what his own soul craves of passions, pleasures, wealth, children, or homeland.

Among those signs, too, is that whoever truly loves Allah—Exalted is He—follows His Messenger ﷺ in all that he brought: he does what the Messenger commanded and refrains from what he forbade. Allah says:

“Say: If you love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful. Say: Obey Allah and the Messenger; but if they turn away, then Allah does not love the disbelievers.”

Some of the early generations remarked, “Certain people claimed to love Allah, so Allah revealed the Verse of Love: ‘Say: If you love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love you.’” In this verse Allah clarifies both the proof and the fruit of loving Him. Its proof and sign is to follow the Messenger ﷺ; its fruit and benefit are that the servant gains Allah’s love and His forgiveness for his sins.

Another mark of the servant’s genuine love for Allah is what He Himself mentions: “O you who believe, whoever among you apostatises from his religion, Allah will bring forth a people He loves and who love Him: humble toward the believers, firm against the disbelievers, striving in the path of Allah and fearing not the blame of any critic.” ⦗1⦘ From this noble verse we learn that love for Allah has four distinguishing signs:

First: Those who love Allah are humble toward the believers, meaning they are compassionate, merciful, and tender with them. ʿAṭāʾ, d. 114 AH, said, “They are to the believers like a father to his child.”

Second: They are strong and dignified in the face of the disbelievers; they show them severity and firmness, holding themselves above them and never exhibiting servility or weakness.

Third: They strive in Allah’s cause—with their very selves, their hands, their wealth, and their tongues—to make His religion prevail over its enemies by every possible means.

Fourth: They are not swayed by the blame of any blamer when it comes to Allah; the disdain