Love may be divided into mahabbah khaassah (specific love) and mahabbah mushtarakah (general love).
Mahabbah khaassah (specific love): may be divided into types that are halaal and types that are haraam.
Halaal love includes:
(1) Love of Allaah, which is the most important obligation, as it is the basis of Islam.
“. . . But those who believe, love Allaah more (than anything else) . . .” [al-Baqarah 2:165]
(2) Love of Allaah’s Messenger, which is also one of the most important duties of Islaam.
“The Messenger of Allaah (peace be upon him) said: ‘None of you truly believes until I am more beloved to him than his child, his father and all the people.” (Reported by Muslim, no. 44).
(3) Love of the Prophets and the believers.
“Whoever loves for the sake of Allaah (i.e., loves the people of faith for the sake of Allaah).”
Haraam love:
This includes love which constitutes shirk, which is when a person loves something instead of Allaah or as much as Him.
“Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your kindred, the wealth that you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you delight . . . are dearer to you than Allaah and His Messenger, and striving hard and fighting in His cause, then wait until Allaah brings about His Decision (torment).” [al-Tawbah 9:24]
Mahabbah mushtarakah (general love):
General love is of three types:
(1) Natural love, such as the love of a hungry person for food, or a thirsty person for water. This does not involve any kind of glorification, so it is permissible.
(2) Love based on mercy and pity, such as the love of a father for his small child. This also involves no kind of glorification, so there is nothing wrong with it.
(3) Love based on acquaintance and friendship, such as that between those who share a common profession, or scholars in the same field, or people one meets on a daily basis (such as fellow-commuters), or people one does business with, or travelling-companions. This type of appropriate love between people, or brotherly love, does not imply shirk or associating anyone else in one’s love for Allaah.
May Allah (swt) bless us to see that which is right & act upon it & May He (swt) bless our Beloved Prophet Muhammad (sas), Aameen!!
:wa: