When a person submits to another even though he dislikes him, this is not worship or enslavement; when he loves someone but is not subservient to him, as a man might love his child or his friend, this is not worship. Either of them alone is not enought when it comes to worshipping Allah.

Love for anything else than Allah is corrupt love, and veneration for anything except Allah is false veneration.

Allah must be dearer than anything else to the slave; Allah must be more important than all else. And nothing is deserving of complete submission but Allah.

Allah says:

“Say: If it be that your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your mates, or your kindred; the wealth that you have gained; your commerce in which you fear a decline; or the dwellings in which you delight – are dearer to you than Allah, or His Messenger, or striving in His cause – then wait until Allah brings about His Decision …”  [Tawbah:24}

(Adapted from U’budiyyah by Ibn Taimiyah)