But the believer is pleased by truthful words, whether they favour him or count against him, and angered by false words, whether they favour him or count against him. For Allah Most High loves truth, honesty, and justice, and hates falsehood and injustice.

Thus, when truth, honesty, and justice—which Allah loves—are expressed, the believer loves them, even when they run counter to his desires, because his desires have become subordinate to what the Messenger brought. When injustice and falsehood are expressed, Allah hates them, and the believer hates them too, even if they accord with his desires.

The same applies to someone who seeks “wealth”—even through falsehood—as Allah Most High says:

“Among them are those who criticize you concerning the distribution of charity. If they are given some of it, they are pleased; but if they are not given any, they become enraged.”

These are the people of whom he said:

“Wretched is the slave of the dinar,”

and the rest of the hadith.

What, then, if the heart is overcome by desires, passions, and objects of love that enslave it more powerfully than dirhams and dinars, drawing it away from complete love and worship of Allah because they compete with Him and involve associating created beings with Him? How they turn the heart aside and divert it from complete love, worship, and fear of its Lord! For every object of love draws the heart of the one who loves it towards itself and diverts it from loving anything else. Likewise, an object of hatred repels the heart, unsettles it, and distracts it from worshipping Allah Most High.

For this reason, Imam Ahmad narrated in his Musnad, as did others, that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace