People loved by Allah

Being loved by Allah matters! Allah is Al-Wadood, meaning He loves. When Allah loves someone, He says it and shows it through His actions.  Out of love, Allah helps, guides, protects, showers His mercy and rewards His beloved with knowledge and wisdom.  Being loved by Him matters, and it has profound impact on a person’s wellbeing and worldly life.

So, who are these people whom Allah loves? Allah tells us that He loves the muttaqeen,

But yes, whoever fulfills his commitment and fears Allah - then indeed, Allah loves the muttaqeen. ~Al-Quran 3:76

Excepted are those with whom you made a treaty among the polytheists and then they have not been deficient toward you in anything or supported anyone against you; so complete for them their treaty until their term [has ended]. Indeed, Allah loves the muttaqeen. ~Al-Quran 9:4

How can there be for the polytheists a treaty in the sight of Allah and with his messenger, except for those with whom you made a treaty at al-masjid al-ḥarām? So as long as they are upright toward you, be upright toward them. Indeed, Allah loves the muttaqeen. ~Al-Quran 9:7

He loves the mutawakileen,

So by mercy from Allah, [o Muḥammad], you were lenient with them. And if you had been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you. So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult them in the matter. And when you have decided, then rely upon Allah. Indeed, Allah loves the mutawakileen [those who rely upon him].~Al-Quran 3:159

He loves the muhsineen,

And spend in the way of Allah and do not throw [yourselves] with your [own] hands into destruction [by refraining]. And do good; indeed, Allah loves the muhsineen [doers of good].~Al-Quran 2:195

Who spend [in the cause of Allah] during ease and hardship and who restrain anger and who pardon the people - and Allah loves the muhsineen [doers of good]~Al-Quran 3:134

So Allah gave them the reward of this world and the good reward of the hereafter. And Allah loves the muhsineen [doers of good]~Al-Quran 3:148

So for their breaking of the covenant we cursed them and made their hearts hardened. They distort words from their [proper] places [i.e., usages] and have forgotten a portion of that of which they were reminded. And you will still observe deceit among them, except a few of them. But pardon them and overlook [their misdeeds]. Indeed, Allah loves the muhsineen [doers of good].~Al-Quran 5:13

There is not upon those who believe and do righteousness [any] blame concerning what they have eaten [in the past] if they [now] fear Allah and believe and do righteous deeds, and then fear Allah and believe, and then fear Allah and do good; and Allah loves the muhsineen [doers of good].~Al-Quran 5:93

He loves the sabireen,

And how many a prophet [fought in battle and] with him fought many religious scholars. But they never lost assurance due to what afflicted them in the cause of Allah, nor did they weaken or submit. And Allah loves the sabireen [steadfast]. ~Al-Quran 3:146

He loves the tawabeen and mutatahareen,

They ask you ˹o prophet˺ about menstruation. Say, “beware of its harm! So keep away, and do not have intercourse with your wives during their monthly cycles until they are purified. When they purify themselves, then you may approach them in the manner specified by Allah. Surely Allah loves the tawabeen [those who always turn to him in repentance] and mutatahareen [those who purify themselves.]” ~Al-Quran 2:222

Do not stand [for prayer] within it - ever. A mosque founded on righteousness from the first day is more worthy for you to stand in. Within it are men who love to purify themselves; and Allah loves the mutatahareen [those who purify themselves]. ~Al-Quran 9:108

He loves the muqsiteen,

[They are] avid listeners to falsehood, devourers of [what is] unlawful. So if they come to you, [o Muḥammad], judge between them or turn away from them. And if you turn away from them - never will they harm you at all. And if you judge, judge between them with justice. Indeed, Allah loves the muqsiteen [those who act justly]. ~Al-Quran 5:42

And if two factions among the believers should fight, then make settlement between the two. But if one of them oppresses the other, then fight against the one that oppresses until it returns to the ordinance of Allah. And if it returns, then make settlement between them in justice and act justly. Indeed, Allah loves the muqsiteen [those who act justly]. ~Al-Quran 49:9

Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes - from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves the muqsiteen [those who act justly]. ~Al-Quran 60:8

He loves those who fight for His cause.

Indeed, Allah loves those who fight in His cause in a row as though they are a [single] structure joined firmly.  ~Al-Quran  61:4

And He loves those who follow the sunnah.

Say (0 Prophet): 'if you do love Allah, follow me; Allah shall love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is most-forgiving, very-merciful." ~Al-Quran  3:31

Educating for transformation – Nurturing the ability to change

If we want society to be transformed through education, then we must understand the laws of nature that govern society transformation and then reflect them in the Islamiyat (Islamic studies) curriculum. Through the Quran Allah reveals why He changes the condition of the society:

For him [i.e., each one] are successive [angels] before and behind him who protect him by the decree of Allah. Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. And when Allah intends for a people ill, there is no repelling it. And there is not for them besides him any patron.~Al-Quran  13:11

One of the main objectives of Islamiyat (Islamic studies) curriculum should be bringing about inner change within the learner. The outcome of this inner change should be people whom Allah loves. Muttaqeen, muhsineen, mutawakileen, muqsiteen, mutatahareen, tawabeen, sabireen and those who fight in Allah’s cause and follow the sunnah have the constellation of character strengths that can transform any kind of  society. These personalities have the character strengths that promote citizenship whose key trait is enjoining right and forbidding wrong. Citizenship that is defined by prosocial behavior, religious pluralism, obedience to law, and respect of rights of all citizens, global community, and Allah’s creation. Citizenship that actively engages in rooting out corruption, oppression, nepotism, bigotry, selfishness, intolerance, ignorance, immorality, illiteracy, and injustice. Such citizenship requires educating the heart with the knowledge of emaan because of its ability to cause inner change. Character strengths that are natural outcome of emaan are strong enough to bring about the desired change in a society through actions that can earn the Muslim Ummah the title of “the best nation”.

You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah. If only the people of the scripture had believed, it would have been better for them. Among them are believers, but most of them are defiantly disobedient.~Al-Quran 3:110

[such believers are] the repentant, the worshippers, the praisers [of Allah], the travelers [for His cause], those who bow and prostrate [in prayer], those who enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, and those who observe the limits [set by] Allah. And give good tidings to the believers. ~Al-Quran 9:112

A set of principles or “Guidance theory” derived from the Quran must guide Islamiyat (Islamic studies) curriculum development and implementation.

The curriculum must put to practice the Quranic wisdom to cause inner change. A set of principles or “Guidance theory” derived from the Quran and Prophet Muhammad’s e da’wah methodology must guide curriculum development and implementation. The curriculum developers must ponder over an analysis done by Dr. Ali Muhammad As-Sallaabee about the da’wah practiced by Prophet Muhammad e. He states that,” It takes time to first plant the seeds of sound beliefs in people’s minds, and then to nurture the growth of those beliefs until they develop strong roots. Today, Muslims need to learn the same lesson: the overcoming of disbelief and ignorance requires training and patience. The Prophet e taught his companions about patience by encouraging them to develop strong relationship with Allah and to find strength through worshipping Him.” 

Quranic wisdom and Prophet Muhammad’s e methodology  must be reflected in the knowledge content and pedagogy for formation of belief that nurtures character strengths of people loved by Allah. These character strengths have specific behaviors associated with them. The learning experiences must aid and assist the learners to properly assimilate and accommodate their life experiences into belief so that behaviours associated with these character strengths can become habits and the learner is able to get Allah’s love. This requires revisiting our tradition by using dialogical halaqah  (discourse) as the central pedagogical practice for emaan and character development.

The curriculum developers must accept the failure of this subject (at least in Pakistan) to have a positive impact on learner’s character, wellbeing, and the society.

Curriculum developers need to understand that knowledge banking approach doesn’t work for emaan and character development. They must accept the failure of this subject to have a positive impact on learner’s character, wellbeing, and the society despite being a compulsory subject in schools in Pakistan for over three decades. They also need to understand what Allama Iqbal meant when he said, “Knowledge for the sake of knowledge is maxim of fools”  and that, “the present system of education in this country is not at all suited to us as people. It is not true to our genius as a nation, it tends to produce an un-Muslim type of character, it is not determined by our national requirements, it breaks entirely with our past and appears to proceed on the false assumption that the idea of education is the training of human intellect rather than human will.”  The curriculum must focus on the human will if it wants to nurture learners whom Allah loves.

There is no better reward in this world than experiencing Allah’s love and the benefits associated with it. In it lies the cure of all ills. It shows how education becomes the great equalizer in the society and enables the person to live a good life in this world and the next. It fulfils the purpose of education!

Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer - We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do.~Al-Quran 16:97

O you who have believed, whoever of you should revert from his religion - Allah will bring forth [in place of them] a people he will love and who will love Him [who are] humble toward the believers, strong against the disbelievers; they strive in the cause of Allah and do not fear the blame of a critic. That is the favor of Allah; He bestows it upon whom He wills. And Allah is all-encompassing and knowing.~Al-Quran 5:54