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Abu Maalik Al-Ash'aree  reports that once the Messenger of Allaah  (turned round and) faced the people and said:
"O people! Listen, understand and know that Allaah - the most High - has servants who are neither prophets nor martyrs. They are the envy of the prophets and the martyrs due to their status and nearness to Allaah". So a bedouin said: "O Messenger of Allaah  (won't you) describe them to us, enlighten us about them?" So the Messenger of Allaah  smiled due to the statement of the 'Arab. He said: "They are a people from the section of people and a portion from the tribes. They do not have any blood ties among them to bring them close. They love each other for the sake of Allaah and treat each other honestly. They are humble for Allaah - for them are seats of light so that they may sit on them. Thus their faces become lighted and their clothes become lighted. The people are alarmed on the Day of Judgement but they are not. They are the awliyaa' (friends) of Allaah upon whom is no fear and who will not grieve". [Ahmad, al-Hakim : Hasan]

Anas ibn Maalik  says that the Prophet  said:
"Whoever has three things present in him has found the sweetness of imaan; its sweetness is that Allaah and His Messenger  is more beloved to him than anything, that he loves for Allaah and hates (shows anger) for Allaah, and that if a great (fierce) fire was to be lit, that he falls into it is more beloved to him than attributing partners to Allaah." [Saheeh : Bukhari, Muslim, Ibn Majah, Nisai, Ahmad]

Abu Umaamah said: "Whoever loves for Allaah and hates for Allaah and gives for Allaah and prevents for Allaah then he has completed imaan."

Mujaahid narrates that Ibn 'Abbaas  said: "Love for the sake of Allaah and hate for the sake of Allaah and friendship for the sake of Allaah and enmity for the sake of Allaah, only brings about wilaayah of Allaah by that. A servant does not find the sweetness (taste) of imaan even if he prays and fasts a lot until he is like that."