The Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa salam said: "He has relished the taste of faith who is pleased with Allah as Lord, with Islam as Religion, and with Muhammad as Messenger'' (Recorded by Muslim, no 34)
He sallallahu 'alayhi wa salam also said "There are three things which, if they are present in anyone, will cause him to taste the sweetness of faith: that Allah and His Messenger are more beloved to him than all else; that he loves others only for the sake of Allah; and that he should hate to revert to disbelief after Allah has saved him from it, just as he would hate to be cast into a blazing fire''. (Recorded by Bukhari (no.21) and Muslim (no.43)
The heart, when it is truly sincere in its servitude ('Ubudiyyah) to Allah, is given to taste such sweetness, and experience such delight, that nothing besides this servitude is held more beloved to it. For the spiritually sound heart finds nothing sweeter, more blissful, or gratifying to it than the sweetness of faith, (Iman) which is born out of the labours of its gnosis, love and servitude to Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He. Imam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:
'If you do not find the deed producing a sweetness or expansion in your heart, then blame it. For the Lord, Exalted is He, is indeed appreciative'
Meaning that He will reward the doer of the deed in this world with experiencing sweetness, expansion and delight in his heart. Whenever one does not find this occurring then the deed is defective. (Quoted by Ibn al Qayyim, Madarij al-Salikin 2/511)
Imam Ibn Al Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, elaborated on this state of bliss and delight experienced by the sincere servant; he said 'There is no ['true] bliss, nor any delight, joy, or completeness for him, except in knowing Allah, loving Him, being tranquil in the remembrance of Him, feeling delighted in drawing closer to Him and in yearning to meet Him; this being the paradise of the worldly life. Likewise, there is no delight or success for him in the Afterlife, except with his being enveloped in the Abode of the Bliss in the Paradise of the next life. So there are for him two paradises, he will not enter the latter without first entering the former.
I heard Shaykh'l - Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah sanctify his soul, saying: 'Indeed there is a paradise in this world, whoever does not enter it will not not enter the Paradise of the Afterlife'
One of the gnostics said: 'There are times that pass over the heart about which I say: If the the people of Paradise are in the likes of this [state], then what a wonderful life they are in.'
One of the lovers [of Allah] said: 'The poor people of this world have left it without having tasted the sweetest thing in it.' They asked; What is the sweetest thing in it? He replied: 'Love of Allah, intimacy with Him, yearning to meet Him, drawing closer to Him, and turning away from everything other than Him' or words similar to it.' Indeed anyone with life in their hearts affirms this and experiences its taste'. Madarij al-Salikin (1/344).
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