A165
Surah: 002 - Ayah: 165
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2:165
Ashaddu hubban li’llah (The strongest in love for God)
In verse (2:165) God praises the intensity of the love of mu’mins for Allah by saying “They are strongest in love for God”. Such mu'mins are in fact the true and ardent lovers of God. Further in the same surah, in verse (2:200) the mu’mins are commanded to remember God as they remember their fathers, rather more intensely (aw ashadda dhikra). There are many ways in which to accomplish this fruitful and extremely useful act. One most effective way is giryah-u zari, i.e. weeping and shedding tears with humility, which melts the carnal soul very easily and results in remembrance of God and intense and ardent love for Him.
Ashaddu hubban li’llah (The strongest in love for God)
God says in verse (2:165): "And those who believe are the strongest in love for God." This strongest love for God is termed Divine love (cishq-i ilahi).
Ishq (Love for God, the Prophet and the Imam)
O the light of my eyes! Study the blessed words of verse (2:165) carefully: "And those who believe are strongest in love for Allah." The holy Qur’an also says that love for God is not possible directly, it is possible only through the Prophet (3:31) and the real love for the Prophet according to the indication of the sound Ahadith is possible through the love for the ahl-i bayt. Thus in verse (2:165): "And those who believe are strongest in love for Allah" is the mention of friendship and love for God, the Prophet and the Imam, with which the people of faith are blessed.
Ardent Love or `Ishq: God, the Omnipotent, has enriched man with the treasures of limitless and countless potentialities and powers. One of them is love, which is the most intense and most powerful, and is the chief of the powers. According to the Hadith “He who belongs to God, God also belongs to him”, it is the special power, through which when the believing servant belongs to God, He too specially belongs to him. Further, it is the means through which mu'mins attain the rank of “ashaddu hubban li'llah (stronger in love of God = `ishq, 2:165)” of the lovers of God. Here we should stop for a while and think seriously as to how great may be the bliss and happiness of those true servants of God, in whose heart the sacred love of God dwells! How difficult may this Heavenly and Divine love actually be, which seems so easy! Yes, it is very difficult, but not impossible. And when it is attained, all difficulties and diseases vanish.
Now, we have to consider whether we can also call this walᾱyat of God, then true love or the Divine love? If we can, what is its proof? The Wise Quran says;” yet of mankind are some who take unto themselves (object of worship which they set as) rivals to Allah, loving them with a love like (that which is the due) of Allah (only). Those who believe are stauncher in their love for Allah.” (2:165)
Ginan, qasidah and manqabat, in reality, are the same thing. They have the same purpose, in which are included several precious gems, such as the pure life of the soul of faith, paradisiacal wine of the love of Mawla, effacement and annihilation, cure of the germs of negligence and insinuation by the fire of love, knowledge for the intellect and ‘ibadat for the soul (as the Imam is the supreme Name of God), spiritual progress, the vision of the beloved in the form of love, precious pearls of tears, satisfaction of the heart, and many, many more. What is called by God "ashaddu hubban lillah, i.e. they are most staunch in mahabbat for God" (2:165), certainly this mahabbat is nothing but ‘ishq-i ilahi (ardent Divine love). And it is also known that Divine love is through the Prophet and love for the Prophet is through the Imam, and there is no other way to it. Thus the love for the exalted Imam has three great virtues. First of all, it is the love for the Imam himself, secondly the love for the Prophet and thirdly, the love for God. Thus it becomes known with certainty that in the praise of the Imam (manqabat) is hidden the praise of the Prophet (na‘t) and in the praise of the Prophet, the praise of God (hamd). What greater bliss than this is possible!
Q159 It is mentioned in verse (2:165): “Wa’lladhina amanu ashaddu hubban li’llah” (Those who are [true] believers have ardent love for Allah). What do you say about this translation? Is Divine love (cishq-i ilahi) mentioned in this verse or not?
A159 It is an excellent translation. Indeed, there is the mention of Divine love in it. cIshq means excessive or ardent love, which may be heavenly as well as worldly love.
This verse has been referred 8 times.