Question:
If we love someone, should we tell them that we love them for the sake of Allahﷻ ? And if there is such a hadith, can a man say this to a woman?
Answer:
There is a narration reported in Musnad Ahmad and Abu Dawud from Anas. Anas said that he was sitting with the Prophetﷺ when a man passed by.
Someone in the gathering said to the Prophetﷺ that he loved that man. The Prophetﷺ asked whether he had told him. When he replied that he had not, the Prophetﷺ instructed him to go and tell him. So he went to the man and said that he loved him for the sake of Allahﷻ . The man replied, “May Allahﷻ love you for whose sake you love me.” The important instruction in the hadith is that if someone loves another person for the sake of Allahﷻ , he may inform him. This helps strengthen mutual affection.
However, this does not mean that men and women should form friendships in Islam. Islam does not promote friendship between unrelated men and women. Interactions between them should be limited to necessary matters such as business transactions, seeking help, asking questions, medical treatment, or other practical needs.
Friendships that go beyond necessity can gradually lead to inappropriate closeness. Therefore, when Islam encourages expressing love for the sake of Allahﷻ , it applies mainly to lawful relationships such as friendships among men or among women, or within family relationships. Interactions between men and women should remain within the limits of necessity.