Love for Allah and Detachment from Materialism is a central theme in Islamic spirituality, particularly within Sufism. The more a person’s heart is filled with love for Allah (Ishq-e-Haqiqi), the less they are attached to worldly possessions, desires, and material comforts. This Divine Love elevates the soul, allowing the individual to focus on spiritual growth, purifying the heart, and seeking nearness to Allah. Detaching from materialism through love for Allah is not about renouncing the world entirely, but about reorienting one’s priorities and values toward the eternal rather than the transient.
Here’s an exploration of how love for Allah helps in this process:
1. Understanding the Temporary Nature of the Material World
Love for Allah brings a deep realization that everything in the material world is temporary and fleeting. Wealth, status, possessions, and even relationships are part of the world of illusion (Dunya), and they will eventually pass away. The love of Allah, on the other hand, is eternal and enduring. When a person’s heart is attached to Allah, they naturally begin to detach from the distractions of the material world because they recognize its impermanence.
- The Qur’an emphasizes this in several places, reminding believers of the fleeting nature of worldly life. For example, in Surah Al-Hadid (57:20), it states: “Know that the life of this world is only play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children. It is like the vegetation after rain: thereof the growth is pleasing to the tiller; afterward it dries up and you see it turning yellow; then it becomes straw.”
This understanding helps the believer prioritize their spiritual journey and seek eternal success in the Hereafter.
2. Purification of the Heart (Tazkiyah)
A key aspect of spiritual growth in Islam is Tazkiyah (purification of the heart), which involves cleansing the heart of negative traits like greed, pride, jealousy, and attachment to worldly things. Love for Allah plays a crucial role in this process because when the heart is filled with love for the Divine, it naturally becomes purified of other attachments. The heart becomes a vessel for Divine Light, and worldly desires lose their appeal.
- In Sufism, this process is often described as burning away the impurities of the ego (nafs) through the fire of Divine Love. The Sufi saint Jalaluddin Rumi said: “Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.”
These barriers are often linked to materialism, and as they are removed, the individual is free to focus on higher spiritual goals.
3. Focusing on the Eternal (Akhirah)
The love for Allah shifts a person’s focus from the transient pleasures of the Dunya to the eternal rewards of the Akhirah (Hereafter). This shift is crucial for spiritual growth because it encourages the believer to prioritize actions that lead to nearness to Allah, rather than seeking immediate gratification through material success. The love of Allah helps the individual see that true success is not in accumulating wealth or status, but in earning Allah’s pleasure and achieving salvation.
- In the Qur’an, Allah encourages believers to seek the rewards of the Hereafter while also balancing their needs in this life. In Surah Al-Qasas (28:77), it says: “But seek, through that which Allah has given you, the home of the Hereafter; and [yet], do not forget your share of the world.”
This verse illustrates that while material possessions can be part of life, they should not be the primary goal. Love for Allah helps maintain this balance by keeping the focus on the eternal.
4. Annihilation of the Ego (Nafs)
The nafs (ego or lower self) is driven by desires for wealth, power, fame, and sensory pleasures. Sufis emphasize that Divine Love is the key to subduing and overcoming the nafs, as it redirects the heart from self-centered desires to the love of Allah. When a person is in love with Allah, they lose their attachment to personal desires, and the nafs becomes purified.
- Hazrat Bayazid Bastami, a famous Sufi saint, spoke of annihilation (Fana) in Allah as a way of overcoming the ego. He believed that only by losing oneself in the love of Allah could a person free themselves from the desires of the nafs. In his state of Fana, he expressed the realization that when the ego disappears, only Allah remains.
This annihilation of the self through love leads to detachment from materialism, as the individual no longer seeks fulfillment in material possessions, but in closeness to Allah.
5. Contentment (Rida) and Trust in Allah (Tawakkul)
Love for Allah brings a sense of contentment (Rida) with whatever Allah decrees, whether in wealth or poverty, ease or hardship. This contentment frees the believer from constantly striving for more material possessions and status. When a person is satisfied with Allah’s plan for them, they stop comparing themselves to others and no longer chase after worldly gains.
- Contentment also leads to Tawakkul (trust in Allah), where the believer places their complete reliance on Allah for their needs. This trust removes the anxiety and stress that often come with materialism, as the person understands that everything they need is in Allah’s hands.
- The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, “Richness is not having many possessions. Rather, true richness is the richness of the soul.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)
This inner richness comes from love for Allah, which leads to detachment from materialism and a focus on spiritual fulfillment.
6. Service to Others and Charity (Zakat and Sadaqah)
Love for Allah also inspires believers to give generously and serve others, as these acts are expressions of love for Allah’s creation. When a person loves Allah, they naturally want to please Him by helping others and sharing their wealth. This attitude of generosity contrasts with materialism, which often leads to hoarding wealth and possessions.
- Charity (Zakat and Sadaqah) is a key component of Islamic practice, and it serves as a means of purifying one’s wealth and heart. The act of giving helps detach the individual from their love of material possessions and reminds them that wealth is a trust from Allah.
- The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, “Wealth is not diminished by giving charity.” (Sahih Muslim)
This teaching reinforces the idea that spiritual growth comes from generosity and love for Allah, not from accumulating wealth.
7. Love for Allah Overcomes Material Desires
When a person experiences deep love for Allah, material desires pale in comparison. The pleasures of wealth, luxury, and status are seen as distractions from the real purpose of life: to worship and love Allah. The more a person’s heart is filled with this love, the less they are attracted to worldly desires, because the joy of being close to Allah is far greater than any material gain.
- Rumi poetically describes this in his work: “I have seen the kings with wealth untold,
but I sigh and desire the Beloved’s fold.”
This perspective helps the believer focus on their spiritual journey and growth, as they no longer see material possessions as a source of happiness or success.