Author: Sayyed Musleh Uddin
The Love of Mohammad Mustafa [PBUH] (Part 3)
The Ruling on Loving the Holy Prophet (PBUH):
There is no doubt that loving the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is obligatory upon us, and there are many reasons for this, such as:
1. Almighty Allah says: «قُلْ إِن كَانَ ءَابَاؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَاؤُكُمْ وَإخْوَانُكُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُكُمْ وَعَشِيرَتُكُمْ وَأَمْوَالُاقْتَرَفْتُمُوهَا وَتِجَرَةٌ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَكِنُ تَرْضَوْنَهَا أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكُم مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَجِهَادٍ فِي سَبِيلِهِ فَتَرَبَّصُوا حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ اللهُ بِأَمْرِهِ، وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى الْقَوْمَ الْفَسِقِينَ. Translation: “Say, if your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your people, your wealth, your trade, the decline of which you fear, and your dwellings that you love are more beloved to you than Allah and His Messenger and striving in His way, then wait for Allah to do His will, and Allah does not guide the disobedient people.”
So, it becomes clear that Allah, the Exalted, has placed all the beloved things of the world, all the matters to which the heart is attached, and what the soul desires on one side of the scale, and love for Allah and His Messenger (PBUH) on the other side of the scale. Qazi Ayaz (MABH) states that this verse is a conclusive proof of the necessity and deservingness of the love and high status of the Prophet (PBUH). Allah Almighty has threatened those who consider their wealth and family more beloved than Allah and His Messenger (PBUH) with the verse: «فَتَرَبَّصُوا حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ اللهُ بِأَمْرِهِ», meaning “Wait until Allah brings His command,” and has called these people transgressors. The declaration of this group as misguided is proof of the importance and necessity of this love.
2. Another reason that shows the importance and necessity of loving the Prophet (PBUH) is the statement of Allah the Exalted: «النَّبِيُّ أَولَى بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَأَزْوَاجُهُ أُمَّهَتهُمْ». Translation: “The Prophet is more superior to the believers than their own selves, and his wives are their mothers.”
Allama Ibn al-Qayyim (MABH) cites two reasons for the obligation to love the Prophet (PBUH) based on this verse: First, that the Prophet (PBUH) should be more beloved to each person than himself because the principle of priority is in love, and the self of every servant is more beloved to himself than anything else. However, it is necessary for the individual to prefer the Prophet (PBUH) to himself. Second, complete faith is achieved for him by this preference, and complete submission, obedience, and other requirements for the love and preference of the Prophet (PBUH) over others are established in his being.
The second reason that Allama Ibn al-Qayyim (MABH) cites from this verse for the obligation to love the Prophet (PBUH) is that the servant should not exercise any ruling over himself but should leave the ruling over himself to the Prophet (PBUH). This ruling is higher than the ruling that a master has over his slave or a father over his child. Also, a person should not take control of himself but should leave the control to the Prophet (PBUH), because he is more deserving of this control. It is surprising how someone can consider the Holy Prophet (PBUH) superior while having distanced himself from his Sunnah, accepting and trusting in a ruling other than that of the Prophet (PBUH). How is it possible for someone who has preferred the ruling of others over the Prophet (PBUH) and has imagined that guidance comes from his own intellect, claiming that he adheres to the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH)? Seeking beneficial knowledge through a path other than the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH) is clear misguidance.
It should be noted that the only way to follow the Prophet (PBUH) is to turn away from others and consider his Sunnah superior. We must believe in what has been narrated from the Prophet (PBUH) if it is proven to be authentic and reject it if it is proven to be false. In cases where there is no evidence of either authenticity or falsehood, we must remain silent, such as in the narrations of the People of the Book, until it becomes clear which of the two cases is authentic.
3. The Blessed Verse: «قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ». Translation: “Say (O Prophet), if you love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.”
This is one of the most important reasons that prove the necessity of loving the Holy Prophet (PBUH). There is no dispute in this regard that loving Allah is obligatory upon everyone, and following the Prophet (PBUH) and loving him is a way to attain the love of Allah, as the Prophet (PBUH) said: “Whoever loves me has loved Allah.”
What is required to perform an obligatory act becomes obligatory by itself. The result of following the Prophet (PBUH) is mentioned at the end of the verse, which is the love of Allah and the forgiveness of sins. Regarding the obligation of loving the Holy Prophet of Islam (PBUH), there are many hadiths that confirm this, including:
1. Hazrat Anas (MABH) narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said: “None of you will be a complete believer until I am more beloved to him than his father, his children, and all mankind.”
2. There is famous hadith about Hazrat Umar Farooq (MABH) when he said to the Prophet (PBUH): “O Messenger of Allah, you are more beloved to me than everything except my own self.” The Prophet (PBUH) said: “None of you has truly believed until I am more beloved to him than himself.” Then Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Now, O Messenger of Allah, you are more beloved to me than myself.” The Prophet (PBUH) said: “Now, O Umar, (your faith) is complete.”
Ibn Rajab (MABH) said: It is obligatory to give priority to the love of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) over one’s own self, children, relatives, wealth, homes, and other things that one is interested in. This love is complete when it is accompanied by obedience to the Prophet (PBUH), as Allah says in the verse: «قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّه». Translation: “Say, if you love Allah, then follow me, so Allah will love you.” Some of the Companions asked about the meaning of love, and the Prophet (PBUH) said: “Agreement with me in all circumstances.”
Continues…
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