You cannot love someone you don't know. Study the 99 Names of Allah. When you know Al-Rahman (The Most Merciful), you love His mercy. When you know Al-Wadud (The Loving), you realize He loves you first. When you know Al-Qahhar (The Subduer), you fear disappointing Him. True love is born from intimate knowledge ( ma'rifah ).
The scholar Al-Razi (Fakhr al-Din al-Razi) wrote in his Tafsir al-Kabir that the sign of correct love ( hubb al-haqq ) is that when a command from Allah contradicts a desire from the self, the command wins immediately, without internal negotiation. You cannot love someone you don't know
While it is natural to love others, this verse reminds us that a believer’s heart has a "North Star." Our love for Allah should be the foundation—the strongest, deepest, and most unwavering bond we have. When you know Al-Wadud (The Loving), you realize
If Allah is most often remembered, loved, and sought, that is a sign. The scholar Al-Razi (Fakhr al-Din al-Razi) wrote in
It is essential to note that Āyah 165 is followed immediately by Āyah 166-167, describing the Day of Judgment, when those “leaders” who were loved as gods will disown their followers, and all will see the punishment. The temporary sweetness of misplaced love will turn into bitter regret. Meanwhile, those who loved Allah with all their hearts will find His love unfailing and His reward beyond imagination.