Hanash ibn al-Mo’tamar, said:
Once I called upon Amirul Mu’mineen, ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, peace be upon him, while he was at al-Rahbah, reclining. So I said: “Peace be upon you, O, Amirul Mu’mineen and His mercy and His blessing, how are you this morning?” He said: He raised his head and returned the greetings and then said: “I have entered this morning with love for those who love us and patience fro those who hate us.
Surely, he who loves us, awaits for repose, happiness and deliverance every day and night. And he who hates us has built a structure whose foundation is laid on the edge of a crumbling bank; which tumbles and tumbles down with him into the fire of hell.
O, Abu Mo’tamar, he who loves us cannot nurse hatred against us in his bosom and he who hates us cannot love us. No doubt, Allah, Most High, created the hearts of the slaves with a propensity to love us and has forsaken those who deviated to hate us. So, those who love us cannot hate us and those who hate us cannot love us; and our love can never be combined with the love of our adversaries in one heart. Allah has not assigned to any man two hearts in his chest – loving one group with this heart and loving those who are their enemies with the other.”