HADITH EIGHTEEN : IMAN IS LOVING THE PROPHET
The Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said, «One of you does not believe until I am more beloved to them than their parents, children, and all people.»
Reported by al-Bukhari (15) and Muslim (70)
Commentary
Loving the Prophet is part of loving Allah. When we understand who he was and what he did, we will naturally love him more than any other human. And the more we love and follow him, the more Allah will love us.
Everyone has a prophet
This may seem odd at first glance. How could everyone, even those who do not believe in God, still have a prophet? If one believes in nothing, they cannot possibly believe in prophets! The assertion made here is not that they believe in a divine power that spoke to someone (i.e. a prophet). The assertion,for all intents and purposes, is that they must treat someone as a prophet. Allow me to explain.
There are two dimensions to a Prophet: the supernatural and the worldly. On the supernatural end, Allah communicates with them and sends them with His messages. On the worldly end, people admire them, listen to them, and model their lives after them. They tell us how to live, and explain the world to us. We accept what they say because they speak on behalf of Allah, and so we give them our complete love and obedience. Therefore, whenever we treat a human as such, we treat them as a Prophet. We may not believe that they are connected to the divine, but we give them the love and respect reserved for those who are.
The Prophets in the past were Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses), Isa (Jesus), and Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم. Today, we have rappers, rock stars, actors, social media influencers, and supermodels. We follow their every move, and their news fills our minds and airwaves. We dress as they do, talk as they do, and believe what they believe. They tell us what is important in life, and we follow it. They tell us how to live, and we accept it. We admire them so much that they have become our role models. We love them so much that we do not contradict them.
Some of us treat scientists in similar ways. When some reject God, they end up believing in science as the absolute truth. They accept everything scientists say, and only what they say, as if they are the bearers of all truth. They substitute the authority
of Allah’s Prophets with the authority of scientists. They reject Allah as absolute but confer this attribute to science. In reality, having a God and a Prophet is inescapable. If our God is not Allah, it is someone else. If our Prophet is not Muhammad ,صلى الله عليه وسلم
we will find another. Everyone must adopt a prophet in their life.
This is one main reason why some of us find it hard to love and hence follow Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم as a Prophet. We are emotionally unavailable. We already have someone that we follow and love. We already have someone to tell us how to live. And so when we hear that Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم said this and did that, we are not interested. We say we are committed to the statement “Muhammad is the Messenger and Prophet of Allah,” but do not understand what it means. We say that he is our Prophet but follow someone else. We say that he is our Prophet but love someone else. The question then is, is he still our Prophet?
The other main reason why we do not love Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم is that we do not know him well enough. We do not realize how much he impacts our lives.
Why love him?
To begin with, because Allah loves him. Anyone who truly loves Allah will feel compelled to love what Allah loves. They cannot help it. Their love of Allah would be so overwhelming that they would be looking for what Allah loves in order to love
it. And when we know that Allah loves this man so much, more than any other, we will cherish him as Allah cherishes him. Ibn Rajab wrote:
Loving the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is of the foundations of Iman, and it is linked to loving Allah, Glory be to Him. Allah coupled his love with His love, and He warned those who put ahead of it any natural love of relatives, wealth, hometowns, and anything else by saying, ﴾Say, “If your parents, children, siblings, spouses, your family, the wealth you collected, the business you fear its decline, and homes you cherish are more beloved to you than Allah, His Messenger, and Jihad in His sake, then wait until
Allah brings about His punishment.﴿ [Al-Tawbah 24]
Fath al-Bari (vol. 1, p. 48)
We naturally love many things in this world, and it is not wrong to love them. But here Allah is instructing us that this natural love should never stand in the way of loving Allah. The measure of a true believer is that if they see a conflict between what they love and what Allah and His Prophet love, they will choose the latter. Anything else reflects weakness in Allah’s love, weakness in Iman.
Muhammad, صلى الله عليه وسلم, is the most beloved to Allah. This says much about who he was. His love for Allah was unparalleled. It increased with every struggle he went through. Time after time, he faced tests and challenges and, guided by Allah’s love, he triumphed. He was not patient with all of these troubles because of any worldly gain. In worldly terms, he lost a lot and gained little. But in the scales of the Hereafter, he won it all. He lost family, dear friends, wealth, hometown, safety, and peace of mind. He was attacked physically and verbally, went hungry, and saw his followers go hungry and suffer. But he never gave up despite all the rejection and opposition. He sat patiently to teach an illiterate nation for twenty-three years. And what did he get in return from this world? He lived humbly. He would go hungry with his family for many days, and all that he owned went to charity after his death. Others in his position would do everything in their power to be rich and make their family rich. He was not interested in all that. He loved Allah’s so much that this world held no sway on him.
He was a man of impeccable character. Allah, Himself, praised this when he said:
And you are of outstanding character.
Al-Qalam (Q68:4)
Take a moment to soak in the fact that Allah praised this man for his manners. What does this say about him? The fact that he was able to attract so many to Allah and change their lives so drastically is a testament to who he was. He turned enemies
into brothers and sisters, the ignorant into the most learned and pious, and the weak and oppressed into a strong nation that stood up for justice. His companions loved him more than they loved themselves.
We were with the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم while he was holding the hand of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab. ‘Umar said to him, “O Messenger of Allah, you are more beloved to me than everyone else except myself.” So, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, «No, by the One who has my soul in His Hand, not until I am more beloved to you than yourself.» ‘Umar replied, “Then now, by Allah, you are more beloved to me than myself.” So, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, «Now, O ‘Umar.»
Al-Bukhari (6632)
This is the highest level of love for the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, a recommended station. ‘Umar’s Iman was so firm that a moment’s reflection gave him the fuel he needed to elevate the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم above himself. What came to his mind to allow him to advance to this exceptional level?
Maybe he thought about what the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم means to every Muslim. We know everything about Allah through him. He guided us to every benefit and warned us about every harm.
He illuminated for us the path to Jannah, and taught us how to live the best life on earth. We need him more than we need any other human. We may be unaware of how much we rely on him every day, but he is closer to you than your family. You need him
more than you need them. What you believe, how you worship, how and what you eat, how and whom to marry, how to raise your children, how to solve your problems, how you sleep, how you wake up—all this and more comes from him. His impact is greater than any other. Your name, where you were born, your favorite food, how you were raised, your spouse, and the future of your children is connected to the spread of Islam, which he started. If you want to get closer to Allah, you need him to tell you how. If something terrible happens, you need him for you understand why it happened, how to be patient with it, and how you can turn it into a blessing. If we have Iman, we are connected to him every minute of each day. This is why you need him more than your parents and children. This is why he should mean more to you than all of them put together.
It may seem hard to believe that we could love him صلى الله عليه وسلم more than our children, spouses, and parents, for they are the ones we love the most in life. It is permissible and natural to love the forenamed people, who represent different types and categories of love. Abu al-Zinad, one of the commentators of Sahih al-Bukhari, explained:
This [Hadith] is from the eloquent and comprehensive speech that he was given صلى الله عليه وسلم because he distilled in these few words many meanings. [This is so] because love is of three kinds: love based on esteem and veneration, like loving a parent; love
based on mercy and care, like loving a child; and love based on admiration and similarities, like loving everyone else. So, he encompassed all types of love.
Sharh Ibn Battal (vol. 1, p. 65)
Our attachment to people is worldly. But our love for Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم is religious. When religion becomes more meaningful to us than this world, our love for him will transcend anything worldly. But we should also love him for worldly reasons. When we follow his guidance, we avoid worldly harms and gain the most from this world. Do you not love the one who reconciles you and your spouse, children, or parents? The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم taught this to us and recommended it. Do you not love the one who protects you from financial loss and guides you to financial success? You will find this guidance in his teachings about halal and haram. Do you not love the one who counsels you when you are down and gives you hope again? The one who protects you from social harm? The one who teaches you the meaning of life and tranquility in a chaotic world? His Sunnah has all of that. And he gave it to you for free.
Our love for him will soar when we realize how much the people around him loved him. This is an example:
A man came to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and said, “O Messenger of Allah, I love you more than myself, I love you more than my family, and I love you more than my children. While I am at home, I remember you and I cannot wait to come and see you. And when I think about my death and yours, I realize that when you enter Jannah, you will be raised with the Prophets. But if I enter Jannah, I fear that I may not see you.” So, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not reply until Jibril came down with this ayah, ﴾And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger will be with those whom Allah blessed: the Prophets and Siddiqs.﴿ [Al-Nisa’ 69]
Reported by al-Tabarani an al-Awsat (477) and al-Albani declared it hasan (al-Silsilah al-Sahihah 2933)
We will encounter this hadith again (see Hadith Thirty-Four). But for now, appreciate the love this man had for him. He could not stand to stay away from him.
‘Ali ibn Abi Talib was asked:
“How much did you love the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم?” He replied, “By Allah, we loved him more than our money, our children, our fathers, our mothers, and more than cold water when thirsty.”
Al-Shifa by Qadi ‘Iyad (vol. 2, pp. 51–52)
Their love for him rose above all the natural love they had for themselves and their family.
It was reported from Abu Bakr I that he said to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, “I swear by the One who sent you with the truth, Abu Talib’s acceptance of Islam is more pleasing to me than his acceptance of Islam—referring to Abu Bakr’s father, Abu Quhafah—because Abu Talib’s acceptance of Islam is more pleasing to you.” Something similar was reported from ‘Umar when he said to al-‘Abbas, “Your acceptance of Islam is more beloved to me than al-Khattab’s acceptance of Islam [‘Umar’s father] because this is more beloved to the Messenger ”.صلى الله عليه وسلم Al-Shifa by Qadi ‘Iyad (vol. 2, pp. 50–51)
They loved everything about him. Anas said:
I saw the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم while the barber was cutting his hair, and his companions had surrounded him, desiring that not a hair would fall except in the hand of one of them.
Reported by Muslim (2325)
His hair and body were special, for there was barakah (blessing) in them. But it is also a demonstration of love, attachment, and respect. ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas confirmed this love and respect when he said on his deathbed:
I did not love anyone more than the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم and I respected no one more than him. I could not continue to gaze at him out of respect for him. If I were asked to describe him, I would not be able to because I never fully gazed at him.
Reported by Muslim (192)
This esteem and love are amazing. If the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم were in front of our eyes now, we would not take our eyes off of him. But those Companions were something else, and their love and reverence are unmatched. But it does mean that later generations do not have their portion of this love. This story from Malik demonstrates his deep connection to the Prophet, even though he never saw him.
When the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was mentioned, Malik’s face color would change and he would bend and lean forward until those sitting with him would be distressed for him. He once was advised against it, and he said, “If you had seen what I had seen, you would not criticize what you saw me doing. I used to see Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir, who was the scholar of scholars, cry whenever we asked him about a hadith until we felt sorry for him.”
Al-Shifa by Qadi ‘Iyad (vol. 2, pp. 93–94)
They loved him so much that they missed him. And because they missed him, they would cry when they would hear his name.
How to love him?
It is one thing to understand the Prophet’s love in theory and another to experience it. We may understand that we should love him, but how do we start?
We have to first understand that our hearts are never empty vessels. They are always full. And at any moment, someone/something occupies the central position in it. Increasing our love for the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم will gradually take the place of other dominant loves in our hearts. His love slowly grows to top other loves. How do we increase our love for him?
The first step is to follow him. Ibn Rajab wrote:
Love can only be complete through obedience, as Allah said, ﴾Say: ‘If you love Allah, then follow me and Allah will love you.﴿ [Ali Imran 31]
Fath al-Bari (vol. 1, p. 49)
The more we follow Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, the more that we will appreciate and savor his teachings. When we start to live like him, his stature will grow in our hearts. The more we lean on him for guidance and wisdom, the less we will seek it from others. The more we allow his Sunnah to saturate our lives, in small and significant matters, the lesser we will imitate and admire other paths. On the road to Allah, there is no small and insignificant Sunnah. Every small act from him is a treasure that builds up love for him, a small step towards the love of Allah. In time, he will become very dear to us.
The second step is to learn more about him and his teachings. One of the greatest obstacles to loving the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is ignorance: we hardly know him and his Sunnah. Yes, we know bits and pieces from here and there, superficial knowledge without depth or breadth. We possess no coherent picture of who the man was and what he taught. The remedy is to pick up his biography and a hadith book and learn in person why he is so special. As you read, relate what you learn to your reality. Ponder how what you are reading may affect you and change your life. In other words, feel its relevance.
The third step is to ask Allah to grant us the love of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. Religious gifts are the most precious of gifts. And if we are used to asking Allah for worldly favors, we should be more eager and persistent in our religious requests. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم deserves all this love, and we deserve to love him. If we love him, his love will take us to Jannah. If we love him, Allah will love us. When we remember him, Allah remembers us. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
«The one who says salah once for me, Allah will say salah ten times for them.»
Reported by Muslim (408)
Repeating salah and salam for the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم brings us closer to him and closer to Allah. The more we remember him, the more we will love him. Try to assign yourself a daily portion of this remembrance, especially on Fridays. It may be the key that opens the beautiful gates of loving the Prophet.
Obligatory and recommended love
Like loving Allah, loving the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has a basic obligatory level and a higher recommended level.
The obligatory love for the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is to observe the religious obligations and avoid the prohibitions. It is to love him enough to listen to him. It is to believe that he is the best teacher and guide, and that his Sunnah is the only way to Allah. It is to be happy and satisfied with him as a Prophet of Allah: he delivered the truth from Allah and showed us how to reach Jannah. Part of this obligatory level is to love him more than all other humans. The Hadith negates the Iman of those who love other people more than him. This negation of Iman is a negation of its completeness and strength, not a denial of its existence altogether. One would still be a Muslim if they loved the Prophet less than a family member. Every Muslim, no matter how weak their Iman may be, loves the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. It is just that their Iman is weak, and so their love for him is weak. If we were to strengthen our Iman, we would realize how much we need him and how much Allah loves him, and we will love him too.
Obedience and compliance determine who you love most. Whose desire and request will you follow? If a dear family member asked for something that would upset the Prophet ,صلى الله عليه وسلم would you do it? If we follow the Prophet, then it is a mark that we love him more. If we follow some other advice and guidance, it is because our heart is there and not with him.
Loving the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is primarily a religious love, while loving our family is a natural love. When they clash, it is common to put our families first if our religious commitment is weak. The strong of faith will resist worldly pressure because they understand that their best interest is in following Allah, not other humans. This is how religious love starts taking precedence over natural love. When we love the Prophet religiously, and know him better, our religious love will guide us to develop natural love for him. You will see examples of what this entails as you keep reading.
The recommended level of love is to perform the recommended acts in addition to the obligations. When our love for him grows, it will move us to imitate him even when it is not a must. The simple fact that he did it, and that this act brings us closer to Allah, is more than enough to convince us to adopt it. Every such act is an opportunity to be closer to him, and closer to Allah. Who would want to miss this opportunity?
Included in the recommended level of love is to love him more than we love ourselves, as the hadith of ‘Umar illustrates. This is not easy, but it is not impossible. It will take time, effort, and a lot of du‘a. Maybe you will be one of those who get there.
What does it mean to love him?
To love him is to want to be like him. In matters small and big, he is the role model. There is no small or insignificant Sunnah anymore. All of his acts are valuable. All of his advice is dear. His choices are better than ours, and his guidance is the best guidance. If someone contradicts him, we ignore him. If his Sunnah is attacked, we defend it. If we cannot be close to him physically, we stay close to what he used to do as if he is right next to us. If I want to hear his voice, I open a book of hadith and read. If I want to feel his presence, I practice one Sunnah of his. If I want to talk to him, I say salah and salam upon him, and he will receive it. The Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
Allah has angels who travel the earth conveying to me the salam of my Ummah.
Reported by al-Nasa‘i and al-Albani declared it sahih (Sahih al-Targhib, 1664)
Imagine an angel carrying your salam to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. And he will know you by name. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
«Increase your salah for me, for Allah has appointed me an angel at my grave. Whenever one of my Ummah makes a salah for me, this angel will say to me, “O Muhammad, so-and-so son of so-and-so made salah for you now.”»
Reported by al-Daylami in Musnad al-Firdaws and al-Albani declared it hasan (Sahih al-Jami‘, 1207)
Loving him will naturally compel us to want to see him. And not merely to want to see him, but to ache so much for it that we would sacrifice anything dear to us to get a glimpse of him. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
«Of the people who love me the most in my Ummah are ones who will come after me. One of them would love to see me even if it were to cost them their family and wealth.»
Reported by Muslim (2832)
This is how much they love him. They would be willing to give up their families and wealth just to see him. They would be ready to migrate to him (hijrah) as the first generation migrated to him and sacrificed everything for it. If they cannot physically
migrate to him, they migrate to his Sunnah. They migrate with their hearts to him. Note that he was describing people who will come after him, like you and I. And it could very well be someone like you and I.
Many today only dream of meeting celebrities (athletes, rappers, actors, etc). They would travel, stand in line for hours, and pay hundreds of dollars just to be close to them. And if they cannot, they would dream about such an encounter and imitate
the mannerisms and style of their idol to feel closer to them. Those who love the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم are willing to do much more to see him. They do not fawn over celebrities because their hearts are full and content. What would you be willing to give up to be close to Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم ?
DR. ALI ALBARGHOUTHI
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