When someone develops love of God, he starts remembering Him most of the time. Love for anything other than God gives one mere lifeless rituals.
According to the Quran, only that person is able to achieve a high level of realization of God who is able to develop a relationship with God on a very high plane. The sign of this level of relationship is his developing an intense love for God (2:165) and standing in awe of God alone. (9:18)
When someone develops such a profound relationship with God, he begins to remember Him most of the time, if he is lacking in this relationship by even one percent, he will be deprived of any high level of realization of God.
This was the state of the Jews in later periods of degeneration. Their deep relationship was centered on their great religious scholars. As a result, they were deprived of this high level of realization. This is the case of the Muslims in present times. Each group of Muslims has certain great men and they are deeply attached to them. They have no real attachment with the Almighty.
These great men have been given different titles, Akaabir, Aslaaf, Mashaaikh, Buzurgan-e-din, etc. Muslims owe their allegiance to these supposed saintly figures. The proof of their deep attachment is that any criticism of these great men is not tolerated by them. This intense love for anything other than God deprives one of God’s granting man true love of Him. Only lifeless rituals come to their share, rather than any high quality of faith which can bring one to a high level of realization. The love of God has a price, and it cannot be attained without paying its price.
Source: The Purpose Of Creation