Everlasting Love: Loving Allah subhanahu wa taala

Who created us from earth to a human? Who has blessed us and granted us with health, clothing, knowledge, transport, family, friends, money, shelter and much more?! Allah in His infinite mercy has created everything for us, both in this Duniya and the Hereafter. He blesses His servants more than they need, even before they ask and supplicate to Him. He is the Most Generous.
 
Doesn’t He deserve of our love?
 
Loving our Creator, Allah subhanahu wa taala is the sincerest and purest form of love. It consists of humility, contentment and worship that is directed towards Him.

"And from among mankind there are some who take for themselves (objects of worship as) rivals to Allah, loving them as they should (only) love Allah. And those who believe are stronger in their love for Allah."
[Surah Al-Baqarah 2:165]
 
When we are going through a difficult time, we need someone to listen. Someone to understand. Allah is the Most Knowing and knows what you about to say before saying it, yet He still listens patiently and responds to His servants’ supplications granting what is best for them as He alone knows the Unseen. Nothing is hidden from Him:
 
"There is not an animal of whose forelock He does not have a hold."
[Surah Hud 11:56]
 
He is pleased when His servants seek His assistance and gets angry when we do not. He is more merciful to His creation, than a mother is to her child.

"...Is there anyone who is calling on Me, so I may answer his prayer? Is there anyone who is asking of Me, so I may grant his request? Is there anyone who is seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?" [Sahih Muslim]
 
When we do a mistake, He veils our bad deeds. When we seek His repentence, He forgives us because Allah is the Most patient and Most forgiving.

Whilst the person who performs wrongfully, does not care about his/her actions and whether it is revealed or not. Allah on the other hand, seeks to veil them. Doesn’t this show Allah have mercy on His servants while the servant does not have any mercy on himself/herself? Isn’t that true love?
 
Allah subhanahu wa taala’s mercy and generosity towards His creation does not stop them from the free will whereby they can disobey Allah’s commands. He will still grant His servants His blessings regardless. This is not because He wants something in return like His creation would do with each other for personal gain, as He is not need of us, we are in need of Him. He blesses us to benefit us. This consequently fuels our resolve to worship and love Him.
 
Did you know when we do even the simplest good action, the reward is multiplied. However, when we do a bad deed, it is recorded as one bad deed? Subhanallah. He is pleased with His servants who perform good actions, even though this would not have occurred without His help and assistance.
 
How then, can our hearts not love Him?

The One who and no other than Him, listens and responds to our prayers, veils and forgives sins, grants us reward? He alone is worthy of our worship, praise and remembrance during good times and during our trials.
 
Loving Allah subhanahu wa taala sustains the soul and gives life to the Heart. Devoiding this love causes decay of the heart causing lack of pleasure and joy.

Ibn Qayyim (may Allah have mercy be upon him) stated 10 causes that results in love between the Creator and His creation (Madarij as-Salikeen volume 3, pp. 17-18):
 
First - Reciting the Qur'an while pondering over its meanings and what is meant by it.

Second - Getting closer to Allah by performing voluntary deeds after completing obligatory deeds. This is as is stated in a Hadith Qudsi:
"My slave continues getting closer to Me by performing voluntary deeds until I love him." [al-Bukhari]

Third - Continual remembrance of Allah under all circumstances, with one's tongue, heart and actions. The extent of one's love of Allah is determined by this.

Fourth - Giving precedence to what He loves over what you love when you are overtaken by your desires.

Fifth - The heart being avid of Allah's Names, and Attributes and the heart roaming in that garden of knowledge.

Sixth - Observing Allah's kindness, goodness and bounties, both hidden and open.

Seventh - This is the most wonderful, the heart being soft, subdued and meek before Allah.

Eighth - Being alone with Allah during the time when the Lord descends during the last portion of the night while reading His Book and ending that by asking for forgiveness and repenting.

Ninth- Sitting with the beloved and sincere, benefiting from the most fruitful of their speech. And not to speak unless speaking is more beneficial and you know that it will improve your state and be beneficial to others.

Tenth - Remaining away from every cause that comes between the heart and Allah. These ten causes take the lovers to the station of true love and bring them to their Beloved.