Etiquette of Loving for the Sake of Allah (Al-Hubb fi Allah) in the Quran & Sunnah

1. A people He loves — and who love Him.

Allah says:

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَن يَرْتَدَّ مِنكُمْ عَن دِينِهِۦ فَسَوْفَ يَأْتِى ٱللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ يُحِبُّهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَهُۥٓ أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَى ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ يُجَـٰهِدُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا يَخَافُونَ لَوْمَةَ لَآئِمٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ

O you who believe, if anyone from you turns back from his Faith, then Allah will bring a people whom He loves and who love Him, humble toward the believers, hard on the disbelievers, who fight in the way of Allah and are not afraid of the reproach of any critic. That is a grace of Allah. He confers it on whom He wills. Allah is All-Embracing, All-Knowing (Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:54)

In the description of the people Allah brings, love comes first: He loves them and they love Him — humble toward the believers, firm against disbelief, striving and fearing no blame.

2. He joined your hearts — you became brothers.

Allah says:

وَٱعْتَصِمُوا۟ بِحَبْلِ ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا۟ ۚ وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَآءً فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِۦٓ إِخْوَٰنًا وَكُنتُمْ عَلَىٰ شَفَا حُفْرَةٍ مِّنَ ٱلنَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُم مِّنْهَا ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ

Hold fast, all of you, to the cord of Allah, and be not divided. Remember the blessing of Allah upon you: When you were enemies to each other, and He brought your hearts together, so that, you became brothers through His blessing. You were at the brink of a pit of Fire, then He saved you from it. This is how Allah makes His signs clear to you, so that you may take the right path. (Surah Aal-e-Imran 3:103)

The verse reminds the believers that no wealth on earth could have joined their hearts: Allah joined them. Love between believers is His work before it is theirs.

1. Two who love each other for Allah — under His shade.

Among the seven whom Allah will shade on the Day when there is no shade but His: “two men who love each other for Allah’s sake — meeting for that and parting upon that.”

Lesson: A friendship whose meetings and partings are both for Allah survives the day when every other shelter is gone.

2. “Where are those who loved each other for My glory?”

“Verily, Allah will say on the Day of Resurrection: Where are those who loved one another for My glory? Today I will shade them in My shade, on the Day when there is no shade but Mine.”

Lesson: They will be called out by name of their love — the bond itself is the honour announced.

3. Allah’s love is owed to those who love for His sake.

Mu‘adh ibn Jabal reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, said: My love is due to those who love one another for My sake, sit with one another for My sake, visit one another for My sake, and spend on one another for My sake.”

Lesson: Love for Allah’s sake is not a feeling only; it sits, visits and spends.

4. Tell your brother that you love him.

“When one of you loves his brother, let him inform him of it.”

Lesson: The Sunnah does not leave love unspoken: telling your brother “I love you for Allah’s sake” is itself an act of the religion.