in detail here. Love in this verse refers to the idolaters treating their idols as Allah should be treated with worship, veneration, and slavehood. (Abu al Su’ud, Irshad al ‘Aql al Salim)
The verse in Sura al Tawba refers to the willing choice someone makes based on love for something. It does not mean that having affection for those mentioned in the verse is wrong, as this is natural. (Ibid)
Loving and being loved are blessings which one should thank Allah for. It is not shirk.
Having a fondness for a fictional character is fine, and the strength of one’s feelings doesn’t necessarily mean that it is shirk. However, if you do feel that you do not love Allah as much, then you should make some time in your life to think about Allah’s favors.
Think about the things you hold dearest in your life. If you woke up tomorrow with them gone, you’d be devastated. Who gave you them? Reflect on this. Thank Allah. Gratitude is a pathway to love. Take this seriously.
May Allah fill our hearts with His love.
[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani