This chapter turns from the love believers have for one another to the love Allah has for His servant, and the signs that mark it. an-Nawawi gathers reports showing how a person draws near to Allah and earns that love, and how Allah then places that love in the hearts of others.
Notice the path these reports trace: faithfulness to what Allah has commanded, then drawing nearer through voluntary devotion, until Allah loves the servant and guides their very limbs. Watch too how love that begins with Allah descends through the heavens and is finally placed among people on earth.
Hadith 386
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "إن الله تعالى قال: "من عاد لي وليَّا، فقد آذنته بالحرب، وما تقرب إلي عبدي بشيء أحب إليَّ مما افترضت عليه، وما يزال عبدي يتقرب إليَّ بالنوافل حتى أحبه فإذا أحببته كنت سمعه الذي يسمع به، وبصره الذي يبصر به، ويده التي يبطش بها، ورجله التي يمشي بها، وإن سألني، أعطيته، ولئن استعاذني، لأعيذنه" ((رواه البخاري)).
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Allah, the Exalted, has said: 'I will declare war against him who treats with hostility a pious worshipper of Mine. And the most beloved thing with which My slave comes nearer to Me, is what I have enjoined upon him; and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (voluntary prayers or doing extra deeds besides what is obligatory) until I love him, (so much so that) I become his hearing with which he hears, and his sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he strikes, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks Me something, I will surely give him, and if he seeks My Protection (refuge), I will surely protect him". [Al-Bukhari]
In plain words
Allah warns against harming His devoted servants. The way to His love is faithfulness to what He has commanded, then drawing nearer through extra devotion, until He guides the servant's every action and answers their call.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 386 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 386
Hadith 387
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعنه عن النبي، صلى الله عليه وسلم، قال: "إذا أحب الله العبد نادى جبريل: إن الله تعالى يحب فلانًا، فأحببه، فيحبه جبريل، فينادي في أهل السماء: إن الله يحب فلانًا، فأحبوه، فيحبه أهل السماء، ثم يوضع له القبول في الأرض" ((متفق عليه)) . وفي رواية لمسلم : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "إن الله تعالى إذا أحب عبدًا دعا جبريل، فقال : إني أحب فلانًا فأحببه، فيحبه جبريل، ثم ينادي في السماء، فيقول: إن الله يحب فلانًا، فأحبوه فيحبه أهل السماء، ثم يوضع له القبول في الأرض، وإذا أبغض عبدًا دعا جبريل فيقول: إني أبغض فلانًا، فأبغضه، فيبغضه جبريل، ثم ينادي في أهل السماء، إن الله يبغض فلانًا، فأبغضوه، ثم توضع له البغضاء في الأرض".
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "When Allah loves a slave, calls out Jibril and says: 'I love so-and-so; so love him'. Then Jibril loves him. After that he (Jibril) announces to the inhabitants of heavens that Allah loves so- and-so; so love him; and the inhabitants of the heavens (the angels) also love him and then make people on earth love him". [Al- Bukhari and Muslim]. Another narration of Muslim is: Messenger of Allah, (ﷺ) said: "When Allah loves a slave, He calls Jibril (Gabriel) and says: 'I love so-and-so; so love him.' And then Jibril loves him. Then he (Jibril) announces in the heavens saying: Allah loves so-and-so; so love him; then the inhabitants of the heavens (the angels) also love him; and then people on earth love him. And when Allah hates a slave, He calls Jibril and says: 'I hate so- and-so, so hate him.' Then Jibril also hates him. He (Jibril) then announces amongst the inhabitants of heavens: 'Verily, Allah hates so- and-so, so you also hate him.' Thus they also start to hate him. Then he becomes the object of hatred on the earth also". [Muslim].
In plain words
When Allah loves a servant, He tells Jibril, who tells the angels, until that love spreads and acceptance is placed in people's hearts on earth. Real standing begins with Allah, not with people.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 387 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 387
Hadith 388
'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported:
وعن عائشة رضي الله عنها، أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، بعث رجلاً على سرية، فكان يقرأ لأصحابه في صلاتهم، فيختم بـ{قل هو الله أحد} فلما رجعوا، ذكروا ذلك لرسول الله، صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقال: "سلوه لأي شيء كان يصنع ذلك؟ " فسألوه، فقال : لأنها صفة الرحمن، فأنا أحب أن أقرأ بها، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم :"أخبروه أن الله تعالى يحبه" ((متفق عليه)) .
Messenger of Allah, (ﷺ) appointed a man in charge of an army unit who led them in Salat (prayer); he always concluded his recitation with Surat Al-Ikhlas: "Say (O Muhammad (ﷺ)): 'He is Allah, (the) One. Allah-us-Samad (Allah - the Self-Sufficient). He begets not, nor was He begotten. And there is none equal or comparable to Him."' (112:-) Upon their return to Al-Madinah, they mentioned this to Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), who said, "Ask him why he does so?" He was asked and he said, "This Surah contains the Attributes of Allah, the Gracious, and I love to recite it. Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) then told them, "Tell him that Allah loves him". [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
A man kept ending his prayers with the chapter describing Allah's oneness because he loved it. The Prophet told him that Allah loved him for it, showing how heartfelt attachment to Allah's words is rewarded.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 388 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 388