Obedience of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and his love.
Speaker: Sheikh Abdul Aziz ibn Abdullah Al-Sheikh
The first Sermon
O you people! Fear Allah Almighty as He should be feared. Servants of Allah! Allah made the two statements of Unitarianism the main constituent of faith and religion, which is to fulfil the testimony that there is no God but Allah, and that Mohammed is the Messenger of Allah; that we worship Him the Almighty as He prescribed by the tongue of His Prophet Mohammed. And the fulfilment of the testimony that Mohammed is the Messenger of Allah is the sincere faith, and absolute certainty that Mohammed is the servant of Allah and His Messenger. He was sent to the creation as a bringer of glad tidings as well as warnings; “O you who believe! Believe in Allah and His Apostle, and the scripture which He had sent to His Apostle and the scripture which He sent to those before (him)” [An Nisa’: 136].
Allah sent him with the Universal message to all of creation; Arabs and foreigners, humans and Jinns: “Say "O People! I am sent unto you all, as the Apostle of Allah” [Al A’raf: 158]. He, the Almighty, also says: "We have not sent you but as a universal (Messenger) to people, giving them glad tidings, and warning them (against sin)” [Saba’: 28], and says: “Blessed is He who sent down the Criterion to His servant, that it may be an admonition to all creatures” [Al Furqan: 1]. He made him the Seal of His Prophets and Messengers; there is no Prophet after him, nor a Law after his Law. “Mohammed is not the father of any of your men, but (he is) Allah’s Apostle and the Seal of the Prophets [Al Ahzab: 40].
Whoever believes in him and in what he brought, worships Allah in Oneness, Glorified and Exalted He be, has entered into Islam, safeguarded his wealth and blood, deserved Paradise with the mercy of the Most Merciful and was secure from dwelling eternally in the fire; he says: ((By Allah! No man from this nation, neither a Jew nor a Christian, hears of me then does not believe in me, but will be one of the people of Hell)) [1].
O you Muslims! Belief in Mohammed requires that we obey him in what he commands us and avoid what he prohibits us, for his obedience is obedience to Allah. Allah, Glorified and Exalted He be, says: “Say: Obey Allah, and obey the Apostle: but if you turn away, he is only responsible for the duty placed on him and you for that placed on you. If you obey him, you shall be on right guidance. The Apostle's duty is only to preach the clear (Message)”. [An Nur: 54].
And He, Exalted in Highness, says: “So take what the Apostle assigns to you, and deny yourselves that which he prohibits you. And fear Allah; for Allah is strict in Punishment”. [Al-Hashr: 7], and warned us against contravening his command. Allah, Exalted in Highness, said: “Then let those beware who withstand the Apostle's order, lest some trial befalls them, or a grievous penalty be inflicted on them”. [An Nur: 63]. Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "The trial is polytheism: perhaps if he declined a little of what he says, some deviation befalls his heart. Thus, he will be doomed. "[2].
Part of believing in him is to love him, for it is at the origin of belief and its and completeness is of the perfection of belief; that the Muslim must love Mohammed, the Messenger of Allah's, above the love for his family, children, parents and all the people.
He says, when Omar said to him: "O Messenger of Allah! By Allah You are the most beloved of people to me, except from my own self. He said: ((No, Omar, until I am more beloved to you than your own self). He (Omar) said:" O Messenger of Allah! You are now more beloved to me than my own self". He said: ((Now, O Omar!)) [3], and says: ((None of you believes until I am dearer to him than his family, wealth and all the people)) [4].
This love for Mohammed is not an alleged claim, but a fact to the believer. Not all of those who allege to love him were sincere in that; trial and test are a must. The sincere in love for him is the one who heeds his commands, avoids his prohibitions, adopts his etiquette, acts following his morals and knows that he says not except the truth and sincerity.
It is out of belief in him that we must believe what he tells us of what came to pass and what will come; because he does not speak out of his own desire, as Allah said: "Nor does he say (aught) of (his own) Desire. It is no less than inspiration sent down to him"[An-Najm: 3, 4].
It is out of love for him that the Muslim should support his Sunnah and defend it. The Almighty says: "So it is those who believe in him, honour him, help him, and follow the light which is sent down with him; it is they who will prosper." [Al-A’raf: 157].
O Muslims! Out of love for him is the application of his commands and avoidance of his prohibitions. His Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, were of the greatest creation in implementing his commands and furthest from his prohibitions. They were the quickest of people in complying with what he ordered them and fastest in avoiding what prohibited them from.
Allah revealed to His Prophet the diversion of the Qibla from the Holy Shrine in Jerusalem to the Kaaba, while the people of Quba were praying towards the Holy Shrine in Jerusalem and the news did not reach them, yet. Then came to them a man and said: O people of Quba! The Messenger of Allah was revealed to him tonight a Quran; he was ordered to turn towards the Kaaba. He said: they turned towards the Ka'ba [5]. They turned towards the Kaaba in their prayers, pursuant to his order.
Furthermore, that which Anas ibn Maalik, may Allah be pleased with him, mentioned. He said: I was in the house of Abu Talha serving them wine, then a man came and said: "Did not the news of prohibition of alcohol reach you? Allah has revealed its prohibition. Anas said: Abu Talha said to me: "O Anas! Get up and pour alcohol off, he said: the Companions poured alcohol off, until it flowed in Medina [6], all in compliance with his order, and in heeding his order and obedience to him. Abdullah bin Omar said: the Prophet wore a gold ring; when he threw it, people threw their gold rings off [7] and left them following his example.
On the day of Khyber, the crier of the Prophet called: Allah and His Messenger forbid you the meat of domesticated donkeys. When they got the news, they tilted the pots while they were boiling with donkey meat [8]. All of that in obedience from their part to him, and in compliance with His command.
Allah revealed to His Prophet: “Whether you show what is in your minds or conceal it, Allah will call you to account for it”. [Al Baqarah: 284]- It appears that we are held accountable for what we think to ourselves-. The Companions came to the Messenger of Allah, knelt on their knees and said: O Messenger of Allah! We have been burdened by doing what we can bear; prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Allah has sent down a verse, which we cannot bear: that Allah makes us accountable for what we think to ourselves. He said: ((Do you want to say as the People of the Book said before you: We hear and disobey? Say: We hear and obey)). They said: We hear and we obey. When the folk read it to themselves, and their tongues used to it, Allah mimeographed it by His saying: “The Apostle believes in what has been revealed to him from his Lord, as do the men of faith. Each one (of them) believes in Allah, His angels, His books, and His apostles. "We make no distinction (they say) between one and another of His apostles." And they say: "We hear, and we obey: (We seek) your forgiveness, our Lord, and to you is the end of all journeys." On no soul does Allah Place a burden greater than it can bear. It gets every good that it earns, and it suffers every ill that it earns." [Al Baqarah: 285, 286] [9], so Allah pardoned from self-thoughts. That is why he said: ((Allah has overlooked for me, on behalf of my nation, that which crosses their minds, as long as they do not spell it out or act upon it)) [10].
From the effects of the love of the Companions for Mohammed- and this comportment is shared by every Muslim too- that they used to praise all who assert his Sunnah and work according to his legislation, as an encouragement to him for manifesting the Sunnah. Anas ibn Maalik, may Allah be pleased with him, prayed behind Omar bin Abdul Aziz, may Allah have mercy on him. When he finished the prayer, and saw the extent to which Omar went in applying the Sunnah, he, may Allah be pleased with him, said: (The one among you who is most like the Messenger of Allah in prayer, is this young man) [11]; because he saw his agreement with the Sunnah, and his adherence to it.
And from the effects of their love, may Allah be pleased with them, that they used to admonish everyone who violates his Sunnah, and they rebuke him firmly, in an act of veneration for the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, lest it is made fool of or flouted. Abdullah bin Omar ibn Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with both of them, stated saying: I heard the Messenger of Allah say: ((if the wife of one of you asks his leave to go to the mosque, let him not prevent her)). His son, Bilal, said: By Allah! We would prevent them. The narrator said: Abdullah reviled him with words, the likes of which I have never heard him use ever, and said: I am telling you on account of the Messenger of Allah, and you are saying: would prevent them?! [12]. See how firm on him he was. His intention might have been an independent interpretation, because he sensed something from the side of women; meaning they changed in it that which was customary, but he liked not to hear a say which goes against the utterance of Mohammed. Abdullah bin Mughaffal, may Allah be pleased with him, stated saying: I heard the Messenger of Allah say: ((Beware of flicking pebbles, for it gouges out an eye, breaks a tooth, but does not finish off an enemy)). A gent from his sons got up and flicked a pebble. He forbade him. Then, he got up and flicked a pebble. So, he forbade him and said: I am telling you on account of the Messenger of Allah, and you do the contrary. By Allah, I will not speak to you ever [13].
And also: a man from the Companions, who had a gold ring in his hand. The Prophet took it and threw it off and said: ((One of you is wishing live coal from Hell. and putting it on his hand.)). It was said to the man: Take your signet ring (of gold), whereupon he said: No, by Allah! I would never take it when the Prophet of Allah has thrown it away. [14].
This is their legacy, may Allah be pleased with them, indicating totality of love for Mohammed. His love is not a mere proclamation with the tongue, but facts which become apparent when applying the commands and avoiding prohibitions.
When Abdullah bin Abbas was probed about the Tamattu’ (progressing from the lesser pilgrimage “Umrah” to the greater pilgrimage “Hajj” during the Hajj period) in Pilgrimage, and that As-Siddiq, Omar and Othman saw that Ifraad (individualisation: performing the greater pilgrimage first, followed by the lesser one) is preferable. He said to those who said to him: It is very close that will fall upon you stones from the sky; I am saying: the Messenger of Allah said, and you are saying: Abu Bakr and Omar said!!! [15].
And when Abdullah ibn Omar was told: Your father is forbidding Tamattu’ and you are ordering it!! He said: Is the Messenger of Allah more deserving to be followed or is it Omar?![16]. All of this amounts to veneration for the Sunnah, veneration of the Messenger of Allah, which indicates sincere love for him.
O Muslims! Allah the Glorified and Exalted tested those who alleged his love by saying: “Say: If you do love Allah, Follow me: Allah will love you” [Al Imran: 31]. Following the law of Mohammed, and working according to it, is evidence of love for Allah, be He Glorified and Exalted. The one who loves Allah is the one acting according to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, applying it, implementing it, the one standing by it. That is why he says: ((None of you truly believes until his desires follow what I have brought)) [17]. Allah, be He Glorified and Exalted, said: “It is not fitting for a believer, man or woman, when a matter has been decided by Allah and His Apostle to have any option about their decision” [Al Ahzab: 36]. The order of Allah and the order of His Messenger are enforceable, and there is no choice for anyone in that.
Muslims venerate his Sunnah, and refer every row they dispute about to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet. Allah the Almighty says: “O you who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the Apostle, and those charged with authority among you. If you differ in anything among yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Apostle, if you do believe in Allah and the Last Day: That is best, and most suitable for final determination.” [An Nisa’: 59]. The imams of Islam used to repudiate their statements, which contravene the Sunnah of Mohammed, and see that their statements; if they contravene the Sunnah, they must be rejected, not to be followed, nor does one turn to them.
Nation of Islam! Mohammed warned us from pursuing with him the route of the Jews and Christians in their Prophets. The Jews and the Christians exaggerated in their Prophets so extensively that they got out from the path of Allah; in that they worshiped them instead of Allah and took them as Lords instead of Allah. Therefore, our Prophet feared for us from what those before us succumbed to. So, he said to us: ((Do not praise me excessively as the Christians did with the son of Mary, I am but the servant of Allah, so just say: the servant of Allah and His Messenger)) [18], and also said to us: (("Beware of excess, for what doomed the ones who came before you was excess)) [19]. He warned us from taking from his tomb as a venue for festivity; he said: ((Do not take your homes as graves, do not take of my tomb as a venue for festivity and send your salutations and blessings upon me, for your blessings reach me wherever you are)) [20]. He was, in the last spell of his life, removing a cover from his face – he was dying- and saying: ((Allah cursed the Jews and the Christians; they took the tombs of their Prophets as places of worship)) [21], ((So, do not take tombs as mosques)) [22].
O Muslims! Some creation alleges love for the Prophet, and if you take a look at his words and actions, you would see him contravening the law of Mohammed. For the real Muslims, his relationship with Mohammed is a permanent one, in all aspects. He is in his ablution, prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, almsgiving and all his dealings following the example of Mohammed. In his food and drink, sleep and awakening, and in all his actions, the Sunnah of Mohammed is in mind, always and in any event; what he had heard of worked according to it and carried it out. While people who claim love, but their love for him is manifested in a particular night, where parts of the Quran are read, his legacy or polytheistic poems that are misguided and far removed from guidance, and then they claim to venerate his Sunnah. And if you had a look at their actions, you would have found them far from the Sunnah in all their conditions, not in their appearance. Most likely, their aim is to contravene the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah. You would not sense in them the rule of the Sunnah; neither in its etiquettes nor in its commands, nor in avoidance of its prohibitions. But, they are abandoners of the Sunnah, who spend a particular night and claim that they love his Sunnah, and that that night is the eve of his birthday, which reminds them of him, strengthen their relationship with him and links them to him. But afterwards, they are in discord with his law and at odds with the Sunnah; they do not give it any consideration, nor do they esteem it at any rate, and all of this is as a result of going against the guidance of the Prophet.
The most beloved of people to the Messenger of Allah are his noble Companions, particularly his rightly-guided Successors; they are the greatest of people with love for him. We never found in them that they gave the night of his birth any consideration, nor did they make reminders for it, nor held it in remembrance, because they know that this is not the teaching of Mohammed.
They know when he was born, in which year and on which night he was born. Despite this, they never gave it weigh. They fasted Mondays, because the Prophet informed them that it was a day he was born on and the day it was revealed to him [23]. So, they fasted in an act of following the Sunnah only. But, why did not their Prophet instigate for them a particular night, nor an interest in it; they have left it behind, not out of ignorance, but following the Sunnah and in observance of the Law.
Thus, the Muslims should be. Novelties, however gracious its people make them look, and no matter how much they defend them, they are in violation of the Law. It is not permissible to adopt them into the doctrine, nor work according to them, nor celebrate them, because the believer is ordered to follow the Book and the Sunnah, and his work is not acceptable unless it is purely for the sake of Allah, and was according to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of Mohammed.
I ask Allah for me and you success in words and actions. I say this and seek forgiveness from Allah, the Almighty, the Majestic, for me and you, and all the Muslims from all sin. So, seek forgiveness from Him and repent to Him. He is Oft-Forgiving, Oft-Merciful.
[1] Narrated by Muslim in the Book of Faith [153] from the statement of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him.
[2] See: As-Saarim Al Maslool (2/116).
[3] Narrated by Bukhari in the Book of Oaths and Vows [6632] from the statement of Abdullah bin Hisham, he said: "We were with the Prophet while he was holding Omar bin Al Khattab’s hand. So, Omar said to him ... and related the story.
[4] Narrated by Bukhari in the Book of Oaths [15], and Muslim in the Book of Faith [44] from the statement of Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, and the wording is his. And narrated by Bukhari in the Book of Faith [14] from the statement of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, he says: ((By the One in Whose hand my soul is! None of you does truly believe, until I am dearer to him than his father and his child)).
[5] Bukhari narrated this story in his the Book of Prayer [403], and Muslim in the Book of Mosques [526] from the statement of Abdullah ibn Omar, may Allah be pleased with both of them.
[6] Narrated by Bukhari in the Book of Commentary [4620], and Muslim in the Book of Drinks [1980] from the statement of Anas ibn Maalik, may Allah be pleased with him.
[7] Narrated by Bukhari in the Book of Dress [5867], and Muslim in the Book of Dress [2091] with similar wording.
[8] Narrated by Bukhaari in the Book of Military Expedition [4199], and Muslim in the Book of Game [1940] from the statement of Anas ibn Maalik, may Allah be pleased with him, with similar wording.
[9] Narrated by Muslim in the Book of Faith [125] from the statement of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, with similar wording.
[10] Narrated by Bukhari in the Book of Divorce [5269], and Muslim in the Book of Faith [127] from the statement of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, and the wording is his.
[11] This narrative was, in many ways, from Anas: It came from the way of ‘Aamir ibn Abdullah ibn Az-Zubayr, according to him. Narrated by Ahmad in his Musnad (3/144 221), and Bukhari in the Great History (1/235) and in his Sanad Mohammed bin Musahiq, no one narrated from him apart from Faleeh bin Sulaiman. And came by way of Rabi’a, and the opinion from Anas. Narrated by At-Tabarani in Al-Awsat (1/103), and in his Sanad Rushdin bin Sa’d, and is weak.
And came by way of Abu An-Nadhr, Saalim ibn Abu Umayyah Al Madani, according to Anas. Narrated by At-Tabarani in Al-Awsat (8/673), and Ibn Uday in Al-Kaamil (4/149) and in his Sanad, Abdullah bin Lahee'ah Sadooq, it got mixed up.
It also came by way of Sa’eed bin Jubair according to Anas. Narrated by Ahmad in his Musnad (3/62, 163), Abu Dawood in the Book of Prayer [888], An-Nisa’i (2/224), Al-Bayhaqi in Al-Kubrah (2/110), Adh-Dhiya’ in Al-Mukhtaarah (6/146), in the Sanad Wahb bin Manus with an N, and it was said: Mabus, with a long vowel and is hidden.
Came by way of Zayd ibn Aslam, according to Anas. Narrated by Ahmad (3/225), An-Nisa’i (2/66), Abu Ya’la [3669] and At-Tabarani in Al-Awsat (8/354) with a good chain of transmitters. And came through Othman bin Yazdaweih according to Anas. Narrated by Ahmad in his Musnad (3/254), and its chain of narrators is acceptable. And came through Adh-Dhahaak bin Othman, who said: It was related to me from the one who heard from Anas ibn Maalik. Narrated by Ahmad in his Musnad (2/329, 330), he was ambiguous here because he forgot which one told him: Yahya Al Ansari or Shureik ibn Abi Namr, as elucidated in At-Tabaqaat Al-Kubrah of Ibn Sa'd (5/332), both of them are trusted men, relied upon by Muslim and Bukhari. The Statement by all these routes is authentic, so that is why Al Albani redressed it in Saheeh Sunan An-Nisa’i [938].
[12] Narrated by Bukhari in the Book of Call to Prayers [865], and Muslim in the Book of Prayer [442], and Bukhari does not have they story which occurred between Bilal and his father Abdullah ibn Omar, may Allah be pleased with both of them.
[13] Narrated by Bukhari in the Book of Hunting, Slaughtering [5479], and Muslim in the Book of Game [1454] with similar wording.
[14] Narrated by Muslim in the Book of Dress [2090] from the statement of Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with both of them, with similar wording.
[15] Narrated by Ahmad in his Musnad (1/337) with the wording: I see them going to perishing. I say: the Prophet says, and he says: Abu Bakr and Omar forbade?! In his chain of narration, Shureik bin Abdullah Al-Kadhi Sadooq misses a lot. It was narrated by Ibn Hazm in the Farewell Pilgrimage (p. 353) by way of Abdul Razzaq according to Mu’ammar, from Ayoub, and the wording: Ibn Abbas says: “ By Allah! I see that you are not refraining until Allah punishes you. I tell you: according to the Messenger of Allah, and you tell us: according to Abu Bakr and Omar?! And narrated by At-Tahhawi in Explanation of the meanings of narratives (2/189) by way of Hammad ibn Salamah, according to Ayyub ibn Abi Malika, the wording is: Ibn Abbas said: This is why you went astray. I speak to you about the Messenger of Allah, and you talk to me about Abu Bakr and Omar?!
The wording mentioned by Al-Khatib in his sermon was mentioned by Ibn Taymiyyah, as in the Al-Madjmu’ (20/215, 251), and Ibn Al-Qayyim in Zaad Al Ma’ad(2/195).
[16] Narrated by Al-Bayhaqi in As-Sunan (5/21) by way of Abdul Razzaq according to Mu’ammar from Az-Zuhri, from Saalim, from him.
[17] Narrated by Ibn Abi A’asim in the Sunnah [15], and Al-Khateeb in his History (4/369), and Al-Baghawi in the Explanation of theSunnah [104], and authenticated by An-Nawawi in the Forty. Ibn Rajab said: "The authentication of this Statement is too far". Then he mentioned the aspects of its weakness: the singularity of Nu’aim bin Hammad with it makes it weak, and the divergence about it is in it, and the discontinuity in its chain of narration.
[18] Narrated by Bukhari in Prophets [3445] from the statement of Omar ibn Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him.
[19] Narrated by Ahmad (1/215), and An-Nisa’i in Rites [3057], and Ibn Majah in Rituals [3029] from the statement of Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with both of them, and authenticated by Ibn Khuzaymah (4/274), Ibn Hibbaan [3871], Al-Haakim (1/466) and Adh-Dhahabi agreed with him, Also narrated by Ibn Al-Jaarood in Al-Muntaqaa [473] and Adh-Dhayya’ in Al-Mukhtaarah (10/30, 31), and documented by Al-Albani in the Authentic Series [1283], and transferred the commentaries of An-Nawawi and Ibn Taymiyyah to it.
[20] Narrated by Ahmad in his Musnad (2/367), and Abu Dawood in the Rituals [2042], At-Tabarani in the Awsat (8/81), and made good in Tahdheer As-Saajid (p. 96.97).
[21] Narrated by Bukhaari in Funerals [1330], and Muslim in the Book of Mosques [529], from the statement of Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her.
[22] Narrated by Muslim in the Book of Mosques [523] from the statement of Djundub bin Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him.
[23] Narrated by Muslim in the Book of Fasting [1162] according to Abu Qatadah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet was asked about fasting Mondays. He said: ((that was the day I was born on, and the day I was sent on or was revealed to me on it)).
* * *
The second Sermon
Praise is due to Allah. An abundant beautiful blessed praise, as our Lord loves and is pleased with. I bear witness that there is no God but Allah alone with no partner, and I bear witness that Mohammed is His servant and His Messenger. May Allah bless him, his family and Companions, and bestow upon them much peace to the Day of Judgement.
In what is to follow:
O people! Fear Allah Almighty as He should be feared. Servants of Allah: the Companions of Mohammed loved this noble Prophet a sincere love. A love which is firmly established in their hearts and whose effects appeared on their feelings, may Allah be pleased with them and please them. For instance, that which Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, told of: that a man from the Companions of the Prophet came to the Prophet saying: "O Messenger of Allah! By Allah! You are the dearest of all people to me. Whenever I remember you, when I am at home, my soul appeases not until I get out and look at you, and when I remember that I am to die and you are too, and that your status in Paradise is high, how am I going to look at you?! This is what made me worried and tired. He kept silent until Allah revealed: “All who obey Allah and the Apostle are in the company of those on whom is the Grace of Allah- of the prophets, the sincere, the witnesses and the Righteous: Ah! What a beautiful fellowship!” [An Nisa’: 69] [1].
Rabi’ah Al-Aslami said: I brought to the Prophet his ablution water – and he used to serve the Prophet –He said: ‘O Rabi’ah, ask of me!’ He said: I ask for your company in Paradise. He said: ‘Other than that?!’ He said: that’s it. I ask for your company in Paradise. He said: ‘O Rabi’ah! Help me over your own self by abundant prostration’. [2].
When the Prophet distributed the spoils of war of Huneyn, and gave those whose hearts had been reconciled to keep them keen in Islam, while he did not give Al-Ansar. They felt dismay in their hearts. He called them separately and said to them: ‘O assembly of Al-Ansar! Have I not come to you while you were astray, and Allah guided you by me, poor and Allah enriched you by me and scattered and Allah united you through me?!’. Whenever he said something, they said: Allah and His Messenger are most gracious. He said: ((If you wished, you could have said: You came to us as an outcast, we sheltered you, rejected and we believed you, pour and we comforted you. O assembly of Al-Ansar! If people choose to cross a valley and a canyon, I would have chosen to cross the valley and canyons of Al-Ansar. Al-Ansar: the inner garment and people the outer one. Would you be satisfied if, people returned with a sheep or a camel, and you returned with the Prophet to your saddle-bags? Life is your life and death is your death)). He said: their beards turned wet with tears, and they said: Allah and His messenger are more gracious. [3].
From their love for him also, whenever they mentioned him their eyes shed tears in yearning for him. As-Siddiq delivered a speech a year following the death of the Prophet. When he spoke, he said: "O people! I heard the Messenger of Allah on a stand similar to this one I am on, last year. Then wept, may Allah be pleased with him, then repeated it and wept three times, and said: I heard him say: ((the son of Adam was not given, after loyalty, better than Wellness)) [4]. When death came around to him, he said to his sons: O sons! If I am dead today, hasten with my funeral, for a day in which I am beside Mohammed, is the best and most beloved of days to me. [5].
When Omar, may Allah be pleased with him, was stabbed, he called his son Abdullah, and said: "O Abdullah! The most important matter preoccupying me is that I be next to Mohammed and his Companion, and that is a matter in the hands of the Mother of the Believers. Convey to her my greetings of peace, and tell her: Omar seeks permission to be buried next to Mohammed and his Companion. Abdullah said: I came to her while she was weeping out of grief over Omar. I said: Omar sends his greetings of peace to you and seeks leave from you to be buried next to Mohammed and his Companion. She said: "By Allah! I would not prefer anyone else than him, tell him that. He said: When Abdullah returned to his father, and they said: this is Abdullah coming. He said: help me up! What's behind you, O Abdullah? He said: that which pleases you, O leader of the faithful; she consented that you be buried next to Mohammed and his Companion. He said: O Abdullah! That may be during my life. When I am dead, and you have offered funeral prayers for me, proceed with my funeral cortege to her and ask her permission on my behalf. He said: when they had offered funeral prayers for him, they passed with his funeral cortege. She said: I would not have preferred him when alive and denied him when dead. Bury him next to the messenger of Allah and his Companion. [6].
All of that out of love for him, may Allah be pleased with them and please them. The Muslim who loves the messenger of Allah is the one who glorifies his Sunnah, works according to it, is guided by it and hears and obeys him. We ask Allah to make us and you from those who work according to his Law; adhere to it and hold strongly to it, and make us among those destined to drink from his Cistern on the Day of Resurrection. He is Powerful over all things. And know – may Allah have mercy on you – that the best of statement is the Book of Allah and the best guidance is the guidance of Mohammed, and the evil things are the newly-invented, and every innovation is misguidance. Keep to the council of Muslims, for the hand of Allah is with the council, and whoever deviates does so into the fire. Do send, may Allah have mercy on you, peace and blessings upon Mohammed, as your Lord had commanded you. The Almighty said: “Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet: O you who believe! Do send blessings on him, and salute him with all respect”. [Al Ahzab: 56], and he has said: ((Whoever recites one prayer upon me, Allah sends ten prayers upon him)) [7].
O Allah! Send your blessings, salutations and grace upon the master of those of old and those of later times, the leader of the pious, the head of those whose faces and feet are white (from the effect of ablution). O Allah! Be pleased with the rightly guided Successors: Abu Bakr, Omar, Othman and Ali, all of the Companions of Mohammed, the followers and those who follow them with sincerity to the Day of Judgement, and with us with them by your pardon, grace generosity and kindness, O most Merciful!
[1] Ibn Katheer paid him a eulogy in his Interpretation (2/310, 311) to Ibn Mardaweih in his Interpretation, Al-Haafidh Abu Abdullah Al-Maqdisi in the Description of Paradise, and quoted him as saying: "I do not see anything wrong with its chain of narration." At-Tabari narrated it with a similar wording in his Interpretation (8/534, 535) as Mursal according to Sa’eed ibn Jubeir, Masrooq, Qatadah, As-Siddi and Ar-Rabee’ ibn Anas. Ibn Katheer (2/310) said, concerning the Mursal of Sa’eed: "It is the best in terms of the chain of narration."
[2] Narrated by Muslim in the Book of Prayer [489] according to Rabi’ah, may Allah be pleased with him.
[3] Narrated by Bukhari in Military Conquests [4330] and Muslim in Almsgiving [1061] from the statement of Abdullah ibn Zayd, may Allah be pleased with him.
[4] Narrated by Tayaalisi [5] and Ahmad (1/3, 5, 7, 8), and Bukhari in Good Manners and Form [724], and Ibn Majah [3849] and others through Awsat Al- Bajali from Abu Bakr, and authenticated by Al-Haakim (1/529), and Al-Albani in the Authentic Book of Manners and Form [557]. Narrated also by At-Tirmidhi in the Book of Invitations [3558] by way of Refa’ah according to Abu Bakr, and said: "good Statement, but strange from this side, according to Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him." The wording they have: ((after certainty)), and not ((after loyalty)).
[5] Narrated by Ahmad (1/8) according to Aisha, she said: Abu Bakr, when death attended him, he said: "what day is this? They said: Monday. He said: "If I die tonight, do not wait until tomorrow; for the most beloved days and nights to me are the closest to the Messenger of Allah. Al-Haithami said in Al-Mujma’ (3/20): "There is in it Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Muyassar Abu Saa’d, a group of many narrators denoted it as weak, and Ahmad said:" truthful. "
[6] Narrated by Bukhari in the Book of Funerals [1392] with similar wording.
[7] Narrated by Muslim in the Book of Prayer [384] from the statement of Abdullah ibn ‘Amr, may Allah be pleased with both of them.