Hadith: Allah, the Almighty, said: My love is certainly due to those who love one another for My sake, sit with one another for My sake, visit one another for My sake, cooperate and give one another for My sake

عن أبي إدريس الخولاني رحمه الله قال: دَخَلْتُ مَسْجِدَ دِمَشقَ، فَإِذَا فَتًى بَرَّاق الثَنَايَا وَإِذَا النَّاس مَعَه، فَإِذَا اخْتَلَفُوا فِي شَيءٍ، أَسْنَدُوهُ إِلَيهِ، وَصَدَرُوا عَنْ رَأْيِهِ، فَسَأَلْتُ عَنْهُ، فَقِيل: هَذَا مُعَاذ بْنُ جَبَلٍ رضي الله عنه فَلَمَّا كان مِنَ الغَدِ، هَجَّرتُ، فَوَجَدتُه قَدْ سَبِقَنِي بِالتَهْجِير، وَوَجَدتُهُ يُصَلِّي، فَانتَظَرتُهُ حَتَّى قَضَى صَلاَتَه، ثُمَّ جِئتُهُ مِن قِبَلِ وَجْهِهِ، فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيه، ثُمَّ قُلتُ: وَالله إِنِّي لَأُحِبُّكَ لِلَّه، فَقَال: آلله؟ فَقُلتُ: آلله، فقال: آللهِ؟ فقُلْتُ: آلله، فَأَخَذَنِي بَحَبْوَةِ رِدَائِي، فَجَبَذَنِي إِلَيه، فَقَال: أَبْشِر! فَإِنِّي سَمِعتُ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: «قَالَ الله -تعَالَى-: وَجَبَت مَحَبَّتِي لِلمُتَحَابِّين فِيَّ، وَالمُتَجَالِسِينَ فِيَّ، وَالمُتَزَاوِرِينَ فِيَّ، وَالمُتَبَاذِلِينَ فِيَّ».
[صحيح] - [رواه مالك وأحمد]

Abu Idrīs al-Khawlāni (may Allah have mercy upon him) reported: I once entered the Damascus mosque. I saw a young man who had shining teeth, and people were with him. When they differed over anything, they would refer it to him and would adopt his opinion. I asked who he was and I was told that he was Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him). On the next day, I went early to the mosque, but found that he had arrived earlier than me and was praying. I waited until he completed his prayer, and then went to him from the front, greeted him and said: "By Allah, I love you for the sake of Allah." He asked: "By Allah?" I replied: "Yes, by Allah." He then asked me again: "By Allah?" I replied: "Yes, by Allah." Then he took hold of the waist edge of my cloak, drew me close to himself and said: "Rejoice, for I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saying: 'Allah, the Almighty, said: ‘My love is certainly due to those who love one another for My sake, sit with one another for My sake, visit one another for My sake, cooperate and give one another for My sake.''"
[Authentic hadith] - [Narrated by Ahmad - Maalik]

Explanation

This Hadīth highlights the virtue of loving one another for the sake of Allah. The meaning is that whoever does all of these things, i.e. each of the two parties, as the verb form implies, if he does them seeking the pleasure of Allah, the Almighty, not for a perishable interest or some purpose, then the love of his Master will be due to him. This, indeed, is the greatest reward and it indicates the honor of such deeds. It was also reported that: "Whoever loves, hates, gives, and withholds for My sake, he has perfected faith." "By Allah, I love you for the sake of Allah." He asked: "By Allah?" I replied: "Yes, by Allah." This is a proof that they frequently used oaths and repeated them for the sake of verification and confirmation. "Drew me close to himself", meaning: closely and intimately, displaying acceptance of what he told him, and to convey to him the glad tidings of what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said about the one who does that. So, he said to him: 'Rejoice', meaning: at the state you are in because "I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saying: 'Allah, the Almighty, said"; Mu‘ādh informed him that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reported this statement from his Lord, Blessed and Exalted, so that Abu Idrīs would be certain about the statement and would fully rejoice over the news, since it was the statement of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) which he reported from his Lord, and not a personal opinion of Mu‘ādh (may Allah be pleased with him). "My love is certainly due", meaning: My love has been affirmed for them. "To those who love one another for My sake, sit with one another for My sake", meaning: Their gatherings are especially for the sake of Allah, for the sake of cooperation in the remembrance of Allah, the Exalted, establishing His limits, honoring His covenant, fulfilling His commands, preserving His laws, following His orders, and avoiding His prohibitions. "Visit one another for My sake", meaning: Their visits to one another are intended for Allah's sake and seeking His pleasure, love, and approval; whether they do it out of loving each other for His sake, or in cooperation on His obedience. "Cooperate and give one another for My sake", meaning: exert themselves for His pleasure, including spending on Jihad against His enemies, and other such things that they were commanded to do; as well as giving each other money if needed.