and addressed him in the same manner. The Bedouin then asked, “A man loves a people yet has not caught up with them—he loves them, but his deeds do not match theirs. With whom will he be? Will he be counted among them or not?”

The Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, answered, “A person will be with those he loves on the Day of Resurrection.” What an immense favor—praise be to Allah.

Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) related this portion of the ḥadīth in another wording: the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, said to a man who declared his love for Allah and His Messenger, “You will be with those you love.” Anas remarked, “I therefore love the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, and Abū Bakr and ʿUmar, and I hope to be with them.”

We likewise bear witness before Allah to our love for the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, for his rightly guided caliphs, for his Companions, and for the imams of guidance who followed them, and we ask Allah to place us in their company.

This is glad tidings for anyone: if he truly loves a people, he will be gathered with them even if his deeds fall short of theirs. He will be with them in Paradise; Allah will unite him with them at the Resurrection, and together they will drink from the Prophet’s Basin. By the same token, whoever loves the unbelievers may find himself among them—Allah forbid—because loving the disbelievers is forbidden. One must recognize that they remain enemies, no matter how much friendship or affection they appear to show; they do not draw near to you for your own good—far from it. If