Who do we really love?

A man asked the Prophet (Sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam), "When will the Hour be established O Allah's Apostle?" The Prophet (Sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) asked, "What have you prepared for it?" The man said, "I haven't prepared for it much of prayers or fast or alms, but I love Allah and His Apostle." The Prophet (Sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, "You will be with those whom you love." [Bukhari]

Three important points to be noted are:

1. There is something more important than knowing when the Day of Judgement will occur. The more important thing is our preparation for that Day. What good or bad deeds have you sent forth for that Day? Each person's Judgement begins as soon as they die, and their grave becomes either a pit of fire or a garden of Paradise. Therefore, the most relevant thing to worry about is our daily deeds, as we never know when we will die and our Judgement commence.

2. The questioner in the hadith did the Fardh (required) prayers, fasts, and charity but not a whole lot extra. Some people do the opposite; they neglect the Fardh while doing a lot of the nafil (supererogatory). This is misguidance, because the greatest reward is for Fardh deeds and punishment is for neglecting the Fardh, not the nafil

3. Most sobering is that we will be with the people we love on the Day of Judgement. If we love the righteous, God fearing Believers, we will be with them and will follow them to Jannah. We can peek into our heart to see who it is we really love -- the proof of love is in appreciating and trying our best to do what they. This will tell us where we will be on the Day of Judgement.

May Almighty Allah fill our hearts with the love of His lovers, ameen.