Ḥubb fī Ghayri Allāh · Love That Displaces Him

The story

When the verse of love-of-Prophet ﷺ more than self was revealed, ʿUmar said: 'O Messenger of Allah, you are more beloved to me than everything except myself.' The Prophet ﷺ said: 'No, by the One in whose hand is my soul, until I am more beloved to you than your own self.' ʿUmar paused, then said: 'By Allah, now you are more beloved to me than my own self.' The Prophet ﷺ said: 'Now, O ʿUmar.' (Bukhari 6632)

Why it's named first

The believer is allowed to love many things: spouse, children, parents, country, language. The disease is loving any of them AS Allah is loved. The Qur'an names those whose love of others equaled (or exceeded) their love of Allah as having taken those as andad (rivals). This is the deepest shirk of love.

In the Qur'an

وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَندَادًا يُحِبُّونَهُمْ كَحُبِّ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِّلَّهِ ۗ وَلَوْ يَرَى ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوٓا۟ إِذْ يَرَوْنَ ٱلْعَذَابَ أَنَّ ٱلْقُوَّةَ لِلَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعَذَابِ

“And [yet], among the people are those who take other than Allāh as equals [to Him]. They love them as they [should] love Allāh. But those who believe are stronger in love for Allāh. And if only they who have wronged would consider [that] when they see the punishment, [they will be certain] that all power belongs to Allāh and that Allāh is severe in punishment.”

2:165Listen Read 2:165 with tafsir

Svenska: Ändå finns det människor som sätter upp medgudar vid Guds sida och ägnar dem en sådan kärlek som [bör] ägnas Gud. Men de troendes kärlek till Gud är starkare. Om bara dessa syndare kunde se - som de skall se när de står [inför] straffet - att all makt tillhör Gud och att Gud straffar med stränghet!

In the Sunnah

«ثَلَاثٌ مَن كُنّ فِيهِ وَجَدَ حَلَاوَةَ الإِيمَانِ: أَن يَكُونَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِمَّا سِوَاهُمَا». 'Three: whoever has them, will find the sweetness of īmān: that Allah and His Messenger are more beloved to him than anything else.' (Bukhari 16)

The cure

Audit your loves. Spouse, child, parent, work, country, friend. None of these should be loved as Allah is loved. Test by sacrifice: would you abandon what He commands for them? Would you accept what He forbids for them? If yes, the love has crossed the line.

What is at stake

The heart that loves a creation as Allah will be tested through that creation. Allah does not allow rivals on His throne. The beloved created being eventually disappoints or leaves; the heart that displaced Allah for them is left empty.