Love for Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is a critical point of faith in Islam. The Prophet ﷺ himself says “None of you will have faith till he loves me more than his father, his children and all mankind,” (narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari). And Allah (swt) tells us in the Holy Quran:
قُلْ إِنْ كَانَ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَاؤُكُمْ وَإِخْوَانُكُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُكُمْ وَعَشِيرَتُكُمْ وَأَمْوَالٌ اقْتَرَفْتُمُوهَا وَتِجَارَةٌ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَاكِنُ تَرْضَوْنَهَا أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَجِهَادٍ فِي سَبِيلِهِ فَتَرَبَّصُوا حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ اللَّهُ بِأَمْرِهِ. (التوبة: ٢٤)
{Say, “If your parents and children and siblings and spouses and extended family and the wealth you have acquired and the trade you fear will decline and the homes you cherish—˹if all these˺ are more beloved to you than Allah and His Messenger and struggling in His Way, then wait until Allah brings about His Will,} (al-Tawbah: 24).
This shows that not only belief and obedience, but also love of Allah and love of His Messenger are requirements of this faith. In this month of Rabi’ al-Awwal, when Prophet Muhammad (s) was born, performed hijrah, and died, all in the same month, Muslims around the world rejoice in celebration of him and of his life.
What do we do when we love someone? We think of them, mention them often, we are creative in the gifts we give them, we start to act like them, dress like them, try to act in ways that will please them, and serve the causes they believe in. We see this in the following of famous figures such as actors, pop stars, athletes, and politicians, as well as in relationships with significant people in our lives like teachers, parents, and friends. We see love songs written in languages around the world, poetry and love letters written by fingers big and small.
Likewise, those who love the Prophet ﷺ have sought out every form of expression of their love for him. Some sing nasheeds, perform dances, and gather friends and family to celebrate. Some send out meals to feed their communities and money to cover their needs. Some write poetry or books about him ﷺ, present talks, and in today’s world, hold webinars, livestreams, and record TikTok clips about him!
Most of all, we are encouraged to send salawat to him (peace and blessings be upon him). No specific phrasing is required, and so our forebears who have loved him across the ages have written, beautiful, poetic, and rhythmic forms of salawat to show their deep love and connection to the Prophet ﷺ.
By sending 1 blessing to the Prophet ﷺ, we receive ten back. When we send 10, we receive 100, and when we send 100, he sends us 1,000 blessings of peace. What a beautiful world to live in, with these thousands of peace and blessings traveling back and forth between us and the most beloved person to Allah (swt). These salawat, peace and blessings are what will deliver us from calamity and ailments, raise our spirits, and bring serenity into our lives. Imagine thousands of angels traveling back and forth from you directly to his masjid in Medina… this in itself will bring peace to our days and to our homes.
Similarly, when you see someone you love and say salam to her, even if it’s just a chance meeting at the grocery store, it can change your whole feeling for the day. Spending an hour or two with a sister or a close friend, chatting, sharing your day can make all your worries fade away. And so we spend our days and hours saying salam, and sending our love and our worries to the Beloved sallalahu alaihi wa sallam.
A man once asked the Prophet ﷺ about the Day of Judgment saying, “When will the Hour be?” The Prophet ﷺ replied, “What have you prepared for it?” The man said, “Nothing, except that I love Allah and His Apostle.” The Prophet ﷺ said, “You will be with those whom you love.” The narrator continues, “We had never been so glad as we were on hearing that saying of the Prophet,” (narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari).
I pray that we all come to this day prepared with our love for the Prophet ﷺ and those who love him, so that we have a place to belong.
Eamaan Rabbat
Director of Education
Rabata
Subhan Allah, we should keep on practicing and conveying righteous deeds. Rabata organization is true example of its own kind. It gives clear vision for the attainment of willingness of Allah and his prophet (peace be upon him)