Every soul is created with an innate longing — a fitra — to be near to its Creator and to know that its deeds are accepted. In Islam, this yearning is not left unanswered. Through the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) has revealed with unmistakable clarity the signs of His love for His worshippers and the pathways by which any believer — regardless of their station or past — may earn that love. This is not a distant theological abstraction; it is the most urgent and practical question of spiritual life, for what could be greater than knowing that the Lord of all creation is pleased with you?
Following the Prophet Is the Foundation of Earning Allah’s Love
“Say (O Muhammad): If you really love Allah then follow me — Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” — Quran 3:31
This verse from Surah Aal Imran settles the question definitively: love of Allah is inseparable from following His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). It is not a passive sentiment but an active, daily commitment — to align one’s beliefs, worship, speech, and conduct with the guidance the Messenger of Allah brought to humanity. The narration of Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) in Sahih Al-Bukhari and Muslim adds a breathtaking dimension: when Allah loves a person, He announces it to Jibreel (alayhis salam), who declares it to the inhabitants of the heavens, until that love descends and is reflected in the hearts of people on earth. The strong believer who strives, seeks help from Allah, and refuses to surrender to helplessness is the most beloved to his Lord. Faith in Islam demands effort and orientation — a conscious, continuous turning toward what pleases the Creator above all else.
Three Doors to Divine Closeness: Quran, Dhikr, and Salah Upon the Prophet
The Islamic tradition identifies specific, accessible deeds through which a believer cultivates closeness to Allah (taqarrub) and, by His mercy, attains His love. These practices are not reserved for scholars or the spiritually elite — they are within reach of every Muslim in every moment of the day.
- Recite the Quran consistently: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Read the Quran, for it will act as an intercessor for its readers on the Day of Resurrection.” Each letter carries ten rewards — Alif is one letter, Lam is one letter, Meem is one letter. The best among us are those who learn the Quran and teach it to others.
- Maintain constant remembrance of Allah (dhikr): After every prayer, say SubhanAllah 33 times, Alhamdulillah 33 times, and Allahu Akbar 33 times, completing the hundred with the full declaration of tawhid. This alone erases sins even if they were as the foam of the sea. As the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, the one who remembers Allah is like the living; the one who does not is like the dead.
- Send blessings upon the Prophet (salawat): Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet — and believers are commanded to do likewise. For each salah upon the Prophet, Allah sends ten mercies in return. This is an act that costs nothing yet yields reward beyond measure.
- Build upon the obligatory before seeking the voluntary: Draw near to Allah first through the fara’id — the pillars He has made obligatory. Then add nawafil: voluntary prayers, extra recitation, additional dhikr. Nearness to Allah is built in stages, each one elevating the believer closer to divine love.
- Practice taqwa and continuous self-reckoning: Allah commands: “O you who have believed, fear Allah. And let a soul look to what it has put forth for tomorrow.” (Quran 59:18). The spiritually serious believer constantly examines their deeds and aligns their life with what pleases the Lord of the Worlds.
“My worshipper keeps on coming close to Me through performing nawafil till I love him — then I become his sense of hearing with which he hears, and his sense of sight with which he sees, and his hands with which he grips, and his legs with which he walks; and if he asks Me, I will give him, and if he asks My protection, I will protect him.” — Hadith Qudsi [Al-Bukhari]
The promise of Allah is true, His mercy is vast, and earning His pleasure is the greatest aspiration a soul can carry through this life. The path is clear and it is open: follow the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in sincere obedience, fill your days with the recitation of the Quran, let your tongue never fall silent from the remembrance of Allah, and send salah upon the Chosen One as your Lord has commanded. Remember Allah, and He will remember you. Call upon Him, and He will respond. Thank Him for His blessings, and He will increase them. There is no remembrance greater than the remembrance of Allah — and no pursuit in this dunya or the akhirah more worthy of our full effort, our sincere hearts, and our unwavering focus than orienting every moment of our existence toward the One who created us, who sustains us, and to whom alone our return belongs.
