What is love?

Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem


Time flies, and when I look again, I'm almost 40. Where did time go? Where did life go? The person I am today is so very, very different to the person I thought I'd be, growing up. I think if we live life with our eyes open, we remember every moment, or most, that marks us. I know I do. I'm more comfortable with the me that I am than with the me I thought I would be, or thought I wanted to be.

I'm grateful for all the lessons that have softened me, that have moulded me, that have brought me to this place where I can learn without feeling as though being wrong is a threat to myself. Youth does that - it makes us want to defend ourselves from anything and anyone that shows us the error of our ways. I'm not talking about youth in years, but youth versus maturity.
I've learnt to learn, learnt to argue with myself, to debate, to seek, to be wrong, to be right with grace, to speak, and above all, I've learnt the value of silence. Sometimes being silent is the only right choice. NOT speaking your mind can save you many tears but SUBR is not an easy thing to do; that patience plus endurance plus faith...I've learnt, also, what is love, for me.

And what is love, to me - human love? Love is so "commonplace" nowadays. It's easy to say I love you, easy to use the word "love" in many different contexts. To me, love is a singluar experience, it is a feeling, an attitude, and a choice that determines what you say and how you say it because when you love someone you do not use your words as weapons or as manipulation. LOVE, to me, means loving not just with my heart, but my soul, it is enduring difficult times because you know the love is worth it. It is rejoicing in good times with every fibre of my being, no holds barred. LOVE, is the quiet moments between a man and a woman who are one in the eyes of Allah, and saying nothing - it is feeling that glorious sense of "all is right with the world" which flows from the divine through our soul to touch the other person.
Love, is expressed by the eyes more than by words, but words are necessary. Love is expressed by the soul more than by the body, yet the body is an exquisite method of expression within the halaal.

Love is, essentially, the reason for creation; Allah loves beauty and creates beauty, loves growth and allows growth, loves US and sees in us all the potential he placed there. LOVE is the heartbeat of the world, in my opinion, and the love of our Nabi (saw) for his Ummah means we are able to draw near to the creator.. So, for the next 40 years, I make duah that Allah be with me, increase me in love and increase love in me and in those I love. From love, flows growth, and kindness, and, insh'Allah, peace.
To love ALLAH is the greatest love. To love his Nabi (saw) is to recognise Allah's love for the world.
Subhannallah.

I am humbled. By Allah. and by Love.