Love of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)

Allah Ta'ala has sent the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) as blessings and mercy personified.  His very presence is a great ni'mah of Allah Ta'ala for humanity.  Loving Him is not only an urging of our Iman, but is Iman itself.  There is a Hadith in Sahih Bukhari:

 

Translation of Hadith: It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Anas Bin Malik (May Allah be well pleased with him) that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  None of you can become a believer unless I become dearer to him (or her) than his father, children and everybody else.  (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith No. 15)

 

These are the words of Mufti Syed Ziauddin Naqshbandi Qadri, Professor of Islamic Law, Jamia Nizamia and Founder/Director, Abul Hasanaat Islamic Research Center.  He was speaking on "Love of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), its reasons and demands"

 

Mufti Sahab said that whenever somebody loves somebody in this world, it is because of either of these 4 reasons:  (1) Physical beauty.  (2) Accomplishments.  (3) Generosity.  (4)  Relationship.

 

All these 4 reasons are found in their most fulfilling form in the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam). 

 

The physical beauty of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) was such that the Sahabah would say:

 

Translation of Hadith:  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) is beautiful than all others, with His face and with His personality.  (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith No. 3549)

 

Our eyes have never seen anyone more beautiful than you either before you or after you.  (Jame' Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 3999)

 

Mufti Sahab quoted the following verse of Surah Baqarah:

 

Of all these Messengers (whom We sent) We have exalted some above others: Allah spoke to some of them (directly), and raised some (above all others) in rank…. (2:253)

 

The exegetes (Mufassirin) have said that " raised some (above all others) in rank " means the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)

 

The generosity of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) is such that His blessed hands always showered people with His generosity and benevolence.  No one who asked ever turned back empty-handed.  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) never said, "No," to anyone who asked of Him.

 

About the relationship with the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), it is given in the Holy Quran:

 

This (Esteemed) Prophet is nearer to and has a greater claim on the believers than their own souls and his (pure) wives are their mothers.   Surah Ahzaab (33:6)

 

Mufti Sahab said that the love of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) is Iman itself and the demand of love is that we follow the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) in the most complete manner and that we revolutionize our lives with the beacon of the Seerah of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  We should follow the injunctions given by the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) in all the ebbs and flows of life and prove our Iman and our love of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) thus.  Our success lies in our following the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).

 

The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  Whoever revives my Sunnah, indeed, he has loved me and whoever loves me with be privileged with my proximity and closeness in Jannah.  (Jame' Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 2894)