The 5 Types Of Love

The 5 Types Of Love:

Al-Imam Ibn Qayyim Al-Jauziyyah (rahimahullah) said:
There are five categories of Love (Al-Mahabbah المحبة), that is compulsory to be differentiated, for verily one will be deviated for not differentiating between them:
1. Love of Allah (Mahabbatullah)
It is not sufficient to be safe from Allah’s punishment and succeed with His reward only with this love, for verily the Polytheists (Mushrikun), the Christians, the Jews and other than them love Allah as well.
2. Loving What Allah Loves (Mahabbatu Ma Yuhibbuhullah)
This is what enters one into Islam and out from disbelief (kufur). The most beloved people in the sight of Allah are those who are the most upright and strong in this kind of love.
3. Love for the Sake of Allah (Al-Hubbu Lillahi Wa Fihi)
This is from the necessities of loving what Allah loves, and the love will not be upright except loving for His sake.
4. Loving Alongside Allah (Al-Mahabbatu Ma’a-Allah)
This is the Shirk of Love, and anyone who loves something alongside Allah, not for His sake, not because of Him, verily he has taken something besides Allah as equal as Him. This is the love of the Polytheists (Mushrikun).
5. The Natural Love (Al-Mahabbah At-Tobi’iyyah)
This is the inclination of man towards whatever he is naturally inclined to. Example, the love of the thirsty towards water, or the hungry towards food, or the love towards sleep, companionship, and children. These things are not frowned upon, except if they would divert from the remembrance of Allah, and occupy one from loving Him, as Allah said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُلْهِكُمْ أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّـهِ ۚ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ
“O you who have believed, let not your wealth and your children divert you from remembrance of Allah…” [Al-Munafiqun:9]
رِجَالٌ لَّا تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلَا بَيْعٌ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّـهِ وَإِقَامِ الصَّلَاةِ وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ ۙ يَخَافُونَ يَوْمًا تَتَقَلَّبُ فِيهِ الْقُلُوبُ وَالْأَبْصَارُ
“(Are) men whom neither commerce nor sale distracts from the remembrance of Allah…” [An-Nur:37]
Ref: [Al-Jawaab Al-Kaafi Li Man Sa’ala ‘An Ad-Dawaa’ As-Syafi (a. k. a. Ad-Daa’ Wa Ad-Dawaa’) by Al-Imam Ibn Qayyim Al-Jauziyyah (rahimahullah, 691-751H), Dar Al-Qalam, pg. 353.]