Allah the Exalted has said:
رياض الصالحينAbū Zakariyyā Muḥyī al-Dīn Yaḥyā ibn Sharaf al-Nawawī٤٦ - باب فضل الحب في الله والحث عليه وإعلام الرجل من يحبه، أنه يحبه، وماذا يقول له إذا أعلمه
٤٦ - باب فضل الحب في الله والحث عليه وإعلام الرجل من يحبه، أنه يحبه، وماذا يقول له إذا أعلمه
ۖ
Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allāh; and those with him are forceful against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and prostrating [in prayer], seeking bounty from Allāh and [His] pleasure. Their sign is in their faces from the effect of prostration [i.e., prayer]. That is their description in the Torah. And their description in the Gospel is as a plant which produces its offshoots and strengthens them so they grow firm and stand upon their stalks, delighting the sowers - so that He [i.e., Allāh] may enrage by them1 the disbelievers. Allāh has promised those who believe and do righteous deeds among them forgiveness and a great reward.
… to the end of the sūrah. And the Exalted has also said:
وَٱلَّذِينَ تَبَوَّءُو ٱلدَّارَ وَٱلْإِيمَـٰنَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ يُحِبُّونَ مَنْ هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ فِى صُدُورِهِمْ حَاجَةً مِّمَّآ أُوتُوا۟ وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ ۚ وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِۦ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ
And [also for] those who were settled in the Home [i.e.,al-Madīnah] and [adopted] the faith before them.1 They love those who emigrated to them and find not any want in their breasts of what they [i.e., the emigrants] were given but give [them] preference over themselves, even though they are in privation. And whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul - it is those who will be the successful.
وعن أنسٍ - ﵁ - عن النَّبيّ - ﷺ - قَالَ: «ثَلاثٌ مَنْ كُنَّ فِيهِ وَجَدَ بِهِنَّ حَلاوَةَ الإيمانِ: أَنْ يَكُونَ اللهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِمَّا سَوَاهُمَا، وَأنْ يُحِبَّ المَرْءَ لاَ يُحِبُّهُ إلاَّ للهِ، وَأَنْ يَكْرَهَ أَنْ يَعُودَ في الكُفْرِ بَعْدَ أَنْ أَنْقَذَهُ الله مِنْهُ، كَمَا يَكْرَهُ أَنْ يُقْذَفَ في النَّارِ». مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيهِ.
On the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who said: “There are three things; whoever has them in him will find through them the sweetness of faith: that Allah and His Messenger are more beloved to him than anything besides them; that he loves a person solely for the sake of Allah; and that he hates to return to disbelief after Allah has rescued him from it, just as he would hate to be cast into the Fire.” Agreed upon.
وعن أَبي هريرة - ﵁ - عن النَّبيّ - ﷺ - قَالَ: «سَبْعَةٌ يُظِلُّهُمُ اللهُ في ظِلِّهِ يَوْمَ لاَ ظِلَّ إلاَّ ظِلُّهُ: إمَامٌ عَادِلٌ، وَشَابٌّ نَشَأ في عِبَادَةِ الله - ﷿ - وَرَجُلٌ قَلْبُهُ مُعَلَّقٌ بِالمَسَاجِدِ، وَرَجُلاَنِ تَحَابّا في اللهِ اجْتَمَعَا عَلَيهِ وتَفَرَّقَا عَلَيهِ، وَرَجُلٌ دَعَتْهُ امْرَأةٌ ذَاتُ حُسْنٍ وَجَمَالٍ، فَقَالَ: إنِّي أخَافُ الله، وَرَجُلٌ تَصَدَّقَ بِصَدَقَةٍ، فَأخْفَاهَا حَتَّى لاَ تَعْلَمَ شِمَالُهُ مَا تُنْفِقُ يَمِينُهُ، وَرَجُلٌ ذَكَرَ الله خَالِيًا فَفَاضَتْ عَيْنَاهُ». مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيهِ.
And on the authority of Abū Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him), from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who said: “There are seven whom Allah will shade in His shade on the Day when there is no shade but His: a just ruler; a youth who grew up in the worship of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic; a man whose heart is attached to the mosques; two men who loved one another for the sake of Allah, coming together upon that and parting upon that; a man whom a woman of beauty and grace calls, but he says, ‘Indeed I fear Allah’; a man who gives a charity and conceals it so that his left hand does not know what his right hand spends; and a man who remembers Allah in solitude and his eyes overflow with tears.” Agreed upon.
وعنه، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُول الله - ﷺ: «إنّ الله تَعَالَى يَقُول يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ: أيْنَ المُتَحَابُّونَ بِجَلالِي؟ اليَوْمَ أُظِلُّهُمْ فِي ظِلِّي يَوْمَ لاَ ظِلَّ إلاَّ ظِلِّي». رواه مسلم.
And on his authority, he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Indeed Allah the Exalted will say on the Day of Resurrection: Where are those who loved one another for the sake of My majesty? Today I shall shade them in My shade, on the day when there is no shade but My shade.” Narrated by Muslim.
وعنه، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُول الله - ﷺ: «والَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ، لا تَدْخُلُوا الجَنَّةَ حَتَّى تُؤْمِنُوا، وَلا تُؤْمِنُوا حَتَّى تَحَابُّوا، أوَلاَ أدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى شَيْءٍ إِذَا فَعَلْتُمُوهُ تَحَابَبْتُمْ؟ أَفْشُوا السَّلامَ بينكم». رواه مسلم.
And on his authority, he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “By Him in whose hand is my soul, you will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I not direct you to something which, if you do it, you will love one another? Spread the greeting of peace among yourselves.” Narrated by Muslim.
وعنه، عن النَّبيّ - ﷺ: «أنَّ رَجُلًا زَارَ أخًا لَهُ في قَرْيَةٍ أخْرَى، فَأرصَدَ اللهُ لَهُ عَلَى مَدْرَجَتِهِ مَلَكًا ...» وذكر الحديث إِلَى قوله: «إنَّ الله قَدْ أحبَّكَ كَمَا أحْبَبْتَهُ فِيهِ». رواه مسلم، وقد سبق بالباب قبله.
And on his authority, from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): “A man visited a brother of his in another village, and Allah stationed an angel in wait for him on his road ...” — and he related the hadith up to his saying: “Indeed Allah has loved you just as you have loved him for His sake.” Narrated by Muslim, and it has already appeared in the chapter before this.
وعن البرَاءِ بن عازب ﵄، عن النَّبيّ - ﷺ - أنَّهُ قَالَ في الأنصار: «لاَ يُحِبُّهُمْ إلاَّ مُؤمِنٌ، وَلاَ يُبْغِضُهُمْ إلاَّ مُنَافِقٌ، مَنْ أَحَبَّهُمْ أَحَبَّهُ اللهُ، وَمَنْ أَبْغَضَهُمْ أَبْغَضَهُ الله». مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيهِ.
And on the authority of al-Barāʾ ibn ʿĀzib (may Allah be pleased with them both), from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), that he said concerning the Anṣār: “None loves them but a believer, and none hates them but a hypocrite. Whoever loves them, Allah loves him; and whoever hates them, Allah hates him.” Agreed upon.
وعن معاذ - ﵁ - قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رسول الله - ﷺ - يقول: «قَالَ الله - ﷿: المُتَحَابُّونَ فِي جَلالِي، لَهُمْ مَنَابِرُ مِنْ نُورٍ يَغْبِطُهُمُ النَّبِيُّونَ وَالشُّهَدَاءُ». رواه الترمذي، وَقالَ: «حديث حسن صحيح».
And on the authority of Muʿādh (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: “Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, said: Those who love one another for the sake of My majesty shall have pulpits of light; the prophets and the martyrs will envy them.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhī, who said: “A good and sound hadith.”
وعن أَبي إدريس الخولاني ﵀، قَالَ: دخَلْتُ مَسْجِدَ دِمَشْقَ، فَإذَا فَتًى بَرَّاق الثَّنَايَا وَإِذَا النَّاسُ مَعَهُ، فَإِذَا اخْتَلَفُوا في شَيْءٍ، أَسْنَدُوهُ إِلَيْه، وَصَدَرُوا عَنْ رَأيِهِ، فَسَأَلْتُ عَنْهُ، فَقيلَ: هَذَا مُعَاذُ بْنُ جَبَل - ﵁. فَلَمَّا كَانَ مِنَ الغَدِ، هَجَّرْتُ، فَوَجَدْتُهُ قَدْ سَبَقَنِي بالتَّهْجِيرِ، ووَجَدْتُهُ يُصَلِّي، فانْتَظَرتُهُ حَتَّى قَضَى صَلاتَهُ، ثُمَّ جِئْتُهُ مِنْ قِبَلِ وَجْهِهِ، فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيهِ، ثُمَّ قُلْتُ: وَاللهِ إنّي لأَحِبُّكَ لِله، فَقَالَ: آلله؟ فَقُلْتُ: اللهِ، فَقَالَ: آللهِ؟ فَقُلْتُ: اللهِ، فَأَخَذَنِي بِحَبْوَةِ رِدَائِي، فجبذني إِلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ: أَبْشِرْ! فإنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ الله - ﷺ - يقول: «قَالَ الله تَعَالَى: وَجَبَتْ مَحَبَّتي لِلْمُتَحابِّين فِيَّ، وَالمُتَجَالِسينَ فيَّ، وَالمُتَزَاوِرِينَ فيَّ، وَالمُتَبَاذِلِينَ فِيَّ». حديث صحيح رواه مالك في الموطأ بإسناده الصحيح. قوله: «هَجَّرْتُ» أيْ بَكَّرْتُ، وَهُوَ بتشديد الجيم قوله: «آلله فَقُلْت: الله» الأول بهمزة ممدودة للاستفهام، والثاني بلا مد.
And on the authority of Abū Idrīs al-Khawlānī (may Allah have mercy on him), he said: I entered the mosque of Damascus, and there was a young man with bright teeth, and people were gathered around him. Whenever they differed over something, they referred it to him and acted upon his opinion. I asked about him, and it was said: This is Muʿādh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him). The next day I went out early, but I found that he had come even earlier than I, and I found him praying. So I waited for him until he had finished his prayer, then I came to him from in front of his face, greeted him, and said: By Allah, I love you for the sake of Allah. He said: For Allah? I said: For Allah. He said: For Allah? I said: For Allah. So he took me by the gathered fold of my cloak, drew me towards him, and said: Rejoice! For I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: “Allah the Exalted said: My love is assured for those who love one another for My sake, those who sit together for My sake, those who visit one another for My sake, and those who give freely to one another for My sake.” A sound hadith, narrated by Mālik in al-Muwaṭṭaʾ with its sound chain. His words “hajjartu” mean “I set out early”, and it is with a doubled jīm. His words “Āllāh? and I said: Allāh” — the first is with a lengthened hamza for a question, and the second without lengthening.
وعن أَبي كَرِيمَةَ المقداد بن معد يكرب - ﵁ - عن النَّبيّ - ﷺ - قَالَ: «إِذَا أَحَبَّ الرَّجُلُ أَخَاهُ، فَليُخْبِرْهُ أَنَّهُ يُحِبُّهُ». رواه أَبُو داود والترمذي، وَقالَ: «حديث صحيح».
And on the authority of Abū Karīma al-Miqdād ibn Maʿd Yakrib (may Allah be pleased with him), from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who said: “When a man loves his brother, let him inform him that he loves him.” Narrated by Abū Dāwūd and al-Tirmidhī, who said: “A sound hadith.”
وعن معاذ - ﵁: أن رَسُول الله - ﷺ - أخذ بيدهِ، وَقالَ: «يَا مُعَاذُ، وَاللهِ، إنِّي لأُحِبُّكَ، ثُمَّ أُوصِيكَ يَا مُعَاذُ، لاَ تَدَعَنَّ في دُبُرِ كُلِّ صَلاَةٍ تَقُولُ: اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنِّي عَلَى ذِكْرِكَ، وَشُكْرِكَ، وَحُسْنِ عِبَادَتِكَ». حديث صحيح، رواه أَبُو داود والنسائي بإسناد صحيح.
And on the authority of Muʿādh (may Allah be pleased with him): that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) took him by the hand and said: “O Muʿādh, by Allah, I love you. Then I counsel you, O Muʿādh: never fail, at the end of every prayer, to say: O Allah, help me to remember You, to thank You, and to worship You well.” A sound hadith, narrated by Abū Dāwūd and al-Nasāʾī with a sound chain.
وعن أنس - ﵁: أنَّ رَجُلًا كَانَ عِنْدَ النَّبيِّ، - ﷺ - فَمَرَّ رَجُلٌ بِهِ، فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُول الله، أنِّي لأُحِبُّ هَذَا، فَقَالَ لَهُ النَّبيّ - ﷺ: «أأعْلَمْتَهُ؟» قَالَ: لاَ. قَالَ: «أَعْلِمْهُ»، فَلَحِقَهُ، فَقَالَ: إنِّي أُحِبُّكَ في الله، فَقَالَ: أَحَبَّكَ الَّذِي أَحْبَبْتَنِي لَهُ. رواه أَبُو داود بإسناد صحيح.
On the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him): a man was with the Prophet ﷺ when another man passed by him, and he said, "O Messenger of Allah, I truly love this man." The Prophet ﷺ said to him, "Have you informed him?" He said, "No." He said, "Inform him." So he caught up with him and said, "I love you for the sake of Allah." He replied, "May the One for whose sake you loved me love you." Abū Dāwūd recorded it with a sound chain of narration.