If Allah loves a person, He calls Gabriel saying, ‘Allah loves so and-so; O Gabriel! love him.’ Gabriel would love him and make an announcement amongst the inhabitants of the heaven. ‘Allah loves so-and-so, therefore you should love him also,’ and so all the inhabitants of the heaven would love him, and then he is granted the pleasure of the people on the earth.

Prophet Muhammad (sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam), on the authority of Abu Huraira (radiAllahu anhu)

Sahih Bukhari, #431 

(via saytuun)