Anas (RA) reports that the Prophet (SAW) said, “There are three qualities, whoever has them will relish the sweetness of faith: that Allāh and His Messenger be more beloved to him than anything else; that he love a person and love him only for the sake of Allāh; and that he hate leaving his religion in the same way that he abhors being thrown in the Fire.” (Bukhārī, Muslim)
The ḥadīth mentions the essence of faith which is loving Allāh and His Messenger. However, a general love is not enough, this love must come before all other loves, and it must lead a person to love for Allāh’s sake and hate for His sake. When a person does this he will have attained the pinnacle of faith. Therefore, one loves the Prophets, the truly sincere, the martyrs and the righteous because they observe what Allāh loves and because He chose them from His creation.
The ḥadīth also mentions the quality that would ward off anything that negates and contradicts faith: to hate leaving Islām, to loathe the very thought more than being thrown in the Fire.
This ḥadīth informs us that faith has a sweetness that is sensed by the heart. When the servant relishes it, all worldly loves and personal objectives will slip away and a good, pure life will follow.
Whoever loves Allāh will naturally remember Him. This is because when a person loves something, he will talk about it a lot. Whoever loves Allāh’s Messenger (SAW) will strive to follow him and put him before anyone else, before even the desires and goals of his own soul. The soul of such a person will find peace and tranquility, and it will delight in obeying its Lord. The heart will be at peace with Islām and the servant will be granted light from his Lord. That said, the reality is that many believers do not attain this dignified rank, “All have ranks according to what they did.” [al-Anʿām (6): 132]