We have distorted perceptions of love.

We think that it revolves around ourselves,

That to love means to take,

That to love means to consume,

That the love we feel is meant to fill ourselves alone.

We think that love is only for ‘I’,

For self,

But if we love in order to fill our self and our egos then we will forever be in turmoil.

What if we saw things differently?

What if loving didn’t require the other to be ‘perfect’ and entirely ‘good’?

What if you could love a troubled child, a broken spouse, a fractured friend, a sinful stranger, an imperfect human being.

Aren’t we all imperfect?

Aren’t we all sinners?

Aren’t we all troubled, broken and fractured in ways?

Does that then mean we are unworthy of love?

What if we gave our love without conditions, without qualification, without expectation?

How would that feel?

What would that create in the other?

No doubt, it would provide them with comfort, healing, warmth, security, soothing, repose, reassurance, worthiness.

Why would we not want to gift this to those around us?

When given for the sake of Allah, for the sake of another, love can provide salvation from the worst of paths.

It can induce renewed hope, immense change and transformation, utter healing and inspiration.

What a gift to give subhanallah.

So love.

Love not for yourself but for the souls around you.

Love creates light which pierces the darkness that exists within and without.

So to be in a state of love means to be in a state of giving light.

This is what our Lord wants from us as He is the Source of all love, The Ever-Loving, The Light.

So love.

Calisha Bennett