5 love languages to attain closeness to Allah

The Five Love Languages

1) Words of Affirmation (duaa/dhikr)

“He is Allah, other than whom there is no deity, Knower of the unseen and the witnessed. He is the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. He is Allah, other than whom there is no deity, the Sovereign, the Pure, the Perfection, the Bestower of Faith, the Overseer, the Exalted in Might, the Compeller, the Superior. Exalted is Allah above whatever they associate with Him. He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor, the Fashioner; to Him belong the best names. Whatever is in the heavens and earth is exalting Him. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.”
(Surah Al-Hashr 59 , verses 22-24)

2) Quality time (prayer/salah)

“Recite what is sent of the Book by inspiration to thee, and establish Regular Prayer: for Prayer restrains from shameful and unjust deeds, and remembrance of Allah is the greatest (thing in life) without doubt. And Allah knows the (deeds) that ye do.”
(Qur'an: Surah al-Ankabut 29, verse 45)

“People who are not distracted by trade or commerce from the remembrance of God and the observance of prayer.”
(Qur'an: Surah an-Nur 24, verse 37)

“And when you have completed the prayer, remember Allah standing, sitting, or [lying] on your sides. But when you become secure, re-establish [regular] prayer. Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times.”
(Qur'an: Surah an-Nusa 4, verse 103)

3) Gift-giving (zakat, sadaqah/charity)

“Who is it that will offer up unto God a goodly loan, which He will amply repay? For, such (as do so) shall have a noble reward.”
(Qur'an: al-Hadid 57, verse 11)

“Those who spend of their goods (in charity) by night and by day in secret and in public shall have their reward with their Lord: on them shall be no fear nor shall they grieve.”
(Qur'an: Surah al-Baqarah 2, verse 274)

“And be steadfast in prayer and regular in charity: and whatever good ye send forth for your souls before you ye shall find it with Allah; for Allah sees well all that ye do.”
(Qur'an: Surah al-Baqarah 2, verse 110)

“None of you [believers] will attain true piety unless you give out of what you cherish: whatever you give, God knows about it very well.”
(Qur'an: Surah Ali-Imran 3, verse 92)

4) Acts of Service (righteous deeds, fasting, struggling in His way)

“He said, ‘My people, serve God: you have no god other than Him. A clear sign has come to you from your Lord. Give full measure and weight and do not undervalue people’s goods; do not cause corruption in the land after it has been set in order: this is better for you, if you are believers.”
(Qur'an: Surah Ar-Araf 7, verse 85)

“Those that turn (to God) in repentance; that serve Him, and praise Him; that wander in devotion to the cause of God,: that bow down and prostrate themselves in prayer; that enjoin good and forbid evil; and observe the limit set by God;- (These do rejoice). So proclaim the glad tidings to the Believers.”

(Qur'an: Surah At-Tawbah 9, verses 112)

5) Physical Touch (physically performing pilgrimages)

“Proclaim the Pilgrimage to all people. They will come to you on foot and on every kind of swift mount, emerging from every deep mountain pass to attain benefits and celebrate God’s name, on specified days, over the livestock He has provided for them – feed yourselves and the poor and unfortunate – so let the pilgrims perform their acts of cleansing, fulfil their vows, and circle around the Ancient House. All this [is ordained by God]: anyone who honours the sacred ordinances of God will have good rewards from his Lord.” (Qur'an: Surah Al-Hajj 22, verses 27-30)

Conclusion

Each of these love languages are generously rewarded by Allah swt. The verses exhorting the believers toward righteousness are often followed by promises of gaining Allah’s pleasure. The unique thing about this relationship with the Divine is the phenomenon of having your heart satiated with love (receiving) the more you give love (offering). Receiving is in the offering, achievement is in the striving. In putting forth love in the language that Allah swt requests of you, you are filling your love tank.

Because Allah swt is the Most Loving, His Love streams toward us continually and unendingly – it is we who are blind to it. Speaking to Him in His love languages softens our hearts and removes the veils so that our blindness can be lifted and our spiritual love tanks no longer have barriers that block the ever-present, ever-flowing Love of Allah swt.

Subhan’Allah in the following verse, four of the love languages are alluded to by the companions of hell as the things that, when neglected, prevented them from entering heaven:
“Every soul will be (held) in pledge for its deeds. Except the Companions of the Right Hand. (They will be) in Gardens (of Delight); they will question each other And (ask) of the Sinners: ‘What led you into Hell-Fire?’ They will say: ‘We were not of those who prayed; Nor were we of those who fed the indigent; But we used to talk vanities with vain talkers, And we used to deny the Day of Judgment Until there came to us (the Hour) that is certain.'”
(Qur'an: al-Muddaththir 74, verses 38-47)

•We were not of those who prayed:
(Quality time)
•Nor were we of those who fed the indigent:
(Gift-giving)
•But we used to talk vanities with vain talkers:
(Words of affirmation)
•And we used to deny the Day of Judgment Until there came to us the Hour that is certain:
(Acts of service)

The secret to taqwa (God-consciousness) is striving to meet Allah swt on His terms, not doing what you think gives you a spiritual high. By only speaking your love language, whether it’s to your spouse, child, friend, or God, you alienate your beloved and draw up barriers that, with selflessness and a willingness to be more understanding, need not exist. Are you compassionate in the way you speak to your Lord? You may find that His Compassion had always been surrounding you in a blanket of mercy, but it may have been encrypted to you because you were speaking the wrong language.

(Inspired by a lecture given by Sayed Jawad Al-Qazwini)