While Islam is often portrayed through the lens of law and practice, the “soul” of the religion is Hubb (Love). In the Islamic tradition, love is not a fleeting emotion but a transformative force that connects the human heart to the Divine. While other monotheistic traditions may emphasize the emotional experience or the cerebral process of learning, Islam uniquely combines the two. We are commanded to “Read” and seek knowledge as a lifelong obligation, but we are also told that our hearts find rest only in the remembrance of Allah.

Religiosity in Islam is a personal and emotional feeling of connectedness to the Creator. God calls Himself Al-Wadud—the One who is full of loving-kindness. This is not a passive love; it is an active, nurturing affection that sustains the universe. To build true resilience, we cannot leave out knowledge, or we risk being led astray; but we cannot leave out love either, or we risk a dry, legalistic faith that fails to move the soul.

The Source of All Affection: Love for Allah

The love for God is the love we should be seeking first and always. It is a fundamental truth that we cannot offer genuine love to others when our own hearts are empty. We must first fill our vessels from the source of all love. Building Spiritual Resilience in Islam requires us to get to know Allah through His names and attributes.

Knowing Him as Ar-Rahim (The Most Merciful) changes how we view our trials. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught that Allah reserved ninety-nine parts of His mercy for the Day of Resurrection, sending only one part down to earth to govern all the love between creatures. To love God, we must:

  • Talk to Him: The five daily prayers are prescribed encounters to return to the Source.
  • Call Him: Supplication using His beautiful names creates a direct, emotional line to the Divine.
  • Thank Him: Gratitude is the highest form of love. We thank Him not just for our blessings, but for the very heart that allows us to feel and the tongue that allows us to praise.

Following the Beloved: Love for Prophet Muhammad

Once the bond with Allah is established, it naturally flows toward the one who conveyed His message. Spiritual Resilience in Islam is modeled by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who stood steadfast through insults, loss, and physical threats. His resilience was fueled by love for his Lord and mercy for mankind.

We love the Prophet because he is the bridge to Allah’s pleasure. As the Quran states, if we truly love God, we must follow and honor His Messenger so that God may love us in return. This love is not based on mythology, but on the historical reality of a man who sacrificed everything so that we could be guided.

The Circle of Compassion: Love for the Believers

The love between believers is a natural extension of our shared love for the Divine. We recognize each other as fellow travelers on a difficult path. This mutual affection is a requirement of faith; the Prophet taught that none of us truly believe until we love for our brothers and sisters what we love for ourselves.

In a world that often feels cold and divided, love in Islam manifests as compassion, empathy, and tenderness toward all of God’s creation. Those who love one another for the sake of Allah’s majesty are promised a unique shade on the Day of Resurrection—a day when no other shade exists. This love acts as a communal shield, protecting the society from the rot of ego and hatred.

Conclusion: A Life Defined by Divine Connection

Ultimately, the Islamic way of life is a journey toward becoming a person of deep heart and sharp mind. Spiritual Resilience in Islam is the result of a heart that is assured by remembrance and a mind that is enlightened by knowledge. By seeking love first from the Creator, we find ourselves empowered to spread that love to our families, our spouses, and the world at large.

We must never overlook the tenderness that our Deen demands. It is the fuel for our patience, the source of our empathy, and the reason for our steadfastness. When we pray for guidance to the straight path, we are asking for a path that is illuminated by love and stabilized by truth. By embracing this holistic perspective, we protect ourselves from being led astray by cold logic or overwhelmed by unguided emotion, arriving finally at a destiny of peace and eternal Divine affection.

By Theresa Corbin