A Muslim sister was joking about a Sunnah of the Prophet just to make her friends laugh without realizing how big of a sin it is. This made me think how much do we Muslims respect the Prophet while he used to always worry about us and even though he never

met us, and loved us as nobody could have loved us .

“There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; [he is] concerned over you and to the believers is kind and merciful.” (Surah At- Tawbah 09:128)

Are we not capable of loving him back, as he loved us and stressed for us day and night. It is easy to love him back i.e. just by following his Sunnah, and of course those practices will benefit us in this world and the hereafter. It is always beneficial for ourselves and the people around us.

Allah tells us that the obedience to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is obedience to Allah. Allah says in the Holy Qur’an :

“He who obeys the Messenger (Muhammad), has indeed obeyed Allah, but he who turns away, then we have not sent you (O Muhammad) as a watcher over them” (Surah Al-Nisa’ 04:80)

Moreover, Allah has warned us against failing to obey him, and that this may lead a Muslim into shirk slowly. Allah says:

“Make not the calling of the Messenger (Muhammad) among you as your calling one of another. Allah knows those of you who slip away under shelter (of some excuse without taking the permission to leave, from the Messenger). And let those who oppose the Messenger’s (Muhammad’s) commandment (i.e. his Sunnah legal ways, orders, acts of worship, statements) (among the sects) beware, lest some Fitnah (disbelief, trials, afflictions, earthquakes, killing, overpowered by a tyrant) should befall them or a painful torment be inflicted on them.” (Surah Al-Noor 24:63)

Moreover Allah orders us to honor our Prophet, and an order from Allah if denied, will lead to hellfire.

“In order that you (O mankind) may believe in Allah and His Messenger, and that you assist and honor him, and (that you) glorify (Allah’s) praises morning and afternoon.” (Surah Al-Fath 48:8-9)

Also, Allah has told us that the status of Prophet hood which he gave to His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) requires the believers to respect and venerate the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).  To be a true believer we must love the Prophet more than our wealth, our family and ourselves. This means we have to follow his Sunnah even if it goes against our deepest desires.

It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Hishaam said: We were with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) when he was holding the hand of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab. ‘Umar said to him: “O Messenger of Allah, you are dearer to me than everything except my own self.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “No, by the One in Whose hand is my soul, not until I am dearer to you than your own self.” ‘Umar said to him: “Now, by Allah, you are dearer to me than my own self.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Now (you are a true believer), O ‘Umar.”(Al-Bukhari, 6257)

Shaikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said, ‘The reason why it is obligatory to love the Prophet (peace be upon him) and venerate him more than any other person is that we cannot attain the greatest good in this world or in the Hereafter except at the hands of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), by believing in him and following him. That is because no one can be saved from the punishment of Allah, and the mercy of Allah cannot reach him except by means of the Prophet, by believing in him, loving him, being loyal to him and following him. This is the means by which Allah will save him from punishment in this world and in the Hereafter. This is the means by which he will attain what is good in this world and in the Hereafter. The greatest blessing is the blessing of faith, which can only be attained through him, and which is more beneficial than his own self and his wealth. He is the one by means of whom Allah brings people forth from darkness into light, and there is no other way to Allah. As for a person’s self and family, they will not avail him anything before Allah…’ (Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 27/246.)

I recently read about Qadianism (Ahmadiyya or Qadiani) and thought to myself how absurd it is that people believe this so called Prophet or Re-incarnation of our Prophet Muhammad without even reading the Qur’an, in which it clearly states that Prophet Muhammad has completed our religion for the generations to come until the Day of Judgment. Allah says, “This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed my favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.” (Surah Al-Maida 05:03)

We are not supposed to do any kind of innovations in the Qur’an and Sunnah as this will lead us to Hell.

“Abstain from innovations, for every kind of innovation is a bid’ah, and every bid’ah is misguidance and all misguidance leads to hell fire.” (Sunan Abu Dawud)

Furthermore, there is a group of people who claim that the Prophet did not die but just that we can’t see him. It is clearly stated in the Qur’an that he was a human and he died like any other human being. Allah says, “Indeed, you are to die, and indeed, they are to die. Then indeed you, on the Day of Resurrection, before your Lord, will dispute.”(Surah Al-Zumar 39:30-31)

Lastly from all this information we come to a conclusion that our Iman is not complete unless we love the Prophet and follow his Sunnah. Whenever someone insults our prophet we should not spread it around; would you spread around the news if someone insults your family member? We have to pass down the love to our children by telling them stories of the Prophet and filling in them respect for our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him).

May Allah make us among the believers. Ameen

Fatima Damad,