Brief Comments on Riyaadh al-Saaliheen #42

The Aayah of "The Test"

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

[Sharh Riyaadh al-Saaliheen (3/269) of Shaikh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله]

Shaikh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله commented on the saying of Allaah تبارك وتعالى:

{قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّـهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّـهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ}

{Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم to mankind): “If you (really) love Allaah then follow me (i.e. accept Islaamic Monotheism, follow the Qur’aan and the Sunnah), Allaah will love you and forgive you of your sins.} [Surah aal-`Imraan (3): 31]

The Salaf (pious predecessors) used to call this Aayah as آية الامتحان (the Aayah of “the Test”). They used to test with it those who would claim to love Allaah; they would check if he is following (the Sunnah of) the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم (or not). This would be the proof of the sincerity of his claim.

If he loves Allaah, Allaah عز وجل too will love him. And that is why He تعالى said:

{ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ }

{then follow me, Allaah will love you} [Surah aal-`Imraan (3): 31]

The end result is great, for Allaah تعالى will love you. And when Allaah تبارك وتعالى loves you, you will be granted, because of that, happiness in this world and in the hereafter.