Love for the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam

5-2-2003 | IslamWeb

Question:

I met a recent convert to Islam and he was discussing religious matters and when I told him that once I once heard a Sunnah which in summary says that our Prophet Muhammad once said that "only if you love me more than yourself and your family will you enter paradise". He said he doesn't believe it and doesn't understand why we Muslims praise our Prophet even in prayer while we don't praise the other prophets too or don't praise anyone at all. If the Quran says everyone is equal and no prophet is greater than any other prophet, he thinks that praising the Prophet is only man-made practice, i.e., it is not mentioned in the Quran to praise the Prophet in prayers. Can you please, help me explain to my friend what the Sunnah I mentioned above means and if it is really Saheeh?
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

Al-Bukhari may Allaah have mercy upon him narrated from 'Abdullaah ibn Hishaam may Allaah be pleased with him

"We were with the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) and he was holding the hand of 'Umar ibn Al-Khattaab. 'Umar may Allaah be pleased with him said to him, 'O Allaah's Messenger! You are dearer to me than everything except my own self.' The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “No, by Him in Whose Hand my soul is, (you will not have complete faith) till I am dearer to you than your own self.” Then 'Umar may Allaah be pleased with him said to him, 'However, now by Allaah, you are dearer to me than my own self.' The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “Now, O Umar, (now you are a believer.)"

Al-Bukhari and Muslim may Allaah have mercy upon them also narrated from Anas ibn Maalik may Allaah be pleased with him that the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “No person will be a good believer unless I become dearer to him than his family, his wealth and all the people."

The scholars explained the two aforementioned narrations by the following: Imaam al-Khattaabi may Allaah have mercy upon him said, 'The love mentioned here is not natural love, it is the love related to choice. In fact, the love of the person for his own self cannot be compared to any other love. So, the meaning here is your love for the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) will not be true unless you become ready to sacrifice your own life in obedience to the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) and you prefer pleasing him to fulfilling your desires even if that will result in your death.' [An-Nawawi]

Ibn Battaal and Al-Qaadhi Iyaadh may Allaah have mercy upon them divided the love into three categories:

1-      Respect and esteem: This is like the love of the child for his father.

2-      Compassion and pity: like the love of the father for his child.

3-      Kindness and admiration: This is the love that a person has towards all other people.

Thus, the Muslim has to have all these types of love toward Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ). Ibn Battaal may Allaah have mercy upon him said, "The meaning of this Hadeeth is that the right of the Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) on us is greater than the rights of our parents, our children and all other people. Indeed, it is through the efforts of this beloved Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) that we are turned from Hell-Fire and guided to the right path."

Al-Qaadhi Iyaadh may Allaah have mercy upon him added, "And the love of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) includes backing his Sunnah, supporting it and fighting for his Sharee'ah and wishing to have lived with him and to have sacrificed one's life and one's wealth to back him. Now if this is the case, then belief does not become complete without raising high the status of Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention )   in one's own mind and favoring him to any other person – be it a child, parent, righteous person or beloved one. Anyone who does not believe in this and believes its opposite is not a true believer.'

As for invoking blessings on the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) in prayer, this is not limited to him only. In fact, it includes invoking blessing on all the prophets from Prophet Ibraaheem may Allaah exalt his mention to Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ). So, when the person says in his prayer: "O Allaah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad" is for him and all his Ummah (Muslim nation) and when he says: "as You blessed Ibraaheem and the family of Ibraaheem" this includes praising Ibraaheem may Allaah exalt his mention and all the Prophets and believers who came after him.

Ibn Hajar may Allaah have mercy upon him said while explaining this Hadeeth that the family of Prophet Ibraaheem may Allaah exalt his mention is in general more honored than the family of Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) because the former (the family of Ibraaheem may Allaah exalt his mention) includes prophets whereas the latter (family of Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention )) does not includes any prophet.

Allaah Knows best.

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