There are a number of different types of what we would call “real” love in Islam. Real love is the love that a devout Muslim has for Allah, real love is also the love a faithful servant of Allah has for His Prophet (PBUH) and then there is real love that is that love that is between a Muslim man and a Muslim woman in marriage i.e: Nikah. For a man and a woman, real love starts at Nikah.
Or it should start at Nikah. But does it? More often than not, we in our society see people indulging in unlawful (and here I speak about unlawful in the eyes of Allah) relationships that they like to give the name of “love”. But that is not love. Because that kind of love, without any commitment, trust, faith and loyalty, that kind of love is fake. It is short lived and temporary, waiting to be faded into nothingness. And hence it is unreal. In short, the love that does not take you to the ultimate real love that is Allah, is not love.
The love that starts with Nikah, however, takes you to the path of the love for Allah. So that is what “real” love is. The love that never fades. Real love will start with marriage but it will not end there. Because that love has the power to take you to Jannah with your spouse, holding their hands.
There is a tradition of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) that “When a husband and a wife look at each other with (real) love, Allah looks at them with mercy” . How beautiful is that love that erases all your sins in a jiffy? How amazing and REAL is that love that makes you complete “half your faith” as said by the Holy Prophet (PBUH)? The real love like that of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and Khadijah, who believed him when others left his side, THAT is the real love.
Sows any other love compare with this love then? The love that is between a husband and a wife after Nikah? Surely not. Because Real love starts after Nikah
