This Weeks Sunnah
Sunnah of telling one’s brother that he loves him
Loving and caring for one another for the sake of Allah Ta’ala holds great rewards (click here to read benefits and reward).
Not only this but it is a Sunnah of our beloved Nabi ﷺ to express this feeling of love too!
Our Beloved Nabi ﷺ has told us:
إِذَا أَحَبَّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَخَاهُ فَلْيُعْلِمْهُ إِيَّاهُ
When one of you loves his brother, let him know. (Tirmidhi)
A Short Incident
There is an incident recorded in Sunan Abi Dawood that a man was sitting with our beloved Nabi ﷺ. He said to our beloved Nabi ﷺ about a man passing by, “O Messenger of Allah, I love this man.”
Our beloved Nabi ﷺ said:
“Have you told him?”
He said, “No”.
Our beloved Nabi ﷺ said: “Tell him.”
So the man went and said to him,
اِنِّي اُحِبُّك فِيْ اللّٰهِ
“I love you for the sake of Allah.”
The other man replied:
أَحَبَّكَ الَّذِي أَحْبَبْتَنِي لَهُ
“May Allah, for whose sake you love me, also love you.”
(Abu Dawud)
Sayyiduna Mu’adh ibn Jabal رضي الله عنه reports that our beloved Nabi ﷺ took him by the hand, and he said:
“O Mu’adh, I swear by Allah that I love you. I swear by Allah that I love you…”
(Abu Dawud)
Sometimes we assume they already know, and it is true, they may know, but we should still tell them to fulfil this Sunnah and increase love.
“Souls are like conscripted soldiers; those whom they recognize, they get along with, and those whom they do not recognize, they will not get along with.” But if a person says it with his tongue, this will increase the love in the heart, so you should say: “I love you for the sake of Allah.”
(Sharh Riyadh al-Saaliheen)
Benefits of following this sunnah:
1) We will be following the advice and practice of our beloved Nabi ﷺ.
2) Telling someone you love them will make the person happy.
3) Clarifying that you love them for the sake of Allah will make them further happy knowing you are not saying it for show or to get something from them.
4) It will make Allah Ta’ala happy.
5) Through this action and also through the dua of our fellow brother Allah Ta’ala will love us too.
6) It will help create an environment of love, peace and security.