Signs of Love for Ahl-ul-Bayt

Love for Ahl-ul-Bayt is not only a sign of Allah’s love for man but it is also a sign of other truths as follow:
First: Based on several narrations, love for Ahl-ul-Bayt is a proof of one’s noble birth. The Holy Prophet is quoted by Imam Ali as saying to Aba-Dharr:
يَا أبَا ذَرٍّ! مَنْ أحَبَّنَا ـ أهْلَ الْبَيْتِ ـ فَلْيَحْمِدِ اللهَ عَلَى أوَّلِ النِّعَمِ... طِيبِ الوِلأدَةِ. إنَّهُ لأ يُحِبُّنَا إلأ مَنْ طَابَ مَوْلِدُهُ
Whoever loves us, Ahl al-Bayt, must thank Allah for the first blessing… Nobility of birth; for whoever loves us is of noble (i.e. legitimate) birth. [5]

Imam Baqir (A.S) has said:
مَنْ أصْبَحَ يَجِدُ بَرْدَ حُبِّنَا عَلَى قَلْبِهِ فَلْيَحْمِدِ اللهَ عَلَى بَادِئِ النِّعَمِ... طِيبِ الْمَوْلِدِ

Whoever wakes up in the morning and feels the cool breeze of our love must thank Allah for the first blessing; purity and nobility of birth. [6]
Second: Love for Ahl-ul-Bayt is a proof of purity of heart. Imam Sadiq (A.S) has said:

وَاللهِ وَاللهِ، لأ يُحِبُّنَا عَبْدٌ حَتَّى يُطَهِّرَ اللهُ قَلْبَهُ.

By Allah, none loves us unless those whose hearts have been purified by Allah. [7]


Third: Love for Ahl-ul-Bayt is a sign of true belief and acceptance by Allah. Allah’s Messenger has said:
عَاهَدَنِي رَبِّي أنْ لأ يَقْبَلَ إيمَانَ عَبْدٍ إلأ بِمَحَبَّةِ أهْلِ بَيْتِي

My Lord made a promise to me that He will not accept any of His servants’ belief without love for Ahl-ul-Bayt. [8]
Amir al-Mu’menin has said:
إنَّهُ لَعَهْدُ النَّبِيِّ الأُمِّيِّ إلَيَّ أنَّهُ لأ يُحِبُّنِي إلأ مُوْمِنٌ وَلأ يُبْغِضُنِي إلأ مُنَافِقٌ

The Ummi Prophet expressly said to me that no one but a believer loves me and no one but a hypocrite harbors rancor against me. [9]
He has also said:
لَوْ ضَرَبْتُ خَيْشُومَ الْمُوْمِنِ بِسَيْفِي هَذَا عَلَى أنْ يُبْغِضَنِي مَا أبْغَضَنِي؛ وَلَوْ صَبَبْتُ الدُّنْيَا بِجَمَّاتِهَا عَلَى الْمُنَافِقِ عَلَى أنْ يُحِبَّنِي مَا أحَبَّنِي؛ وَذَلِكَ أنَّهُ قُضِيَ فَانْقَضَى عَلَى لِسَانِ النَّبِيِّ الأُمِّيِّ، صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ، أنَّهُ قَالَ: يَا عَلِيُّ! لأ يُبْغِضُكَ مُوْمِنٌ وَلأ يُحِبُّكَ مُنَافِقٌ

Even if I strike the nose of a believer with my sword to oblige him to hate me, he will never hate me; and even if I pile all the wealth of the world before a hypocrite to love me, he will never love me. This is because it is a verdict pronounced by the tongue of the Prophet—may Allah bless him and his descendants—as he said: O Ali, a believer will never hate you and a hypocrite will never love you. [10]