The love for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

By Sheikh Hussein Al- Sheikh

The Prophet's Mosque

First Sermon

In what is to follow: I advise you and myself to fear Allah, the Mighty and Majestic; for through it, happiness and pleasure are realised, and salvation and joy are achieved.

Servants of Allah! No life is good, no existence is satisfactory and no happiness is eternal save by the achievement of perfect love for Allah, be He Glorified and Exalted. The Almighty says: “But those of faith are overflowing in their love for Allah” [Al Baqarah: 165]. By achieving it, a servant may gain esteem, happiness, prosperity and deliverance in this world and the Hereafter.

From the love for Allah, Glorified and Exalted He be, the love of His Messenger. Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "As for the Messenger, he is to be loved for the sake of Allah, obeyed for the sake of Allah and followed for the sake of Allah; as He said, Glorified and Exalted He be: " Say: if you do love Allah, follow me: Allah will love you” [Al-Imran: 31]. So the love for Allah, Glorified and Exalted He be, is not separate from the love for our Master and Prophet Mohammed. In the authentic compilation of Bukhari, according to the Prophet that he said: (Whoever possesses the following three qualities, will have found the sweetness of faith) then mentioned out of them: (The one to whom Allah and His Messenger are more beloved to him than anything else).

Therefore, the love for the master of creation, the best of mankind and leader of the Apostles, is one of the great fundamentals of religion and important principles of faith. Whereby, our Lord has said: “The Prophet stands prioritised to the believers over their own selves” [Al Ahzab: 6]. Scholars said: this priority implies that the Apostle is dearer to the servant than his own self, and that the servant does not originally have authority over himself. But rather, the authority is for Allah, for the Apostle, his guidance, legislation and Tradition. In the two authentic compilations, according to the Statement narrated by Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, he said: (none of you does truly believe, until I am dearer to him than his child, his father and all the people).

Love of our master, Mohammed, has as a consequence great good, prevalent favour and long lasting bliss. Whoever loved the Messenger of Allah, while believing in Allah Almighty, fulfilling His Oneness, he would be with the Messenger of Allah in the Gardens of bliss with a mercy from Allah, grace and beneficence. It is held, according to Bukhari that a man said to the Prophet: "O Messenger of Allah! When’s the time for the Hour of Reckoning? He said: ‘and what have you prepared for it?’ He said: I have not prepared for it much prayer, fasting or charity. That is to say: I did not add to the compulsory duties any of the facultative ones, then said: but I love Allah and His Messenger. The Prophet then said: (You are with the one you loved). Anas, may Allah be pleased with him-and he is a dignified Companion- said: As for me, I love the Prophet, Abu Bakr and Omar, and I hope that I will be with them through my love for them, even if I did not do such like their deeds. Al-Hasan Al-Basri, may Allah be pleased with him, says, on the comprehension of this statement: "Whoever liked a certain people, followed their footsteps; and you will not catch up with the righteous until you follow their footsteps, take their guidance, follow the example of their tradition, and the eve and morn come by while you are steadfast on their approach: keen to be from them so that you follow their way, engage in their path, even if you were derelict in deeds." End of quote.

O assemblies of Muslims! As for love, if it were among the deeds of hearts, its effects must be apparent on the limbs in words and deeds, and there should emergence proofs as evidence of his sincerity in life, both inward and outward. There are indications confirming its correctness and signs, which appear on the one characterized as such. The love of the believer for Allah and His Messenger entices him to acquiring that which Allah, be He Glorified and Exalted, loves and His Messenger, may the best blessings and peace be upon him, loves from the deeds of the hearts and limbs, and entices him to avoid what Allah hates, and His messenger hates from deep-sighted thoughts, words and actions. The one who loves the messenger of Allah, a true sincere love, apparent and hidden, follows the messenger of Allah in his likings and disliking, in secret and in the open, doing everything he can to stand aware of his guidance and follow his Sunnah, investigating in all his orientations, his Tradition, Conduct, legislation and teachings. The pinnacle of transcendence in the love for the messenger of Allah embodies that the Muslim exalts himself from its desires and pleasures, putting the guidance of the Messenger of Allah and his commands ahead of his own whims and inclinations; because it is the kind of love, which requires the duty and presumed acceptance of what he brought from Allah, to follow his legislation and receive it with love, acceptance, veneration and recognition. Al-Hasan Al-Basri, and other from the predecessors of this nation, said:"Some people alleged love for Allah and love of His Messenger, so Allah tested them with this verse: "Say: If you do love Allah, Follow me: Allah will love you and forgive you your sins” [Al-Imran: 31].

O assemblies of Muslims! The love for our master, the Messenger of Allah, requires his good fellowship and the realization of following the example of his Sunnah, morals and manners in his optional and voluntary acts of worship, food and drink, clothing and in all his perfect manners and pure morals.

Brothers in Islam! The love for the Messenger of Allah requires glorifying the Prophet and revering him, to be polite with him according to what is permissible and following what is sanctioned in the book of Allah, be He Glorified and Exalted, and the Sunnah of His Messenger, may the best peace and blessings be upon him. A licit glorification that would require glorification with the heart, considering that he is a Messenger. A messenger, chosen specifically with the highest appraisal and most elevated elation, without exaggeration or staleness, and without falling into exhortation. Glorification with the tongue; and that is by commending him with what he deserves, and with what the best of humanity is characterised with, therefore it is a duty to keep away and be cautious in the site of prophecy from staleness, such as neglecting sending blessings upon him in words and in writing, or taking his teachings and Sunnah lightly, or be indifferent towards them, or neglecting to read about his legacy and going through his teachings.

Mohammed bin Al-Munkadir, who is one of the prominent followers, if he was asked about one of the Statements of the messenger of Allah, he used to cry until those sitting with him ask mercy for him, out of consideration and reverence to the messenger of Allah, and Abdurrahman ibn Mahdi, one of the prominent narrators, whenever he recites a Statement of the Prophet, he would ask those present to keep silence and say: "Do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet ". Ibn Al-‘Arabi said:" The sanctity of the Prophet as dead is like his sanctity as alive, and his dictum after his death, in greatness, is like his spoken words in expression. When his words are read, it becomes incumbent on every person present not to raise his voice over them and nor to turn his back to them ... until he said: and he has of sanctity like there is to Quran, apart from excepted meanings, which are described in the books of jurisprudence ". The Muslim is bound by duty to choose the best and most refined words, and most tender and gentle meanings when speaking about him, and to avoid everything wherein acrimony or offence to his site.

Servants of Allah! From the love for him, his praise with what he deserves, such like his Lord praised him with, without going to extremes or default. One of the greatest praises for him is to send a multitude of blessing upon him, and to salute him with the best blessings and salutations. To do so increasingly when his noble mention is invoked over the ears and the tongue, and when written by the fingertips

Sending prayers upon him revolves between the duty and the recommended, as is detailed with the people of knowledge and virtue. In Sunan Abu Dawood, and on his authority, that he said: (The best of your days is Friday; when Adam was created, when he passed away, when the sounding of the Trumpet will happen and the swooning will occur, so do send your prayers increasingly upon me on that day) authentic Statement. In Sunan Abu Dawood, also: (Do not make your homes as graves, do not take of my tomb a venue for festivity and send your salutations and blessings upon me, for your blessings reach me wherever you are). The Statement is authentic, due to its methodologies and testimonies.

Brothers in faith! Among the manifestations of love for him, may select peace and blessings be upon him, is to remember him always, hope to see him and to invoke Allah, Glorified and Exalted He be, O servant!, to unite you and His Messenger in His Paradise. Muslim narrated from the Prophet that he said: (Among those of my nation who love me most intensely are certain people who will come after me, and anyone of them would give away his family and wealth in exchange for seeing me). Ibn ‘Asaker mentioned in the translation of Bilal, may Allah be pleased with him, that when he was about to die, his wife yelled: Woe onto me! He called her, saying: (O what a delight! Tomorrow we will meet up with the beloved ones, Mohammed and his party). So, I wonder where the longing of Muslims today for the Messenger of Allah is?! What is their position with regard to his love?! Where is their sincerity in achieving that love, in which Abu Bakr, Omar, all the Companions and followers showed genuineness?!

O assemblies of Muslims! From the manifestations of love for him, peace and blessings be upon him, the love of his relatives, the members of his household and his wives, and the love of all his Companions, their reverence, acknowledgement of their virtues, preservation of their sanctities and recognition of their status. For our Apostle, in the lengthy Statement narrated by Muslim, says: (I remind you of Allah in my household. I remind you of Allah in my household. I remind you of Allah in my household), wherefore in the authentic compilation of Bukhari, that Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said: (keep watch over Mohammed [by watching over] his family). But, with regard to his companions, may Allah be pleased with them, please them and reward them on behalf of this nation with good, our Apostle says it right and explicit, in the narration of the two Sheikhs: (Do not revile my companions. If any of you were to spend the weight of Uhud in gold, it still would not reach the measure (mudd) of one of them nor even one-half of it).

O assemblies of Muslims! His mission, peace and blessings be upon him, which he cared for night and day, secretly and openly, is the achievement of servitude to Allah, be He Glorified and Exalted, and not to shift any of the properties of deity or divinity to others than Allah. Therefore, people who love and glorify him the most, are those who glorify this side, gave him what is due to him, and kept away from all pretext that may disrupt monotheism, which he brought, or affect it. From this perspective, it is from the applicable legal principles, and the assertive Quranic and prophetic rules, to prohibit the exaggeration in his veneration, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, by that which is not permitted. This is why it was stated in the Musnad, with an authentic chain of narration, following the condition of Muslim that a man said: O Mohammed! O our master and son of our master! O our best and son of our best! The messenger of Allah said:  (Say it in your own words, and do not let Satan impress on you. I am Mohammed, the son of Abdullah, the servant of Allah and His messenger. I would not like you to elate me above my rank in which Allah, the Exalted in Majesty, set me), and in the other authentic Statement, according to him, peace be upon him: (Do not unduly praise me like the Christians exaggerated over Jesus, the son of Mary. Verily, I am only a servant, so say: Allah's servant and His Messenger.), and according to Ahmed, with a good chain of narration that a man said to the Prophet: “what Allah wills and you will”. The Prophet, he leader of the monotheists and master of the Prophets and Messengers, said to him: (Are you making me equal to Allah?! Say what Allah wills alone). In the Statement of At-Tufeil, which is authentic through its corroborating evidence: (Do not say: What Allah wills and Mohammed wills, but say: What Allah wills, then Mohammed wills). Therefore, when he showed sincere monotheism to Allah and was the greatest of those who accomplished this prerogative, he was the one worthy of the honoured station, may the best blessings and salutations be upon him.

Servants of Allah! Among the most serious matters with the greatest hideousness is for a person to fall into polytheism, which the leader of the Prophets and Messengers came to fight and warn against. It is a great injustice to yourself that Satan whispers to you by claiming love for the Messenger of Allah. This turns against the call of Quran and the Sunnah, and what they encompass, by collision, intransigence and opposition, so your foot slips and you conceive of an invalid belief, such as assuming in the Messenger of Allah that which is of the characteristics of Allah, He be Glorified and Exalted, assuming that he knows the unseen including that which Allah has not briefed him on, or implore him to the exclusion of Allah to relieve a harm, put off a distress or bring benefit. That is polytheism according to the text of the Quran and the teaching of the master of creatures. Allah says in his favour: Say: "I have no power over any good or harm to myself except as Allah wills. If I had knowledge of the unseen, I should have multiplied all good deeds and no evil should have touched me." [Al A’raf: 188], and He, Glorified and Exalted He be, says in his favour: Say: "It is not in my power to cause you harm, or to bring you to right conduct." Say: "No one can deliver me from Allah (If I were to disobey Him), nor should I find refuge except in Him. [Al Jinn: 21, 22].

One of the greatest rejections of the Quran and the Sunnah of the master creatures is to believe that his presence, peace and blessings be upon him, was former to this world, and that creation and the universe were created out of his light, and so on and so forth among the beliefs contravening the two Revelations and in the substance of the provisions the two Teachings.

I seek refuge in Allah from Satan the accursed: “Say: I am but a man like you: It is revealed to me by Inspiration” [Fussilat: 6].

May Allah bless you and me in the Quran, and benefit us from what is therein of guidance and clear statements, I say what came to pass and ask forgiveness from Allah for me, you and all the Muslims from every sin, so seek forgiveness from Him, He is Oft-Forgiving, Oft-Merciful.

The second Sermon

Praise is due to Allah! A praise which does not run out, and I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone with no partner, the unique King, and I bear witness that our Master and Prophet Mohammed is His servant and His Messenger, the best of those who worship. O Allah! Send your peace, blessings and grace upon him, his family and his Companions, an everlasting praise to the Day of Judgement.

In what is to follow: O Muslims! I advise you and myself to fear Allah, Exalted in Highness, for it is a commandment from Allah to the earlier generations and the later ones.

O assemblies of Muslims! The greatest reasons for the failings of Muslims today, and the occurrence of many tribulations and ordeals, is keeping away from achieving true and real love for Allah and for the Messenger of Allah. Furthermore, one of the greatest reasons for falling into temptation and the greatest causes of ordeals is to fall into contravention of the way of Allah and the approach of His Messenger, may the best peace and blessings be upon him, which would be of the ideological contraventions and practical caveats.

Nation of Islam! Among that which warns of a great danger, is what spread clearly and evidently in the Muslim societies, from satellite channels dedicated to displaying indecent and obscene pictures, and words that erode honour and virtue, which is considered of the broad trial and grand corruption. Channels embodying the means of moral decadence, mockery of high values and virtuous principles, which contravenes the love for Allah, be He Glorified and Exalted, and the love for His Messenger. It would then be obligatory upon all the sons of this nation to provide admonishment and advice, and to stand up firmly against those corrupting means and detrimental matters.

Then Allah, Glorified and Exalted He be, commanded us with a grandiose matter, through which our lives realise purification and our selves achieve happiness; which is sending a multitude of blessings and salutations upon the noble Prophet.

O Allah! Send you prayers, salutations and blessings upon your servant and Messenger Mohammed, and be pleased, O Allah, with the righteous Successors and Rightly Guided Imams.

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