Chapter II On the necessity
to love the Prophet,
salla-Allahu `aleyhi
wa sallam
Section
I: Concerning the necessity of loving him,
salla-Allahu `aleyhi wa
sallam
-Allah ta`ala
says, "Say: if your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your
tribe and you possessions you have earned, commerce you fear may slacken,
dwellings you love - if these are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger
and to struggle in His way, then wait until Allah brings His command."
(9:25)
This enough
encouragement, advice, proof, and indication of the necessity of loving
him and is sufficient to show that this duty is an immensely important
obligation which is the Prophet's right. Allah ta`ala censures those whose
property, famillies and children are dearer to them than Allah ta`ala
and His Messenger salla-Allahu `aleyhi wa sallam. He threatens them by
adding, "Wait until Allah brings His command." At the end of the ayat
He considers such people as having done wrong and informs them they are
among those who are astray and not guided by Allah ta`ala.
Anas reported
that the Prophet, salla-Allahu `aleyhi wa sallam, said, "None of you will
believe until I am more beloved to him than his children, his father
and all people. There is something similar from Abu Hurayra.
Anas reported that the Prophet,
salla-Allahu `aleyhi wa sallam, said, "There are three things which cause
anyone who takes refuge in them to experience the sweetness of belief
- that Allah and His Messenger are more beloved to him than anything
else; that he loves a man only for Allah; and that he dislikes the thought
of reverting to disbelief as much as he would dislike being cast into
Fire."-
Section II: On the reward for loving the
Prophet,
salla-Allahu `aleyhi wa sallam
It is related that a man came to the Prophet, salla-Allahu `aleyhi
wa sallam, and said, "Messenger of Allah, I love you more than my
familly and my possessions. I remember you and I cannot wait until I
can come and look at you. I remember that I will die and you will die
and I know that when you enter the Garden, you will be raised up with
Prophets. When I enter it, I will not see you." Allah ta`ala then revealed,
"Whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger, those are with those whom Allah
has blessed among the Prophets, the true ones, the martyrs and the rightdoers.
They are the best on Companions." (4:68) The Prophet, salla-Allahu `aleyhi
wa sallam, called the man and recited the verses to him.
In another
hadith we find, "A man was with the Prophet, looking at him without turning
away. The Prophet asked, "What is wrong with you?" He replied, "My father
and mother be your ransom! I enjoy looking at you. On the Day of Rising,
Allah will raise you up because of His high estimation of you!" Allah
ta`ala then sent down the ayat mentioned above.
In the
hadith of Anas, the Prophet, salla-Allahu `aleyhi wa sallam, said, "Whoever
loves me will be with me in the Garden."
Section III On what
is related from the Salaf and the Imams about their love for the Prophet
and their yearning for him,
salla-Alalhu `aleyhi wa sallam
The hadith
of `Umar, " I love you more than myself " has been cited. There are similar
things from other Companions.
`Amr ibn
al-`As said, "There is no one I love better than the Messenger of Allah"
'Abda bint
Khalid ibn Ma'dan said, "Khalid never went to bed without remembering
how he yearned for the Messenger of Allah, salla-Allahu `aleyhi wa sallam,
and his Companions among the Muhajirun and Ansar, and he would name them.
He said, 'They are my root and branch, and my heart longs for them. I
have yearned for them a long time. My Lord, hasten my being taken to You!'"
Zayd ibn
Aslam said, 'Umar went out at night to observe the people and saw a lamp
in a house where an old woman was teasing some wool, saying:
"The prayer
of the good be upon Muhammad, may the blessed bless him!
I was stabding in tears before dawn.
If only
I knew, when death gives us different forms,
Whether the Abode will join me to my beloved!"
she meant
the Prophet. `Umar sat down in tears.
It is
related that a woman said to `A´isha, "Show me the grave of the
Messenger of Allah" She showed it to her and the woman wept until she
died.
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