LOVING THE MESSENGER OF GOD (PEACE BE UPON HIM)
Loving the Messenger of God (peace be upon him)
by Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad
It is the nature of man that he is drawn towards good character and beauty, and with this, he starts on the road to muhabbah. Allah (Mighty and majestic) bestowed His Messenger (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) with so much beauty and honor that every believer naturally has intense love for him.
Reason 1: Beloved of Allah (Mighty and majestic)
The greatest reason for loving the Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) is that he is the beloved of Allah (Mighty and majestic). Therefore, it is essential for believers to have muhabbah for him given Allah’s (Mighty and majestic) love for him. The Holy Quran is the greatest witness to the Prophet’s (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) beauty and character, and it tells us so much about him. The words of muhabbah that Allah (Mighty and majestic) used for His Messenger (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) are proof of Allah’s (Mighty and majestic) love for him; and the honor and power that Allah (Mighty and majestic) bestowed upon him is evidenced throughout the Holy Quran.
Proof 1
Whenever Allah (Mighty and majestic) addressed the Prophets in the Holy Quran, He did so by name; for example ‘O Adam’, ‘O Noah’, ‘O Zakariah’ and ‘O Moses.’ When He addressed the Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) of Islam, however, Allah (Mighty and majestic) never addressed him by name, rather by pseudonyms and character traits – “O thou folded in garments.” Allah (Mighty and majestic) bestowed such honor upon His Messenger (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) that even He did not refer to him by name.
Proof 2
Allah (Mighty and majestic) said in the Holy Quran that we are not to take His Messenger’s (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) honorable name among ourselves as if he was a common man.
Deem not the summons of the Messenger among yourselves like the summons of one of you to another. (24: 63)
This beautiful verse tells the Muslims that the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) is not an ordinary person, so his auspicious name is not to be taken in vain, but rather, he is to be respectfully addressed with ‘O Nabi’ or ‘O Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him)’. To refer to the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) directly by name is disrespectful, and the slightest disrespect may render our deeds void.
Proof 3
Different nations and tribes raised objections against their Prophets. The people of those nations refused to accept the truth, altering it into falsehood, to the extent of slandering their prophets. Whenever an objection was raised against a specific Prophet, Allah (Mighty and majestic)answered the objection through that particular Prophet. For example, when charged with being mad, the Prophets themselves have answered that they are not mad but are in fact messengers from Allah (Mighty and majestic).
However, when it came to charges against His Messenger (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him), Allah (Mighty and majestic) took it upon Himself to respond. For example, whenever the Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) was charged with being a madman or a poet, Allah (Mighty and majestic) Himself answered in the Holy Quran that His beloved is neither mad nor a poet.
You are not, by the grace of your Lord, mad or possessed. (68:2)
When we hold intense love for someone, we offer ourselves as a shield, not letting him brave the harsh winds alone. Allah (Mighty and majestic) Himself has done just that with these charges against His Messenger (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him).
When Allah’s (Mighty and majestic) Wrath was invoked against such people who falsely accused His Messenger (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him), He revealed the following:
Heed not the type of despicable man, ready with oaths – A slanderer, going about with calumnies; (Habitually) hindering (all) good, transgressing beyond bounds, deep in sin – violent (and cruel) – base born. (54:10)
Proof 4
Whenever Allah (Mighty and majestic) took oaths from the Prophets, The Prophet of Islam (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) was always mentioned first.
And (remember when) We took from the Prophets their covenant, and from you (O Muhammad) and from Noah and Abraham and Moses and Jesus, son of Mary. We took from them a solemn covenant. (33:7)
Hadrat Umar ibn al-Khattab (Allah be well pleased with him) was awestruck upon hearing this verse and remarked, “O Beloved of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him), your status is so high that you are mentioned first among the Prophets.”
Proof 5
Allah (Mighty and majestic) summarized His relationship to the Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) in a very beautiful way when He u said:
He who obeys Allah and His Messenger has already attained the highest achievement. (33:71)
Proof 6
Allah (Mighty and majestic) assigned the same status to obeying His Messenger (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) as He assigned to Himself. Thus, obedience to the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) is part of obedience to Allah (Mighty and majestic).
He who obeys the Messenger, obeys Allah. (4:80)
Proof 7
Allah (Mighty and majestic) responded to whosoever swore allegiance to His Messenger (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) under the tree at Hudaibiya:
Verily those who plight their fealty to thee do no less then plight their fealty to Allah. The Hand of Allah is over their hands. (48:10)
Proof 8
Allah (Mighty and majestic) awarded such honor to His Messenger (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him), that the two names, Allah (Mighty and majestic) and Muhammad (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) occur side by side in the Kalimah (Testament of Faith), with no joining word separating the two:
There is no deity of worship except Allah (Mighty and majestic), Muhammad (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah.
Allah (Mighty and majestic) has also placed His Messenger’s (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) glorious name in the prayer and the call to prayer, making sure that His Prophet’s (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) name is constinually honored and praised throughout the world.
Proof 9
The Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) was sent as a mercy to all the worlds. The word ‘worlds’ is plural, and therefore, it includes not only humans, but also the Jinn and all other life forms wherever they may exist in creation. The Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) said, “I have been sent as a mercy from Allah (Mighty and majestic).”
We sent you not, but as a mercy for all creatures. (21:107)
In a hadith, The Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) said:
I am a mercy sent by Allah (Mighty and majestic) – Ibn Asakar.
Proof 10
Allah (Mighty and majestic) has awarded His Messenger (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) such a high status that even the angels constantly send blessings upon him. Allah (Mighty and majestic) said in the Holy Quran:
Indeed Allah and His angels shower blessings on the Prophet; O you who believe! Ask (and send) blessings on him and salute him with a worthy salutation. (33:56)
There is no bigger proof of the Prophet’s (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) high status than the fact that Allah (Mighty and majestic) Himself is constantly sending blessings and mercies upon him, and all of this is solely because he is the beloved of Allah (Mighty and majestic).
Reason 2: Beauty of the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him)
Another reason people love one another is beauty; the heart becomes inclined towards anything beautiful. Mere words cannot describe the beauty of the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him). We are told in hadith:
Allah is beautiful and likes beauty.
A poet has penned the following verses:
Beauty itself boasts about the beauty of the Messenger (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him)
The beauty of galaxies is only the dust of your feet
O Caravan of the desirous! Walk barefoot towards Madinah
The thorns on your way are softer than flowers.
When Allah (Mighty and majestic) Himself likes beauty, we can only imagine how beautiful He would have made the one whom He chose as His beloved. Hadrat Anas (Allah be well pleased with him) said that the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) was the most handsome amongst all the prophets and that his hands were softer than silk.
My eye has not seen anything as beautiful as you,
No woman has ever borne anyone as beautiful as you,
Pure from imperfections, as if your features are of your own choosing
Hadrat Aishah Siddiqa (Allah be well pleased with her) is known to have said, “O Zulaikha, you only cut your fingers at seeing (Hadrat) Yusuf (peace be upon him). Had you seen the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him), you would have cut open your heart.” She also said, “The sky has its sun, and we have our own sun.”
In yet another narration, we are told that Halima Sadia’s daughter Shima used to ask her mother to send her brother with her when she would go to tend the sheep. When asked why, Shima said to her mother, “I notice that the sheep graze quickly whenever my brother Muhammad (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) is with me. The sheep then gather around where I sit with my brother, and both I and the sheep gaze at his beautiful face.”
Hadrat Qurtubi i said that Allah (Mighty and majestic) did not reveal His Messenger’s (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) entire splendor because the people would not have been able to bear it.
How can the beauty of Yusuf ever compare to you?
He was the beloved of Zulaikha; you are the beloved of Allah
Veiled in the secret of humanity is your flawless beauty
Unknown to all that you are part of the beauty of Allah.
Moreover, Hadrat Syed Ata’ullah Shah Bukhari i said while describing the events of the Cave of Thaur – “O Abu Bakr, I see your lap as a desk and the Prophet’s (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) face as the Holy Quran lying within. O Abu Bakr, I see you as a qari who is reading this Quran.”
One night, Hadrat Jabir (Allah be well pleased with him) entered the Mosque of the Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) and found the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) sitting therein. The full moon was shining brightly, and Hadrat Jabir (Allah be well pleased with him) shifted his gaze to and fro between the moon and the Prophet’s (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) beautiful face. He did this a few times as if comparing the two, and finally decided that the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) was far more beautiful than the moon. Furthermore, Hadrat Ali (Allah be well pleased with him) said:
Whoever laid but a glance upon the Messenger (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) was awestruck; whoever looked upon him repeatedly was drowned in love and said in praise, ‘I have neither seen anything so awesome before nor will I see the like again.’
1) On the character of the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him), Hadrat Abu Sa’id Khudri (Allah be well pleased with him) said, “The Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) was even more modest and shy than a veiled virgin girl.”
2) Before his acceptance of Islam, Hadrat Abdullah bin Salam (Allah be well pleased with him) traveled to meet the person who everyone was saying was a prophet of Allah (Mighty and majestic). Upon relating the event later, he said:
I realized immediately upon seeing his face that it could not be the face of a liar.(Hadith)
3) Hadrat Musaab bin Umair (Allah be well pleased with him) was sitting in a gathering with his head bowed, envisioning the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him). He then raised his head and said, “The Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him)was of a beautiful complexion with a reddish hue, and his auspicious eyes were large and alluring. His eyelashes were prominent, and his hair was slightly wavy, while his beard was thick. His neck seemed to shimmer like silver, and the perspiration on his brow would glimmer like diamonds. His palms and the soles of his feet had ample flesh to them, and whenever he walked, it seemed as if he were descending from a height. He was of medium height, and the Seal of Prophethood was very prominent between his shoulders. People would be captivated at their first glance of the Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) and would fall in love with him. The Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) was the most generous of all and at the same time the most daring. He always kept his word with people and was the most truthful. He was the best in his social dealings with people and had the kindest nature of all. I have never met anyone like him nor will I meet anyone like him again.”
The idols of Azar are envious of your beautiful countenance
However much I praise your beauty, it is always beyond description
Traveling across the world, I fell in love with many a beautiful face
But nothing could ever compare to what I see in you.
The Prophet’s (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) face used to shine like the full moon. There was a slight ruddiness to his fair complexion that added an air of elegance.
The Assembly of the Universe was first convened
You were then presented onto its stage
O leader of the first and the last! There is no being like unto you.
O Mustafa Mujtaba! Praising you is beyond my capability
My heart is too cowardly and my lips too fearful.
4) The Messenger’s (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) eyebrows were not joined, and in between them was a vein that swelled whenever he would become angry. His hair was parted in the middle and was down to his earlobes.
5) The Messenger’s (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) eyes were round and beautiful, and the thin red veins were very prominent in the whites of those eyes. His eyelashes were long and delicate, and people would not be able to turn their gaze from his face.
He would become more beautiful the more one gazed (Hadith)
6) Both sides of his face were symmetrical, and his teeth were slim and sharp. Light (nur) would shine through a gap between his two front teeth whenever he talked or smiled.
7) The Messenger’s (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) nose used to shine radiantly, thus appearing more elevated than it was.
8) The Messenger’s (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) thick beard beautified his face even more, and his slender neck used to shimmer like silver.
9) Hadrat Ali (Allah be well pleased with him) used to say that the Seal of Prophethood was between the Prophet’s (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him)shoulders and that he was the last of the Prophets.
Reason 3: Grandeur of the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him)
The Prophet’s (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) intercession for the believers on the Day of Judgment is yet another reason why every Muslim should love him. The Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) reached the inner and outer heights of human character, and this is one of the reasons why Allah (Mighty and majestic) made him His beloved. Allah (Mighty and majestic) said:
And great is the grace of Allah unto you. (4:113)
Proof 1
The Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) said, “Listen carefully! I do not take any pride that I am the beloved of Allah (Mighty and majestic). The banner of Allah (Mighty and majestic) will be in my hands on the Day of Judgment, and beneath it shall be Prophet Adam e and all the Prophets. I shall be the first to intercede, and my intercession shall be the first accepted. I, and the destitute of my nation, shall be the first ones to enter Paradise. I am nearer to Allah (Mighty and majestic) than the first and the last ones.”
Proof 2
The Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) said:
I am the last of the prophets, and there is no prophet after me.
Just as the guest of honor is the last to make his entrance, the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) was the last to grace this world with his noble presence.
The Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) also said, “I and the Last Day are joined like the two fingers of a hand.” The gathering is set to conclude after the appearance of the guest of honor, and likewise, creation is also set to conclude after the appearance of the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) is the highest among the Prophets, his Book is the highest among the Books, and his nation is the best among the nations.
Proof 3
Allah (Mighty and majestic) summoned His Messenger (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) to the heavens during the Ascent (Miraj) and showed him His treasures. It was there that Allah (Mighty and majestic) revealed Himself to His noble Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him), a privilege that had been denied to Hadrat Musa (peace be upon him) when he had asked to see Allah (Mighty and majestic).
So did (Allah) convey the inspiration to His servant; (conveyed) what He (meant) to convey. (53:10)
Proof 4
Allah (Mighty and majestic) referred to His Messenger (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) with the title of Habibullah, the highest of all titles in Allah’s (Mighty and majestic) realm, higher than even Kalimullah[1], Khalilullah[2], or Ruhullah[3].
The beauty of Yusuf – the breath of Isa – the brilliance in Musa’s palm,
All these are seen combined in you.
Proof 5
Allah (Mighty and majestic) gave the title of Nabi Ummi (Unlettered Prophet), to His Messenger (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him). The Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) never sat as anyone’s student or apprentice; therefore, the Prophet’s (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him)teacher was the Creator of the universe Himself.
And taught you what you knew not (before), and great is the grace of Allah unto you. (4:113)
A poet penned the following:
What the philosophers could not fathom and intellectuals could not unravel,
The one donned in a black garment resolved in moments.
Proof 6
The Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) was sent to teach mankind human character. Allah (Mighty and majestic) says in the Holy Quran:
And you (stand) on an exalted standard of character (68:4)
The Prophet’s (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) superior character brought about the revolution of Islam in the short period of ten years. Our scholars (ulama) have written that the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him)conquered Makkah and Madinah with the best of character. The world can easily combat the sword, but it cannot resist impeccable character like that of the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him)and his Companions (Sahabah).
The Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) was mercy for mankind:
Who would conceal the sinner with his blessed garment?
Who would pray for those who inflicted wounds upon him?[4]
What else would history call him except mercy?
Proof 7
The first Prophets were sent to various nations, but the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) was sent for all of creation. Allah (Mighty and majestic) said:
We have not sent you but as a universal (Messenger) to men, giving them glad tidings, and warning them. (34:28)
The following poem speaks volumes:
Reaching the utmost heights with his splendor,
Your exquisite beauty drove away all darkness.
All your characteristics became beautiful,
Peace be upon you and your household.
Reason 4 : Favors of the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him)
Man is a slave of favors [done to him] (Saying)
Man is weak and dependent upon favors and kindness. It baffles the mind to think how much the Muslim nation owes to the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him).
Proof 1
Allah (Mighty and majestic) says in the Holy Quran:
Now has come unto you a Messenger from amongst yourselves. It grieves him that you should perish; ardently anxious is he over you. To the believers he is most kind and merciful. (9:28)
Proof 2
The Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) said:
Indeed I am the distributor, whereas Allah is the One who gives.
Whatever blessings and favors the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) received from Allah (Mighty and majestic), he would promptly distribute them among the Sahabah. In one hadith, the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him)said:
Whatever Allah (Mighty and majestic) put in my heart, I have put into the heart of Abu Bakr.
Proof 3
The Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) would stand in prayer all night, praying and crying for his disobedient nation, so much so that his feet would swell. The Prophet’s (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) wife HadratAishah Siddiqa
related that one night the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) continually repeated the following verse:
If You do punish them, they are Your servants. If You do forgive them, You are the Exalted in power, the Wise. (5:121)
The Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) said, “O people, you are running towards the Hellfire, whereas I am desperately pulling you back.” The Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) lived his life in the likeness of Hadrat Nuh (ah) when he said to Allah (Mighty and majestic):
Verily I have called my people to Allah (Mighty and majestic) day and night.
Proof 4
Allah (Mighty and majestic) presented His Messenger (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) with fifty prayers on the occasion of the Ascent (Miraj). The Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him), however, pleaded for leniency at the urging of Hadrat Musa(ah), who knew that the Muslims would not be able to fulfill this weighty demand. The Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) kept pleading until this number was reduced to five. At this Allah (Mighty and majestic)said, “My beloved, your nation shall observe five prayers, but I shall give them the reward of fifty.” This great reduction in the number of prayers is an enormous blessing that the Muslims enjoy due to the favor of their Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him).
Proof 5
It is stated in hadith that the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) prayed at Hajj for his disobedient nation. He prayed to Allah (Mighty and majestic) to forgive the sins of his nation, even if they were to fall outside the rights of Allah (Mighty and majestic) (huquq Allah) and the rights of humanity (huquq al-ibad). Allah (Mighty and majestic) accepted the first half of this prayer and He therefore forgives the pilgrims thehuquq Allah that they were unable to fulfill or were lacking in. Huquq al-ibad, however, would have to be dealt with on an individual basis with the person whose rights were violated.
After completing the rites at Arafat, the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) went to Muzdalifa and pleaded with Allah (Mighty and majestic) using the same prayer, “O Allah, make mankind so content with Your blessings that they forgive one another.” Allah (Mighty and majestic) accepted this prayer and said, “O My beloved, I will forgive My rights to whoever comes for Hajj, and I will make your nation so content with My mercies and blessings that they will forgive each other their rights.” This is yet another tremendous favor of the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) upon his undeserving nation.
Proof 6
On one occasion, the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) cried in prayer for a long time, praying for his nation’s forgiveness. Allah (Mighty and majestic) responded:
And soon will your Guardian-Lord give you (that wherewith) you shall be well pleased. (93:5)
When this verse was revealed, the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) said, “I will not be content until the last of my nation enters Paradise.”
Proof 7
The Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) told his Sahabah that all the Prophets had been granted permission to make a supplication that would be answered exactly as it had been asked, and all of the Prophets used their respective supplications in their lifetimes. The Sahabah asked the Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) if he had asked anything of His Lord, and the Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) replied that he had not. He then continued, “I have saved my request for the Day of Judgment. I will supplicate when my nation is presented in front of Allah (Mighty and majestic) and keep supplicating until every last one of my nation enters Paradise.”
I would not be surprised if for your sake
The sins of your nation are counted as acts of obedience.
The crimes of your nation are considered so precious,
The least of your nation will be showered with a thousand blessings.
Having intense love for the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) seems obvious and mandatory since the above proofs show that every Muslim is immersed in his favors. All aspects of muhabbahare present in the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him), but the element of intercession alone would make ,muhabbah for him absolutely necessary. A believer loves the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him)more than his own life, and as Muslims, we are desperate for his intercession. (T/P3/P2)
Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)
Sources:
2.http://muslimvillage.com/