Friday Sermon The love of God can be a shield

ABU DHABI // The faithful should seek God's pleasure through cleanliness and consistency, according to today's sermon. Imams across the country will tell worshippers before the noon Friday prayers to foster a love for God by following Islamic teachings, but, most importantly, by following them consistently. One way to achieve this, today's sermon will say, is for the faithful to turn to God more constantly and purify themselves physically and spiritually.

"Truly Allah loves those who turn unto Him, and loves those who have a care for cleanness," a Quranic verse says. Worshippers also will be reminded that the love of God can be a shield against devastating personal losses. Dr Ahmed al Qubaissy, the head of higher Islamic studies at both Baghdad University and the UAE University, said maintaining love with Allah was key to success and happiness in life. The worshipper should take the initiative to love Allah in order to feel God's love.

"When you feel Allah's love in your life, you will understand that the good and the bad come from Him, and that helps give you satisfaction," Dr al Qubaissy said. "For Allah there is an action and a reaction, Allah's action was that He created us and bestowed on us His blessings, and the reaction depends on our deeds." He cited a Quranic verse: "O, you who believe! If you help Allah, He will help you and will make your foothold firm."

Another way to foster love with God is patience during adverse circumstances, according to the sermon. The Prophet Mohammed said in a divinely inspired hadith: "Get to know Allah in prosperity and He will know you in adversity." "We have, as worshippers, to seek the love of God through perseverance and consistency in our obedience to Him, and to please him and be pleased with his judgement. We also have to avoid everything that God and the Prophet do not like," worshippers will be told.