Shaykh Ul Islam Imam Muhammad Anwaarullah Farooqui (May Allah sanctify his secret) - Life and teachings

Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him) told the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam): O Prophet of Almighty Allah! From the day when I pledged my allegiance to You (i. e. from the day when he performed the Ba’yah), I have never touched my private organs with my right hand.  On this Hadhrat Shaykh Ul Islam writes and separates worship and respect. He writes:

Translation: The reason for this must be that overdoing in worship of Almighty Allah is more than what is required as has been said: Do this.  It is enough.  But not in matters of respect of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) as it raises the status, so the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) did not stop from it.  A special reason for this is also that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) is the beloved of the Almighty Allah and the more we respect and love the Beloved, the more the One who loves will be pleased with us.  This shows that such practices invented by the Mashaiqeen are not against the wishes of the Law-Giver (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  Instead, they raise the status of those who follow them.  Now calling them as innovators (Bida’ati) for this is without a reason.  May Almighty Allah grant us insight into religion, through which we can separate the commendable from what is not liked. (Maqaasid ul Islam Vol. 10, Pg No: 166, 167)