How can we make ourselves feel love for Allah in our hearts?

What appears to us to be the case is that your concept of love is not correct, or that you limiting it to a high level of love. Otherwise, everyone who believes in the existence of Allah is not devoid of love for Him, even if he associates others with Him in love, and loves others as much as or more than he loves Him, as Allah, may He be exalted, says of the polytheists (interpretation of the meaning):

{Yet there are some people who take [for worship] others besides Allah, as equals [with Allah]; they love them as they should love Allah. But those who believe have greater love for Allah} [Al-Baqarah 2:165].

Everyone who believes in Allah and remembers some of the blessings that He has bestowed upon him – such as the blessings of Islam, the Qur’an, provision, help and support, and so on – will love Him, for man has a natural inclination to love the one who bestows favours upon him. Hence he loves the one who greets him, the one who gives him a gift, the one who smiles at him, the one who is sincere towards him and the one who honours him.

So check your heart, and you will find that you do love Allah, praise Him, give thanks to Him and perhaps you long to see Him, and this is the highest level of love.

If you ask yourself: do you hate Allah? You will recoil from this question, and this confirms what we have mentioned to you, that perhaps you imagine love as longing, for example. Or your love may not have reached that level, but that does not mean that you do not have beneficial love for Allah which makes your faith in Him sound.

Whatever the case, the remedy for that is easy: it is remembering the blessings, the greatest of which is the blessing of Islam. Then if you read the words of Allah and reflect a little, that will open your heart and you will feel happy; you will find yourself praising Allah for this blessing, and you will find your heart beating with love for your Creator Who blessed you with that.

Undoubtedly, some people may become completely immersed in this world and its transient pleasures, or in haram desires, so their hearts grow hard, their love for Allah is reduced, their longing for Him grows weak and perhaps they forget their Creator. But if they look deep in their hearts, they will find that they do love Allah, even though they are heedless and distant from Him.

Hence it is essential to make sure that you love Allah and that that love is above all other loves, as Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

{Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your spouses, your clan, the wealth that you have acquired, the merchandise which you fear will not be sold, and the dwellings in which you delight, are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger, and striving and fighting in His cause, then wait until Allah brings about His decree [of punishment]. For Allah does not guide disobedient people} [Al-Tawbah 9:24].

The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “There are three characteristics, whoever attains them has found the sweetness of faith: when Allah and His Messenger are more beloved to him than all else, when he loves a man and does not love him except for the sake of Allah, and when he would hate to return to disbelief after Allah has saved him from it as he would hate to be thrown into the fire.” Narrated by al-Bukhari (16) and Muslim (43).

So turn to Allah, be consistent in offering prayers, and glorify Allah a great deal (tasbih) and call upon Him (du‘a’) when you prostrate; call to mind His blessings and be among those who are grateful; recite a daily portion of Qur’an and do not omit it; observe some supererogatory fasts and give voluntary charity. These are things which soften the heart and cure it of hardness, as Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

{those who believe and whose hearts find comfort in the remembrance of Allah, for verily in the remembrance of Allah hearts find comfort} [Al-Ra‘d 13:28].

The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Shall I not tell you of that which will take away rancour from the heart? Fast three days of every month.” Narrated by al-Nasa’i (2386); classed as sahih by al-Albani in Sahih al-Nasa’i (2249).

Al-Suyuti said in Sharh al-Nasa’i: “Regarding the meaning of the words wahar al-sadr [translated above as rancour in the heart], it says in al-Nihayah that this refers to the dross of the heart and intrusive thoughts. It was also said that it refers to resentment and rage, or enmity, or intense anger. End quote.

Al-Sindi said: “That which will take away rancour from the heart”– it was said that this refers to its dross and intrusive thoughts, or grudges, or what may befall the heart of contamination and hardness. End quote.

It was narrated that Abu’l-Darda’ (may Allah be pleased with him) said: A man came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) complaining about the hardness of his heart. He said: “Would you like to soften your heart and get what you need? Show compassion to the orphan and pat his head, and feed him from your own food, and your heart will be softened and your needs will be met.” Narrated by al-Tabarani; classed as hasan by al-Albani in Sahih al-Targhib wa’l-Tarhib.

Moreover, it is recommended (mustahabb) for the individual to ask his Lord for love of Him and to increase in that love, as it says in the hadith about the dispute among those on high: “[Allah] said: Ask. I said: O Allah, I ask You to enable me to do good deeds and refrain from evil deeds, and to make me love the poor, and to forgive me and have mercy on me. And if You want to test a people, cause me to die without being tested. And I ask You for Your love and the love of those who love You, and for the love of doing that which will bring me closer to Your love.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (3235); classed as sahih by al-Albani.

We ask Allah to forgive you, turn to you in mercy, turn your heart towards Him and enable you to taste the sweetness of faith.

And Allah knows best.