Allah has given me, including camels and sheep.’ He said, ‘Then let Allah’s blessing and generosity toward you be seen.’”

Also in the Sunan, ‘Amr ibn Shu‘ayb relates from his father, from his grandfather, that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

“Allah loves to see the effects of His blessing upon His servant.”

But this concerns the outward display of Allah’s blessing and the gratitude it expresses—for Allah loves to be thanked—whereas that concerns His love of beauty.

Some people have gone astray through their interpretation of this hadith. Others have regarded it as contradicting other texts and have failed to reconcile them.

The former may say that everything the Lord has made is beautiful, citing His words:

“Who perfected everything He created.”
[Surah al-Sajdah 7]

They therefore conclude, “We love everything.” They may also cite the saying of certain spiritual masters: “Love is a fire in the heart that burns away everything other than what the beloved wills,” arguing that all created things are willed by Him. Yet their spokesman does not say this; he explicitly speaks of beauty without qualification. The least harm that befalls these people is that they abandon protective zeal for Allah’s sanctities, forbidding evil, hatred for Allah’s sake, striving in His cause, and enforcing His prescribed punishments.