Ustadha Zaynab bint Umar

24th October 2022

Loving the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬

‫اللهم اني اعوذ بك ان اشرك بك شيئا وأنا أعلم وأستغفرك لما ال أعلم عدد خلقه و رضى نفسه و زنة عرشه و مداد كلماته‬

“O Allah, I seek refuge in you from knowingly associating a partner with you. And I seek refuge in You from unknowingly
associating a partner with You, as much as His Creation, to the degree of His pleasure, to the weight of His Throne and the Ink
which writes His Words”

How do we love the Prophet ‫?ﷺ‬

Why do we love Him ‫?ﷺ‬
Why do we have this love ‫?ﷺ‬

Love is part of our faith & part of our submission to Islam-loving each other for the sake of Allah ‫ﷻ‬. We should
drink from this Goblet of Love as He has made it. This love that you feel in your heart, is an indication of Allah’s love
for you, Himself.

Love for Allah and the Ummah is an indicator that Allah loves you. Love of the Beloved ‫ ﷺ‬is worship. Someone
asked the Prophet ‫‘ ﷺ‬Why do we fast on a Monday?” He replied ‫ ﷺ‬that we do this as Monday was the day he
was born. By engaging the companions' feelings with this answer, they felt a connection. So we know by this
engagement of feelings, that we do it out of love, not from a command. The Prophet’s ‫ ﷺ‬rank and standing with
Allah is so great, that even his birthday is distinguished, more than many others who were born before or after him
‫ﷺ‬

Magnifying the Beloved ‫ ﷺ‬we realise his true rank. He was the only child born in a state of prostration. His whole
life, his beautiful childhood and upbringing, his Night Journey and Ascension, his Ghazawat (military expeditions),
his Hijrah and whole affair, was exalted in every aspect. It’s important we gather all the feeling we have in our hearts
and direct them to magnifying the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬. Monday is the day that the Quran descended, the day he ‫ ﷺ‬made
Hijrah and the day he was born. We remember the events that occurred in the Prophetic Biography on a weekly
basis. We use any opportunity to remember him ‫ ﷺ‬and then through this we are given a secret.

Why do we love him ‫?ﷺ‬

There is no-one who has been drawn as close, honoured, magnified and extolled. Who is the possessor of this
praiseworthy station; that says “I’m the one for this” on the Yawm al-Qiyamah and the intercession? Who else has
been given this? May Allah bless those who have passed away and understood this.
This is a True Sign and because of the love the person has for Allah, Allah tells Jibril ‫ عليه السالم‬to tell others to love you.
This love translates into the obedience and acts of the individual. Allah the Real, has made love of the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬a
sign of faith. People who have turned away from Allah, He will replace them with people who love Allah and He
loves them. “Allah will love them and they will love Allah” this refers to groups of people from different times and
Eras. This love will be firmly established until Isa ‫ عليه السالم‬returns. Such people will have a gentleness of heart, spread
peace and connection and join peoples hearts together. Insha’Allah this gathering increases us in love for each other
and all Muslims. The companions understood this and when listening to him ‫ ﷺ‬would sit with complete serenity
and stillness, as if a bird was perched on their heads. The Persian Empire sent a delegation to see who he was ‫ﷺ‬
and they proclaimed “I’ve never seen anyone love like his companions loved him” ‫ﷺ‬

Why is it incumbent on us to love him ‫?ﷺ‬

Really, loving him and experiencing our love of him is a measure of our faith. Our degree of connection is the scale
by which we measure our degree of connection to Allah ‫ﷻ‬

Sahih Hadith: 67
ِ ‫ ع َْن َأن‬،َ‫ْت قَتَا َدة‬
َ‫ قَا َل قَا َل َرسُو ُل هَّللا ِ ـ صلى هللا عليه وسلم ـ‏ "‏ ال‬،‫َس ب ِْن َمالِ ٍك‬ ُ ‫ قَا َل َس ِمع‬،ُ‫ َح َّدثَنَا ُش ْعبَة‬،‫ قَاالَ َح َّدثَنَا ُم َح َّم ُد بْنُ َج ْعفَ ٍر‬،‫ َو ُم َح َّم ُد بْنُ ْال ُمثَنَّى‬،‫ار‬ ٍ ‫َح َّدثَنَا ُم َح َّم ُد بْنُ بَ َّش‬
ِ َّ‫يُْؤ ِمنُ َأ َح ُد ُك ْم َحتَّى َأ ُكونَ َأ َحبَّ ِإلَ ْي ِه ِم ْن َولَ ِد ِه َو َوالِ ِد ِه َوالن‬
.‫اس َأجْ َم ِعينَ ‏"‏‏‬

It was narrated that Anas bin Malik said:

"The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said: 'None of you truly believes until I am more beloved to him than his child, his father and all
the people.”

This is a true sign. Because of the love that you have for Allah, He tells Jibril ‫عليه السالم‬ to tell others to love you. This
love translates into obedience and (good) acts of the individual.

Hadith 15
‫‏‬.‫ْت فُالَنًا فََأ ِحبَّهُ‏‬
ُ ‫ َأ َّن َرسُو َل هَّللا ِ صلى هللا عليه وسلم قَا َل‏ "‏ ِإ َذا َأ َحبَّ هَّللا ُ ْال َع ْب َد قَا َل لِ ِجب ِْري َل قَ ْد َأحْ بَب‬،َ‫ ع َْن َأبِي هُ َر ْي َرة‬،‫ ع َْن َأبِي ِه‬،‫ح‬ ٍ ِ‫صال‬ َ ‫ ع َْن ُسهَي ِْل ب ِْن َأبِي‬،‫َو َح َّدثَنِي ع َْن َمالِ ٍك‬
ُ‫ك الَ َأحْ ِسبُهُ ِإالَّ َأنَّه‬ٌ ِ‫‏ قَا َل َمال‬.‫َض هَّللا ُ ْال َع ْب َد‏"‏‏‬ َ ‫‏ وَِإ َذا َأ ْبغ‬.‫ض‏‬ ِ ْ‫ض ُع لَهُ ْالقَبُو ُل فِي اَألر‬
َ ‫‏ فَي ُِحبُّهُ َأ ْه ُل ال َّس َما ِء ثُ َّم يُو‬.‫فَي ُِحبُّهُ ِجب ِْري ُل ثُ َّم يُنَا ِدي فِي َأ ْه ِل ال َّس َما ِء ِإ َّن هَّللا َ قَ ْد َأ َحبَّ فُالَنًا فََأ ِحبُّوهُ‏‬
َ ِ‫ض ِم ْث َل َذل‬
‫‏‬.‫ك‏‬ ِ ‫قَا َل فِي ْالبُ ْغ‬

Yahya related to me from Malik from Suhayl ibn Abi Salih from his father from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of
Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "If Allah loves a slave, he says to Jibril, 'I love so-and-so, so love
him,' so Jibril loves him and then calls out to the people of heaven, 'Allah loves so-and-so, so love him,' and the people of
heaven love him, and then acceptance is placed in the Earth for him." When Allah is angry with a slave, Malik said, "I consider
that he says the like of that about His anger."

Allah, the Real, has made love of the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬a sign of faith. People who have turned away from Allah, Allah
will replace them with people who love Allah and He loves them.

Quran: Surah Ali Imran 3:31

‫قُلْ ِإ ْن ُك ْنتُ ْم تُ ِحبُّونَ هَّللا َ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْ بِ ْب ُك ُم هَّللا ُ َويَ ْغفِرْ لَ ُك ْم ُذنُوبَ ُك ْم ۗ َوهَّللا ُ َغفُو ٌر َر ِحي ٌم‬
Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “If you ˹sincerely˺ love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love you and forgive your sins. For Allah is
All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” 3:31

Sahih al-Bukhārī Hadith 38

‫ي ِم ْن ُكلِّ َش ْي ٍء ِإال نَ ْف ِسي فَقَا َل النَّبِ ُّي‬ َّ َ‫ب فَقَا َل لَهُ ُع َم ُر يَا َرسُو َل هَّللا ِ َأل ْنتَ َأ َحبُّ ِإل‬ ِ ‫آخ ٌذ بِيَ ِد ُع َم َر ب ِْن ْالخَطَّا‬
ِ ‫صلَّى هَّللا ُ َعلَ ْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم َوهُ َو‬
َ ِ ‫ُول هَّللا‬
ِ ‫عن عبد هللا بن هشام قَا َل ُكنَّا َم َع َرس‬
‫صلَّى هَّللا ُ َعلَ ْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم اآلنَ يَا ُع َم ُر‬
َ ‫ي ِم ْن نَ ْف ِسي فَقَا َل النَّبِ ُّي‬ َّ َ‫ك فَقَا َل لَهُ ُع َم ُر فَِإنَّهُ اآلنَ َوهَّللا ِ َأل ْنتَ َأ َحبُّ ِإل‬ َ ‫صلَّى هَّللا ُ َعلَ ْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم ال َوالَّ ِذي نَ ْف ِسي بِيَ ِد ِه َحتَّى َأ ُكونَ َأ َحبَّ ِإلَ ْي‬
َ ‫ك ِم ْن نَ ْف ِس‬ َ

Abdullah ibn Hisham reported: We were with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and 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 everything but
myself.” The Prophet said, “No, by the one in whose hand is my soul, until I am more beloved to you than yourself.” Umar said,
“Indeed, I swear by Allah that you are more beloved to me now than myself.” The Prophet said, “Now you are right, O Umar.”

Remember that if anything he ‫ ﷺ‬did or said, doesn’t move or stir your heart, then that shows your state. If you are
more moved by the current events of the world, then that shows your state.

Why are we obliged to love him ‫?ﷺ‬

Because it results in Allah’s Mercy descending upon us. When Abu Lahab heard about the birth of his nephew ‫ﷺ‬
he was so overjoyed that he freed his female slave Sayyiduna Thuwayba ‫رضي هللا عنها‬ (who had been the wet-nurse of the
Prophet ‫ )ﷺ‬for the sake of Allah. As a result of this action, he is relieved from the punishment of the fire every
Monday. If even those with no faith in their heart, get relief and a lightening of punishment, can you imagine a heart
that is FILLED with love for the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬

One of the most beautiful examples of the love of the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬was an incident just before the Battle of Badr.
The Quraysh had taken the wealth of the people and the Prophet addressed the Muhajirun and the Ansar saying “I
want to hear from you”. In consulting everyone there, he ‫ ﷺ‬was asking them if they wanted to go out to war or
return to the safety of Medina. The Muhajirun saw that the Ansar had already served and sacrificed so much and
subsequently the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬was giving them a choice. Sa’d bin Mu'adh ‫رضي هللا عنه‬ knew that the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬was
referring to the Ansar, so he spoke up, saying “We will engage with you; take from our wealth whatever you wish and
what you take is more beloved than what you leave”. His words were so beautiful and full of love, that they caused so
much happiness to the heart of The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬and his face beamed like a part of the moon. When Sa’d bin
Mu'adh ‫رضي هللا عنه‬ passed away, the throne shook. People asked “Who was this that caused The throne to shake?”
Muhammad ‫ ﷺ‬immediately went to his body and said the throne has just shaken out of joy at receiving the soul of
Sa’d bin Mu'adh. 20,000 angels descended to follow his funeral due to his giving joy and happiness to the heart of the
heart of the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬

Another time, when Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬shaved his head, Sohail ‫رضي هللا عنه‬ took some of his hair and placed it over his face
and eyes. Abu Bakr ‫رض هللا عنه‬ started to cry. Someone asked him: “Why are you crying?” Abu Bakr was remembering
that at the drawing up of the contract of Hudaybiyah, Sohail ‫رضي هللا عنه‬ did not like the words Bismillahir Rahmanir
Rahim as he said “We don’t know these names”. So Bismik was written instead. Then he refused to allow the
Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬to write Muhammadar RasulAllah as he said, “We do not believe you are a Prophet”. So the Prophet
took water and wiped that out and agreed to write Muhammad ibn Abdullah instead. The Sahaba were angry and
ready to kill Sohail ‫رضي هللا عنه‬. The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said “I am the Prophet, even if you don’t believe it”. Now three years
later, here was Sohail ‫رضي هللا عنه‬, a believer, rubbing his blessed hair ‫ ﷺ‬on his face. Abu Bakr ‫رضي هللا عنه‬ was crying at
this change, from a heart full of hate (if he’d been left to his unbelief he’d certainly have been killed) to a heart filled
with love.

Signs the you love the Prophet are:

- Fasting
- Keeping ourselves far away from disobedience
- Doing acts Allah loves
- Additional acts of Worship the Prophet did ‫ﷺ‬
Whoever obeys the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬obeys Allah ‫ﷻ‬. Whoever pledges allegiance to Prophet pledges allegiance to Allah
‫ﷻ‬. Following the Prophet is engaging in all the sunnah acts and etiquettes, such as smiling, visiting the sick and
giving charity. These all bring you closer to Allah and increase your faith and then cause you to attain the station of
True Certainty. You follow the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬and you get love of Allah and Allah ‫ ﷻ‬forgives you.

Someone asked Habib Ali Habshi to pray for him to become beloved to Allah ‫ﷻ‬. Habib Ali understood that when a
father loves their child it prevents them from being angry at the child’s bad acts. So if Allah loves us, he will forgive
us. Loving Allah and the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬is how much you resemble him ‫ ﷺ‬in your actions and how you follow him.
Look at the opposite-if your spouse, father, children and trade are more beloved to you than him, you will be
wretched and they will be taken away.

How do we know we love him ‫?ﷺ‬

Gaining Gnosis of Allah ‫ﷻ‬

Read about his biography and his description and open your heart to loving him ‫ ﷺ‬The end result of knowing him
and following him is to drink from his hand at the Hawd ‫ﷺ‬, his companionship as we pass on the Sirat and that
we are under his Banner. We ask Allah to make us from the people that are with him, the righteous and those who
follow in his footsteps ‫ﷺ‬.