Anas relates the Holy Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) as saying, “Anyone who possesses three qualities finds thereby the sweetness of faith: that he loves Allah and His Messenger more than everything else; that when he loves a human being he loves him for Allah’s sake alone; and, that he abhors returning to unbelief from which Allah has rescued him, as he abhors being thrown into fire.”
(Bukhari, Muslim)
Thishadīth brings into light three distinguishing features of a believer. One, that a believer loves Allah and His Messenger more than everybody and everything else, even his own dear life or that of his offspring and other close relations. This is because whatever man possesses in his life on earth is Amanah or gift bestowed upon him by the Lord. Thus his love for any human being or anything material or immaterial is subordinate to his love for Allah and His Messenger.
The second feature is that whenever he loves a human being he loves him for Allah’s sake alone. Love is a natural instinct. But his love for a human being must not surpass his love for Allah and His Messenger.
The third striking feature is that he abhors returning to unbelief. He ought to keep close watch on his deeds and actions in order to see that none of them borders on kufr or shirk, which in turn will lead him to the Fire of Hell.
The Blessed Messenger says that one who has these three salient features enjoys the sweetness of faith.