Compiled by: Abu Ubaidah Muhammad Saqib
[1] Prayer
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
[وجعلت قرة عيني في الصلاة]
The coolness of my eyes is in prayer.
Reference: Sunan an-Nasa'i: 3391, Musnad Ahmad: 14037
[2] Fragrance
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
[حبب إلي من الدنيا النساء والطيب]
Among the things of this world, women and fragrance have been made beloved to me.
Reference: Sunan an-Nasa'i: 3391, Musnad Ahmad: 14037
[3] Pure Wives / Lawful Marital Love
In the same hadith it is stated:
[حبب إلي من الدنيا النساء]
Among the things of this world, women have been made beloved to me.
Reference: Sunan an-Nasa'i: 3391, Musnad Ahmad: 14037
[4] Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her)
Sayyiduna Amr ibn al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) asked: Who is the most beloved to you among the people? You ﷺ said:
[عائشة]
Aisha.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 3662, Sahih Muslim: 2384
[5] Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him)
In the same hadith, Amr ibn al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) asked: Among men, who? You ﷺ said:
[أبوها]
His father, that is Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him).
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 3662, Sahih Muslim: 2384
[6] Sayyiduna Hasan and Sayyiduna Husayn (may Allah be pleased with them)
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said about Hasan and Husayn (may Allah be pleased with them):
[اللهم إني أحبهما فأحبهما]
O Allah! I love these two, so love them too.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 3747, Sahih Muslim: 2421
[7] Sayyiduna Usama bin Zaid رضي الله عنه
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to hold Sayyiduna Hasan and Sayyiduna Usama رضي الله عنهما in his lap and say:
[اللهم أحبهما فإني أحبهما]
O Allah! Love these two, for I love them.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 3735
[8] Ansar رضي الله عنهم
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
[اللهم أنتم من أحب الناس إلي يعني الأنصار]
My Allah! (Witness) you are among those people who are most beloved to me.” He meant the Ansar.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 3786, Sahih Muslim: 2508
[9] Mount Uhud
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
[هذا جبل يحبنا ونحبه]
This mountain loves us and we love it.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 4083, Sahih Muslim: 1392
[10] Starting from the right side
Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنها narrates:
[كان النبي ﷺ يعجبه التيمن في تنعله، وترجله، وطهوره، وفي شأنه كله]
The Prophet ﷺ liked to start from the right side in wearing shoes, combing, ablution, and all his affairs.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 168, Sahih Muslim: 268
[11] Sweet and honey
Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنها narrates:
[كان رسول الله ﷺ يحب الحلواء والعسل]
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ liked sweet things and honey.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 5431, Sahih Muslim: 1474
[12] Pumpkin / Bottle Gourd
Sayyiduna Anas رضي الله عنه narrates:
[فرأيت النبي ﷺ يتتبع الدباء من حوالي الصحفة]
I saw the Prophet ﷺ searching for pumpkin from the edges of the bowl and eating it.
Sayyiduna Anas رضي الله عنه says:
[فلم أزل أحب الدباء من يومئذ]
Since that day, I also started liking pumpkin.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 5379, Sahih Muslim: 2041
[13] Choosing Ease
Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنها narrates:
[ما خير رسول الله ﷺ بين أمرين إلا أخذ أيسرهما، ما لم يكن إثما]
Whenever the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was given a choice between two tasks, he ﷺ chose the easier one, as long as it was not sinful.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 3560, Sahih Muslim: 2327
[14] Comprehensive Supplication
Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنها narrates:
[كان النبي ﷺ يحب الجوامع من الدعاء، ويدع ما سوى ذلك]
The Prophet ﷺ liked comprehensive supplications and would leave out the others.
Reference: Sunan Abu Dawood: 1482
[15] Good Speech / Auspicious Saying
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
[لا عدوى ولا طيرة، ويعجبني الفأل الصالح: الكلمة الحسنة]
I like good omens.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 5756, Sahih Muslim: 2223
[16] Shirt
Umm Salama رضي الله عنها narrates:
[كان أحب الثياب إلى رسول الله ﷺ القميص]
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ liked the shirt the most among clothes.
Reference: Sunan Abu Dawood: 4025, Sunan At-Tirmidhi: 1762, Sunan Ibn Majah: 3575
[17] Yemeni Cloak / Ḥibrah
Anas رضي الله عنه narrates:
[كان أحب الثياب إلى النبي ﷺ أن يلبسها الحبرة]
The Prophet ﷺ liked Ḥibrah the most among the clothes to wear.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 5813, Sahih Muslim: 2079
Ḥibrah: A striped cloak from Yemen.
[18] Hearing the Quran from Others
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud رضي الله عنه narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said to me:
[اقرأ علي]
Recite the Quran to me.
I said: Should I recite to you when it was revealed upon you? He said:
[إني أحب أن أسمعه من غيري]
I like to hear it from someone other than myself.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 5050, Sahih Muslim: 800
[19] After Aisha رضي الله عنها, Fatimah رضي الله عنها was the Beloved among the Ahl al-Bayt
Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنها says:
[ما رأيت أحدا كان أشبه سمتا ودلا وهديا برسول الله ﷺ من فاطمة]
I have not seen anyone more resembling the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in manner, gait, and way than Fatimah رضي الله عنها.
And in the ahadith, the great love and virtue of Fatimah رضي الله عنها is established, for example:
[فاطمة بضعة مني]
Fatimah is a part of me.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 3714, Sahih Muslim: 2449
Here the word “أحب” is not explicitly mentioned, but the love of Fatimah رضي الله عنها is definitely established.
[20] Sayyiduna Zaid bin Harithah رضي الله عنه
The companions used to call Zaid bin Harithah رضي الله عنه:
[حب رسول الله ﷺ]
The beloved of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 3730, Sahih Muslim: 2425
[21] Sayyiduna Usama bin Zaid رضي الله عنه
Usama رضي الله عنه was called:
[الحب ابن الحب]
Beloved, son of the beloved.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 3730, Sahih Muslim: 2425
Meaning Usama رضي الله عنه himself was beloved to the Prophet ﷺ and his father Zaid رضي الله عنه was also beloved.
[22] Muhajireen and Ansar
The Prophet ﷺ said:
[لولا الهجرة لكنت امرأ من الأنصار]
If there had been no migration, I would have been one of the Ansar.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 3779, Sahih Muslim: 1059
And He said:
[اللهم اغفر للأنصار، ولأبناء الأنصار، وأبناء أبناء الأنصار]
O Allah! Forgive the Ansar, the sons of the Ansar, and the grandchildren of the Ansar.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 3796, Sahih Muslim: 2506
[23] Madinah Munawwarah
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed about Madinah:
[اللهم حبب إلينا المدينة كحبنا مكة أو أشد]
O Allah! Make Madinah beloved to us as Makkah is beloved to us, or even more.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 1889, Sahih Muslim: 1376
[24] Makkah Mukarramah
The Prophet ﷺ addressed Makkah and said:
[والله إنك لخير أرض الله، وأحب أرض الله إلى الله، ولولا أني أخرجت منك ما خرجت]
By Allah! You are the best land of Allah, and Allah loves the land of Allah the most. If I were not expelled from you, I would not leave.
Reference: Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 3925, Sunan Ibn Majah: 3108
[25] Consistent deeds, even if small
Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked: Which deed is most beloved to Allah? He ﷺ said:
[أدومه وإن قل]
The deed that is done consistently, even if it is little.
And Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) says:
[وكان أحب الدين إليه ما داوم عليه صاحبه]
The most beloved religion/deed to the Prophet ﷺ was that which a person adheres to regularly.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 43, Sahih Muslim: 785
[26] Fasting on Monday and Thursday
Sayyiduna Usama bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ used to fast on Monday and Thursday. When he ﷺ was asked about it, he said:
[إن أعمال العباد تعرض يوم الاثنين والخميس، فأحب أن يعرض عملي وأنا صائم]
The deeds of the servants are presented on Monday and Thursday, so I like that my deeds be presented while I am fasting.
Reference: Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 747, Musnad Ahmad: 21753
[27] Fasting in Sha'ban
Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates:
[وَمَا رَأَيْتُهُ فِي شَهْرٍ أَكْثَرَ صِيَامًا مِنْهُ فِي شَعْبَانَ]
I have not seen you ﷺ fast more in any month than in Sha'ban.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 1969, Sahih Muslim: 1156
And in another narration:
[كان أحب الشهور إلى رسول الله ﷺ أن يصومه شعبان]
The most beloved month for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to fast in was Sha'ban.
Reference: Sunan an-Nasa'i: 2352, Sunan Abu Dawood: 2431
[28] Night Prayer / Qiyam al-Layl
Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ used to stand in prayer at night until his feet would swell. It was asked: O Messenger of Allah! Why do you do this when your past and future sins have been forgiven? He said:
[أفلا أحب أن أكون عبدا شكورا]
Should I not be a thankful servant?
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 4837, Sahih Muslim: 2820
[29] Witr
It is narrated from Sayyidina Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
[إن الله وتر يحب الوتر، فأوتروا يا أهل القرآن]
Allah is Witr (One, Odd) and He loves Witr, so O people of the Qur'an! Offer Witr prayer.
Reference: Sunan Abu Dawood: 1416, Sunan at-Tirmidhi: 453
This is essentially Allah’s preference, but the Prophet ﷺ encouraged the Ummah towards it and himself regularly performed Witr.
[30] Miswak
The Prophet ﷺ said:
[لولا أن أشق على أمتي، لأمرتهم بالسواك عند كل صلاة]
If I did not fear hardship for my Ummah, I would have commanded them to use the miswak at every prayer time.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 887, Sahih Muslim: 252
Here the word "أحب" is not used, but the intense desire and liking of the Prophet ﷺ is clear.
[31] Bathing, Purity, and Cleanliness
The Prophet ﷺ loved to maintain purity, as Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) states:
[كان النبي ﷺ يعجبه التيمن في تنعله، وترجله، وطهوره، وفي شأنه كله]
The Prophet ﷺ liked wearing shoes, combing his hair, attaining purity, and starting all his actions from the right side.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 168, Sahih Muslim: 268
[32] Smiling and Cheerfulness
Sayyiduna Jarir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
[مَا حَجَبَنِي النَّبِيُّ ﷺ مُنْذُ أَسْلَمْتُ، وَلَا رَآنِي إِلَّا تَبَسَّمَ فِي وَجْهِي]
Since I became a Muslim, the Prophet ﷺ never prevented me from coming near him, and whenever he saw me, he smiled on my face.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 3035, Sahih Muslim: 2475
[33] Love for Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him)
On the occasion of the Battle of Khaybar, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
[لأعطين الراية غدا رجلا يحب الله ورسوله، ويحبه الله ورسوله]
Tomorrow I will give the flag to a person who loves Allah and His Messenger, and Allah and His Messenger also love him.
Then the Prophet ﷺ gave the flag to Sayyidina Ali رضي الله عنه.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 3009, Sahih Muslim: 2406
[34] Sayyidina Mu'adh ibn Jabal رضي الله عنه
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to Sayyidina Mu'adh رضي الله عنه:
[يا معاذ، والله إني لأحبك]
O Mu'adh! By Allah, I love you.
Reference: Sunan Abu Dawood: 1522, Musnad Ahmad: 22119
