A person visited his brother in another town and Allah deputed an Angel to wait for him on his way and when he came to him he said: Where do you intend to go? He said: I intend to go to my brother in this town. He said: Have you done any favour to him (the repayment of which you intend to get)? He said: No, excepting this that I love Mm for the sake of Allah, the Exalted and Glorious. Thereupon he said: I am a meesenger to you from, Allah: (to inform you) that Allah loves you as you love him (for His sake). (Using translation from Muslim 2567a)
حَمَّادٌ وَلَا أَعْلَمُهُ إِلَّا رَفَعَهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ حَمَّادٌ أُرَاهُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ أَنَّ رَجُلًا زَارَ أَخًا لَهُ فِي قَرْيَةٍ أُخْرَىفَأَرْصَدَ اللهُ عَلَى مَدْرَجَتِهِ مَلَكًا فَلَمَّا أَتَى عَلَيْهِ قَالَ الْمَلَكُ أَيْنَ تُرِيدُ؟ قَالَ أَزُورُ أَخًا لِي فِي هَذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ قَالَ هَلْ لَهُ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ نِعْمَةٍ تَرُبُّهَا؟ قَالَ لَا إِلَّا أَنِّي أَحْبَبْتُهُ فِي اللهِ ﷻ قَالَ فَإِنِّي رَسُولُ اللهِ إِلَيْكَ إِنَّ اللهَ ﷻ قَدْ أَحَبَّكَ كَمَا أَحْبَبْتَهُ