«Allāh comes first»
One of the Salāf once said:
"I used to think that the servant is the one who loves Allāh first in order for Allāh to love him, until I read:
« فسوف يأتي الله بقوم يحبهم ويحبونه »
'Allāh will bring forth [in place of them] a people He will love and who will love Him.' [Al-Mā'idah 5:54]
"So I knew that the one who loves first is Allāh.
"And I used to think that the servant is the one who repents first in order for Allāh to accept his repentance, until I read:
« ثم تاب عليهم ليتوبوا »
'Then He turned to them so they could repent.' [At-Tawbah 9:118]
"So I knew that Allāh is the One who inspires you to repent in order for you to repent to Him.
"And I used to think that the servant is the one who becomes pleased with Allāh first, then Allāh becomes pleased with him, until I read:
« رضي الله عنهم ورضوا عنه »
'Allāh is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him.' [At-Tawbah 9:100]
"So I knew that Allāh is the One who becomes pleased first."
