Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ ثَابِتٍ عَنْ أَبِي رَافِعٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ خَرَجَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ قَرْيَتِهِ يَزُورُ أَخًا لَهُ فِي قَرْيَةٍ أُخْرَى فَأَرْصَدَ اللَّهُ لَهُ مَلَكًا فَجَلَسَ عَلَى طَرِيقِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَيْنَ تُرِيدُ قَالَ أُرِيدُ أَخًا لِي أَزُورُهُ فِي اللَّهِ فِي هَذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ قَالَ لَهُ هَلْ لَهُ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ نِعْمَةٍ تَرُبُّهَا قَالَ لَا وَلَكِنِّي أَحْبَبْتُهُ فِي اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَالَ فَإِنِّي رَسُولُ رَبِّكَ إِلَيْكَ أَنَّهُ قَدْ أَحَبَّكَ بِمَا أَحْبَبْتَهُ فِيهِ.
English Translation
Wakee', from Hammad, from Thabit, from Abu Rafi', from Abu Hurayrah, from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, who said: "A man set out from his town to visit a brother of his in another town, so Allah appointed an angel to wait for him on his way. The angel said to him: 'Where are you going?' He said: 'I intend to visit a brother of mine in this town for the sake of Allah.' The angel said: 'Does he have some favor upon you that you are repaying?' He said: 'No, but I loved him for the sake of Allah, Mighty and Sublime.' The angel said: 'Then I am a messenger to you from your Lord, informing you that He loves you as you loved him for His sake.'"