What did al-Ghazali say about love of Allah?

"the seeker initially is driven by the longing of hearing in the station of faith. When he ascends to the station of excellence and becomes established in it, his longing becomes the longing of witnessing. This longing overpowers the initial longing. If this is his intention, otherwise, witnessing in this world is not attainable for humans at all. Whoever claims otherwise is confused, and there is no rank above excellence for the truthful except to remain in it."

"Exalted is اللّٰه above any other kind of union imagined by the heretics and their followers. Regarding the overwhelming longing of witnessing over the longing of hearing, the seeker initially is driven by the longing of hearing in the station of faith. When he ascends to the station of excellence and becomes established in it, his longing becomes the longing of witnessing."

"The author of "Al-Manazil," may اللّٰه have mercy on him, described longing as the stirring of the heart towards someone absent. According to this group, longing arises because the object of longing is absent. Their doctrine is based on witnessing, which is why the القُرْآن does not mention longing by name. He began the chapter with the words of the Almighty: "Whoever hopes for the meeting with اللّٰه, then indeed the appointed time by اللّٰه is coming," from سُورَة العَنْكَبُوت."

"despite their closeness to Him and their vision of Him. They say that the evidence that longing is greater during the meeting is that we see the lover weeping when meeting the beloved. This weeping is due to the intensity of his longing and yearning, and thus he finds a kind of longing at the meeting that he did not find during his absence. Chapter: The debate in this matter revolves around the idea that longing is the movement and stirring of the heart for meeting the beloved."

"In times of separation, the goal is to arouse longing. Longing, though painful, can contain pleasure if hope for reunion is present, as hope brings joy while despair brings pain. The pleasure of hope is as strong as the longing and love for the anticipated reunion. In this context, longing is stirred, passion is aroused, and the pleasure of anticipated union is achieved through the eloquent description of the beloved's beauty."

"How could one recognize what’s hidden by sight?" The Explanation of Longing for Allah, the Exalted Understand that denying the reality of love for God means denying the reality of longing, for longing is only conceivable toward a beloved. We affirm the existence of longing for God, and that the knower is drawn towards Him through reflection, contemplation with insight, and through reports and traditions."

"We affirm the existence of longing for God, and that the knower is drawn towards Him through reflection, contemplation with insight, and through reports and traditions. Reflection establishes longing, as every beloved is longed for in their absence. The one who is present does not inspire longing, as longing involves seeking and yearning for something not present."

"Similarly, what is fully perceived is not longed for—complete perception comes through vision. Thus, one constantly observing their beloved cannot conceive of longing for them. Longing relates to something known in part and unknown in part, and this can only be understood through examples from observed realities. When one's beloved is absent, and only their image remains in the heart, there arises a longing to complete that image through vision."

"Chapter, this is only achieved through the rectitude of one's heart and faculties. The rectitude of the heart relies on two things. The first is that the love of Allah Almighty supersedes all other loves. When the love of Allah encounters love for anything else, the love of Allah prevails over all others and its effects manifest accordingly. This is so easy in claim, yet so difficult in reality. For it is during times of trial that a person is either honored or disgraced. How often does one prioritize what he loves or desires, or what his leader, teacher, or family loves over what Allah Almighty"

"Beyond this, there are only claims, excesses, and delusions. When it is said, "in its longing for the promise," it means that the soul manifests its longing for what it has been promised and what it has been made eager for. Its tranquility with that promise calms the flames of its longing. This is the state of every lover promised the attainment of their beloved; the soul finds tranquility in the promise of meeting and the knowledge of the fulfillment of what has been promised."