:sl:
Worshipping out of love alone, is a concept alien to Islam and innovated by certain Sufis, as the article says. In Islam we worship with a combination and most importantly a balance, of love, hope, and fear.
format_quote Originally Posted by
Muslim Woman
NOTE: Loving God selflessly, neither out of fear of hell nor out of greed for paradise, was a sentiment ascribed to early Sufis
neither out of fear of hell
We are told to fear hell, and to call upon Allah with fear, in the Qur'an:
And fear the Fire, which has been prepared for the disbelievers. (3:131)
And if they had believed and feared Allah , then the reward from Allah would have been [far] better, if they only knew. (2:103)
Beautified for those who disbelieve is the life of this world, and they ridicule those who believe. But those who fear Allah are above them on the Day of Resurrection. And Allah gives provision to whom He wills without account. (2:212)
Call upon Him with fear and hope. (7:56)
Their sides forsake their beds, to invoke their Lord in fear and hope. (32:16)
nor out of greed for paradise,
We are told in the Qur'an what some of the deeds are of those who will enter into into Jannah (eg Surah al-Mu'minoon ayahs 1-11), so that we can do them. And Rasoolullah :saws: told Muslims to pray for Jannah (Paradise) and in particular for Jannatul Firdous:
...if you ask Allah for anything, ask Him for the firdaus, for it is the last part of Paradise and the highest part of Paradise, and at its top there is the Throne of Beneficent, and from it gush forth the rivers of Paradise.” Bukhari (Book #93, Hadith #519)
Does that mean we are greedy? No. Allah tells us to ask of Him, as much as we like, for his stores are unreserved. Asking Him, making du'a to Him, is one of the greatest forms of worship. It is a sign of humility, not of greed. And look at this hadeeth: "Verily, the person who does not ask Allah, Allah gets angry at him." (At-Tirmidhi, Saheeh al Jaami 2418)
So it is wrong to say that wanting Paradise (or anything else for that matter) is greed.
"I want to quench the fires of hell with the water and burn down paradise with the torch, so that people can come to love God selflessly, neither out of fear of the one nor out of greed for the other."
If Allah wanted us to come to Him through love alone, He would have said so. And there is a reason for Allah to create paradise and create hell, and it is not for any Muslim to think that it shouldn't have been created, or that they need burning or quenching, for this is to doubt Allah's Wisdom and Knowledge.
I must mention that we are also told to hope:
Call upon Him with fear and hope. (7:56)
Their sides forsake their beds, to invoke their Lord in fear and hope. (32:16)
Verily, those who have believed, and those who have emigrated (for Allah's Religion) and have striven hard in the Way of Allah, all these hope for Allah's Mercy. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most-Merciful. (2:218)
How should we not believe in Allah and that which hath come unto us of the Truth. And (how should we not) hope that our Lord will bring us in along with righteous folk? (5:84)
Those whom they invoke seek means of access to their Lord, [striving as to] which of them would be nearest, and they hope for His mercy and fear His punishment. Indeed, the punishment of your Lord is ever feared. (17:57)
So We responded to him, and We gave to him John, and amended for him his wife. Indeed, they used to hasten to good deeds and supplicate Us in hope and fear, and they were to Us humbly submissive. (21:90)
"Verily! We really hope that our Lord will forgive us our sins, as we are the first of the believers." (26:51)
And also love:
And [yet], among the people are those who take other than Allah as equals [to Him]. They love them as they [should] love Allah . But those who believe are stronger in love for Allah . And if only they who have wronged would consider [that] when they see the punishment, [they will be certain] that all power belongs to Allah and that Allah is severe in punishment. (2:165)
Say, (O Muhammad, to mankind): If ye love Allah, follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.(3:31)
Real love and devotion to God is in submitting to His commands. This is because truly loving God should lead to loving what He loves.
There are some threads/posts on the subject of love, fear and hope here, and there may be others I haven't found:
http://www.islamicboard.com/manners-...fear-hope.html
http://www.islamicboard.com/comparat...ml#post1353479
And Allah knows best in all matters, and may He forgive me if I said anything wrong.