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"Yaa Ummaah(O Mother) ! In spite of my strong love for you, my love for Allah and His Messenger is indeed stronger.
By Allah, if you had a thousand souls and each one depart one after another, I would not abandon this religion for anything."
Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas(ra)
After Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas(ra) embraced Islam, his mother went on hunger strike until he abandons Islam, Sa'd insisted for days that he would not abandon his religion and begged his mother to start eating again, when he saw her stubbornness, he told her clearly the above quote after-which she started eating again.
Allah(swt) then revealed these verses;
وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ وَهْنًا عَلَىٰ وَهْنٍ وَفِصَالُهُ فِي عَامَيْنِ أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيْكَ إِلَيَّ الْمَصِيرُ
And We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His mother carried him, [increasing her] in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years. Be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the [final] destination.
وَإِن جَاهَدَاكَ عَلَىٰ أَن تُشْرِكَ بِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَا ۖ وَصَاحِبْهُمَا فِي الدُّنْيَا مَعْرُوفًا ۖ وَاتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ مَنْ أَنَابَ إِلَيَّ ۚ ثُمَّ إِلَيَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
"But if they strive to make thee join in worship with Me things of which thou hast no knowledge, obey them not; yet bear them company in this life with justice (and consideration), and follow the way of those who turn to me (in love): in the end the return of you all is to Me, and I will tell you the truth (and meaning) of all that ye did." (Surah Luqman: Verses 14-15)
It is crutial for us Muslims to undestand this hierarchy of love and obedience for it is of vital importance, particularly in our times. In a discussion with some brothers recently, I mentioned the earlier hadith were the Prophet(pbuh) said;
“None of you will believe until I am more beloved to him than his father, his children and all people.”(Bukhari).
There was a young brother with us who said; "But I love my mother very much,..."? I could see the confusion on his face. After explaining to him the context of the hadith and the islamic concept of Love and its hierarchies, Masha'Allah, you could his face light up and the confusion disapearing. You see he did love the Prophet(pbuh) but he also loved his mother, who is a muslim, very much, after hearing the hadith he was seriously concerned about his faith.
True Love for Allah(swt) and His Messenger(pbuh) - must overide all other Loves!
The true Servant of Allah(swt) has a tendancy of saying, when asked the question, "
Whom do you love?" to reply;
"I Love whomever Allah(swt) and His Messenger(pbuh) Love!"
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Allah(swt) knows best.