Is it permissible for a Muslim to say to another person, "I hate you for the sake of Allah"?

The questioner : A person whom you dislike for a legal reason; is it permissible to say to his face, "I hate you for the sake of Allah"?

The Shaykh : Within the limits of what you mentioned, it is permissible, of course.

The questioner : Because I know that declaring love for the sake of Allah is what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded; as for declaring hatred and aversion...?

The Shaykh : This is permissible within the limits of what you mentioned. Our evidence is the hadith reported from Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that a man came to him and said, "O 'Abd Allah, I love you for the sake of Allah." He said, "As for me, I hate you for the sake of Allah, or I abhor you for the sake of Allah." He asked, "Why?" He said, "Because you make mistakes in your call to prayer and you take a wage for it." Is that clear?

The questioner : Yes, is this the statement of Ibn 'Abbas?

The Shaykh : This is the statement of Ibn 'Umar.

The questioner : By whom?

The Shaykh : To one who came to him saying, "I love you for the sake of Allah," he said, "As for me, I hate you or abhor you for the sake of Allah." He asked, "Why?" He said, "Because you make mistakes in your call to prayer and you take a wage for it."

The questioner : Well, did the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say anything like this, or explicitly state or endorse it?

The Shaykh : We do not recall anything of that.

The questioner : So, do we rely on this statement of 'Abd Allah ibn 'Umar?

The Shaykh : Of course, because first, there is nothing in the Shari'ah that prevents it, and second, the legal principles support it. You know that in Islam there is something called boycotting. This boycotting falls under that category, but there is boycotting without stating the reason. Here, it is boycotting with the reason stated. Yes, that is right.