Al-Matalib al-'Aliyah 2757 — Love and brotherhood

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever takes someone as his brother for the sake of Islam, Allah Almighty raises him by one degree in Paradise because of it. And whenever two servants love one another for the pleasure of Allah Almighty and then separation occurs between them, it is only because of a sin committed by one of them. And whenever two servants hold mutual affection and love purely for the pleasure of Allah Almighty, the more virtuous of them with Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, is the one who loves his companion more intensely."
Imam al-Bayhaqi recorded it in his book 'Shu'ab al-Iman'. The imams of narrator criticism have criticised the narrator in its chain, Abu Isma'il al-Abdi (Bishr bin Hudhayfah); however, supporting narrations for this hadith concerning the virtues of love for the sake of Allah are found in other reliable reports.