Most High:

“You cannot guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He wills, and He knows best those who are guided.”

Allah, glorified and exalted, has commanded us to obey His Messenger—may Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace—saying:

“Whoever obeys the Messenger has indeed obeyed Allah.”

He has commanded us to follow him, saying, Most High:

“Say: If you love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love you.”

He has commanded us to honour him, revere him, and support him. He has established rights for him which He has explained in His Book and the Sunnah of His Messenger. Indeed, He has obliged us to love him more than anyone else, including ourselves and our families. He Most High said:

“The Prophet has a greater claim on the believers than they have on themselves.”

And He Most High said:

“Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your spouses, your relatives, the wealth you have acquired, the trade whose decline you fear, and the homes you cherish are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger and striving in His cause, then wait until Allah brings about His command.”

He—may Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace—said:

“By Him in whose hand is my soul, none of you believes until I am dearer to him than his children, his parents, and all people.”

Umar—may Allah be pleased with him—said to him, “O Messenger of Allah, you are dearer to me than everything except myself.” He replied, “No, Umar, not until I am dearer to you than yourself.” Umar said, “Then you are indeed dearer to me than myself.” He replied, “Now, Umar.”

He also said:

“Three qualities, if present in a person, will enable him to taste the sweetness of faith: that Allah and His Messenger are dearer to him than all else; that he loves someone only for Allah’s sake; and that he hates to