Question:
Assalamu ‘alaykum: The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “You will be with those whom you love.” (Bukhari) Does this literally mean every single person you loved in this world that enters paradise? Also, what if it is a girl you wanted to marry, but she married someone else during this life?
Answer:
Wa ‘alaykum assalam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh.
I pray you are well.
Loving the Righteous
In general, we can understand from the hadith that loving people is a means of being resurrected with them and being with them in the Afterlife. This is why many scholars have said that loving the Prophets (Allah bless them all and grant them peace) and the righteous benefits us, even if we cannot attain their ranks or perform the deeds they do. [Munawi, Fayd al-Qadir]
It would seem that this love referred to is any sort of love – with the exception of the love people have for others based on haram matters or disobedience of God. Attachments to family and friends would seem to be included in this. However, this does not entail having the same quality of reward as them, nor does it automatically entail that one would be married to a person one was not able to marry in this life. Allah knows best.
We ask Allah to make us beloved to Him, His Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace), and His Awliya. Amin.
[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani