As we were coming to the mosque today I saw a billboard that read; ‘Everyone Needs Standards.’      What was this?  I didn’t understand.  But someone had added two words to it with a pencil in big writing. The traffic lights caught our car and I was looking.  ‘Everyone Needs Standards’ was written there, but he had written, ‘Everyone Needs Love Not Standards.’         Nothing is accidental during in this life; everything is programmed.   Who wrote that writing?  I don’t know, - correcting it to say that everyone needs, not standards but everyone needs love, muhabbah, the love of our Lord.       If you want wisdom you may take wisdoms from anywhere. 

Yes, he is correct.       I have seen, and also I use a prayer from among the Prophet’s prayers.  The Prophet, beloved Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:

 "Asaluka, ya Allah, hubbaka, wa hubba man yuhibbuka, wa hubba ‘amalin yuballighuni ila hubbik.”

            [I ask of Thee, oh God, Thy love; and the love of those who love Thee; and the love of such deeds as lead to Thy love.][1]

Hubb means love – and that writing is correct.  The Prophet asked his Lord, Almighty Allah saying “Oh my Lord I am asking for Your Love.  For Divine Love I am asking.”

That is the most important thing to be asked from Allah Almighty.  Nothing can be put in the place of love and nothing may be over love.

      Allah Almighty created the Prophet, beloved Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the khamira, yeast for him was the love of God Almighty.  Without love, no Muhammad; and if no Muhammad, nothing would be in existence.  Allah Almighty gave His Divine Love to beloved Muhammad.  He is the most beloved one in existence, and out of Allah Almighty’s love for Muhammad, (peace be upon him) He created all creation.    That is a reality written in holy books; and yet the Prophet was asking for muhabbah, hubb, the Love of God.  I am asking for more love because whoever tastes Love asks for more.  The one who is a rock does not ask for love.

And the Prophet, beloved Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught all mankind to ask from their Lord,  - “Oh our Lord, give us from Your Divine Love.”   That (love) is important.  That gives you light, gives you pleasure, gives you mercy gives you favours, gives you beauty, give you wisdom.  When your Lord Loves a person He gives them everything.  Therefore the Prophet was teaching all mankind. 

He only asked from his Lord to give him more love because that is the most precious thing for those who have a mind in their heads, not straw. Yes; they may understand what is the most precious thing for the whole of life.  If you can find something more precious than love bring it to me – but you can’t find anything. Therefore that person who wrote that everyone needs love, is correct.

Love for those who love Allah

And then the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked: “Wa hubba man yuhibbuka.”  I am asking Oh my Lord, Your Divine Love, and also I am asking love for those who love you.  He means to say ‘I am asking for the love of Your friends also Oh my Lord.’

The first part is for the level of prophets; but you can’t put your foot all at once on the top.  So he comes to the second level and says, ‘I am asking for the love of Your friends, that love You.’  That is possible.  Anyone may look at those people whose hearts are with their Lord so that you can’t find anything in their hearts except the love of the Lord Almighty. 

You may find such people, and it is obligatory for all believers to keep love in their hearts for the friends of Allah Almighty.  It is important because you can’t immediately reach the love of God Almighty Allah.  It is so difficult;  but he is showing us the way also that leads us to the love of God Almighty; -  “Oh my Lord, give me love for those who love You.”  Their hearts are full up with Your love; but Satan fights with people [telling them] not to love such people.

 Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) came to a third level and said “Wa hubba ‘amalin yuballighuni ila hubbik.”  He is asking and teaching -  ‘Oh my Lord make me love such actions that, by the blessing of those actions, I may reach love for your friends and may reach love for You.”

Those are the three prayers which the Prophet made.

This is for all people and particularly for you o believers.  When you start to ask for something you must ask, “Oh my Lord, give me a little bit of love, a little bit of love.”  But Satan fights people saying   “If a little love comes to your heart than you are going to leave everything of this world’s pleasures.” 

Yes; if you can be given a little bit of that love, you are going to sink into an endless pleasure ocean so that all pleasures of this life are not going to be even one little drop in that huge pleasure-ocean.

 And now - a story with two lessons

Once Moses (peace be upon him) was going to Mount Sinai.  He passed by a little temple, like a monastery where worshippers stayed to worship.  There he saw a devotee worshipping.  That worshipper greeted him and said: “Oh Moses, when you speak to your Lord please ask Him to give me a little bit of love – one little particle of love.” That priest worshipped but he did not taste. 

Then Moses came to Mount Sinai and said; “Oh my Lord, Your servant is asking for a little bit of Your Divine Love.”

“I have given it to him - not as much a he is asking - less, less, less, less, less.  Seventy   times less than the little bit he asked for, I have sent to him.” – Because that worshipper was worshipping but not tasting - because without love, worshipping is nothing.

 [Therefore you must build your worshipping on love, and into every stone every brick you must put the love of your Lord.  Then this building is going to give you love.  When you pray in old buildings you can find in them some holy feelings and love.]

Then, when Moses returned from asking his Lord he was startled to see that where that place had been, part of a mountain had been blown away and there was a deep chasm in the earth.  Moses looked down and saw that person – finished, utterly overwhelmed by Love. 

He couldn’t handle even that little bit of love.  If he had asked that it come through Moses he would have been able to, but when he asked directly for himself, he couldn’t hold it.  That worshipper had asked Allah Almighty to send him Love, not through Moses, but coming to him directly, and like that he went away – died.  But still he has taken his share;  now he is in such a state up to Judgement day.  Yes he is now in the Station of Divine Love.

O people ask from your Lord what is most precious in His Divine presence.  Nothing can be more precious than love in the Divine Presence – Ask!  And we are asking through His beloved Muhammad (peace be upon him) – or through His beloved friends – asking for Divine Love.

see Rising Sun  and Towards the Divine Presence book 2