Have you ever seen a passionate gardener care for his garden, watering and fertilising it at the right time and talking and singing to it? He remakes the weak stems into strong ones and feels immense joy when they mature and produce fruit. He binds the weak stems with a metal rod to make them straight and strong so that they bear fruit.

Like a gardener who loves and cares for his garden, in the same way, you are the gardener of your soul and body. The knowledge you feed your body is fertiliser and water—necessary for your soul. When a person loves himself for the sake of Allah, he finds his body strong. If you love yourself for the sake of Allah, you can see yourself through the eyes of divine compassion and care. It is about accepting yourself with kindness and understanding, realising that you are Allah’s creation, deserving of love and respect. When you appreciate yourself this way, you follow Allah’s guidance, giving you a stronger sense of peace and purpose. In this blog, we will examine how a person loves for Allah’s sake and finds inner peace.

What is self-love

Self-love means caring for yourself by working to uplift your positive attributes and using them to overcome your weaknesses. It means pleasing Allah (SWT) by bettering ourselves and knowing our purpose as human beings. However, in Islam, loving yourself means caring for your emotions, physical and mental strength, and feelings. Remember that Allah (SWT) gave us our mind, body, and soul, and it is our job to take care of them.

Additionally, self-love in Islam means thinking of others when advocating for your needs. Life isn’t about prioritising ourselves and our needs over everyone else. We should also recognise our needs and always be hard on ourselves. In Surah Ar-Ra’d, 13:11, Allah talks about self-love. 

“Surely Allah does not change the conditions in which a people are in until they change that which is in themselves”

On the other hand, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said as Sayyidah Aisha (RA) narrated:

“Verily, your own self has rights over you. So fast and break your fast, pray and sleep.”

Reference [Sunan Abi Dawud]

Love yourself for the sake of Allah

To love for the sake of Allah means to treat yourself well because you are one of Allah’s best and most beloved creations. When a person takes care of their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs, and if he respects Allah’s blessings, he finds peace. Moreover, when a person loves himself and accepts his divine worth, he leads a balanced and fulfilling life.  

Additionally, loving for the sake of Allah with others is difficult without any selfishness. It means accepting offers of help, kindness, and understanding because every human being is a beloved creation of Allah, as mentioned above. When you love others for the sake of Allah, it creates a compassionate relationship. This strengthens your relationships and promotes the motives and sense of divine love. 

Love you for the sake of Allah in Arabic

The Arabic Phrase for love you for the sake of Allah is “أحبك في الله”.  Muslims mostly use this Arabic phrase to express their love that is purely used for the sake of Allah, which reflects the selfless love of the relationship.

Fostering self-love through Islamic teaching

Love for the sake of Allah by yourself through Islamic teaching is an important concept in Islam. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) taught us that loving oneself is important for truly loving others. In one Hadith the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said as Anas (RA) narrated:  

“‏ لا يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتَّى يُحِبَّ لأَخِيهِ مَا يُحِبُّ لِنَفْسِهِ ‏”‏‏‏

“None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself” 

(Sahih al-Bukhari 13; Sahih Muslim 45)

How to love yourself according to the Quran?

When a believer starts living according to the Quranic teachings and loves himself for the sake of Allah, he becomes more thankful. The Quran teaches us to live a righteous and fulfilling life, as Allah made us with purpose and care. When Muslims pray to Allah for love, they become spiritual and righteous. Moreover, when believers do good deeds for the sake of Allah, He will give them great rewards in return. 

According to the Quran, loving for the sake of Allah starts with embracing the thought that you are Allah’s beloved creation. As Allah mentioned in [Surah Al-Hujurat 46:13] about Allah’s beloved creation.

O humanity! Indeed, We created you from a male and a female, and made you into peoples and tribes so that you may ˹get to˺ know one another. Surely the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous among you. Allah is truly All-Knowing, All-Aware.

If a person does a wrong act, it is wrong for their soul. And when they do not love themselves for the sake of Allah. So, Allah saying about that:

وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذ ظَّلَمُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ جَآءُوكَ فَٱسْتَغْفَرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ ٱلرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ تَوَّابًۭا رَّحِيمًۭا

Had they, after having wronged themselves, come to you and sought forgiveness from Allah, and had the Messenger prayed for their forgiveness, they would certainly have found Allah Most-Relenting, Very-Merciful. [Surah An-Nisa 4:64]

Hadith about love for the sake of Allah

In Islam, the hadith about love for Allah’s pleasure has the importance of sincere and selfless love. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said about love for Allah’s sake as Abu Umamah narrates: 

“‏ مَنْ أَحَبَّ لِلَّهِ وَأَبْغَضَ لِلَّهِ وَأَعْطَى لِلَّهِ وَمَنَعَ لِلَّهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَكْمَلَ الإِيمَانَ ‏”‏

If anyone loves for Allah’s sake, hates for Allah’s sake, gives for Allah’s sake and withholds for Allah’s sake, he will have perfect faith [Sunan Abi Dawud 4681]

Moreover, this hadith teaches loving for the sake of Allah and living according to it, creating a supportive and caring community. By loving others, as our beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) told us, we align our actions with divine principles and appreciate the spirit of mutual respect and compassion. This approach to self-love for God not only strengthens our relationships. Rather, fulfilling our social and spiritual responsibilities also increases our connection and relationship with Allah Almighty.  

Best quotes about love for the sake of Allah

Love for the sake of Allah is a selfless and profound bond. Here we define this idea through some beautiful Love for the sake of Allah quotes.

Prophet’s Muhammad (PBUH):

  • “The strongest bond of faith is to love for the sake of Allah and to hate for the sake of Allah.” (Reported by Abu Dawood)

Ibn Qayyim jauziyyah:

  • “Love for the sake of Allah is the noblest love, the sincerest love, and the most enduring love.”

Ali Ibn Talib:

  • “He who does not have love for the sake of Allah does not have true love at all.”

Abdul Qadir Gilani

  • “When you love for the sake of Allah, you love purely and selflessly, and that love will never fade or be in vain.”

Molana Rumi:

  • “Love links between you and everything.” Love for the sake of Allah is the link between you and everlasting happiness.” 

How can you be successful by loving Allah?

When you love Allah from the depths of his heart, his love can lead to success for him in many ways. When you love Allah and prayer to Allah for love, you are encouraged to follow His guidance and live according to His pleasure. Another meaning is to choose positive thinking and treat others with love and kindness for the sake of Allah, which can lead to a full and rewarding life. You can find your way to happiness and contentment by focusing on the teachings of Allah.

Additionally, when you love for the sake of Allah, this love helps to give you peace and strength in difficult situations and times. When you love yourself and turn to God for the sake of Allah, this spiritual can lead to building relationships of success in personal goals and achieving the goal of realisation.

Powerful duas of loving yourself

Here are some beautiful and powerful Islamic duas for love that demonstrate healthy and balanced self-love in accordance with Islamic principles:

Dua for Inner Peace:

“يا حَيُّ يا قَيُّومُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ أَسْتَغِيثُ أَصْلِحْ لِي شَأْنِي كُلَّهُ وَلاَ تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ”

“O Ever-Living, O Sustainer of existence, I seek Your help through Your mercy. Correct for me all of my affairs and do not leave me to myself, even for the blink of an eye.”

Dua for Self-Worth and Confidence:

قَالَ رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِي صَدْرِي ﴿٢٥﴾ وَيَسِّرْ لِي أَمْرِي ﴿٢٦﴾ وَاحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِّن لِّسَانِي ﴿٢٧﴾ يَفْقَهُوا قَوْلِي

Moses prayed, “My Lord! Uplift my heart for me, and make my task easy, and remove the impediment from my tongue, so people may understand my speech (Surah Ta’ah 25-28)

Dua for Healing and Self-love: 

“Allahumma ishfini min kulli jarh fi qalbi wa ahsin surati fi nafsi, wa ruzuqni hubban sadiqan li nafsi kama tuhibbuni”

English Translate: 

“O Allah, heal me from every wound in my heart, improve my self-image, and grant me sincere love for myself as You love me.”

All these Islamic duas for love help create balanced and healthy self-love and encourage a positive self-image while seeking Allah’s support and guidance.

Conclusion

Loving yourself for Allah’s sake changes your inner and outer self. Like a gardener fertilises his garden, caring for your soul with divine compassion leads to deep inner serenity. Adopting a self-love attitude aligns with Allah’s teachings and might help you value yourself more. To deepen your experience, consider Umrah Packages, which provide spiritual growth and the opportunity to renew your connection with Allah Almighty. Love for the sake of Allah, you will divine instructions and live a balanced, satisfying life. This way of thinking gives you peace and a reason to live. It also improves your relationship with Allah and makes your spiritual path stronger.