[The following is an extract from al-Shifa Sharif of Qadi Iyaad]
Someone who claims that he/she loves another will prefer that person to all others. He will also prefer what they like – if it were otherwise, then he would be acting and his love would not be sincere. The following signs will be apparent in those who truly love the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him.
FIRST: The first sign of love for the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, is that he/she will follow his example, apply his Prophetic way in words, deeds, obedience to his commands, avoidance of whatever he prohibited and adopt his manner in times of ease, hardship, joy and disappointment. Allah says, “Say (to the believers, O Prophet), ‘If you love Allah, follow me and Allah will love you.” [Qur’an 3:31]
SECOND: The second sign is that he/she will set aside his own desires and appetite in preference to the Law established and encouraged by the Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him. Allah says, “Those before them who had made their dwelling in the abode (of al-Madinah), and because of their belief, they love those who have emigrated to them; they do not find any (envy) in their breasts for what they have been given and they prefer them above themselves, even though they themselves have a need.” [Qur’an 59:9]
THIRD: The third sign is that a person’s anger of others is only for the sake of seeking the Pleasure of Allah. Sayyidina Anas b. Malik was told by the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, “My son, if you can refrain from holding a grudge in your heart from morning to evening, then do so.” He then added, “My son, that is part of my Prophetic way. Whosoever revives my way has loved me, and whosoever loves me is with me in the Garden.”
If a person possesses this fine quality, then he/she has perfect love for Allah and His Messenger. If he is found to be slightly lacking in this quality, then his love is imperfect, but not devoid of it. The proof of this is found in the saying of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, when a person faced punishment for imbibing. As the person was about to receive his punishment, a man cursed the offender, whereupon the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Do not curse him. He loves Allah and His Messenger.”
FOURTH: The fourth sign is that one mentions the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, in abundance – whosoever loves something, it is constantly upon his tongue.
FIFTH: The fifth sign is yearning to meet the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him. Every lover yearns to be with their beloved. When the tribe of Ash’arites approached Madinah, they were heard chanting, “Tomorrow, we will be with those we love, Muhammad and his Companions!” Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
SIXTH: The sixth sign is that as well as the being in remembrance of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, someone who loves him will also be found praising and respecting him whenever he is mentioned and display humility, and lower himself when he hears his name. We are told by Ishaaq al-Tujibi that, after the passing of the the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, whenever the Companions heard his name, they became humble, their skin trembled and they wept. As for the other followers of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, some experienced the same out of love and yearning for him, whereas others did so out of respect and esteem.
SEVENTH: The seventh sign is the love expressed for the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, and the People of his House, and his Companions – the Emigrants (Muhajirun) and the Helpers (Ansar) alike, for his sake. A person with this sign will be found hostile to those who hate them.
About Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn, may Allah be pleased with them, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said, “O Allah, I love them, so please love them.” Imam Hasan said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, also said, “O Allah, I love him, so love the one who loves him.”
Of his two grandsons, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, also said, “Whosoever loves them, loves me.” Then he said, “Whosever loves me, loves Allah. Whosoever hates them hates me and whosoever hates me hates Allah.”
The Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said, “O Allah, my Companions. Do not make them targets after me! Whosoever loves them, loves them because they love me, and whosoever hates them, it is through their hatred of me. Whosoever harms them, harms me. Whosoever does something to hurt me does as is hurtful to Allah. Whosoever does something that appears to be hurtful to Allah will be seized.”
Of his family, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said referring to Sayyida Fatima, may Allah be pleased with her, “She is part of me, whosoever hates her hates me.”
The Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, told Sayyida A’isha to love Sayyidina Usama b. Zayd because he loves him.
The Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, spoke of the Helpers (Ansar) saying, “The sign of certain faith is love for the Ansar, whereas the sign of hypocrisy is hatred for them.”
Sayyidina Abdullah b. Umar tells us that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Whosoever loves the (good) Arabs loves them because he loves me. Whereas whosoever hates them, hates them due to their hatred of me.”
The fact is when someone loves another, he loves everything that person loves, and this was indeed the case with the Companions. When Sayyidina Anas b. Malik saw the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, eating a piece of pumpkin, he said, “From that day, I loved pumpkins.”
Imam Hasan, the grandson of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, went with Sayyidina Ja’far to Sayyida Salma and asked her to prepare some food the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, used to eat.
Sayyidina Umar once saw the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, wearing a pair of yellow-colored sandals, so he too wore a pair of the same color.
EIGHTH: The eighth sign is hatred of anyone who hates Allah and His Messenger, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him; such people are those who show hostility towards Allah and His Messenger, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him.
Believers having this sign avoid all those who oppose the Prophetic way, and are in opposition to those who introduce innovations into the Prophetic way (that are against the spirit of Islam) and who find the Law he established burdensome. Allah says, “You shall find no nation believing in Allah and the Last Day loving anyone who opposes Allah and His Messenger.” [Qur’an 58:22]
NINTH: The ninth sign is found in those who love the Qur’an which the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, brought, by which the Messenger and they were guided. When asked about the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, Sayyida A’isha, may Allah be pleased with her, said, “His character was that of the Qur’an.”
Part of the love of the Qur’an is listening to its recitation, acting according to it, understanding it, keeping within its bounds and the love of Prophet Muhammad’s way.
Sahl b. Abdullah (al Tustari) spoke of this sign saying, “The sign of loving Allah is love of the Qur’an. The sign of loving the Qur’an is the love of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him. The sign of loving the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, is love of his Prophetic way. The sign of loving the Prophetic way is the love of the Hereafter. The sign of loving the Hereafter is hatred for this world. The sign of hatred for this world is that you do not amass any of it except for provisions and what you need to arrive safely with in the Hereafter.”
Sayyidina Abdullah ibn Mas’ud said, “No one needs to ask himself about anything other than the Qur’an; if he loves the Qur’an, then he loves Allah and His Messenger.” May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him.
TENTH: The tenth sign of love for the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, is to have mercy on his nation by advising them well, striving for the betterment of their interest and removing anything that is harmful from them in the same way that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, was “gentle and merciful to the believers.” [Qur’an 9:128]
ELEVENTH: The eleventh sign of perfect love is found in whosoever restricts himself through self-denial, preferring poverty to the attractions of the world.
The Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, told Sayyidina Abu Sa’id al-Khudri, “Poverty for those of you who love me flows quicker than a flood from a mountain’s peak to its base.”
A man came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, and said, “O Messenger of Allah, I love you.” The Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, warned, “Be careful of what you say.” The man repeated his love for him thrice, whereupon the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, told him, “If you love me, prepare yourself quickly for poverty.”
May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon our noble Master Muhammad, upon his Family and his Companions.