9/368 — Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet — peace and blessings be upon him — said, “A person will be with those he loves.” Agreed upon.

In another version it is related that someone asked the Prophet — peace and blessings be upon him: “A man loves a people yet has not reached their station.” He replied, “A person is with those he loves.”

[Explanation]
The author — may Allah have mercy on him — earlier cited the report from Abū Hurayrah in which the Prophet — peace and blessings be upon him — said: “A woman is married for four qualities: her wealth, her lineage, her beauty, and her religion. So seek the one who possesses religion.”

The motives for which a woman is usually sought in marriage are generally limited to those four:
• Wealth, from which the husband hopes to benefit.
• Lineage, meaning she belongs to an honorable clan, thereby raising the husband’s social standing.
• Beauty, from which the husband seeks enjoyment.
• Religion, so that she helps him in his faith, protects his trust, and cares for his children.

The Prophet — peace and blessings be upon him — said, “So attain the one who possesses religion; may your hands be covered in dust,” that is, hold fast to her and strive for her. He reinforced the exhortation with the phrase “may your hands be covered in dust,” an Arabic idiom used