Love and Islam

Love refers to the emotional bond that a person holds toward another person, or the relationship of love that exists between humans and God. Islamic religion distinguishes between different types of love: love of God and the Prophet, love of family and siblings, and love between spouses which is governed by marriage. Scholars generally do not consider the feeling of love itself to be sinful; rather, they focus on the actions that arise from it and whether the boundaries set by Islamic law are observed.

The Arabic word `cishq` (عشق) denotes an intense love that overwhelms the person. Sufi scholars used this term to describe the deep love directed toward God. Other scholars, particularly those working within strict jurisprudence, have cautioned against using this word when referring to God, preferring instead the term `mahabba` (love), which appears in the Quran and Sunnah.

Foundations in Religious Texts

The Quran contains verses indicating that God loves the righteous, the pure, and those who act justly, and that the faithful deeply love God. It also contains a verse stating that God has placed `mawadda` (love) and `raxma` (mercy) between spouses—which scholars interpret as the foundation of married love. Hadith traditions include those encouraging that spouses brought together through marriage should have affection for one another.

Sufi Love

In Sufi practice, love is regarded as the primary path to drawing near to God, replacing mere fear or hope. Many writers and poets—including those who wrote in Persian and Turkish—employed imagery drawn from human love (wine, passion, separation) to express the relationship with the Creator. The concept of `jacayl-majaasi` (figurative love) suggests that human love serves to train the person in love of the Creator.

Legal Boundaries

Islamic jurisprudence frames love within the structure of marriage. Sexual relations outside marriage (zina) are forbidden, and private contact between unmarried men and women is restricted. Therefore, discussions of love before marriage emphasize how feelings should be managed and the timing of marriage, rather than focusing on the feeling itself. Marriage, including mutual consent—particularly the woman's agreement—is legally required.

Cultural Variation

Among diverse Muslim communities, including Somali society, love is expressed through poetry, song, and narrative, often intertwined with social values concerning honor and kinship. In some cases, decisions about marriage are influenced by family and custom, which can at times create tension between individual choice and family interest; this is a matter of culture and society rather than something that follows directly from Islamic teachings.