Fadl Elahi
One of the joys that Allaah, the Most High, grants His
servant is to love His beloved Noble Prophet, sallallaahu
`alayhi wa sallam, and how can it be otherwise, when to
love the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, is one of the
conditions of faith?
Imaam al-Bukhaaree related from Aboo Hurayrah,
radiyallaahu `anhu, that the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu
`alayhi wa sallam, said: By Him in Whose Hands my
soul lies, none of you will truly believe until I am
more beloved to him than his father and son. [1/58]
Imaam Muslim related from Anas, radiyallaahu `anhu, that
he said: The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa
sallam, said: None of you will truly believe until I am
more beloved to him than his family, wealth and all
the people. [67]
In the same way that love of the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi
wa sallam, is a reason for attaining the good of this world
and the Hereafter, then loving him is also a reason for
achieving the sweetness of eemaan.
Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim both related from Anas,
radiyallaahu `anhu, that the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa
sallam, said: Whoever possesses the following three
qualities will taste the sweetness (delight) of
eemaan: One to whom Allaah and His Messenger,
sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, become dearer than
anything else; Whoever loves his brother solely for
Allaah's sake; and whoever hates to revert to
disbelief just as he hates to be thrown into the Fire.
[al-Bukhaaree 1/60, Muslim 166, and the wording is from
al-Bukhaaree]
The meaning of "sweetness of eemaan", as the scholars,
rahimahumallaah, have stated is: Deriving pleasure from
obedience, to endure hardship in religion and preferring
this over worldly things. [See Sharh un-Nawawee (2/13)
and Fath ul-Baaree (1/16)]
Loving the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, will also
be a means of taking one to the place of felicity.
It has been related by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim from
`Abdullaah bin Mas`ood, radiyallaahu `anhu, that he said: A
man came to the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi
wa sallam, and said: O Messenger of Allaah! What do you
say of a man who loves a people and never joins them?
The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam,
said: The person will be with those whom he loves.
[Agreed upon. al-Bukhaaree 10/557, Muslim 3/2034, and
the wording is from al-Bukhaaree]
His statement, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, The person
will be with those whom he loves, means in Paradise.
[See `Umdat ul-Qaari' 22/197]
We all claim that we love the Noble Prophet, sallallaahu
`alayhi wa sallam, and that he, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam,
is more beloved to us than our fathers, sons and all the
people. However, are we really truthful in this claim? Does
our claim have any value in the Sight of Allaah?
The scholars, rahimahumallaah, have mentioned signs and
criterion by which the love of the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi
wa sallam, can be judged i.e. whether it is in a person's
heart or not. Some of the most apparent signs are the
following:
1) Concern for seeing and keeping company with him,
sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam. Thus, the loss of these two
concerns would be worse than the loss of anything in the
world.
2) Total willingness to sacrifice oneself and one's wealth for
him.
3) Following his orders and leaving what he prohibited.
4) To make his Sunnah victorious and to protect the
Sharee`ah.
If one finds these signs in himself, then he should praise
Allaah, the Most Mighty and the Most Majestic, that he
possesses in his heart the true love for the Beloved, the
Noble [Prophet], may the blessings of the Lord and His
peace be upon him. He should ask Allaah for
steadfastness upon this.
Whoever lacks some or all of these signs, should hold
himself to account before he is held to account, on a Day
which will turn the hair of children gray (i.e. the Day of
Resurrection). Nothing will be hidden from Allaah, the Most
High, and he (the slave) will not consider or attempt to
deceive Allaah, the Most High, and the Believers; because
one who attempts to deceive Allaah, the Most High, will
only deceive himself as Allaah says:
They (think to) deceive Allaah and those
who believe, while they only deceive
themselves, and perceive (it) not. [Soorah
al-Baqarah, 9]
I will speak, with success granted by Allaah, the Most High,
summarizing these signs, drawing on accounts of the love
of the Companions for al-Habeeb, al-Kareem, al-Mustafaa,
sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, mentioning also our condition
upon it, in the hope that Allaah, the Most Mighty and the
Most Majestic, will improve our affairs and guide us to the
path of righteousness.
