Center For Indigenous Psychology (Pusat Pengembangan Psikologi Islam) is led by Prof. DR Achmad Mubarok MA, a Professor of Indigenous Psychology at University of Indonesia (UI), Jakarta State Islamic University (UIN Jakarta), and Assyafiiyah Islamic University (UIA)

Monday, December 10, 2007

What is Love?

at 11:33 PM

What is Love?
Love is one of characters of Allah, the Most Great God. Therefore, within love, there is greatness, the greatness of love. Man is ordered to follow akhlaq of Allah. Regarding love, a person who has a love feeling and can love others is a noble person.

Love, however, has levels. According to Imam al Ghazali, there are four levels of love qualities:

1. At the first level a person only love himself/herself. All goodness only measured based on his/her interests. This is the lowest-quality love.

2. At the second level, a person loves another only as long as the other provides benefits for him/her. If the benefits of love is no longer exist, then the love ends. Love at this level is a “traders’ love” or “transactional love”.

3 At the third level, a person loves another, although he may be not benefited by his beloved one. Love at this level is a noble love.

4 At the fourth level, a person loves true goodness apart from whoever brings the goodness. This is love at the highest level, and they who have this kind of love can love Allah, since Allah is the goodness an sich.

posted by : Mubarok institute