Types of Love in Islam

In Islam, the Love is divided in to three types:

1. Natural Love
2. Love for the sake of Allah
3. Loving other than Allah

Natural Love

It is permissible as long as it is not given priority to the love of Allah. Example: Loving one's children and wife. The Prophet ﷺ has said: '' None of you truly believes until I am more beloved to him than their children, parents, and the rest of the people''.

Love for the sake of Allah

It is obligatory; rather, it is from the most important parts of Iman!

Allah has said: "Muhammad ﷺ is the Messenger of Allah. Those who are with him are firm with the disbelievers and merciful with one another…" (48:29).

It is specific to the following four:

• Places beloved to Allah; such as Makkah and the Prophet's Madinah.
• Times beloved to Allah; such as the Night of Qadr and the third part of every night.
• The doer of those actions; such as the prophets, angels, companions, and every believer.
• The actions which Allah loves; everything legislated by Him such as Tawheed.

Loving other than Allah

It is Major Disbelief. As Allah says: "Still there are some who take others as Allah’s equal—they love them as they should love Allah" (2:165).